Did you know that Citric Acid...

Fish Ceviche

To expand and broaden my blog, I've decided to start a "Did you know that..." series where I post random facts that pertain to foods that might be interesting.  Often, I come across amazing recipes, helpful tips on cooking/baking, and unconventional ways of doing things that are much more simpler than the old conventional ways, so why not share them with you? 

Tuna Tartare

As I was reviewing the Waterbar's salmon tartare, I instantly thought of my conversation I had with someone.  Can't remember who exactly, but we talked about raw sea foods "cooking" in citric acids.  A foreign concept, I looked to validate the truth.

As odd as it sounds, it is true. 

People normally think of cooking through the use of heat because the process changes the nature of the molecules and properties of whatever is being cooked.  Like heat, the citric acid also changes the physical and chemical properties even though it doesn't seem that way to the naked eye.  So even though the salmon tartare was in it's raw form, it was technically bathed and cooked in lime juice.  Hence why the taste was remarkably different from that of sushi.  However, I'm not quite sure if the salmon from Waterbar is the same grade as the ones served at sushi-specific restaurants.  That I would have to research more into.

Salmon Tartare

As far as cooking with citric acids, it is recommended to dice the raw sea foods into small cubes.  This is so that there is more surface area that the citric acid can effectively cook.  Try to marinate the sea foods from 15 minutes to about an hour, depending on the type of seafood.  Note:  Cooking with citric acids doesn't kill bacteria like heat would which means that there is a higher chance of getting food-borne illnesses and parasites.  Otherwise, it is a tasty alternative to cooking foods besides heat.

And now you know.

If you are interested in learning more about this, click here for a more detailed explanation.




<3 Lina Chen
 

The Waterbar

Located behind Googles' backyard in San Francisco lies a small restaurant with an ocean front view called the Waterbar. 

Right:  Waterbar's Bay Chips.  The potatoes were cut into thin slices and fried to perfection.  

A hint of a sea salt to add a little bit of flavor from the sea.

The bay chips is large enough to share between 2-3 people.

Left:  Strawberry Pop Tart.  The name says it all.  It's a strawberry pop tart.  It's moist inside from the strawberry jelly; the exterior, flaky.  The pop tart breaks down as you bite into it.  A delightful brunch pastry/appetizer Waterbar has to offer.  

Right:  Hama Oysters from Seattle.  Before I NEVER liked oysters.  The smell of it; repulsive.  The texture, too raw.  The taste, too fishy.  But Waterbar has completely changed my perspective on these seafood delights.  Perhaps it's because they were fresh and small, but they were delicious, unlike the various times I've had them before.  Waterbar's $1 per oyster deal is too good to pass.  So if you ever get the chance, get some.  Especially the Hama Oysters.

Left:  Grilled Calamari Fried Rice.  Not my cup of tea, but thankfully I didn't order this for myself.  It's basically an American-style fried rice with a char-grilled squid on top.  I have nothing against squid.  It's not exotic to me since Korean's eat it all the time, but it was just too smoky and the fried rice seemed a bit too bland for my taste.  It just didn't work very well in my opinion.

Right:  Salmon Tartare.  My culinary vocabulary is not up to date.  The rookie mistake I made was not knowing what the word "tartare" meant.  I ordered this dish thinking that the salmon would be cooked, but it was a surprise when it wasn't.  Oh, Lina.  Good thing I like raw fish, especially salmon.  It wasn't necessarily like eating sushi though; more like ceviche.  The lime "cooks" the raw salmon and brings out a new taste on raw salmon.  I liked it.

Out on the patio of the Waterbar.  Such a magnificent view.

<3 Lina Chen

399 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94105
415.284.9922.   www.waterbarsf.com 

Humphry Slocombe: Ice Cream with Attitude

After writing my review on The Stinking Rose, I couldn't help but to think about the garlic ice cream. I have a pretty sweet tooth and I'm constantly craving for chocolates, cookies, candies, cupcakes, and just about anything that's sugary.  Actually just cold, icy, creamy, sweet and savory treats.  I've been wanting froyo, ice cream, and shaved ice for the longest time...I just like the slushy texture that slowly melts as it sits on the surface of my tongue.  Yummy!

Garlic ice cream is uncommon but so are the flavors that the Humphry Slocombe ice cream shop serves.  Located in the Mission District of San Francisco lies an ordinary-looking ice cream shop with extraordinary, creative flavors.

Honestly I don't think all of the flavors are all that great.  It can be a bit too sweet but there are some that I liked.  The one that the shop recommended was the Secret Breakfast.  Bourbon and cornflakes in ice cream?  Sure, why not!  I have to admit that was an interesting combination, but it worked very well together.  Apparently there's multiple Yelpers who feel the same. Their Chocolate with Smoked Sea Salt was on the not-so-good side.  The purpose of the sea salt is to help contrast the chocolaty flavor, sort of like adding salt onto the watermelon to make it sweeter; however, it didn't seem that way.  Thankfully I was able to sample the various flavors before actually going with this flavor.  Remember I love chocolate and that would have been a big mistake!  They also had the Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee, which was very, very strong.  So if you drink coffee on a daily basis, this might be the flavor for you.  I ended up getting the Roasted White Chocolate Lavender.  It wasn't my favorite because it was a little too sweet for me. 

Some other flavors they had were the...

-  Basil Lime Sorbet

-  Brown Sugar Fennel

-  Jesus Juice (Wine and Coke)
-  Peanut Butter Curry
-  Carrot Mango
-  Government Cheese
-  Hibiscus Beet

-  Black Sesame
- McEvoy Ranch Olive Oil
- Rosemary's Baby
-  Salt-N-Peppa
and much more...

A special thank you to Lena for recommending me to try this place or else I would have not been able to experience the unique flavors that Humphry Slocombe offers.  Ice cream with attitude.

<3 Lina Chen

2790 Harrison St., San Francisco, CA 94110
415.550.6971.    www.humphryslocombe.com 

Garlic: The Stinking Rose

For those who can't stand the smell and taste of garlic, then this blog entry isn't for you.  So I recommend moving on to the next post or just come back later until I have another mouth-watering treat for you.

Today I wanted to write about The Stinking Rose, an infamous garlic restaurant located in both San Francisco and Beverly Hills.  According to their website, it "has become famous for celebrating the culinary euphoria of garlic."  They kindly appreciate the stinky herb and incorporates it in all, if not most, of their dishes, including their desserts!  

My lovely boyfriend took me here on our four year anniversary and to my surprise, it was a unique experience.  I've been to many restaurants and there aren't any like The Stinking Rose.  The interior is whimsical and very playful.  In a way, I thought I was submerged in a dream where I had run away to join the Russian Circus.  Russian Circus?  Yes, that is correct.  The Russian Circus.  There were vibrant red walls much like that of a ringmaster's jacket.  Bundles of garlic hanging on some parts of the ceiling with extravagant chandeliers lighting up parts of the room.  We sat under the Garlic Lovers Lane where these massive black-and-white striped canopies hung over us as we ate.  The table tops were marbled with hints of greys and whites.  The plates, ceramic.  The atmosphere was just warm and inviting.

Garlic Soaking in a Hot Tub

As far as the food, it wasn't up to par for me.  I ordered the Baby Back Ribs with garlic encrusted all over it.  Personally it was a bit dry and tasteless (even with the garlic!).  The mashed potatoes that came with it were good though. Eric ended up getting the Garlic Roasted Prime Rib.  Once again, it wasn't my favorite just because it was flavorless as well.  I personally enjoyed the Garlic Soaking in a Hot Tub appetizer where the garlic is slowly simmered while soaked in extra virgin olive oil and butter.  This allows the garlic to break down and become soft and mushy unlike it's raw form.  Just like butter, you place the garlic atop of your bread and spread it across the flat surface and munch away! 

Sizzling Iron Skillet Mussels

We also ordered the Sizzling Iron Skillet Mussels which was served with a buttery-lemon dip.  I love mussels and so this was probably one of the highlights of the night especially if the entrees weren't all that impressive.

The last item I I would recommend trying is their garlic ice cream.  It's not common to find yourself a garlic-flavored ice cream.  I'm not sure if many places do serve it, but if you ever get the chance, just do it.  It wasn't your normal sweet, savory ice cream that you would get at Coldstone's creamery.  It was cold (obviously), a bit bitter, and it definitely had a hint of garlic to it.  It was very subtle and not too over-empowering as far as taste.

I think what made this experience delightful is the decor/theme that The Stinking Rose upholds, the interesting foods that they serve, but also being able to celebrate our love for each other.  I can finally say that I have been to The Stinking Rose and hopefully you can too.

<3 Lina Chen

55 N. La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211

310.652.7673.   www.thestinkingrose.com

House of Prime Rib

House of Prime Rib is notorious for...well...their prime ribs. 

Note:  Make sure you call ahead of time to make reservations.  Long before my trip out to San Francisco I knew I wanted to go here to celebrate my love with Eric, but the thought of reserving a spot for two didn't hit me until the day of.  That was a big mistake, but well worth the two hour wait.  The chances of us eating there was pretty slim, but the reservationist on the other end of the phone recommended coming in early.  Their doors open at 4 P.M. and we got there by 5 P.M.  

Parking is a nightmare in San Francisco so we pulled right up to the House of Prime Rib and valeted our car.  It's less of a headache trying to 1. find parking and 2. constantly feeding quarters into the meter.  Honestly, I think there was only 8 minutes to each quarter so within the 4 hours you sit waiting and eating at the House of Prime Rib, it equates to having your car valeted ($9).  

For walk-in's you want to make sure you put your name on the list and you're sitting in and around the waiting area, it can take a long time before they call your name and so you want the option to sit down but also stand up.  This place fills up pretty fast so get there nice and early.  

As soon as we were seated into our little corner, our server briefly tells us how to order.  Basically there are multiple cuts of prime rib based off of thickness and size.  I ordered the House of Prime Rib Cut where it's a hearty portion of meat that's slightly thick and smaller in size.  Eric's King Henry VIII Cut is basically a big, thick, cut for fattiest of fatties.  A perfect size for King Eric. 

The prime rib is complimented with a side of mashed or baked potato, creamed spinach or creamed corn, salad, and Yorkshire pudding.  The server brings out a bed of salad atop another bowl filled with ice cubes and starts mixing in the vinaigrette by spinning the salad bowl and slowly pouring in the dressing.  This isn't necessarily my first time watching someone do this, but it adds an element of entertainment that just enlightens the whole experience.

A good 10-15 minutes later our prime rib comes out with our creamed spinach and creamed corn.  It smelled so good, we just wanted to dig right in, but before my anxious boyfriend devoured his big meat, I took a picture of his gleaming, happy face:

Isn't he cute?

Overall, I give this place 4 1/2 stars out of 5.  The succulent prime rib was tender, juicy, and scrumptious.    I just didn't care for the Yorkshire Pudding and the Au Jus sauce that came with the prime rib was a bit salty.  So for those who like less salty dishes, try not to drench the meat in the Au Jus.  Other then that, everything was great.  The experience, the food, and the atmosphere.  If you visit San Francisco, visit House of Prime Rib.  

It's one of those places that everyone needs to try once in their lifetime. 

<3 Lina Chen

 1906 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109

415.885.4605.   www.houseofprimerib.net