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Vacation drumroll
http://cookaholics.org/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=1920
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Author:  cmd2012 [ Sun Jun 09, 2013 8:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vacation drumroll

Thanks for all of the suggestions! Good to hear we won't be a bad neighborhood. The Hub is marked on my map as the triangle of Mission, Franklin and Duboce. Probably a non-local thing!

Author:  TheFuzzy [ Sun Jun 09, 2013 8:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vacation drumroll

Carey,

Yeah, sounds like something a toursism guide made up. Or a real estate agent.

Author:  ldkelley [ Mon Jun 10, 2013 12:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vacation drumroll

Amy wrote:
You likely aren't able to get away for lunch, but if you are, I'd recommend Franklin's BBQ. Probably the best Q I've ever had.


Thanks, Amy. I will see if we can sneak away. I definitely want some Texas BBQ while we are there.
I appreciate the recommendation.

--Lisa

Author:  Amy [ Mon Jun 10, 2013 12:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vacation drumroll

Franklin's is a commitment. You have to get in line about an hour before they open, and they close when they run out of food...usually around 1 p.m.

Amy

Author:  ldkelley [ Mon Jun 10, 2013 1:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vacation drumroll

Amy wrote:
Franklin's is a commitment. You have to get in line about an hour before they open, and they close when they run out of food...usually around 1 p.m.

Amy


Looks like we won't be going - they are closed most of the week we are there. :(

--Lisa

Author:  TheFuzzy [ Wed Jun 12, 2013 11:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vacation drumroll

Carey,

More sightseeing tips: http://sfist.com/2013/06/12/best_10_tou ... cals_s.php

Author:  cmd2012 [ Sun Jun 30, 2013 5:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vacation drumroll

We are home from having a blast in San Francisco. So I figured I should report in before I look at my visa balance or step on a scale.

Despite pre-vacation vows of frugality, our only concession to this turned out to be going fancy for lunch instead of dinner most of the time. We had a truly lovely mushroom and lardon quiche and salad at Bouchon (of course, DH's first words to me post-first-bite was "how come your quiche never tastes like this."). I realized that 1) I clearly do not use enough cream, butter, pastry or salt (they do theirs in a 2 inch springform pan and it was seasoned just to the edge of being salty) and 2) I am guilty of over cooking. Theirs was silky and just barely set. We washed it down with a small vineyard Zinfandel that was gorgeous but unattainable in any of the vendors we went to afterwards (and which ended up costing more than our lunches combined...oops!). We shared a chocolate mousse for dessert that looked a bit like a mass market grocery chain offering, but was too delicious to describe....with a salted caramel sauce on the side and a pocket of it in the middle, all on top of a salted caramel crisp.

We also had lunch at Bottega. I had the green eggs and ham which turned out to be grilled zucchini, a deep fried breaded egg, roasted grape tomatoes and a corn zabaglione as an appie, followed by the tagliatelle bolognese. It was all amazing. Yountville as a whole was beautiful, as were St. Helena and Calistoga. We did the Sterling Vineyards tram tour too. Stunning views and a fun experience, but so-so wine. Frogs Leap vineyards OTOH was stunning, they served a gorgeous cheese plate with the tasting, and everything we tasted was good. Alpha and Omega winery was stunning too. Best Chardonnay I think I've had (sadly, not at a price point where it would have a hope of replacing my el cheapo boxed Pinot grigio that will be my white of choice for the foreseeable future). We limited it to those 3 as tastings are pricy! (a far cry from the $5 tastings we are used to in BC).

Slanted door was also an amazing meal - we had the slanted door summer rolls with peanut sauce, caramelized shrimp, and vermicelli noodles with beef on the patio. The shrimp were outstanding (and in a caramel sauce flavoured with soy that I was afraid would be too sweet but wasn't at all). We walked in for lunch just before noon and had no trouble being seated. Busy place though!

On a recommendation from DH's friend we splurged on dinner at Frances. We had to take a 5pm reservation on a Monday to get in (it has maybe 30 seats), but it was PHENOMENAL! Maple bacon beignets as an amuse, followed by a cut of beef we didn't recognize (but was uber tender and juicy), cooked to a perfect medium rare, sliced over a fresh corn risotto. I could have bathed in the risotto! It was drizzled with a red wine reduction, which I barely noticed because the risotto was so good. Dessert was the only let down. I had a chocolate profiteroles made with chocolate ice cream in lieu of pastry cream. DH had their lumberjack cake (a house specialty), which he said was better than my dessert, but not on par with the meal, and no-where approaching Bouchon's offering. All washed down with a Billhook Cabernet (which we also could not find sold anywhere). If anyone sees it though, it's good stuff.

Chris and I also met Josh and Chris and had a wonderful South Indian meal with them (none of which we had had before). We had Paper Dosa, which was a thin rolled crisp on the outside, soft in the middle, crepe-like bread that you dip in your choice of 3 chutneys or a lentil sambal. We also had fried Idly (deep fried lentil patties with a chutney like topping), tomato and pea uthappam (a type of crepe with the toppings baked in), channa masala, and lentil doughnuts in a yogurt sauce whose name is escaping me. So good, and such a different experience for us. Plus we had the best ice cream (mine was salted toffee), tasted varietal chocolates, and I snagged some Mexican vanilla at a quarter of what I'd pay for McCormicks here. Super nice of Josh and Chris to show us around and feed us such interesting and tasty food. Nice to meet them too!

We also had great kebabs and falafels at Hayes and Kebab, California style pizza one night, a picnic of charcuterie from Boccaloni, cheese from Cowgirl Creamery, bread from Ace bakery, nectarines and plums (all courtesy of the ferry building), and more sourdough bread than I care to admit. Seriously, not a single bad (or even mediocre) food experience.

My only regret was in being overly cautious of Canada customs. Normally I am under some kind of security flag that gets me searched and any food related items confiscated under the opaque and ever changing customs rules every time I re-enter Canada by plane. Driving is a whole different ball game where they barely usually ask about what foodstuffs you have, but by plane I've even had gum confiscated from my purse. Seriously. This time....when I have been strong and avoided bringing in anything food related and have studiously stayed under the alcohol limit....nothing. Not even a question about alcohol, tobacco, or firearms. NOT EVEN ONE QUESTION!!! *sigh*. All the things I could have brought home.

A great trip! Love San Francisco! Now I'll need to face Visa head on and eat nothing but salads until I have undone my week of sheer, unadulterated gluttony.

Author:  wino [ Sun Jun 30, 2013 5:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vacation drumroll

Great to read all of your impressions.

We have a condo in Yountville for the month of July and will be there from 13-29 inclusive with a wide variety of friends coming-and-going.

My dance card is filling but we always leave room for the unexpected :o :lol:

Just to be extra safe we have bought '2 week' cards at Yountville Fitness :!: She will be doing the Napa-Sonoma half marathon; I will be dong the coffee & Bailey's Rumba :? :!: :roll: Just buying the cards is good enough, right?...........

Author:  cmd2012 [ Sun Jun 30, 2013 9:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vacation drumroll

Wino,

Yountville was gorgeous. I am sure you will have a great time! It's where Napa valley really starts to become beautiful, and it was one of my favourite places to stop. With more time I would have loved to try Redd and Bistro Jeanty, as they also get good reviews. The info centre in town is also happy to give you a large brochure with maps of all the wineries in Napa as well as a list of restaurants by town, which is handy. Napa Syle was a nice store too, and the wine tasting there was a nice surprise (good tasting, nice range of wines, very informed local staffing the bar who gave lots of helpful tips about Napa wineries). They also sell picnic boxes for take out that looked tasty.

For wine touring, many of the small wineries require appointments. We found the wine country app/website to be helpful as it lists those that do, those that don't, and it gives a lot of 2 for 1 tasting coupons/discounts on tours at many of the wineries. Tastings tend to be $25 per person but they will let you share. We found the pours too generous so we switched to sharing just to avoid waste. Most places will give you the tasting fee back if you buy 2 bottles. We thought all of the wineries had beautiful gardens too, and you can stop , chat, tour the wine shops and walk the gardens without buying a tasting. Even driving was gorgeous. One note though, the wine prices are less at the wine stores than they are at the wineries, sometimes by quite a bit, so if you like something, you might want to buy it at a wine shop instead of at the winery (unless you are getting your tasting fee back by buying 2 bottles).

For a day trip I'd recommend Muir Woods National Monument. It's a preserved old stand redwood forest with walking trails. It is gorgeous. It is not far from Mill Valley, which is a little town also worth visiting. It might also be your best grocery stop, as iirc it's about 45 minutes from Yountville. It has a beautiful market with butcher counter, deli, prepared hot foods and salads and wine shop. There is also a vintage wine store there where the owners are very friendly and knowledgable about Napa/Sonoma wine. There is also a Whole Foods there which is smallish but well stocked. Tyler Florence's store was quirky and fun as well. Parking only takes change though FYI.

The CIA Greystone campus is also in the area. They offer cooking demos and tours. We would have gone but found out too late that they did that.

If you happen to be in San Francisco, the ferry building food vendors were very good, even on a non farmer's market day. Produce, meat, bread, cheese and baking were all a available in addition to staples and prepared food to go. The Hayes Valley neighborhood also has a Fatted Calf store on Fell Street. Beautiful butcher counter, charcuterie, cheeses, and a small selection of prepared foods. La Boulange which is nearby (on Hayes Street) also has wonderful bread and their hazelnut chocolate croissants were incredible. There are also a bunch of Whole Foods markets and Trader Joe's. Parking was free at all of the Whole Foods we went to.

There is also a Dean and DeLuca's store near St Helena on the highway. It was also very nice.

Hope you have a great time.

Author:  cmd2012 [ Sun Jun 30, 2013 10:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vacation drumroll

Oh I forgot, Absinthe is also a good restaurant in Hayes valley. Pricey, but we had delicious food (cheese plate, coq au vin, filet of beef, chocolate pot au creme). Fun cocktail list too. Opentable.com was helpful in getting reservations at the fancier restaurants.

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