De Afghanan Kabob House

Bolani, a flat bread stuffed with potatoes or leeks.

Lamb kebab plate.

Afghan bread and a salad of tomatoes, red onions and cilantro.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It isn’t exactly the most beautiful of places.  The street is empty and parking easy to find (and free). The displays in the shop windows are faded and I wonder whether they really do show movies in the dilapidated theater and who would go see them? But it’s not the movie theater we’ve come to visit, it’s the shop next door where we hear the man rattling off something to a customer in a language I can’t understand and the smell of spices from the kebabs cooking washes over us. We’ve come to De Afghanan Kebab House in Fremont.

With only three or four small round tables (covered in glass, business cards and event advertisements slid underneath), a seat inside can be hard to come by. Most guests prefer to take their orders home with them. We decide to eat in, though, and it proves to be a feast for our senses: heat emanates throughout the matchbox-sized restaurant from the open flame where the kebabs cooks, nice on a cool October day. The photographs covering the wall–all of Afghan people or places–pull me past the Afghanistan of the news and make me wonder how many people in Afghanistan were eating kebabs at this very moment and did their mothers and grandmothers hand down coveted recipes for seasoning the kebabs?  I am certain there must be some secret recipe behind the kebabs in this restaurant. I’d had them once before and they were the best kebabs I had ever had. Craning my head around the counter, I peek at the owner grilling the beef, lamb and chicken kebabs over the flame. An elbow away, a woman prepares massive bolani for the griddle. The thin pan bread is stuffed with seasoned mixtures of potatoes or leeks and then fried on the griddle.

Twenty minutes after we order our food, the owner brings us a bowl heaping with yogurt and squeeze-bottles of mint-cilantro chutney and red chile chutney. Then he proudly presents us with a large platter with of bolani fresh from the griddle and sliced into manageable pieces.  The bolani is huge — easily the size of a large pizza! And it is  only our appetizer. We tear off pieces of the hot bolani and dip it in the yogurt and chutneys. Between sips of Coke (you need soda with spicy food!) and blowing on the hot bolani, I savor the crisp exterior of the bread and the steaming mashed-potato filling flecked with chili flakes.

A few minutes after our bolani arrived, we scoot our Cokes and bottles of chutney to the side of the table to make room for our kebab plates. We ordered two kebab plates for three people, but we will still go home with leftovers. Generous portions of rice, Afghan bread, a potato-and-chickpea salad and a salad of tomatoes, red onions and cilantro accompany the kebabs. Once again, I am amazed by the incredible tenderness of the meat and delicious seasoning on the kebabs. Could such a small, grungy restaurant really make such wonderful kebabs? As we pay for our meal and shuffle past the other customers standing in the doorway, waiting to order their meals or pick up an order to take home to their families, I know the answer. De Afghanan Kabaob House makes the best kebabs I’ve ever had, and judging by the flock of people waiting patiently for their kebabs, I know I’m not the only one simulataneously marveling at the apparent squalor of the restaurant and the utter deliciousness of the hot bolani and tender kebabs. But the grunge isn’t enough to keep these people away, and it’s not going to keep me from coming back for another kebab either.

Still curious? Check out De Afghanan Kabob House’s website or read what other people are saying about De Afghanan on Yelp.

 

 

Cape Cod: Arnold’s Lobster & Clam Bar

When we arrived in Cape Cod, my cousin Paula told us about a crab shack she had seen on TV and was arguably the best on The Cape. The next day we stopped for lunch at Arnold’s Lobster & Clam Bar to verify this claim for ourselves. With a full parking lot and a line out the door, we wondered if the wait would be worth it. The line was moving quickly, though, so we decided to try this popular crab shack.

Arnold’s has an extensive menu with seafood rolls and fried seafood baskets comprising the majority of choices. Sam and I decided to go for the best of both worlds and split a lobster roll and fried clam basket.

We didn’t order the “Ginormous” lobster roll, but nonetheless the lobster roll we did order had huge pieces of lobster meat. The lobster meat was couched in a piece of lettuce and a white roll and had very little mayonnaise, which I was glad about. A side of tangy coleslaw was a great complement — I think the New Englanders have their menus down.

When we were choosing our fried basket, my cousin Leslie alerted us to the two different kinds of clam baskets we could order: clam strips and whole clams with bellies. Apparently the juicy clam belly is removed on the clam strips because some people don’t care for the texture of clam bellies even though the bellies impart a greater clam flavor. We wanted whole-clam-goodness, so we  ordered the clam belly basket. Crisp on the outside and just chewy enough on the inside, the clams were a great treat.

My aunt also ordered a basket of onion rings for us to share. The onion flavor was so intense and the thin, crispy texture  of the onions so perfect that my standard of onion rings has been raised by these onion rings.

For her main dish, my aunt ordered fried scallops, which were very tasty but very rich.

Arnold’s also had a Raw Bar inside, where Sam tried an oyster. How’d it taste? Good, but not much different than California oysters.

When we arrived at Arnold’s we planned to get ice cream at the ice cream bar attached to the back, but after such a heavy meal I couldn’t bear to look in that direction. That was ok, though, because  ice cream shacks abound on the Cape.

And our meal had made us happy as clams.

Cape Cod: The Griswold Inn

On our drive from New York to Cape Cod, my Aunt Linda, Sam and I stopped at The Griswold Inn for lunch. Located in the charming town of Essex, Connecticut, “The Gris” is one of the oldest continuously operated inns in the country and has welcomed visitors to its doors since 1776.

Walking into the Griswold Inn Restaurant, I immediately felt like I was walking into the hold of a ship. The dark wood floors, paneling and furniture evoked an atmosphere of age, which was further enhanced by the memorabilia covering the walls. From rifles to lithographs to framed captain’s orders 150 years old, the Inn’s homage to our American heritage was undeniable. The Gris’ Tap Room has also been named the most handsome bar room in America.

As this was our first stop in New England, Sam and Aunt Linda ordered bowls of clam chowder to get into the New England seafood spirit.

For my seafood fix, I ordered The Griswold Inn’s Saturday special: a crab cake melt, which is a crab cake, topped with tomato and cheese served on an English muffin. I like the idea of a crab cake melt, but the crab cake had too mayonnaise for my taste.

On this trip, I was struck by how untraditionally New England the menus at the Griswold Inn and other restaurants were. As a visitor, I had determined to temporarily relinquish my California fresh cuisine and eat as much traditional New England seafood as possible. Quite frankly, there weren’t many seafood choices on the menu, which is why Sam ordered a panini and Aunt Linda ordered a mozzarella and roasted vegetable sandwich. I have a theory, though, that those who live in New England are tired of traditional New England food and want updated menus. This desire for new flavors is understandable; it just makes getting traditional New England fare a little trickier.

After lunch we took a walk down the main street. The yards were vibrant and lush with greenery and grass, and the houses were pristinely preserved. Stunning hydrangeas were in every yard, and I especially loved these pale green hydrangeas.

For a piece of American history and a walk down main street, I would definitely recommend The Griswold Inn. Though they didn’t have the seafood I was hankering for, that was ok because this was only the first day of our trip and we hadn’t even made it to Cape Cod. There were many more seafood excursions to come.

Va de Vi

Whether it’s lunchtime or dinnertime, Walnut Creek’s Va de Vi Bistro and Wine Bar is always bustling like the downtown in which it is located. For Sam and me,  Va de Vi has come to signify a special occasion restaurant where we’ve celebrated Sam’s birthday, our engagement and, most recently, his return from a three-week trip to Pakistan.

Every time we dine at Va de Vi we are thrilled with the creativeness of the chef and outstanding quality of the food.The menu follows the small plates concept, so nibbling and sharing is the name of the game. I really like the small plates concept because the focus is on the taste of the food rather than shoveling down a plate of food that could serve two or three people.

When Sam and I last went to Va de Vi,  we ordered two entrees and a vegetable: beef carpaccio, rosemary lamb kebabs and sauteed summer squash with tomatoes.

As Va de Vi is also a wine bar, they have a diverse selection of wines from all over the world. Even if you know what wine you want to order, take a minute to read the humorous wine list. Sam and I enjoy a sparkling rose, whose  varietal, vintner and region I have unfortunately forgotten (I could point to it on the list though!).

When it comes to dessert, there is no need to pick just one item: the dessert tasting for two features four different sweet nibbles such as creme brulee, profiteroles, bread pudding and chocolate souffle. A cup of Va de Vi’s strong, piping hot coffee completes a fabulous meal.

Dagoba Chocolate

A couple weeks ago when I was at the SF Ferry Building Plaza with Laura and Marisa, we stopped at the Scharffen Berger shop to buy my mom’s favorite Scharffen Berger cocoa powder. That day they were giving away free bars of Dagoba organic chocolate with your purchase. I admit it’s pretty slick marketing because here I am writing on my blog about a chocolate I had never heard of.

Marketing ploys aside, I rather liked this chocolate. The bar I was given was the “lemon ginger” flavor. I love crystallized ginger in my chocolate but was a little skeptical about the “hint of lemon.” The hint turned out to be just enough, not overpowering but still interesting.

Dagoba, which is based out of Ashland, Oregon, makes several different creative infusion bars (like Chai; Blueberry Lavender; and Acai, Goji and Currants) as well as single-origin chocolate bars, drinking chocolates and baking chocolates. Dagoba prides itself on its organic and sustainable practices, which you can read all about on their website.

Dagoba, which means “temple of the gods,” describes itself as “Dedicated to the Art of Chocolate Alchemy® – transforming exceptional cacao into edible gold.” I give Dagoba two thumbs-up for their clever use of words: their newsletter is called “The Tao of Cacao” and the ingredient list for my lemon ginger bar reads: “Organic dark chocolate…OG crystallized ginger, OG lemon, and, of course, love.”

Chocolate, ginger, lemon, love — what more could you ask for?

The Wine Bible

I was recently given a copy of The Wine Bible, which is written by Karen MacNeil. I was told that this was an easy-to-understand and comprehensive guide to wine, and reading the accolades on the front, back and inside covers (yes, there are that many!) of the book bore this out.

Bon Appetit wine and spirits editor Anthony Dias Blue writes: “A dazzling, comprehensive, modern guide to wine, free of elitism and pedantry.”

Robert Mondavi writes: “The most complete wine book ever. A must for anyone who loves wine, whether they are a pro or an amateur. Thorough, authoritative, and entertaining.” And Mondavi isn’t the only one who calls the book entertaining, Danny Meyer, co-author of The Union Square Cafe Cookbook, also calls the book entertaining.

The book is hefty, measuring 1 ¾-inches thick and weighing 2 lbs. 12 oz., but not so big that I would feel uncomfortable toting it along to read on BART. The pictures are all black-and-white but they are plentiful. Boxes of text-extras are set amongst the regular text, making it simple to learn something with a 2-minute glance through the book. After all, who has time to sit down for an hour at a time to uncode some esoteric wine book? Karen MacNeil’s The Wine Bible is perfect for our busy, go-go-go lifestyles where we want information quickly and in small doses.

The first part of the book is devoted to explaining how wine is made and how it should be tasted, while the subsequent chapters examine specific wine regions and the varietals therein. At over 900 pages, I’d say the book ought to be pretty comprehensive!

As I make my way through these 900 hundred pages of wine wisdom, I’ll be sure to share with you on my blog what I learn.

GuS: Grown-up Soda

While the kids guzzle down their Capri Suns and Kool-Aid,  we adults can reach for cans of Coca Cola or Orange Slice. You know the feeling: you don’t really want a cloying-sweet soda, but sometimes that homemade hamburger needs something a little more substantial than water as an accompaniment.

A couple weeks ago I was scoping out the beverage case at Whole Foods when a Dry Meyer Lemon soda caught my eye. Meyer Lemon soda? I thought. Dry Meyer Lemon soda? Doesn’t “dry” refer to wine? The Meyer lemon concept intrigued me because  I had become enamored with the wonderful floral fragrance and taste of Meyer Lemons since making a Meyer Lemon Souffle in January. And “dry,” well, I thought I had just figured that term out when it came to wine. This was definitely the drink for my lunch.

What I discovered was a soda made with the adult palate in mind.

GuS or Grown-up Soda markets itself as “100% Natural” and “Not Too Sweet,” two things I’m a big fan of. The Dry Meyer Lemon soda was still sweet, but not as syrupy-sweet as many lemonades (drinking a Pellegrino Limonata three days later confirmed this). The carbonation was refreshing and overall I was pleased and eager to try other flavors.

What’s the damage? The sodas do have added sugar, 22g – 24g per 12 oz. bottle. The calories aren’t too high for a fruit drink or soda at 90-98 calories per bottle. Sure, you won’t have the zero calories of Pepsi One or other diet beverages, but you won’t be putting potentially harmful chemicals in your body either.

If you want to turn your Grown-up Soda into a cocktail, check out their website for cocktail recipes.

Give GuS a try and let me know what you think.

Blue Bottle Coffee

Photo by A. Stutzman.

 

Move over Peet’s, this new kid on the block is filling mugs of Bay Area coffee drinkers faster than stock market is falling. Blue Bottle Coffee is all the buzz: one patron walking out of the downtown SF cafe enthusiastically declared, “That has to be the BEST coffee I have ever had!”

Bottles, let alone blue bottles, do not generally connote the rich, warming brew upon which so many of have come to depend, so how did Blue Bottle Coffee get its name? In the late 1600s the Turks were invading Central and Eastern Europe and besieged Vienna. One brave Viennese emissary named Kolshitsky stole through the Turkish lines to solicit help from the Poles. The Poles came to Vienna’s rescue and the Turks fled, leaving everything — including bags of coffee beans — behind. Knowing that these beans weren’t camel feed as some thought but the source of a satisfying drink, Kolshitsky taught the Viennese how to make coffee and founded the first coffee house in Central Europe, the Blue Bottle.

Photo by Frankie Frankeny.

What is making coffee lovers skip the 2 block walk to Peet’s and brave the city rush for 10 blocks to Blue Bottle Cafe? For one, the beans. Blue Bottle serves the beans within 48 hours of roasting, giving you the freshest beans possible. The beans are also roasted in small 21-pound batches, allowing flexibility in their roast profiles. As with any good, Bay Area local food business, the beans are organic.

Photo by Frankie Frankeny.

Second, the way the Blue Bottle baristas make coffee. When I saw the baristas pouring hot water into individual ceramic drippers over each coffee cup, I marveled at this new way of making coffee. Turns out the filter drip is actually the old way of making coffee; I was born of the French press generation. Still, there aren’t many places where you can get a cup of filter drip coffee made the moment your order. For detailed tips on making on making coffee with the filter drip, French press, Mokka pot or espresso method, check out the Blue Bottle website.

Photo by A. Stutzman.

Select restaurants in the area like Danville’s Sideboard Cafe, Berkeley’s Chez Panisse and SF’s The Slanted Door serve Blue Bottle Coffee, but no place I’ve tried it makes it as well as the Blue Bottle Cafe. The line might run out the door when you drop in, but it’s worth it. A kiosk is due to open in the Ferry Building Plaza soon, one more step in the showdown between Blue Bottle and Peet’s.

Blends we’ve tried: 
Giant Steps: Full-bodied with a thick chocolately, fudgy flavor. No need to worry about diminishing the taste when you add milk. 
Roman Espresso: Medium-bodied, fruitier than Giant Steps 
Decaf Noir: A decaf coffee worth drinking. We wondered if we had accidentally brewed Blue Bottle’s regular coffee because the Decaf Noir maintains the same intensity and body as Blue Bottle’s regular beans.

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.

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.