Foreign Cinema

The Christmas season might be drawing to a close, but the memories are living on. In mid-December my parents, Sam and I attended a Christmas sing-along with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. Beforehand we had dinner at SF’s hip and sought-after Foreign Cinema in the Mission. Sam’s company had its Christmas party there two years ago, but Sam’s company isn’t the only one who considers Foreign Cinema Christmas party-worthy — Berkeley’s dynamic and influential Chez Panisse holds its Christmas party here as well. Just go to the Foreign Cinema’s website and check out all the press attention they’ve received.

It may be called the Foreign Cinema, but don’t worry — the menu is in English. The restaurant boasts two bars, a private dining room, an indoor dining room (complete with crackling fireplace) and a heated outdoor dining courtyard where patrons can watch foreign movies projected on the massive white wall of the adjacent building. The movie hadn’t begun when we arrived, and since it was breezy outside, we decided to sit indoors. The space is open, minimal and carefully designed: the remodeled warehouse with concrete floors is warmed by wood furniture, a fireplace and decor. 

Besides the ambience and rave reviews, I knew Foreign Cinema had something good going for it when our server asked us whether we wanted still or sparkling water — sparkling water was no extra charge. As avid sparkling water drinkers, we took them up on their offer. The servers were attentive, refilling our water glasses whenever they were less than half full.  

Foreign Cinema has a bountiful selection of oysters — try 20 different oysters. Our server recommended 3 different oysters for us to try. One was the Miyagi oyster of Point Reyes; the other two I’ve forgotten. And one of the oysters I liked better than the others, but since I don’t know their names I’ll just have to try more oysters another time.  

For appetizers we ordered warm California and Mediterranean olives and baked fromage d’ Affinois. It was my first time to have olives warm, and I liked how it mellowed the sharpness I normally associate with olives. Fromage d’ Affinois is similar to brie: it comes from France, is made from cow’s milk and has a soft, edible rind. The process by which it is made, however, differs; ultrafiltration speeds up the maturation process. We slathered the soft, warm cheese generously onto crostini. A few grilled artichoke leaves added a wonderfully smoky dimension to the cheese. 

For her entree my mom ordered Chilean Sea Bass seasoned with cilantro and accompanied by white beans. The combination of fish and beans was new to me, but I liked how the beans’ firm texture was juxtaposed against the fish’s softer texture.

My dad ordered a lavender-scented pork chop with an apple puree and savory bread pudding with chard. The portion was very large, and the scent of lavender only a whisper, but he enjoyed it. 

Sam ordered steak with grilled artichokes and arugula. Unlike regular steakhouse fare, Foreign Cinema’s steak was sliced and artfully fanned out on the plate. The portion size was on the smaller side — on the healthful side, actually — and the quality was superb. Cooked medium rare, the steak was tender and flavorful, not overpowered with spices.

I ordered the duck breast, which was also accompanied by a duck sausage, French lentils and a crostini with pate. The duck breast — also sliced and artfully fanned out on my plate — was not at all greasy like duck can be. It was tender and moist, and the spice of the sausage added a befitting kick. I have to admit that one of the reasons I ordered the duck was for the lentils that accompanied it, and I was not disappointed. The Foreign Cinema puts just as much care into the entree’s side dish as into the actual entree, yet carefully maintains a balance so the entree remains the star of the meal. 

Room for dessert? Of course. Since we were going to a concert after dinner, I thought it would be appropriate to order the Opera cake, which is layers almond cake, espresso buttercream and chocolate ganache. Like all the dishes at the Foreign Cinema, the serving size was just right — not so big that I couldn’t finish it. It was good, but next time I’ll try something else.

Sam ordered chocolate pot de creme, which is a sort of chocolate custard or pudding. Rich and intense, this dessert packed high-quality chocolate flavor. The texture was smooth, and it was gobbled up in no time.

My dad chose an apple tart and my mom had a pear napoleon with rosewater sorbet. A couple coffees to accompany and we were set.

No figgy pudding necessary to bring us holiday cheer: a meal at the Foreign Cinema and concert were all we needed to get in the Christmas mood and create a holiday memory.

Lobster Salad with Spicy Lemon Dressing

During Thanksgiving week we took a break from all the Turkey and stuffing (though not completely!) and ventured into the world of live seafood. One evening Sam brought over two clawing lobsters, which were destined to end up on our salad plates. We compared many lobster salad recipes at epicurious.com and decided on this one, which has an Asian flair. Cooking the live lobster was surprisingly simple: drop it into a pot of boiling water, let it boil for 4 minutes, then plunge it into an ice bath. It took more time to muster the courage to put the live lobster into the pot than to actually cook it. After just four minutes, the lobster turned bright red—it was cooked. With various kitchen tools including a nutcracker, Sam set to work releasing the tender white flesh from its rigid red shell. 15 minutes later, the lobster was ready to be added to the salad. In the meantime, I had made a dressing, grilled Shiitake mushroom caps and fried slices of garlic. We assembled the ingredients on a platter and voila! our fabulous lobster salad was ready for the dinner table. A lively kick from the spicy lemon dressing, a crunch from the garlic chips and a deep, full-bodied flavor from the grilled Shiitakes were brilliant complements to the bright, clean lobster. Instead of gawking at the live lobsters in the tank at the market, go ahead and take one home. You just might become a fan of this lobster salad.   

Serves 4 as an entree. 

For Spicy Lemon Dressing

1/4 cup (50 ml) lemon juice

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon finely grated garlic

1/4 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, passed through a sieve

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

a little freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil

For Lobster Salad

1 fresh lobster

sea salt

vegetable oil for deep-frying

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

5 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed

3 ounces (80 g) assorted salad greens (i.e., mizuna , rocket leaves, baby spinach, mustard greens, lollo rosso lettuce, tomyo pea sprouts, Swiss chard)

1/4 cup (50 ml) spicy lemon dressing

Preparation

Make dressing:

Combine all the ingredients except the oil. When the salt is fully dissolved, add oil.

Prepare salad:

1. Have ready a large saucepan of boiling water (enough to cover the lobster) and a bowl of iced water. Add a pinch of sea salt to the boiling water and scald the lobster over high heat for 4 minutes. Plunge the lobster into the iced water, then remove the meat from the shell. Cut into bite-size pieces.

2. Bring about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of oil in a small saucepan to 320°F (160°C). Deep-fry the garlic slices until crisp.

3. Brush mushroom caps with grapeseed oil and lightly grill.

4. Arrange the salad greens, mushrooms, and lobster on a serving dish. Pour the Spicy Lemon Dressing over all and garnish with the garlic chips.

Recipe from Epicurious.com. 

 

The Slanted Door

On November 5th Sam became a U.S. citizen. We attended the Oath Ceremony at 9 a.m. at the Masonic Center. 1454 new American citizens later, we were looking for a place to have a celebratory lunch. The destination: The Slanted Door in the Ferry Building Plaza. This hip, popular modern Vietnamese restaurant was bustling with the lunch time crowd — mostly business people but occasional guests simply there to enjoy the city.   

Big, bright and open with a view of the Bay (we could see the Bay Bridge from our seats), the atmosphere was refreshing and energizing. The wait staff were attentive, even with an attendant in the restroom handing guests paper towels.

Since it had been an early morning and we were hungry (and we were celebrating!), we ordered two appetizers. The first was daikon rice cakes with shiitake mushrooms and shallots. A so-so appetizer, it served more as a hunger-quencher than as a dish to be savored. The second appetizer, which was a salad of halibut served on lettuce greens, was by far our favorite of the two. The fish was crispy, yet still tasted fresh, and the lightly dressed lettuce was a delicate accompaniment to the flavorful fish.   

For my entree I ordered the grilled tiger prawns over rice noodles with vegetarian imperial roll, cucumber and mint. The flavors were clean and refreshing. I especially liked the abundance of lettuce, which balanced well the carbs from the noodles. The imperial roll was altogether tasty: crispy, hot and a little bit greasy, which I didn’t mind, though, since the rest of the meal was so healthy. I was very pleased with my choice and would recommend it.   

Sam ordered the lemongrass chicken with red onions, jalapeños, roasted chili paste and peanuts with brown rice. The chicken was tender and flavorful, and the lemongrass added an interesting dimension to the flavor palate. The sauce was not overpowering, but provided the dish with substantial body and depth. With The Slanted Door’s house specialty lychee infused iced tea, it made a satisfying lunch. Though Sam enjoyed the lemongrass chicken, next time he’ll order something else. The iced tea, though, is definitely worth a second try.  

Having heard raves of The Slanted Door, we were excited to try it out. Did it live up to the hype? We think so. Its fantastic location, inviting ambience and creative menu were enough to make us the ones raving about it to others.