smitten ice cream, made to order from scratch!

Ice cream made from scratch to order; how's that possible? Robyn Sue Goldman spent a couple of years with her engineering friends creating a machine that would allow for the creation ice cream on the spot. She then sold it off her Smitten Ice Cream food cart before opening up a pop-up store in the heart of Hayes Valley. Running on liquid nitrogen, the "kelvin" as it's nicknamed, makes unusual flavor combinations in 60 seconds! Sheila and I have come to appreciate the distinct SF food culture that is personified by the few words - fresh, organic, locally sourced, made to order, underground hipster, inventive, and anti-culture! Smitten fits that notion very well.

On a surprisingly sunny Sunday afternoon in SF, Sheila and I decided to give Smitten a try. On this day, the line was about 10 deep, not too bad. Whilst waiting, we perused the exterior chalkboard menu for the flavors on tap that day - Vanilla w/ Almond Toffee, TCHO Dark Chocolate, Chai, and Plum Brown Sugar. All starting at $4.25 for a small. Yes I know not cheap, but this is SF after all; haven't you seen our house prices?

The line moved very quickly and after 5 mins it was time to order. I went for the plum brown sugar in a cup and Sheila decided on the chai in a pizzelle cone. These were not your oridinary Thrifty's flavors. We watched as a young lady poured the cream, then brown sugar, then plum puree in a stainless steel mixing canister. "Kelvin" was turned on, out came the liquid nitrogen, and less than a minute later the ice cream was ready. We made our way over the upside down milk crate seating area (those familiar with SF know this is common) to taste them.

First up the plum brown sugar; it was sweet with a kick of tang. The chunks of plum tasted ripe; the brown sugar added some earthiness, and the cream was super smooth. This was one of the creamiest ice creams I've every had; in fact so creamy that it overpowered the plum and brown sugar. I actually would have preferred more plum chunks and maybe even some spice to help balance out the scoop. Okay so I'm nitpicking as it took me a mere few minutes to polish off the ice cream. However, for $4.25 I was expecting memorable.

Second up the chai; creamy with the essence / flavor of chai. Meaning it was like an ice cream version of the Peets / Starbucks chai without the pop of cloves. Sheila really enjoyed the her scoop as it was not overly sweet, but commented that she'd opt for a more exotic flavor next time. However, her gripe was with the pizzelle cone. Expected to be a crunchy, crispy sugar cone, the pizzelle tasted like a thin soggy shortbread cookie; not the right consistency for her taste.

Is Smitten Ice Cream worth it, you ask? Yes to try once for their never before heard of exotic flavors. With Mr & Mrs Miscellaneous, Mitchell's, Bi-Rite, and Humphry Slocombe also around, it's tough to make a case to limit yourself to one ice cream purveyor!

chicago’s girl & the goat - did it live up to the hype?

Located in the West Loop along Randolph’s restaurant corridor, Girl & the Goat is Stephanie Izard’s culinary heaven. Yes, she was the Season Four winner of Top Chef and her restaurant, open since 2010, has received several favorable local and national reviews. But would Sheila and I be impressed (remember our lukewarm reviews from SF’s Frances and NYC’s Devi)? YES!

Let’s just say Girl & the Goat is not easy to get in to. A couple of weeks before our trip to Chicago for a family weeding, I decided to try making reservations and was politely told that the next available table was in November! Instead we decided to walk in on a beautiful summer 85 degree Wednesday evening. Given its location, Girl & the Goat is quite a large space with a large bar and lounge area on one side and formal dining area on the other. The open plan kitchen sits at the back. In look and feel, the interior was very reminiscent of the Mission’s Beratta (upscale yet casual hipster) – dark distressed woods, Edison-inspired lamps, leather chairs, copper accents, and granite counters.

We walked up to the bar, ordered some drinks, and decided to stalk patrons seated at the counter hoping that seats would open up. You could tell the friendly mid-west attitude right away, as the bartender spotted me from afar and promptly took our order. Then 15 minutes later a young hostess came up to us and asked if we’d like to be seated. She was looking for a “nice” couple to sit at the bar counter that just opened up. I call it good omens during Sheila’s birthday week! Let the food experience begin. The menu is broken out in three sections – Veggies, Meats, and Fish. Each dish is served tapas style; our waitress noted that two dishes per patrons were about right. Being vegetarian we stuck to the left side of the menu and decided on five overall dishes, including dessert.

Not Campbell’s Bread – broccoli-cheese country loaf served with tomato soup oil and mushroom soup butter. Sounds like a weird combination, right? The warm loaf, infused with cheddar cheese, comes off a salty on first bite. However, that tapers off as soon as the fresh broccoli hits your palate. This was a wonderful and unique take on the normal table bread. The tomato soup oil (olive oil, red onions, garlic, white wine, parmesan cheese, and tomatoes) is used as a spread. Although decent, both of us felt that the olive oil and cheese added a bit too much richness for our taste. The mushroom soup butter (butter, shallots, garlic, thyme, cream, vinegar, and mushrooms) is also used as a spread. We preferred this spread over the tomato one, because the mushrooms and spices add another layer of earthiness. A perfect way to start our meal, we’d order this dish again.

Kohlrabi Salad – fennel, queso de mano, toasted almonds, blueberries, and ginger dressing. This was a wonderfully fresh dish bursting with savory and sweet elements. The fennel provided a clean base for the other ingredients, but it was not lost. The salty queso and ginger dressing were simply balanced by the sweet ripened blueberries and earthy textured almonds. I would have never thought to combine these elements into a dish. Light and crisp, this was a great palate cleanser before our more heavy dishes.

Roasted cauliflowers – pickled peppers, pine nuts, mint, and cauliflower. This was another savory dish that had a great kick of fresh mint. The pine nuts gave an added bite (crunchiness) to what could have been a soft textured dish. The vinegar-infused peppers were actually not overpowering and provided a nice tangy balance. I felt that the cauliflower took on the flavors of the other elements, meaning it was lost in the dish. All in all though, a solid vegetarian dish.

Chickpea Fritters – eggplant & tomato caponata, rich soft mozzarella, fresh chickpeas, and deep fried chickpea cubes. The chickpea cubes (a la thick cut fries) were very fluffy with a smooth texture. The caponata and mozzarella brought back flavors of Italy, while still holding true to the chickpea’s Mediterranean roots. Both the caponata and mozzarella were extremely fresh and seasoned perfectly. The fresh chickpeas, sprinkled on top, were unusual to see and added some solidness to the dish. In comparison to a similar dish we had a SF’s Frances, the Girl & the Goat version blows it away! The components the accompanied the actual fritters were the main stars, which was fine by us!

Chocolate cake with shitake gelato – bittersweet chocolate cake, shitake gelato, toffee, and crème fraiche. The dish had undertones of savory throughout; in fact it was more earthy than anything else. The crumbled bittersweet chocolate cake was placed on top of a layer of crème fraiche and toffee bits. Eaten separately these two ingredients would have been extremes, but together they were very balanced – yin and yang. The gelato was interesting, rich and creamy without being overly sweet.

Girl & the Goat definitely lived up to its hype. The food was fresh and inventive without being pretentious; the ambiance was warm and inviting; and the scene was SF-esque hipster. Sheila and I felt like this was one Chicago restaurant that we would not only recommend, but would come back to. If you can’t get a reservations, simply show up and wait for a seat at the bar counter. It’s worth it.

was the nom nom truck worth the wait?

Food Trucks are now mainstream, especially along the East and West coasts. From appearing on Food Network to holding court in parking lots on Fri and Sat nights, they are everywhere you turn. One of the most well know food truck events is Off the Grid, which rotates locations three evening each week in San Francisco; it has now spun off into East Bay and Peninsula versions. Heck, high-flying IT, social media, bio-pharma, college Greek houses, and wedding parties hire them out for private events!

A few weeks ago on a typical foggy and windy SF summer evening, we went to Off the Grid at Fort Mason with our good friends The Laffs. The scene was epic, 20 food trucks in a horseshoe configuration with a dozen or so food carts filling in the spaces in between. The lines ranged from a few patrons to 50+ deep. We were there to try Nom Nom, the Vietnamese banh mi truck that shot to fame on the Great Food truck Race. Started back in 2009 in Los Angeles by two UCLA grads Misa Chen and Jennifer Green, they recently expanded with a truck in SF.

The line for Nom Nom was the longest at this event, about 45 mins, which gate Sheila and JL time to walk around parking lot and pick up a few goodies to hold us over. As we near the front of the line, we mulled over the displayed menu – a simple mix of banh mi sandwiches and Vietnamese inspired tacos (pork, chicken, and tofu). Sheila and I decided on one tofu banh mi sandwich and two tofu tacos; currently the only two veggie items on the menu.

The banh mi sandwich, served on a 12” Le Boulanger French baguette, was stuffed full of marinated tofu, chopped cilantro, marinated carrots & daikon radish, thinly sliced cucumbers, jalapenos, and mayo. Aside from the tofu, these ingredients are the hallmark of an authentic banh mi sandwich. This was the first time either of us had eaten a banh mi sandwich; was it worth the wait? Absolutely! The fresh veggies were bursting with flavor with the jalapenos providing a great spice level to the dish (unexpected). Carrots, cilantros, and radish are common with Asian cuisine, so the combination built within the sandwich felt very familiar. The tofu was well cooked and seasoned, however it quickly became cold because of the outside elements. Similar to my blog on the Curry Up Now truck, I’d venture to say that the tofu was store bought and not homemade. One minor flaw was the baguette – meant to be crackly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside; ours tasted a bit too chewy. Again, this may have been because of the weather. All in all a great dish that we would order again!

The tacos, served on a double layer corn tortilla, had the same elements as in the above sandwich (tofu, carrots, daikon radish, cilantro, and jalapenos). I have to say though that it tasted dry; realizing afterwards that both sriracha and soy sauce were meant to be added over (bottles were sitting on the truck counter. The double layer tortilla was also too thick for my liking; all I could taste was that. Irrespective of the above points, I understand the concept of making tacos and burritos out of any cuisines (like Indian and Korean BBQ), but that diminishes the authenticity and genuineness of the dish. Yes the dish has to remain eatable by hand, but I have to believe there are easier ways to achieve it then stuffing everything into a taco or burrito. Bottom line, I’d stick with the sandwich.

The Nom Nom Truck definitely filled a niche market back in 2009; I just can’t believe it took us 2+ years to actually try their food. Now with a truck in SF, we’re following them on twitter and look forward to tasting their banh mi sandwiches again soon! You should as well!

teething pains at vapiano

My quest to try interesting restaurants brought me to Vapiano in Charlotte during a recent business trip. It’s a German chain that is trying to elevate the cafeteria concept to another level as lounge / bar / eatery. On the Wednesday night that I colleague and I walked in, it was packed with young banking types – half of which ordered take-out. Vapiano’s has several restaurants, so I’m sure the concept works otherwise they’d be out of business, right? Unfortunately we went 3 days after grand opening and there’s certainly room for improvement.


You walk in and the hostess hands you a swipe card to compile your tab. There are stations set up throughout the restaurant – pizza, pasta, salad, drinks, dessert – where your card is swiped based on the order. After eating at the pay station the cashier rings up your tab total. Kinda felt like I was back in Freshman year at Hedrick Hall! The food is prepared while you stand at the counter. I mean all made to order – pick your pasta, sauce, veggies, meat and the chef cooks it front of you. The problem is that we were waiting at every station and the previously picked up food got cold.


I started out at the antipasti line partially because there was no line. I decided on bruschetta three-ways (classic tomato & basil, pesto & parmesan, and sundried tomato & olive tapenade). Then over to the pasta line where the overall wait was 15 mins. I tried to order ricotta and spinach ravioli (had not been delivered), then penne (they ran out), and finally farfalle (score!). Sauce ordered was pesto and pine nuts. While that was being made, I walked over to the bar for a strawberry basil mojito (there were no cut strawberries and bartender needed to pluck basil from herb tree). I get the fresh from the garden made to order concept, but this was a joke! Alas after a total of 30 mins total wait time, we finally sat down to eat our meal.

Bruschetta – really fresh taste overall and an above average dish. The tomatoes were vine-ripped and slightly sweet; the pesto freshly prepared and not overly oily; and bread tasted fresh baked. Given the lag time between ordering and eating, both the pesto and tapenade versions started to get soggy. With that said, I preferred the classic. However, I can’t complain at the $3.50 price.

Pasta – again, fresh pasta cooked slight al dente just the way I like it. The basil pesto (blended on the spot) and parmesan cheese (grated on the spot) were above average. This pesto flavor was balanced with the right amount of olive oil, salt, and basil. However, the overall preparation was not balanced – I had to “re-toss” the dish to combine the pasta and sauce. After that work, I was pleased with the dish and portion size. But as my colleague pointed out, you can’t really screw up such a simple pasta dish. Dish was priced at $8.50 which is reasonable.

Strawberry Basil Mojito – took about 10 mins longer to prepare than it should have. While waiting, I comment to my colleague that the bartender probably needs the ingredients list – sure enough she did. The drink was way too sweet, watered down, and tasted like an Italian soda. Not the elegant cocktail I was envisioning.

Bottom line, the concept is great, the food is above average, but this place needs operational help. My take is to be more like a Food Network show – have everything chopped and ready to go…and then go! Few other ideas are as follows. Hand out buzzers to come back rather than having people wait at the counter. Don’t roll out the entire menu at once if you’re lacking all the ingredients – ever heard of a soft opening? Teething aside, this place will do well is Charlotte based on the young banking clientele, emerging diversity scene, and trendy concept. I may even go back a few months, but for now please avoid.

did we find destiny in toronto?

Who would have thought that there’s a neighborhood in the suburbs of Toronto with tea houses, lounges, restaurants, pool halls, etc that are open 24 hours a day! That is the thriving Asian community of Markham about 25 km north of downtown. Nestled amongst several eclectic restaurants, was destiny!

We landed at Toronto's Pearson Int’l Airport at 11:30pm. By the time we grabbed the rental and headed onto the highway towards Markham it was pushing 1:00am. As we exited towards the hotel, there was a group of restaurants with plenty of cars still parked in the lot. Quite literary we stumbled upon destiny. The interior is nothing short of a stylish lounge you’d find in LA’s K-town – two story windows, silk drapes, dark woods, white countertops, glass chandeliers, stainless steel, long communal tables at one end and secluded booths on the other end. There were Asian hip-hop tunes blaring in the background and a wall of Asian sports, fashion, and entertainment magazines for reading. At 1:00am the place was about ½ full and this was a Thursday! Patrons were young affluent folks in late teens and early twenties.

The menu was packed full of typical Asian fare, but to our surprise there were a dozen pages of fresh fruit concoctions (smoothes, shakes, juices, pearl and teas). We went straight to the vegetarian selections and ordered the spring rolls, stir-fry thin noodles w/ seitan, kiwi juice, and watermelon juice w/ tapioca. The total bill came to CAD $26, which at circa 0.96 exchange rate is about USD $27, a reasonable price for the amount of food. Within about 10 mins the order was ready and we head to our hotel situated across the street.

The spring rolls were filled with cabbage, carrots, celery, and garlic. The eight finger portions were served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. I enjoyed the subtle flavor combinations of the veggies and crispy rice paper exterior – totally hit the spot (like eating fries at In-in-out on the way home from a late night). Sheila was not so thrilled; felt that the rolls didn’t really stand out from what you could typical find at any Asian restaurant. Prognosis – a great order after hitting the club with a bunch of friends.

The thin noodles were served with seitan, celery and green pepper strips. I tasted hints of soy sauce, garlic, and ginger; but it was inconsistent within bites. The portion size was plenty for us to share. Overall the dish was dry and lacked the kick we’ve come to expected from noodles and neither of us had remember to ask for side of hot sauce (which may have solved both issues). I also was disappointed by the meager amounts of veggies and seitan – which meant that after picking though it, we were left with ½ of plate of plain noodles. Bottom line, would order a gravy noodle dish with extra veggies!

The juices were the best part of this meal. Combing through the menu was confusing, no idea which of the 20+ fruits to select. After a few mins of deliberating I decided on watermelon with tapioca pearls and Sheila went for the kiwi juice. Both were made with fresh cut fruit thrown into a blender on order without any sugar or additives. Also, there was no filtering done which meant we could taste the pulp. The tapioca pearls were soft, chewy, and had a smooth consistency. They were on par with our favorite Bay Area bubble tea house, Fantasia. After a while both juices ended up settling and we were left with some residual pulp, but that didn’t diminish from our refreshing drinks!

Overall destiny was a great find for our post midnight craving. I wish we had an opportunity to feel the vibe of dining in. Having our meal as take out 30 mins later certainly led to this mediocre review, but don’t let that stop you from trying this place. We’d probably give it another try if visiting in Toronto.

Super Duper…do we need another burger joint in SF?

It's a resounding YES! The name is Super Duper. The tag line is fast food burgers…slow food values (meaning the use of local, fresh ingredients operating in the most earth conscious way possible) The concept comes from the Paganini group – the ones who introduced us to Pasta Pomodoro and more recently the pizza / cocktails concept at trios Beretta, Delarosa, and Starbelly in SF.

With the above introduction in mind, you expect bright signs, quirky artwork, “green” furniture, and compostable serving products. When I walked into their outpost on Market St (a block east from Powell St BART station), it didn't disappoint. Small indoor and outdoor tables flank the walkway; then the restaurant opens up with a loft seating space directly above the cash till and kitchen. There’s a small eat in counter that overlooks the cooking area. They serve Straus ice cream, which can either be soft-served or made into a milkshake. I opted to not have any ice cream – had to cut the calories at some point.

The burgers can be ordered mini or super – I went for the super. You chose the patty and then select the toppings (everything on it also works). I ordered a veggie burger (with hummus, lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions, cheddar cheese, and super sauce); and fries (with garlic and skin on). My total bill came to around $10.50, not bad for an elevated fast food burger. Within 5 minutes, my burger and fries were up. Orders are yelled out from the counter and on the opposite end, there’s station with ketchup, mustard, fresh (store made) pickles, and fountain drinks. Green lettering on the wrapper meant my order was vegetarian. I sat at the counter watching as the chefs work over the searing hot griddle and the wait staff mixed up delicious looking milkshakes.

The veggie patty was made with carrots, corn, oats, onions, and garlic (at least that’s what I could see). It was cooked crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. For my taste it was a bit too crispy and kinda tasted like a flattened falafel. However the flavor balance was great – much better than veggie patties I’ve eaten at Barney’s and Taylor’s. The sesame seed bun (from La Boulange) was toasted off with hummus on one side and super sauce on the other. I was surprised to also see cucumbers inside. This just added to Mediterranean feel of my burger. The grilled onions were juicy and tender; but by the end of my meal, they had oozed down onto my serving tray. I couldn’t really make out the super sauce – some sort of thousand island-ish spread. There just wasn't enough of it (and the hummus) so I ended adding ketchup to keep each bite from being too dry. This is common with veggie burger; didn’t really taint my overall view.

The fries were just all right – not great but above average. The garlic and salt seasoning were uneven making some fries overwhelming and others plain. I’ve had better garlic fries at Taylor’s and Gordon Biersch. The serving portion is enough for one, but I’ll probably pass next time and opt to save room for a milkshake.

Maybe it’s me, but I like the look and feel of these types of places – open eating area, crisp design lines, sustainable elements, and lots of stainless steel / natural woods / bright colors / mod lighting. All in all, Super Duper is a welcomed addition to the crowded burger scene. Sheila is going to have to try it soon since I flew solo on this visit. For the rest of the veggie burger aficionados, you be the judge given that I have yet to try Burgermeister, Burger Joint, or The Grove. Let me know what you think!

vegetarians welcome at tataki south

Even in San Francisco, it’s unusual to find a sushi restaurant that has a plethora of vegetarian options. However, there is one notable exception – Tataki South – in Noe Valley. An indistinct storefront at the corner of Church and Day houses this second outpost, where it is surrounded by the likes of Pomelo, Toast, and La Ciccia. It would be a mistake if you passed by without giving Tataki South a glance.

Not only do the owners pride themselves on serving sustainable fish, they have an exceptional selection of vegetarian starters, robatas, and rolls. We visited on a Sunday evening, just as happy hour was ending. Yes, that’s right happy hour is everyday from 5 to 7pm during which time select starters and drinks are served at a reduced price. The wait staff was attentive and seated us within minutes of arrival at a corner table overlooking Church St. 


The décor is a combination of dark woods, zen water features, and bamboo plants. A sushi bar allows patrons to watch the precision work of the chefs. Vegetarian options are noted separately on the menu, which made it easier for us. We opted for three rolls (mixed veggie, spicy tofuna, reggae) and one robata (vegan chicken). The dishes, beautifully plated, came out one by one (cold to hot) by design and like clockwork.

Mixed Veggie Rolls – asparagus, avocado, carrot, spinach, radish, and sprouts. A total of six pieces were delicately placed on an abstract white plate. A burst of fresh flavor was in each bite. It was as if the vegetables were cut from the garden that afternoon. The creaminess of the avocado and crispness of the asparagus certainly came through more than the other veggies. I felt that the sprouts were merely an add-on and didn’t need to be part of the rolls. However, I was surprised by the portion size for only $6. Verdict - I would order this a staple dish each time.

Spicy Tofuna – spicy bean curd and cucumber (served inside out). The rice was perfectly cooked; the bean curd was melt in your mouth tender with a wonder kick of Asian spices; the fresh cucumber strips perfectly balanced the starch and protein. Hands down the best plate of the evening – the unique texture of the tofuna paired with the crispness of the cucumber just worked. However, I have to admit that these bit-sized rolls tasted much better than they looked. That aside at $7.50 for a total of 8 pieces, it’s great value. Verdict – I will order this again (and again).

Raggae – asparagus, cucumber, avocado, tomato, pumpkin. The plating was work of art with the rolls lined up along a slender curved white plate. Fresh pumpkin strips were scattered over each roll. Spicy tomato and rich avocado mousses were placed adjacent to the rolls – allowing Sheila and I to dictate the level of heat and cool per bite. This was an interesting combination as the asparagus was fried (served warm) and the cucumber and tomatoes were fresh. To be honest the only thing I could taste was the asparagus, tomato spread and avocado spread. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the flavor combination. At $12 for 8 pieces, this one of the more expensive veggie dish. Verdict – I may order this again depending on whether I’m feeling adventurous.

Vegan Chicken Robata – mock chicken cubes grilled slow cooked over wood charcoals and then served on skewers. When the dish arrived, Sheila and I were a bit surprised at the size – we were expecting bite-size pieces. Instead the vegan chicken pieces were the size of large orange wedges. This made them extremely dense and a bit heavy to eat. The outside had wonderful grill marks and was infused with both wood charcoal and Asian spice-rub flavors. Towards the middle, the vegan chicken was chewy and stringy. Not my favorite consistency but none less pretty tasty. At $5.50, a relatively inexpensive dish if you’re looking for something hearty. Verdict – I would try one of their other robatas for the sake of curiosity.

Overall, Tataki South is a great option for San Francisco’s Indian summer months when cool, fresh dishes are much more appealing than warm, stuffy dishes. That’s why we chose to try it last week when SF experienced a shorts and t-shirt day. Both Sheila and I will return and try a whole new set of vegetarian dishes, because we can at this place. That is one of the appeals, along with a real laid back atmosphere, light fresh dishes, and interesting flavor combinations that just seems to work.