Wellington Wednesdays At Porterhouse

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Craving beef Wellington? Head to Porterhouse on Wednesdays.
Craving beef Wellington? Head to Porterhouse on Wednesdays.

My appetite for red meat comes nowhere close to that of my husband, aka Meat Boy.

But admittedly, I have a weak spot for beef Wellington.

Maybe it’s the retro vibe, the stately tradition, or celebratory nature that ropes me in.

So, I couldn’t pass up a chance of partaking recently when I was invited in as a guest of downtown San Mateo’s Porterhouse, where fittingly, Wellington Wednesdays are de rigueur each week.

Dry-aged beef is a specialty here, as you can tell from the moment you walk through the doors and spy the dry-aging refrigerators loaded with hefty cuts of mid-West beef.

The restaurant does all its own dry-aging of beef.
The restaurant does all its own dry-aging of beef.

Hamdi “Bruno” Ugur has owned this classic, old-school steakhouse since 1987, and you’ll see him greeting guests at tables nightly. Hospitality runs in the family, as his son, Steve Ugur, is not only the director of butchering at Porterhouse, but co-owns Pausa in San Mateo, and the just-opened Sekoya Lounge & Kitchen in Palo Alto.

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A Pleasing Plum Pistachio Galette

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Summer plums and homemade pistachio frangipane are front and center in this delightful galette.
Summer plums and homemade pistachio frangipane are front and center in this delightful galette.

There’s no question that this dessert is absolutely, positively plum good.

After all, it’s loaded with summer’s juicy, sweet plums.

And they rest on a layer of homemade, creamy, rich pistachio frangipane.

“Plum Pistachio Galette” is from “Sheet Pan Sweets” (Union Square & Co., 2022), of which I received a review copy.

It’s by Seattle’s Molly Gilbert, a cooking instructor and former recipe tester for Saveur magazine, who has become an authority on sheet-pan recipes, with this her third book on the topic.

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Mic Drop For TCHO’s Limited-Edition Collab Chocolates

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TCHO chocolate bars (front to back): The Perfect Matcha, Grizzly Berry, Deep, Dark & Salty, and Hoppy Hour.
TCHO chocolate bars (front to back): The Perfect Matcha, Grizzly Berry, Deep, Dark & Salty, and Hoppy Hour.

Berkeley’s TCHO Chocolate has just debuted three brand-new, limited-edition bars in partnership with three local icons: Third Culture Bakery, the Oakland Zoo, and Berkeley’s Fieldwork Brewing Co.

Like a Supreme drop, these are small-batch productions that wait for no one, meaning once they sell out, you’re out of luck.

I had a chance to sample these creations that sell for $9.99 per bar on the TCHO web site. The respective bars are also sold at the three partnering businesses: Third Culture Bakery’s Bay Area locations, Oakland Zoo, and Fieldwork Brewing Co.

The new, limited-edition bars.
The new, limited-edition bars.

The Perfect Matcha was inspired by Third Culture Bakery’s popular strawberry, lychee and matcha latte.

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Takeout Time: Shawarmaji

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The chicken shawarma arabi style at Shawwarmaji.
The chicken shawarma arabi style at Shawwarmaji.

After taking Oakland by storm, Chef Mohammad Abutaha opened a second location of his Shawarmaji last last year not far from Santa Clara University.

The fast-casual Jordanian street food eatery opened with a more limited menu — just chicken and falafel — than its East Bay sister establishment that also features a shawarma blend of beef and lamb. However, when I visited two weeks ago, I was told that beef-lamb finally will be offered in Santa Clara starting sometime this month, if all goes according to plan. So, get your appetite ready.

For the uninitiated, shawarma is vertically spit-roasted meat, marinated in yogurt and spices, that is shaved to order.

The proprietor.
The proprietor.
Art on the walls.
Art on the walls.

Unlike the Oakland location, the twirling towers of meat aren’t on display behind the counter in Santa Clara, but in the kitchen.

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Summer’s Silky Marinated Zucchini

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Zucchini get blotted of excess moisture, then pan-fried, and finally layered with aromatics.
Zucchini get blotted of excess moisture, then pan-fried, and finally layered with aromatics.

Don’t get me wrong — I do love zucchini bread, that all-American, tender teacake creation.

But it was the Italians who made me love zucchini’s savory side.

They definitely do have a way with this staple summer squash.

Maybe it was making Stanley Tucci’s much ballyhooed take on the classic spaghetti with zucchini alla Nerano last year that sealed the deal on this newfound appreciation for it. In any event, I can’t seem to get enough of zucchini this summer.

Case in point, when I spied the recipe for “Silky Marinated Zucchini,” I knew I had to make this simple dish.

It’s from “Portico” (W.W. Norton & Co.), of which I received a review copy, that explores the Roman Jewish repertoire of cooking.

It’s by Leah Koenig, the Brooklyn-based author of seven cookbooks that have spotlighted the world of Jewish cuisine.

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