Leah "Pumpkins, Hot Cocoa and Fireplace" E.'s Profile

November 6, 2009, Saturday @ 6:40pm (3.5 Stars, Maybe 4)

AMBIANCE: I could have let out an ear-shattering scream at this pub and nobody would have heard me.  This place was LOUD!!! Maybe because BF and I went during Happy Hour and a hot game was going on.

SOCIAL SCENE: Well, it is a pub! And a happening one. Locals and tourists alike were having a good time.  I'm not complaining. Just sayin.....We came here for pre-movie dinner.

SERVICE: But even when the Happy Hour ended at 7pm, the place emptied out but it was still loud!  We had to find our own table but the server was nice, on her toes and we got our food like clockwork despite the craziness of the place.

DRINK FOR ME:  PANTY-DROPPER "DON'T BE SHY" :  (Square One Vodka, Midori, Pineapple Juice and Grenadine Sinker) http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Sweet and tasted like candy but not enough ETOH for me to drop the Victoria Secrets!

DEVOURS:
Appetizer:  SAMPLER PLATTER:  http://www.yelp.com/bi... Jalapeno poppers, chicken wings, onion rings and quesadilla with 2 dipping sauces.   The jalapeno poppers were the freshest I've ever tasted. They were not the frozen type and they used real chiles. Very tasty. Even the chicken wings were cooked well and yummy!

Me: GUINESS BEEF STEW: http://www.yelp.com/bi... Not much veggie/seafood selection and I didn't want to eat Fish N Chips.  The Beef Stew was a good choice. Very flavorful and comforting meal with big chunks of carrots and potatoes. The meat was tender.  Honestly, it tasted like what I cook at home although BF said mine stew was better.  (Trying to make me drop the VS, Babe? LOL!)

BF:  THE REUBEN:  http://www.yelp.com/bi...  http://www.yelp.com/bi... Corned Beef with melted swiss on marble rye and sauerkraut.   BF said it was good but he was hoping he'd get a big pile of meat like at the Carnegie's or Kats in NY! He was slightly disappointed.

TAB: $60 with Diet Coke, tax and tip.

OVERALL: (3.5-4 Stars)
Chieftain Irish Pub offers delicious comfort food to warm those cold bones at very reasonable prices. The dishes were priced at about $10 on average. The most expensive item on our menu was the appetizer platter at $14 but I would say it was worth it!

RECOMMEND: This pub is great to hangout to catch a game, share a pint with friend or nurse a cold with a plate of stick to your ribs but delicious pubfare. Portions were adequate and not gargantuan.  

IMBIBE: For those who imbibe, they carry a nice selection of Scotch Single Malts and Irish Whiskeys.

LOCATION: Perfect location on 5th Street, not far from BART and shopping!

MOVIE:  "THE BOX" @ Century San Francisco at  Bloomies.  Trippy sci-fi. Totally unexpected plot!

TOURIST TRAP:  NOT!!! If you're a European tourist and feeling homesicked, come here!  My friend said Chieftain Irish Pub reminds him of every pub he's been to in Ireland.  Probably much cheaper than what you'll pay for a meal in Motherland!

You shopped till you dropped at Bloomingdale's and need to rest those weary legs? http://www.yelp.com/bi...

Then catch a flick at Century SF Centre 9 on the top floor of Bloomies.

Grab some gourmet snacks from the concession store. It's not your typical movie stand--it's a mini-mart California foodie style!  Aside from the usual movie munchies of jujubes, popcorn and the likes, you can also purchase some fresh cupcakes, mini organic pizzas and sammies.  

The seats are comfy and wide. The arm rests can be pushed back so you and the sweetie can cuddle during the whole movie.  No hanky-panky! (For that take it to the Marriott few blocks away.)

Go on ahead, catch your fave show. Just don't put your feet up on the back of  my seat! I hate that!

$11/adult during non-matinee hours.

No time for a sit down lunch?  Low on hard-earned cash?   Then swing by What's Up Dog! on Market and 8th. (Just around the corner from the San Francisco Main Library.)

This tiny opening in a wall will provide you with delish hotdog or sausage combinations for mere change in your pocket.

I had the Chicago-style VEGGIE dog for $4.25! Add $1.25 for soda and chips.  Cheap,  filling and not a bad deal! Yes, I know it's not the real thing but not only it's  HEALTHY but tastes good as well!

The staff are very pleasant and store is very clean. The bun is always fresh as well as the dogs.  I love how they carefully pack  the bun with hotdog, peppers, pickles, onions and mustard. Voila, a very carefully crafted hotdog in a bun! http://www.yelp.com/bi...

So what type of a dog person are you?
a) Chili Cheese
b) Bacon Dog
b) NY Dog
c) Slaw Dog
d) Southern Dog
e) Northbeach Dog http://www.yelp.com/bi...

Go to What's Up Dog to find the correct answer!

Halloween 2009 @ 1PM

Before the cute little fairies and mini-Mike Myers come knocking on our door tonight, BF and I decided to hangout in the City to watch people in cool costumes and grab a Cubana Torta from "That's It" (as featured on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations.) This was put away for BF's dinner tonight after he saw the dishes at Chava's.

As tempting as the Cubana Torta was, I didn't want to tempt fate since I value my life. :)  BF and I stopped by at Chavas so I could eat something less artery clogging.

We started drooling when we saw other diners' platter of yummy Mexican food and we decided to stay for lunch.

DRINKS:
MIMOSA: (3 Stars)  Check out how ginormous this thing was!!! http://www.yelp.com/bi...
It's okay for a mimosa, It was strong enough that it got me tipsy plus I can't complain. This giant was only $4!http://www.yelp.com/bi...

FOOD:
QUESO FUNDIDO W/ CHORIZO: (5 Stars)  Super-hot in a heavy-cast skillet. Gooey, oily, cheezy and delish!  This load of melted cheese was bad enough but with chorizo--it's double bad but sooo good!  I had to take bites with Lactaid but I wish I  could have more. http://www.yelp.com/bi...

Me: FRIED TILAPIA W/ MEXICAN RICE:  (2.5 Stars) A disappointment! The whole platter was flavorless. Just salty and nothing else!
http://www.yelp.com/bi... http://www.yelp.com/bi...

BF:  CHILE RELLENO W/ RICE & BEANS: (4.5 Stars)  YUMM-O!!!! Eventhough I didn't order this this time, I've had Chile Relleno at Chava's before and it was delicous! BF reported that he could feel the tang and kick in his chile which complimented the rice and beans.  BF was happy with his meal. http://www.yelp.com/bi...

FREE HOT FRESH CORN TORTILLA: (6 Stars) We enjoyed watching the woman at the counter  flattening fresh balls of masa in the wooden tortilla maker then grilling them. The result:  DELICIOUS, PIPING-HOT, FRESH CORN TORTILLAS. BF and I were like circus performers juggling the hot tortillas and made a meal out of them!

FREE CHIPS AND SALSA: (4.5 Stars) Fried chip and fresh spicy salsa. Addicting!

OVERALL: (4.5 Stars)
Chavas is a great place to experience the authentic Mexican food and what the Mission has to offer.  The staff were friendly in this hole in the wall. We had fun watching them dance to Latin music in their cat outfit during Halloween.  

FINAL TAB: $38 including  2 Diet Cokes, Mimosa, tax before tip.

I am a big fan of the Mish and so fortunate that I'm just a BART-ride away from this food heaven!

I honestly had never heard of Cuban Torta before until I saw Anthony Bourdain in San Francisco downing a big thing of Heart-Attack City aka Cubana Torta.

Cuban Tortas at "That's It":
http://www.youtube.com...

Anthony Bourdain in San Francisco (No Reservations):
http://www.youtube.com...

I mean, tell me I'm wrong. This $10 monstrosity is stuffed with the following --grilled and packed in a bun:

- Beef Milanesa (Breaded Steak)
-  Hot Dog
- Chorizo
- Ham
- Egg
- Bacon
- Mexican Cheese
- Avocado/Jalapeno/Tomatoes
- Sour Cream and Mayonnaise

The end product was a huge, menacing, scary-looking grilled sandwich. This sandwich either will GROSS you out or make you DROOL.  This torta holds all the stuff I long to eat but don't have the guts to.  And after the two bites that I allowed myself--I declare the sandwich to be INTERESTING AND YUMMY! http://www.yelp.com/bi... http://www.yelp.com/bi...

So if you want to take the challenge, bring your behind (which will be doubled in girth after you finish the Cubana) to That's It Market. http://www.yelp.com/bi... http://www.yelp.com/bi...  It's a liquor store/ counter with 6 stools to eat your tortas.  Grab a wine or beer and watch your Cubana Torta being grilled. Just imagine Anthony Bourdain probably sat on the same seat! How much more interesting could it get?!!!!!

P.S.  This was BF's dinner,  not mine! :)

November 4, 2009, Tuesday, @ 7:45 PM

If I were a super-model and earning my salaries in Euro or Yen, I would bribe the chef at Pizzaiolo to cook for me everyday.  I would ask Mr/Ms. Chef to duplicate the dinner I had with BF last night:

PUNTARELLE & ARTICHOKE JERUSALEM WITH ANCHOVIES, LEMON AND GRANA (5 stars): A wonderful combination of citrus-tangy and bitter taste. Very refreshing salad. I would ask  Chef  to quadruple the portions since I can eat a whole platter of this almost guilt-free! ($9)

MEATBALLS  W/ POLENTA & RAPINI (5 stars):  4 medium-sized meatballs in thick red sauce. I had one bite just to taste but my mouth exclaimed "WOW!"  The meatballs had a nice smokey taste to it. The tomato sauce was divine and gooey. Too bad the server forgot to serve the bread we requested to soak up the sauce and polenta.  Double-portions would have been nice. ($14)

MARGHERITA PIZZA(3.5 stars):  Don't get me wrong--it's good but it's also just okay good. No "Wow!" factor. I guess I got so spoiled with the choices of wonderful thin-crust pizzas in the Bay Area that Pizzaiolo's pizza was just on the average but can still be considered upper-crust in the thin-crust pizza world. (No pun intended.) ($13)

POLENTA WITH GORGONZOLA (4.5 stars):  Soooo creamy. Not like the gritty polenta that I cook at home. So simple, so comforting and perfectly paired with a glob of strong stinky cheese. ($5)

TAB:  $ 77.00 (including wine, 2 lemonades, tax and tip)

Since I am not even close to any kind of model much less a super-model and very thankful for my modest wage, I will be happy to just eat at Pizzaiolo once in a while.  However, BF was not wowed. Once again, we left the restaurant with him reporting: I'm still hungry." I left the place comfortably full but I do agree with him. The portions were not enough to even hit the spot for a regular folk with a regular-sized appetite.

WINE:            5 Stars for a wonderful full-bodied Sangiovese ($10.75)
FOOD:           3.5 to 5 Stars
WAIT TIME:   2 Stars.  45 min wait. I recommend getting a reservation.
SERVICE:     4.5 Stars. Very friendly except he forgot our bread.
PORTIONS:  3 Stars for smallish portions.

OVERALL: 4 Stars
Casual-classy, dark with exposed brick walls.  Open kitchen and huge well-stocked bar. Packed. Super-loud. Happy people Happy place. Delicious food.  HAPPENING IN NORTH OAKLAND.

(Special Thanks to BF for the wonderful Tuesday night dinner and beautiful flowers.)

October 24, 2009 @ 6PM

I am not a sammie kinda girl.  I'm usually disappointed whenever a business-sponsored lunch served sandwiches only.

Until BF and I saw Ike's Place on MAN VS. FOOD.  
http://www.youtube.com...

And it became a regular topic of our conversations. Until we found ourselves slowly  obsessing over the  the KRYTONITE.

And this beautiful afternoon around 6 pm BF who's sickie in his sweatpants and I crossed the Bay Bridge to have our Saturday Day Night Date at Ike's Place.

And we placed our orders:
BF:  KRYTONITE:  http://www.yelp.com/bi... http://www.yelp.com/bi... 13 ingredients:
1)  5 slices of pepperjack cheese, 2) roast beef, 3) turkey,
4) pepperoni, 5)  ham, 6) corned beef,  7)bacon,  8) 2 avocados,
9) ONION RINGS, 10) MOZARELLA STICKS, and 11) JALAPENO POPPERS!  Bread doused in a top secret DIRTY SAUCE of garlic infused mayo then baked.   TOTAL WEIGHT= 4 LBS!

ME:  TRINITY: Vegetarian Bacon, avocado and jalapeno poppers on dutch cruch with all the works      http://www.yelp.com/bi...

We drove back home while BF was cradling his Kryptonite like our newly born love child.    And finally---both the Kryptonite and Trinity were worth obssessing over. Crunchy and creamy, messy, fun, delicious, tasty and with different textures in our mouths. The Kryptonite is the sammie's version of the "Kitchen Sink" but a very delicious flavorful kitchen sink!

And for a girl who does like not sammies, this girl finished her Trinity along with 4 bites of the Kryptonite.  I won't say vegetarian bacon can compete with real bacon but I was very happy with mine.  

Total:  $30.51 including tax and Pioneer Soda before tip.

Ike himself told us that the record for finishing the Kryptonite was 6 minutes and 30 seconds. (BF finished his in 15 minutes.)  BTW, Ike is a very nice guy. I felt like I just met a celebrity. It won't be our last, Ike! ;p

MOVIES AT HOME:  Watched Man vs. Food in SF after we ate our sammies. (Yeah, we're dorks! LOL!) And "Land of the Lost" on DVD (super-corny but made me LMAO!)

JUST A NOTE:  Krytonite is not on the menu. You have to ask. Just mention "Man vs. Food."

October 17, 2009 @ 1pm

                       *LOCAL TOURIST FOR A DAY IN SAN FRANCISCO*
12 PM:  (ALCATRAZ ) I gave BF a "free trip to Alcatraz" as part of his birthday present last year.  Born and partly-raised in SF, he's never been to Alcatraz and has been very excited to go. So, off we went only to discover that the tickets were sold out..........You should have seen his face. So sad-looking like a 9 year old who didn't get to ride on the boat.  I felt so bad and tried to appease the Big Kid with promises to take him next time (this time on the "Alcatraz Night Tour") and a nice lunch.
*********************
1:00 PM: (LUNCH AT ALIOTO'S)
TRIVIA:   Alioto's is the birthplace of  CIOPPINO, a spicy tomato shellfish stew created by the restaurant's founder, Rose Alioto.

AMBIANCE/DECOR:  Alioto's is old school Italian seafood restaurant in SF which has been around since 1925 located at Fisherman's wharf.  Pictures of old time past adorn the walls of Alioto's which is a fun way to learn part of your San Francisco history (example, $1 for a ferry ride in the 30s!) Magnificent  view of the SF skyline and the wharf. http://www.yelp.com/bi...  http://www.yelp.com/bi... were entertained by a couple of seals playing while we were eating. http://www.yelp.com/bi...

SERVICE:  Servers in old school black coats, bow tie and apron. Our server reminded me of a stern school-master. He frowned when I only wanted to get half a crab then was surprised when I ordered a bowl of fish stew as well.  He eventually convinced me to get the whole crab which I didn't have a problem putting away.  He was efficieint and he's okay. Just added to the whole Italian ambiance of the place!

FOOD:
Me: *Whole crab (Market value at $15 per lb.) $30 http://www.yelp.com/bi...
       * Fish Stew $12.75 http://www.yelp.com/bi...
BF:  *Calamari as apps $$8.75 http://www.yelp.com/bi...
       *Alioto's special prawns in creamy sauce and rice $21.75 http://www.yelp.com/bi...
TAB:  $87.69 including Pellegrino H2O and tax before tip

OVERALL:  3.5 Stars
- SPECIAL PRAWNS w/ RICE:  Plump prawns and delicious but not worth $22 for this dish!
-FISH STEW:  Really comforting in its simplicity.  Hearty sized chunks of really fresh salmon and halibut in medium-thick tomato base.
- Awesome view of  San Francisco Bay.
- Alioto's is a great place to experience the part-traditional/part-touristy side  of San Francisco.
- All the seafood were very fresh.  The tastes were good but simple. Nothing remarkable.  

RECOMMEND: Alioto's lunch specials (until 4 pm) are more affordable options.  Plates are about $10-12 each although the portions are a little bit on the small side.  
*********************
2:30 PM: (FREE THINGS TO DO AT PIER 39)
a) BUSHMAN: Watch out for him lest he scares you! http://www.yelp.com/bi...
b) STREET MUSICIANS:  Stop by for a while and be their audience. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
c) BOUDIN BAKERY:  Watch the bakers make crab/turtle shaped breads. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
d) HYDE STREET PIER:  Check out the ships! http://www.yelp.com/bi...
********************
5:30 PM: BF and I posed for a FUN SOUVENIR! http://static3.px.yelp...

This is a review of the Boudin Bakery only (not the deli.)

I don't think I've ever enjoyed a bakery like a "kid  in bread store kinda way" before until my recent visit to Boudin. http://www.yelp.com/bi...  

BF and I were drawn to Boudin while strolling along Fisherman's Wharf because of the bread making demonstration behind glass windows. http://www.yelp.com/bi... It was fascinating to see the bakers turn sourdough bread into different sealife shapes:  lobster, crab, turtle, alligator--while they were answering questions mostly from little kids in a very friendly manner. http://www.yelp.com/bi...  http://www.yelp.com/bi...

BF and I got so curious enough that we went inside the store. I was window-shopping and checked out the fancy canned and bottled goodies that they have (canned chowders, EVOO, vinegar, etc.), as well as the deli area of the bakery.  http://www.yelp.com/bi...

And BF sneaked in line to get a giant crab sourdough bread ($19.95) http://www.yelp.com/bi... and garlic volcano bread!  http://www.yelp.com/bi...

I scolded BF --I had visions of wasted stale bread for weeks!  What would we do with all these breads for weeks?  He said he couldn't resist to get the crab for me because it was so cute!  But I have to admit I was wrong! We ate 3/4 of the crabbie in 3 days and half of the garlic bread!  

They were sour-delicious, crunchy and chewy on the outside, very soft on the inside and perfect for dipping in balsamic vinegar and EVOO that we got from out recent trip in Napa! The garlic bread was so loaded with garlic that it was too much even for BF who's a garlic addict.  And the bread was still fresh even after 3 days. No wonder tourists ship these breads back home (Boudin provides this service at the store.)

$24.98  BF paid was all worth it given we enjoyed the bread for 3 days and wasted only a little.  

Boudin Bakery  is a true San Francisco treat and experience not just for tourists but locals as well!

Back when I was very young, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
                                                (\_/)
                                             = (* *) =
                                                (")(")

I used to work  at a domestic violence shelter in a confidential location in San Francisco. My clients where the little ones who were also trying to escape domestic violence with their mothers.   Sadly, they experienced abuse in their lives from the very person who should be protecting them.  

These kids will oftentimes find themselves still living at the shelter during their birthdays and holidays.  If safety (and their mothers) allowed it,  I will bring the kids to Schubert's to choose their birthday cake.

The cakes and pastries at Schubert's are so pretty and super-cute that they made even the saddest little heart smile.  Their faces will just light up like the candles on their cake when it was time to show their cake to their little friends, the mothers and staff/volunteers at the shelter who were eagerly anticipating the "pretty" cake.

Did I mention very delicious as well?  Schubert's cakes are very fresh, moist and known for not being overly sweet.

On a lighter note, I went back to Schubert's to get a cake for a family party. Of course I had to order my ultimate favorite-- "THE PRINCESS CAKE."  Thttp://www.yelp.com/bi... The Princess Cake is a traditional Swedish dessert consisting of layers of moist white cake with raspberry jam filling in the middle covered in marzipan icing (sugar and almond paste).  

It was such a hit during our family barbecue.  It was very dainty and elegant-looking but even the tough "I only like chocolate" male Latinos in the family could not resist and came back for seconds.  

A medium Princess Cake (serves up to 12 people) costs $26.95. Not bad for such delicious, pretty and well-crafted dessert.  Next time I'll get the large one- or better yet the XX Large! More for me if they don't finish! ("Crossing fingers behind my back! ";P)