Ike's Place: Menage a Trois

#100 Menage a Trois at Ike's Place
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die in SF 2011
Castro

There's a reason why this place always has a long line. The sandwiches are the bomb (do people still say that)!? Well, in this case I will. The Menage a Trois is one of over what seems like a million sandwiches. It's filled with halal chicken, real honey, honey mustard, bbq sauce, pepper jack, swiss and cheddar. Who would have thought to pull all of that in one sandwich? Once you see their menu, you'll be asking yourself that over and over again. Some of their sandwiches are filled with items like mozarella sticks. Can't wait to try their other sandwiches.

El Farolito: Super Carne Asada Burrito

#75 Super Carne Asada Burrito from El Farolito
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die in SF 2011
Mission District

I was once surrounded by several delicious Mexican eateries when I lived in San Jose. Working in San Francisco, there aren't many good spots here unless you head out to the Mission District. All of the worthwhile restaurants are all condensed in this area and El Farolito is one of them. One of the best burritos in the city! Throughout my college years, I found myself here after-hours to help absorb all of the liquor I consumed while out and about. Great place to end the night since it closes at 3am. I've had my share of El Farolito burritos and It deserves it's name on the 7x7 Big Eat SF list.

Muracci's Japanese Grill: Katsu Curry

#16 Katsu Curry from Muracci's Japanese Grill
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die in SF 2011
Financial District

The Katsu Curry here at Muracci's is definitely good, but I think my expectations were a bit high going in. I blame that on the hundreds of 4-5 star reviews on Yelp and the line outside the door when I arrived. Luckily, we called ahead so we just walked right in to pick up our order.

Overall, I really enjoyed the curry (you can have it spicy or mild - of course I went spicy), but the chicken was a bit dry for my taste. Also, I love anything pickled, but their side of pickled cabbage and radish had a strange bitter taste to it that I could live without. The verdict: I would eat it again, but I probably wouldn't crave for it. Overhyped.

Zipping Down the Embarcadero

Ziptrek tours are still in SF at the Embarcadero. They extended til the end of the month so go while you still can. It goes by quick and it's only one line so their full price may not be worth it to you, but if you can score a half price voucher from a deal site like I did, it's definitely worth that amount.

Pizzeria Delfina: Margherita Pizza

#21 Margherita pizza from Pizzeria Delfina
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die 2010
Mission District

If you love thin crust pizza, small restaurants, great service and simple quality food - this is your place. The margherita pizza was delicious, but I have to say - the best thing is the Arancini (fried risotto balls). I can't stop thinking about them and even though these aren't on the 7x7 100 list, if you have to try something here - it's that. Don't get me wrong, the pizza is good, but wasn't anything mind-blowing.

Put on your dancing shoes

I was a little skeptical about going out on Broadway (not really my scene), but it was a special occasion! To my surprise, this new place we checked out called Monroe was actually a very cute bar/ club. We had tons of fun and danced the night away. I miss making moments like this with the girls.

Goapele at Yoshi's SF

The last time I saw Goapele perform was 5+ years ago when she opened up for a Hieroglyphics concert at the Fillmore. This time, she was the star of the show at this intimate venue. She performed songs from her last album, Change It All and mixed in a few other tracks like an acapella version of A Change Is Gonna Come (which she also performed for Obama 2 weeks ago when he was here). She did such a beautiful rendition that I was nearly moved to tears. I fell in love with the music of special guest, Mateo, who sang a duet with her (watch out for his upcoming album).

This city never ceases to amaze me

 This past Sunday was one of the most beautiful days in the city this year. San Franciscans never waste a sunny day and you can tell by this picture. Crowds gathered at Dolores Park to pop bottles of champagne, cans of PBR and bottles of fine wine or even 2 buck chuck. Food trucks were in attendance, the SPCA was holding a doggy event/ fashion show and there were even people tanning with their bikinis on. To top it all off, a mariachi band even played tunes beneath one of the few trees at the park. Can't get enough of this place.

La Mar Cebicheria Peruana: Ceviche & Pisco Sour

#47 Ceviche and Pisco Sour from La Mar
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die 2010
Embarcadero

The food is nothing spectacular - definitely good enough to come back. The ceviche, on the other hand, is amazing (for $17, I wish they gave more of it). Even better when you pair it with a pisco sour. Since the big trip to Peru is right around the corner and a lot of positive things have been happening, we thought we'd celebrate by having a Peruvian dinner and we heard so many great things about this place. They have a few different types of ceviche, but we opted for the cebiche mixto (catch of the day, calamari & octopus). The seafood tasted fresh and had the perfect amount of spiciness. I love ceviche! BTW - pisco sour was good, though I have nothing really to compare it to. I'll update you on that after I try them in Peru.

Bi-Rite Creamery: Salted Caramel Ice Cream

#35 Salted Caramel Ice Cream at Bi-Rite Creamery
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die in SF 2011
Mission District

 

Pure deliciousness. Don't be turned away by the long lines that trail down Dolores St. for Bi-Rite Creamery, they move fast and the ice cream is worth any kind of wait anyways. The Salted Caramel ice cream makes it on the 7x7 Things to Try Before You Die list every year and unlike some of the other spots on this list, it truly deserves it. You can't go wrong with this flavor. Also deserving of a mention: Toasted Coconut & Roasted Banana. If you don't want to wait in line, you can grab a few pints and bring it directly to the register. Can't wait to go back.

Social Kitchen & Brewery

If you love a great beer and you're in the Bay Area, you must check out Brewmaster Rich Higgins microbrews at Social Kitchen & Brewery. Before moving on to Social Kitchen, he was brewing at Thirsty Bear (also a great spot in San Francisco) and has since then moved on to Brewmaster statu. I stumbled upon this place after celebrating my brother in-law's (sister's husband) birthday here. Turns out his friend is one of the owners. I tasted almost every beer on the menu (it was strong beer month!) and they were unlike anything I've ever tried. The brussel sprout chips are AMAZING - in fact, they're so amazing that we just made some at home last night. It's my latest obsession.

Sur La Table Cooking Class

Recently went to a cooking class at Sur La Table and it was tons of fun. We learned how to make Spanish-style tapas and the cheater version of paella. I highly recommend it for a group outing with friends or for a work team outing (which is what we did). Tons of fun and you learn all kinds of tips and tricks. The best part is, you can enjoy your creations!

Janet Jackson in Concert

Last night at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, Janet Jackson performed her #1 hits. Every song that played sent me down memory lane and although her performances were a bit lackluster, I couldn't help but still enjoy them and have fun. How can you not when you're listening to songs you've grown up to? Some of my favorites last night were Let's Wait Awhile, Escapade, That's the Way Love Goes, Control, If and the list goes on. The venue was more of an intimate setting which I loved and I can't complain about our seats. She didn't have any costume changes, but she still looks great (her biceps are enormous) and her dancers are just as amazing. She even played clips of Poetic Justice.

Gary Danko

Even after hearing so many positive reviews about Gary Danko, it still lived up to my expectations. This fine dining restaurant offers up a very diverse menu where you can order items a la carte or go with a 3, 4 or 5-course tasting option. Since it was our first time, we decided to go all out with the 5-course and the wine pairing. It was ambitious of us, a little too ambitious. By the end of the second course, we were already full. I love that you can completely customize your meal. If you like a certain appetizer, you can get an entree size of that and vice versa. Next time I go back (yes, I'm already planning the next time) I'm opting for the 3-course.

Here were my picks for the evening:

• Risotto with Lobster, Rock Shrimp, Shimeji Mushrooms & Peas
• Roast Maine Lobster with Potato Puree, Pickled Radish, Spring Onions & Sauce Marechal
• Roasted Pork Belly & Tenderloin with Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, Parsnip Puree & Maple-Cider Glaze
• Lemon Pepper Duck Breast with Duck Hash, Celery Root-Garlic Puree and Roasted Grapes
• French Macaroon Ice Cream Sandwiches with Three Sauces

His picks (he's more of an adventurous eater):

• Foie Gras with Carmelized Onions
• Roast Maine Lobster with Potato Puree, Pickled Radish, Spring Onions & Sauce Marechal
• Quail Stuffed with Foie Gras, Mushrooms & Quinoa, Braised Artichokes, Peas, Prosciutto & Olive Butter
• Juniper Crusted Venison with King Trumpet Mushrooms, Glazed Cipollini Onions & Herb Spaetzle
• The famous Cheese cart (sadly, he was so full he didn't make it to this one - he loves cheese too)

My favorite was the lobster. It was the most tender lobster I have ever had in my life. How they get it so tender? I have no clue, but it was so delicious and I'm glad we each had our own because that's something I definitely didn't want to share. I had no idea they were going to bring me dessert for my birthday. Had I known, I wouldn't have ordered that for my 5th course because they even gave us a plate of bite-sized desserts on the house. At one point we had 3 dessert plates on our table haha. The photos don't do the food justice, but I am usually a bit shy about busting out my camera at nice establishments like this one. Anyway, try this place out and you won't be disappointed.

Beef Brisket Sandwich at Il Cane Rosso

#14 Beef Brisket Sandwich at Il Cane Rosso
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die in SF 2010

Another visit to the ferry building for the farmer's market and this time I attempted to get the #12 item on the 2010 Big Eat list (Porchetta sandwich from Roli Roti) but the line was soooo long and I try not to go over an hour for lunch so since Il Cane Rosso is inside the building I decided to try that instead. We ordered the beef brisket sandwich, creamy polenta and the panchetta collard greens. Overall, the collard greens were my favorite thing. I wish the sandwich had a bit more meat. Their salads looked really good (wish I had ordered one). Not sure why this item is on the list, it was just okay.

A Fruitful Lunch

Every now and then, family friend's Becky & Tory of Tory Farms stop by our family parties and bring in crates of the best fruits to share. It wasn't until sometime last year that I found out that they set up shop twice a week at the SF Ferry Building farmer's market. So in addition to stopping by Namu, I strolled around to find the Tory Farms tent and there they were! Today, they had Oro Blanco grapefruits, Owari Satsuma oranges, Page mandarins and Cara Cara oranges. Everything was soooo juicy and so much sweeter than fruits I pick up at the grocery store. Of course, they wouldn't let me leave empty handed so I was able to take a bag full of fruits home and some to share at work. Healthy snacks all around :)

Korean Taco at Namu's Market Stand

#90 Korean Tacos at Namu's Market Stand
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die 2010

I think I've been to the SF Ferry Building way too many times the last 2 weeks. I love this place and can  never get enough. Since they do a farmer's market twice a week (Thursday and Saturday), I decided to swing by and check out the offerings and turns out, many of the notable food trucks/ tents were set up today: Namu, Roli Roti, Tacolicious and more (all of which have items on the 7x7 list for 2010). Today, I went for a Namu Korean taco.

Namu has a very unique take on the taco. Rather than using a tortilla, they wrap their ingredients (kalbi, seasoned rice, daikon, kimchi salsa, kimchee remoulade, housemade teriyaki sauce) in Japanese and Korean toasted seaweed. After just reading the ingredients in this "taco" I knew it wouldn't let me down - and it didn't disappoint. Prices are reasonable considering food in the area is not cheap, but I was hoping for a slightly larger quantity though it was still good. $3 for 1 taco and 2 for $5. I've tried their Korean style pancake at a street food festival and didn't fancy it much, but this, I'd definitely have it again.

Gott's Roadside Cheeseburger with Sweet Potato Fries

#40 Cheeseburger from Gott's Roadside (Formerly Taylor's Automatic Refresher) with sweet potato fries
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die 2009/2010

Situated on the Embarcadero, Gott's Roadside not only has amazing burgers, it has a great location as well. This city has been getting such great weather the last few days, it was the perfect place to enjoy an outdoor lunch. Now, back to the burger. Gott's uses only vegetarian-fed patties with no antibiotics or hormones and they're paired with only fresh ingredients. They're also known to have a great wine/ beer selection,  delicious milkshakes, onion rings and sweet potatoe fries. I'm getting hungry just thinking about this! Anyway, it's connected to the Ferry Building Marketplace which is an added bonus - you can grab macaroons from Miette, a coffee from Blue Bottle, gelato at Ciao Bella or walk through the Farmer's Market for fresh fruits.
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Update: Okay I came back again a week later and got the Texas burger (comes with guac, pico de gallo, jack cheese and jalapenos - yum) and the famous sweet potato fries. Both pretty scrumptious. What I loved about the fries is that they're cut thin and come with a really good dipping sauce. They are a must-try!

Sephora Photo Booth

Sephora has put photo booths in select locations and guess who's face graces the sides of these photobooths? Mine! Right now, you can go into the Powell Street store in SF and the Venetian store in Las Vegas (and 2 other store locations I'm not sure of), take fun photos (with or without a Sephora makeover) and upload them directly to Facebook or email them to yourself/ friends. If you're near one of these stores, check it out :)