ad hoc Sunday Brunch, Yountville CA

The best part about dining at Thomas Keller's ad hoc restaurant is that I don't know the menu till day of. This is also the worst part about dining as I usually scope and scour the internets to strategize what I'd like to order and what are must try menu items.

ad hoc posts their daily menu at http://www.adhocrestaurant.com/menu/. Their american style sunday brunch was no exception and given their menu is their menu, you have to be willing to eat anything that's served to you. No substitutes! 

My foodie buddies and I really wanted to try ad hoc, but were nervous so we decided to play it safe *just in case*. The good news is that there are many, many other world-class restaurants walking distance for a last minute change of plans.

Once we arrived, there was no question that we would stay. At the end of the day, these folks know what they are doing so it's worth trying regardless.  I don't think I've ever ordered a porkchop for breakfast, but I'm so glad I was forced to. At $34 per person (excluding drinks/extra), it's well worth the money to experience the culinary skills of the ad hoc team and try something new.

Everything was delicious from start to finish: Beautiful spring endives & watercress salad, a crispy, juicy porkchop with cheesy grits and apple crumble, a side of belgian chocolate pancakes, and finished with strawberry shortcake = amazing. Here's what we ate on April 28th, 2013. Everything other than dessert was served family style.

• ad hoc Bloody Mary
• Endive & Watercress Salad with ruby red grapefruit, tangelos, carrot, ping pong radishes, and dill-yogurt dressing
• Grilled Porkchop with ham gravy, anson mills cheddar grits, sunny-side up hen eggs, charred kale sprouts, and baked apples (these were more like an apple crumble with so many crispy bits to die for!)
• Chocolate Chip Pancakes (an extra $8 for 3 - again, if you're at ad hoc, you might as well try everything!)
• Strawberry Shortcake with lemon curd, swanton strawberries, and whipped chantilly cream

Can't wait to go back and try dinner there one day, and visit addendum (located right behind) for their famous fried chicken!

Tips: 

• Make reservations in advance! ad hoc is on OpenTable which makes it pretty easy.
• If the menu hasn't been posted yet, you can call them at 707-944-2487hen they open at 10am to check what brunch items they're serving, or just stop by the location. The menu is posted outside.

See more pictures at http://on.fb.me/11dfGEb

Endive and Watercress Salad from ad hoc

Grilled Porkchop from ad hoc

Coffee & Cinnamon Toast by the Beach, San Francisco

Life's pretty good when there's good coffee and cinnamon toast to be had from Trouble Coffee Company in the Outer Sunset area (next to the beach) in San Francisco. Discovered this place after visiting the San Francisco Zoo a couple miles away.

I would say the latte was pretty decent though it only comes in 1 size and with whole milk, but what really makes the coffee here is the cinnamon toast. 

It's almost a heart attack waiting to happen, but it's worth it. Every "toast" is made to order with a thick slice of white bread (delivered daily from Just For You Cafe in the Dogpatch), toasted till a crunchy crust happens, then generously slathered with layers of butter and cinnamon sugar. There is a process of literally stabbing the bread to make sure the buttery cinnamon goodness gets all the way through. 

The result? A cinnamon bun like flavor but with a lot more crispy edges to enjoy, minus icing (but trust me - you don't need it). Next time, I'll have to go back and try the "build your own damn house" which apparently is cinnamon toast with the addition of young coconut.

If you're in the area, don't miss out on the toast and a chat with the folks who run the place. It's a fun little neighborhood place to visit if you need a break from the city.

Tip: Cash only

latte and cinnamon toast cut to share from Trouble Coffee Company

Romolo's Cannoli, San Mateo CA

I'll take a chocolate on chocolate cannolo please! That's my order now after getting a thorough overview of "How to order cannoli" lesson from the folks at Romolo's Cannoli and Spumoni Factory in San Mateo, CA who have been in the business for over 40 years. Chocolate on chocolate is a chocolate coated shell, freshly filled with sweet ricotta filling, with chocolate chips covering the ends. 

Even if you self profess to not really like cannoli (which was me before), try Romolo's at least once. And if you aren't convinced, they have a whole bunch of other treats to try - like ice cream cannoli, spumoni and other ice cream, or tiramisu. You really can't go wrong.

Tips: 

• A single "cannoli" is actually "cannolo" (duh!)
• The chocolate shell helps freshly filled tiramisu last a couple hours longer than a regular shell. But, I also think these taste better.
• If you really want to put yourself through the ordeal of not eating your cannoli sooner than later, you can get the cannoli kits and fill the shells yourself at the desired time - but you have to buy a minimum of 6.

Chocolate on Chocolate Cannolo

Dim Sum in SF Bay Area: Koi Palace, Daly City

om nom notes rating: 4 stars

Dim Sum on the weekends can hit the spot - but only if you're mentally prepared for the wait (easily 30-90 min) and ok service. Koi Palace at the Daly City is a good option in the Bay Area, but it is a little more pricey and there will always be a wait. They do have the traditional dim sum carts, but that's also supplemented by a menu where you can order off on for any particular dishes you may want to try - without constantly having to "check" if the next server has it in her cart.

Koi Palace has an extensive menu, and they do use quality ingredients generously (eg the har gow with a lot of plump shrimp). As long as you expect the wait and know that you're not going for the service (despite the price), you'll enjoy the food and experience. Note: in comparison to other dim sum locations, the service here is actually quite good!

Tips for Dim Sum at Koi Palace:

1. Get there early - your wait will be much less the closer you arrive to their opening time for dim sum on the weekend, 10am on Saturdays and 9am on Sundays. Get your number and wait outside where it's quieter - they have a speaker outside so you can hear your number. Koi has a clever "number tracking" screen where you can see exactly how many tables are in front of you, sorted by table size. They even have an SMS update notification you can sign up for. Note: While you can *try* making a reservation, you will most likely still have to wait.
   
   Dim Sum Hours: Sat 10-3, Sun 9-3 (or weekdays from 11-2:30)


2. Because you're waiting - you might as well try out the Dragon's Beard Candy, a hard to find, traditional Chinese confection. The skill to make this sweet treat is very rare so take advantage of the opportunity! I literally haven't had this in over 10+ years and am so glad Koi Palace always has it. See it made: http://on.fb.me/N9JN7A


3. Order the roasted suckling pig slices - this is one of the "special" items off the menu. It's a little pricey at $18 an order but it's worth it. Get it if you love crispy pork skin and tender, juicy pork. You'll want to order this from the servers as it often does not show up in the carts.


4. Baked egg custard buns take 45 min to prepare - so order these from the servers as soon as you sit down in case they have run out of a batch. These are usually my favorite, but I unfortunately did not get to try them as I wasted all my time waiting for these to appear in the carts :(


5. Use the carts & order off the menu - i hate it when dim sum places only have the "order off the menu" option as it no longer feels like dim sum any longer. Koi has a nice variety of options from the carts, but because of how busy the place is - sometimes there are selections that never come by you. This is where the menu comes in handy.
   You can easily flag down a server to order any specific dishes that you don't want to miss, and they'll bring it back to you. This way, you get the experience & ensure you don't miss out!


6. Don't forget to order tea - It's not dim sum unless you have tea. My favorites are either Puerh or Chrysanthemum to go with dim sum. Oolong (which I normally love) in my opinion gets a little overpowering.

See more pictures @ http://on.fb.me/Nrbl3S

Hand Roasted Suckling Pig Slices - $18

Roasted Suckling Pig Slices: the skin is so crispy but the inside stays nice and moist

Fresh Dragon's Beard Candy - $9 for 8 pieces

Dragon's Beard Candy: a traditional chinese confection made from spun sugar, and filled with toasted peanut, coconut, and sesame. Koi Palace has someone to make it fresh, don't miss out - it's hard to find!

Koi Palace

1564 Yelp reviews as of 7/15/12

(650) 992-9000

http://www.koipalace.com

German Chocolate Cake Without Nuts and Ganache Frosting

This is how I like my German Chocolate Cake - no nuts, and frosted with chocolate ganache.  After doing some research, this recipe is mostly based on the version from Joy of Cooking, but with my own little tweaks. Of course, if you like nuts in your german chocolate cake - you can definitely add the pecans back in! 

I also learned that German Chocolate Cake isn't technically from the Germans, it was just a type of sweet chocolate invented by a man named German. :) I think the cake is sweet enough though so my choice was to use dark chocolate (about 58% cacao) instead. Trader Joe's sells their Pound Plus (17.6 oz) Belgian baking chocolate for $4.99 and it works great!

This recipe may look long, but it's worth it! I tried to break out the steps as much as possible for this one :) I hope you enjoy!

German Chocolate Cake: dark chocolate, butter, cake flour, sugar, eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, salt, coffee, evaporated milk, sweetened coconut, heavy cream, baking soda

German Chocolate Cake Recipe
2 9-inch round layers

• Group A
• 2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (make sure you measure after you sift)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

• Group B
• 4 oz dark baking chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup warm coffee (I use strong french-pressed coffee)
• 1 tsp vanilla

• Group C
• 1 cup buttermilk (I used reduced-fat buttermilk and think it's just as good, but you can use regular)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (I start with cold butter from the fridge)
• 1 3/4 cups (350 grams) sugar 
• 4 large egg yolks (save the egg whites, you'll use them later)

• Group D
• 4 large egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar

1. PREPARATION
• Preheat the oven to 355, you'll reduce this to 350 to bake at as soon as you put the pans in. The extra 5 degrees helps to ensure your cake starts baking from the start at 350.
• Have all the ingredients at room temperature, with the exception of butter if you're using a stand mixer. I've found that this helps to ensure the butter doesn't break.
• Grease and flour 2 9x2inch round cake pans, or line the bottoms with parchment paper. I don't recommend lining the sides with parchment as these can cause the cake to bake unevenly.
• If you use parchment, save the scraps to use while frosting later.
   
2. GROUP A: DRY INGREDIENTS
• Whisk together sifted cake flour, baking soda and salt until thoroughly blended
   
3. GROUP B: MELTING THE CHOCOLATE
• Bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer.
• Combine chopped chocolate and coffee in a heatproof bowl that will fit on top of your saucepan.
• Place the bowl on the saucepan and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
• Stir in vanilla
• Remove bowl from saucepan and set aside
   
4. GROUP C: MAKING THE BATTER
• Have buttermilk measured and ready to go on the side
• Cut cold butter into 1 inch chunks.
• Using a stand mixer with a flat beater, beat butter until creamy and pale.
• On high speed, gradually add 1 3/4 cup sugar (about 1/4 cup at a time) and beat until light and fluffy.
• Beat in 1 egg yolk at a time until all 4 are incorporated.
• On low speed, add in the melted chocolate mixture and beat until just incorporated.
• Add flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 parts
• Beat until smooth and make sure to scrape the sides down as appropriate.
• Transfer all of the mixture into a large, wide bowl. You'll use this to fold the meringue in later.
   
5. GROUP D: MERINGUE
• Use a clean mixer bowl with a flat beater, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and beat on high speed.
• Beat until peaks are stiff but not dry.
   
6. C+D: FINISHING THE BATTER
• Use a rubber spatula to fold in 1/4 of the meringue into the chocolate batter mix.
• Fold in remaining meringue.
   
7. BAKING
• Divide batter among pans and spread evenly across the tops. I generally measure both pans on a scale to ensure they are equal.
• Bake until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes
• Let cool in pan for at least 10 minutes before removing from pan.
   
8. COOLING
• Lightly spray cooling rack with baking spray.
• Run a thin knife around edge of pan, invert on to a cooling rack, peel off parchment paper, and turn the cake right side up to cool.
• Wait till cakes completely cool before frosting.
   
9. ASSEMBLING THE CAKE
• Start this process only after cakes and filling have cooled.
• Cut each cake into 2 halves, using a rimless baking sheet or flexible cutting board (reserved for baking only) to help remove the layers.
• Split filling into 3 batches (I measure this on a scale to make sure it's even)
• Starting with the 1st layer on a 10 inch cake round, use the 1st batch of filling and spread evenly across the cake. Leave about a 1/3 inch edge as the filling will push out when you add on the additional layers. 
• Repeat with next 2 layers of cake. Place the 4th cake layer on top.
• Trim the edge of the cake with any uneven edges. Doesn't have to be perfect as the edges will get covered with ganache later.
   
10. FROSTING THE CAKE
• Place your parchment pieces around the bottom edge of the cake to protect the cake round.
• Pour a little ganache on to the top of the cake, just to create a thin smooth layer to cover any crumbs. Use a spatula to help smooth out if necessary. Let cool for a couple minutes to set.
• Make sure the remaining ganache is nice and smooth, but viscous (this will make sure it creates a thick layer), reheating over the saucepan if necessary.
• Pour remaining ganache onto the cake slowly, positioned right above the middle. Let the ganache drip over the edges.
• Go back and smooth out the edges so that the sides are frosted. Don't touch the top as this should be smooth!
• Next time, I plan to add chocolate sprinkles on the sides of the cake too.

Coconut Filling Recipe (Nuts Optional)

About 3 1/4 cups

• Group A
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup evaporated milk (you can also use heavy cream)
• 3 large egg yolks, beaten together
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
   
• Group B
• 1 2/3 cups flaked sweetened coconut (I use Baker's Angel Flake)
• OPTIONAL: 1 1/3 cups chopped pecans (Reduce coconut by 1/3 cup if you choose to use nuts)

1. GROUP A: MAKING THE BASE
• Combine all Group A ingredients in medium saucepan
• Cook mixture over heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened and bubbling gently on the edges.
• Reduce the heat to low and cook/stir for another 2 minutes
• Remove from heat.
   
2. FINISHING THE FILLING
• Stir in coconut (and pecans if you prefer)
• Let cool until spreadable.

Chocolate Ganache Recipe

Frosts 9-inch cake.

• 7 oz chopped bittersweet or dark chocolate
• 7 oz heavy cream
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (this helps the ganache maintain a shiny appearance)

1. Place chopped chocolate in heatproof bowl
2. Heat heavy cream and butter in a saucepan until just boiling.
3. Remove cream mixture from heat and pour immediately over chopped chocolate.
4. Whisk until ganache is smooth.
5. Let rest for a few minutes before starting to frost cake.

A Light But Decadent Tiramisu'

om nom notes rating for tiramisu: 5 stars

While 54 Mint has a lovely dinner menu with fresh house made pastas, tasty specials of the day like bunny, and a decent italian wine list - the star of the meal was the Tiramisu'.

Recommended hands down with no questions asked by the bartender (apologies I forgot her name) whose eyes lit up as she spoke about this dessert selection, I had to try it even though I was desperately full. She said that it was light but rich at the same time, and probably unlike other tiramisu I've had. And it was. I gobbled up every fluffy bite.

Go there, sit at the bar, get some wine, some tiramisu - and it'll be a good night. (Tip: there are hooks under the bar, just don't forget your stuff after you're dizzy on wine and sugary goodness)

See the full dessert menu

Tiramisu - $7

Tiramisu': espresso-soaked lady fingers with chocolate, Marsala, and mascarpone

54 Mint - Vineria Ristorante

458 Yelp reviews as of 5/24/12

Neighborhood: SOMA

(415) 543-5100

http://www.54mint.com