Bourgey Burgers: Part 2

You know a burger is bourgey when it comes with 4 sauces, you don't know what to dip in what, and the place is half swanky lounge. Don't get me wrong, Orson is a nice joint, but dare I say maybe bordering on too bourge for K.yo and I? Actually the atmosphere is quite romantic (if you're looking to impress someone), but the bar is also casual enough for a drink after work. Also happy hour is from 5-7pm and the drinks are quite spectacular. This time the burgers consumed came with duck fat fries, truffle mayonnaise, cobb relish, and house-made steak sauce. (I admittedly had to look that up just now because we totally forgot what the sauces were.) Duck fat fries sound like a heart attack waiting to happen, but it's a good heart attack and not as scary as it sounds. These actually reminded me of the fries at Grub: thin and crisp like good ole McDo. The burger was alright, but honestly a bit awkward to eat given the setting and the size of the thing. I fork-and-knived it but felt a bit silly while doing so. It is also a bit pricey; actually probably the priciest burger that I've had. Not sure if I would call it the best either, but the sauces were quite phenomenal (especially the cobb relish). If anything, drop by for drinks if you are near by.

And for dessert, we dropped by Ippuku for a Matcha Green Tea Sundae. Soooo goood. It's basically a spin on the affogato except with matcha green tea and vanilla soft serve. Yes the bourge did continue...

Orson
508 4th Street (Near the freeway)
San Francisco

Ippuku
2130 Center Street (b/w Shattuck and Oxford)
Berkeley

Mission: NYE

So of course, Uptown publishes an article on Grub right as I'm about too. Just my luck. :P So for NYE and Special K's Birthday, we decided to grab some Grub and go bar hopping. Mostly because we didn't want to pay cover fees for clubs and also cuz we're hip like that. First of all, I'm just going to throw out there that yes, Grub is a tiny bit expensive. A lot of people don't want to pay $9+ for Mac, but if you are willing, then you should consider it. Basic Mac starts at $9 and each additional item is $1. The items range from rock lobster to broccoli, so it's great for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. I chose rock lobster and truffle oil, while Special K. got broccoli, and I'm not quite sure what our friend AR got. But what I do remember is how sensational it was. People have been complaining that the cheese sauce is too saucy and not cheesy enough. I beg to differ. The sauce had a nice creamy consistency that went well with the toppings. I also highly recommend the fries or as many restaurants are calling it nowadays "pomme frittes" (to be hella french...gawd). I've been telling everyone that they're like McDonald's fries, but BETTER: thin cut and hella crisp. We also ordered asparagus for good measure. And I give Grub extra props for offering complimentary champagne and birthday brulee!

We headed to Bar Laszlo and Shotwell's afterwards. Both very cool, but also very different. Laszlo was a bit too loud (not to sound like an old man), but it might have just been a NYE thing. Love the projected films and decks on the wall. Shotwell's was less bourgey and definitely more local pub-on-the-corner-of-your-street. My night would have ended better if a drunk dude hadn't spilled his beer on me. But it's okay, I got a bacon covered hot dog at a vendor as a gift to myself.

Grub
758 Valencia Street (b/w 18th and 19th)

Bar Laszlo (It's Foreign Cinema's bar)
2534 Mission St. (b/w 21st and 22nd)

Shotwell's Bar
3349 20th Street (@ Shotwell)

Bacon-covered Hotdogs
Just look for vendors along Mission hella late at night.

Want: Wontons

After experiencing Wonton cravings for weeks, I finally got the nerve to make them myself. The process itself is not difficult, but it is a bit time consuming. I called my mom for a recipe, but like any mom she told me "a little of this...a little of that," i.e. ingredients, but no specific quantities. I guess that's what happens you know you're a pro. I adapted my mother's advice with a recipe that appeared in the Bold Italic article on dumplings in the city. I omitted shrimp because it's expensive, and I'm not a huge fan. I also left out water chestnuts...mostly because I was too lazy to get them and am not particularly partial to them in wontons. Other than that, I basically followed the recipe, but I also added an egg yolk as per my mother's recipe. Here's a link:

http://thebolditalic.com/TienlonHo/stories/340-wrappers-delight

It's actually pretty self explanatory. Wrapping them is fun, but like I mentioned before, a bit time consuming. Be prepared to wrap around 40 with that recipe!

Bourgey Burgers: Part I

Just when we thought we couldn't sink any lower, K.you and I decided to exchange Christmas presents via dinners. Coincidentally, we both chose bourgey burgers. Last night we went to B3. I still have no clue what that place is actually called. The website is technically "B Cubed," but I swear the guy who answered the phone said "B3." Oh yes, it is one of those places, in which you don't know how to pronounce the name! Anyways, maybe it was because we had starved ourselves that day, but these were some of the best burgers we've ever had. Go at happy hour, and you'll get free fries and $1 off draught beers! Build your own burger or order one of their pre-conceived ones. Burgers consumed:

The Guillermo Burger (top): Manchego, Bourbon Brown Sugar Bacon, and a Fried Egg. It may sound weird and/or like breakfast in a burger, but believe you me, it is AWESOME. The Bacon tastes surprisingly not like pure salt and with a hint of sweetness. You'll hardly notice the egg, but it's just enough to make this burger not run-of-the-mill. I.e. it's not that weird. The Kennebec Potato Fries are also quite noteworthy.

Roasted Chili Burger (bottom): Roasted Chili, Aoli, Avocado, and Cheddar. K.yo consumed this one, so I'm not qualified to write its review. But, she definitely did not say anything negative about it.

We topped off the night with a Sundae at Slocombe. Don't recall the name, but it's one of the ones they have regularly. Brownie, Balsamic Caramel Ice Cream, Whipped Cream and Cherries. It was good, but K.yo and I were so full that we couldn't finish it. :S

B3 (B^3)
1152 Valencia Street (b/w 22nd and 23rd)
San Francisco

Slocombe
2790 Harrison Street (@24th)

The Sweetest Dinner

First of all, I'm going to detract any doubt I've ever had about American Cupcake. PB&J sandwiches as a meal?! Cupcake and wine tastings?! Red Velvet Breaded Fried Chicken?! Your first reaction might be like mine, WTF?! But believe me, you have to go there to realize how awesome it really is. K.yo, L.A., and I met up for dinner in the Marina district (where L.A.'s digs are). We decided to wander around until we found a satisfactory place. That's when we ventured into American Cupcake. The place is super cute and has a futuristic-dinery feel. Not only do they have cupcakes, but they also have savory food as well as cocktails and beer.

K.yo, L.A., and I started off with drinks. We ordered the the Sunburned, the Shameless, and the Incorrigible. The most girly drinks ever! They definitely fit the mood of the place and made us giggle:

The Sunburned: Passion fruit puree, lemon juice, and IPA (the online menu says Amber Ale, but they've changed it). K.yo prefers it to regular IPA.

The Shameless: Strawberry puree, rosewater, mint, and sparkling wine. Fruity, tasty, and girly. L.A. was glad he got it!

The Incorrigible: Raspberry puree, pomegranate liquer, and sparkling wine. Cute and bubbly, it was a nice little drink.

Next up were the appetizers. Waffle Fries AND Tater Tots. We felt like children while devouring these fried goods. Delicious and crispy, they come with "grown-up" dipping sauces including: Malt Vinegar, Preserved Meyer Lemon Aioli, Curried Ketchup, and Wasabi Aioli to name a few.

Entrees:

Red Velvet Fried Chicken w/ Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes and Vinaigrette Cole Slaw: It sounds totally bizarre. The chicken had a sweet aftertaste from the Red Velvet, but it was actually quite tasty and interesting. Mashed Potates and Cole Slaw were great. I was only able to finish half of it, but the leftovers smelled like Sour Cream and Onion Pringles...that's a good thing btw.

Pulled Pork Sliders: Jack n'Coke BBQ Sauce with Chilli Smoked Sea Salt. This was K.yo's choice. You can't really go wrong with Pulled Pork...especially when it's made with whiskey. Delish!

Last but not least, L.A. was able to fit in a Chocolate Sundae. Yumyumyum. The perfect way to end the meal. I highly recommend the place!

American Cupcake
1919 Union St. (near Laguna)
San Francisco

Izakayas: The New Craze

Okay, is it just me or are Izakayas sprouting up like no one's biznet?! There's Izakaya Sozai and Nombe...and I think Namu counts as one. Ippuku has been landing on every critic's list for 2010. Now Chotto is opening in the Marina. I love me some Izakayas, but I'm starting to worry that this trend might get overdone. However, I understand the hype. They're a great place to hang out and drink. It's a lot more chill than a bar, and the food is usually delicious. I guess I shouldn't complain, since they usually bring back happy memories of Japan for me. That being said, cheers to Chotto. And, if you're in Berkeley and feel like getting your izakaya on, check out Ippuku. It's one of the few places in the bay that actually reminds me of Japan.

Ippuku
2130 Center Street, Berkeley

Cup o' Cake

Alright, I finally got around to going to SusieCakes in the Marina. But first, a little cupcake talk. Apparently, there's a backlash against the petite treat nowadays, and people seem to be veering towards pie. Some of the cupcake complaints I've read refer to the price of said treats. Yes, they are expensive, and you could bake a dozen for the price. However, I am strongly against people who will knock off a few stars on a Yelp review because of this. Don't buy them if you don't want to spend the money! Anyways, enough of that. If you are willing to spend $3 on a cupcake, then SusieCakes is a good place to go. It's a cute and small like their cupcakes, and they actually taste non-processed. I got the Chocolate Mint, and it was heaven. Then again, I was starving...nonetheless, if you're in the Marina area GO THERE.

SusieCakes
2109 Chestnut St. (@ Steiner)
San Francisco