san francisco chicken salad

Best chicken salad ever (to date)

left-over roasted chicken
lemonaise (to taste)
greek yogurt (to taste)
savory (fresh; to taste))
mustard (to taste)
dijon diced radish (1-2)
hot sauce (splash)
pinenuts - ~2T, lightly toasted
salt + pepper (to taste)

Dice or shred chicken. Add lemonaise/yogurt until it is as creamy as you wish it. Add remaining ingredients to taste. Mix and eat on bread, crackers, or sliced pink lady apples (as we did, tonight).

San Francisco Restaurants: Part One - Italian

Just as I was moving here, I read an article in the NYTimes about San Francisco and Italian food . At that moment I was, and had been, pursuing an obsession with pizza. Cooking it, but eating it. We had been making crust from scratch, sauce from scratch, and whipping out pizza margheritas from the grill. We also near-perfected a pizza with sauteed broccoli raab (near-perfect meaning our crust was about as good as we could get, but could not reach the quality of a brick-oven/other 5000deg beast). I was also at that time travelling to SF on a work expense account, so I could eat out. It started out with eating at 54 Mint , which was really good. Specifically I recall eating an amazing panna cotta with balsamic glaze, which was stunning. I also loved the plaza so much I considered moving in there, except that I would have had to stay in the plaza for my own comfort and safety level. This was rapidly followed by a trip to Una Pizza Napoletana, of NYC fame. Una Pizza lacked glamour, but the pizza was outstanding, with perfectly charred crust, and hard-to-make spot on margherita. When I moved to Potrero Hill, I became enamored with Piccino , at that time a tiny maybe 10 tables haunt with an excellent short wine list, pizza, a handful of delicious desserts where one could nearly always score a table with two people. This has changed since Piccino expanded to a larger, and decidedly more upscale space down the block. The pies are still excellent, but I have to admit missing the smaller, more neighborly, cafe-style space. Having moved to the Mission and tried Delfina's Pizzeria, I have to say that it's margherita cannot be beat. It's the pizza I dream of when I've been here by myself and have no one to split it with, though I could regrettably down a whole one myself if I dared. Moving on from pizza, I have been to SPQR, Perbacco, but for amazing pasta and atmosphere to-die-for, Farina is my pick. You could not ask for a more stunning interior space, and the fettuccine with pesto is the best I have ever eaten. Even in Italy.

moving west

I've moved west! There are infinite food possibilities here. Unfortunately, I've mostly been eating lately. And riding my bike. I should say bikes, as I have two - a kawasaki ninja as well as my old specialized. But, I vow to start cooking again soon. More than a tamale out of a bag from the grocer on the stovetop, or a poached egg on greens. Or, worse, a peanut butter pretzel clif bar with a glass of milk. Followed by a glass of pinot noir with a chunk of mt. tam a few hours later. I have developed a wine problem, although I would prefer to call it an appetite. More on that later. SF food is better, everywhere. Trust me.

it's been a long time...........

which means there is a lot missing! but i'll try to do better hence forth. need to eat: oysters from Island Creek Oyster Bar on Commonwealth Ave. This was the first of my birthday dinners, and it was amazing! I also had the most amazing calves brains at Hamersley's Bistro in the South End. I've got to get Boston food while I still can, we're headed west in the coming months!