Mr. Manvite had a similar reaction to me on Burlap: he posted on Yelp that he also found it overwhelming and not entirely pleasant, even if it's very buzzy and calculated to make you spend lots!
I tried it again, as planned, with just a friend for a Girls' Night Out at non-peak times. Was half empty. Got cocktails and dessert only.
Cocktail: Those Snake Oil Guys are funny. The drinks at Burlap do not sound delicious at all from reading the menu. But my friend got the Effervescent (or Luminescent?), the basil drink I got last time, and loved it as I had. I tried the Dragons' Fury (thai pepper in a cocktail?) but actually found it quite yummy.
Dessert: Rachel lives! But this time I liked her cakes rather than her crunchies. We got condensed milk cake (delicious), with condensed milk ice cream (not memorable) and green tea mousse (pretty good). And also the almond panna cotta, which was outstanding and had the most ridiculous plum tamarind gel which put the crunchies on the plate to shame.
MY CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
1. this place is fine when it's "not busy" (= very noisy by regular-restaurant standards, but half-empty by the Walmart of restaurants standard it is trying to set).
2. Rachel (does she have a last name?) is now second to Jack Fischer in my pantheon of San Diego pastry chefs. So far I've never liked everything on her plates, but I've tried 4 of them, and each has had some kind of spectacular component that made me want to come back and have more of her delightful creations.
I'll be back for Rachel's desserts on a non-busy night in the bar. I'll leave the restaurant to the see-and-be-scene folks and head back to Searsucker when I'm in the mood for tasty Malarkey food in a fun (but not hangar-like) setting!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Katana (Carmel Valley): A bad night?
Just a note that we got the most questionable sushi we've ever gotten from Katana. I've always liked the Ex-Girlfriend roll, but some of the fish on it was kind of yuk. My salmon skin hand roll also had some questionable fish in it (I really didn't want to finish it).
The agedashi tofu, which we never tried before, was pretty tasty.
It's not like Katana is the best sushi in the world, but it's been generally reliable for tasty enough sushi. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come!
The agedashi tofu, which we never tried before, was pretty tasty.
It's not like Katana is the best sushi in the world, but it's been generally reliable for tasty enough sushi. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Urban Plates Revisit (Carmel Valley): Some Kinks to Work out!
My pre-opening experience at Urban Plates was so exciting that I took the boys back as soon as we had an opportunity (last night when I returned from work and had not made dinner!).
FOOD: Just as exciting as on Sat. (see below)
SERVICE/ORG: Has some kinks that need to be worked out! Now, we went on their *second day* of operation, and it's a cafeteria line with lots of stations, where people are grilling and slicing food fresh, not just ladling it out. But Super-Boy was not really Super-Boy - things took long enough that he was bouncing off the walls and CH was about ready to declare the place a bust.
HOWEVER, the owners are super-keen on getting this place right and are already tinkering and improving. Their goal is that people will get their plate of food within a minute after they order. We were at more like 8-10 mins., but when we talked to the owner, she had some wonderful ideas for why things were crazy on day #2 and how things would improve. They have a wonderful concept, and CH agreed when he sat down that the food is EXCELLENT and healthy and tasty. Here are some of the things they're going to do:
--set up web ordering like Specialty's. Not only can you pick up curbside, but they even might allow you to order ahead for eat in! That would be fabulous for a family like us, that wants the eat-out experience but has impatient kids that want to eat right away. Of course, as CH conceded to Pat the owner, if they do manage to get the timing down to one minute, then we won't need to do that.
--they also see that they are way more popular than they expected, and because they have an INSANE PASTRY SELECTION, they realize they need to have more room in the kitchen than they thought. They're running their kitchen 24 hrs a day right now!
There's probably more to say but I'm exhausted and need my working mom sleep! I wanted to post in case anyone saw my first post and then is disappointed by the initial ordering experience. I think they will work it out, but in the meanwhile the food is delish!
And speaking of food, here's what we got:
--grilled veg sandwich: I got this with roasted root vegetables and summer squash saute: yum; plus a fresh farmer's market salad on the side (yum) and homemade potato chips (good, drat!); I wish I could have gotten farmer's bread but they only had ciabbata
--Urban Kids grilled cheese for SB (on ww): very delicious, plus fruit salad he loved and those homemade chips
--CH got carved turkey, a side salad, and homemade stuffing: he was grumpy on the confusing line but then conceded that the food was good
DESSERT: red velvet cupcake (very lemony - I'm not a lemon person, but this was a serious cupcake) and chocolate truffle cupcake (YUM! except it had coffee flavoring on the frosting and CH and SB don't like coffee - it should be marked! but I ate more than I planned because I thought it was awesome!)
FOOD: Just as exciting as on Sat. (see below)
SERVICE/ORG: Has some kinks that need to be worked out! Now, we went on their *second day* of operation, and it's a cafeteria line with lots of stations, where people are grilling and slicing food fresh, not just ladling it out. But Super-Boy was not really Super-Boy - things took long enough that he was bouncing off the walls and CH was about ready to declare the place a bust.
HOWEVER, the owners are super-keen on getting this place right and are already tinkering and improving. Their goal is that people will get their plate of food within a minute after they order. We were at more like 8-10 mins., but when we talked to the owner, she had some wonderful ideas for why things were crazy on day #2 and how things would improve. They have a wonderful concept, and CH agreed when he sat down that the food is EXCELLENT and healthy and tasty. Here are some of the things they're going to do:
--set up web ordering like Specialty's. Not only can you pick up curbside, but they even might allow you to order ahead for eat in! That would be fabulous for a family like us, that wants the eat-out experience but has impatient kids that want to eat right away. Of course, as CH conceded to Pat the owner, if they do manage to get the timing down to one minute, then we won't need to do that.
--they also see that they are way more popular than they expected, and because they have an INSANE PASTRY SELECTION, they realize they need to have more room in the kitchen than they thought. They're running their kitchen 24 hrs a day right now!
There's probably more to say but I'm exhausted and need my working mom sleep! I wanted to post in case anyone saw my first post and then is disappointed by the initial ordering experience. I think they will work it out, but in the meanwhile the food is delish!
And speaking of food, here's what we got:
--grilled veg sandwich: I got this with roasted root vegetables and summer squash saute: yum; plus a fresh farmer's market salad on the side (yum) and homemade potato chips (good, drat!); I wish I could have gotten farmer's bread but they only had ciabbata
--Urban Kids grilled cheese for SB (on ww): very delicious, plus fruit salad he loved and those homemade chips
--CH got carved turkey, a side salad, and homemade stuffing: he was grumpy on the confusing line but then conceded that the food was good
DESSERT: red velvet cupcake (very lemony - I'm not a lemon person, but this was a serious cupcake) and chocolate truffle cupcake (YUM! except it had coffee flavoring on the frosting and CH and SB don't like coffee - it should be marked! but I ate more than I planned because I thought it was awesome!)
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Urban Plates Review (Carmel Valley): A Huge Addition to the Neighborhood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am going to regret posting this, since I am going to be contributing to making this place very crowded, and I hope it doesn't get too crazy too fast!
I had a very exciting and unexpected adventure today. I went to Jimbo's to grab some lunch while the boys were on an outing, and saw that Urban Plates (one of the new places which has been under construction in the Del Mar Highlands shopping center) had finally lost its scaffolding...and was open!
It turned out to be a private pre-opening event (opening day is Mon., Sept. 19). But the nice young woman at the door told me I could go in anyway. They were serving their menu for free for a selected group of invitees....plus little old moi.
CONCEPT: Ok, I was dreaming that this place was going to be like Waters: it had been advertised as upscale takeout for families, or you could eat there. To my surprise, it is nothing like Waters....but it is like Tender Greens....only maybe even better! One moves through a cafeteria line, and can either get salads with grilled proteins (steak, chicken, turkey or tuna), à la Tender Greens ($10);
--or grilled proteins on a plate with 2 sides (hot or cold) ($10)
--or grilled protein sandwiches with 1 side ($10)
--or pizzettes ($5)
They describe themselves as farm-to-table without high prices. Really, it's modelling itself after Tender Greens, but there are many more choices. Instead of the TG model, which requires you to get a green salad and mashed potatoes along with your grilled protein, here your choices include: beet salad, quinoa with edamame, grilled mushrooms and leeks....or you could have mashed potatoes if you really wanted (I'm leaving out about 10 other choices of hot or cold veggie sides). Oh - and just like TG, they have *fabulous* grilled bread - only theirs is made in house (I chatted with the chefs - did I mention it was super exciting to stumble out of my house in my I'm-squeezing-in-work-and-I-haven't-showered-yet clothes, and to find myself in a culinary wonderland?). They also have a soup station ($4) and a dessert station (more on that in a moment) and wines by the glass.
DECOR: *Love* the design. It is so pleasant - it fits very well with farm-to-table. Bright colors, open space, contemporary design, nice wood tables.
KIDDIE CHOICES: Their "Urban Kids" station includes gourmet m&c, grilled cheese, organic pb&J and several other yummy-looking meaty things I'm forgetting. They come with fruit salad and organic chips, but I bet they'd let you sub a salad.
SERVICE: Everyone was super-nice, and even though it's cafeteria style, there were hordes of energetic, friendly servers circulating once you sat to see if you needed something. I'm sure this was especially for the soft-opening, but it boded well.
WHAT I SAMPLED:
--grilled ahi plate (good), with beet salad (awesome) and mashed potatoes (yum, just as good as TG)
--grilled bread (yum....white carbs are too tempting)
--roasted red pepper soup and veggie curry soup (both tasty)
--mushroom pizzette (very tasty)
DESSERT: Ok, this place is *ridiculous.* The choices are overwhelming, and the cakes are beautiful like at Cafe Zinc. I watch Top Chef desserts weekly and salivate, then get disappointed when the desserts at nice places in SD are just ok (Rachel's crunchies at Burlap aside). These cakes were all ridiculously tasty looking (plus there are cookies, brownies, and other desserts I'm blocking out). I ordered the strawberry-almond cake - it was out of this world moist, with light as air frosting, and delicious strawberry jam inside. They gave me a nice to-go box, so I actually brought this home to share with Super Boy. We both loved it.
My prediction: this is quickly going to become the most popular place in Carmel Valley. People will flock there with their children, or they'll flock there if they don't have children. It's healthy if you want it to be (or decadent if you don't), simple, tasty, and reasonable. (Of course, if you get an entree and a soup and a dessert, you're at $20 very quickly for a cafeteria, but for the quality of food in Carmel Valley, it's still very exciting).
LOVE IT, CAN'T WAIT TO BRING THE BOYS! (and don't spread the word too much, or the line will be out the door and it won't be toddler-friendly anymore!!)
I had a very exciting and unexpected adventure today. I went to Jimbo's to grab some lunch while the boys were on an outing, and saw that Urban Plates (one of the new places which has been under construction in the Del Mar Highlands shopping center) had finally lost its scaffolding...and was open!
It turned out to be a private pre-opening event (opening day is Mon., Sept. 19). But the nice young woman at the door told me I could go in anyway. They were serving their menu for free for a selected group of invitees....plus little old moi.
CONCEPT: Ok, I was dreaming that this place was going to be like Waters: it had been advertised as upscale takeout for families, or you could eat there. To my surprise, it is nothing like Waters....but it is like Tender Greens....only maybe even better! One moves through a cafeteria line, and can either get salads with grilled proteins (steak, chicken, turkey or tuna), à la Tender Greens ($10);
--or grilled proteins on a plate with 2 sides (hot or cold) ($10)
--or grilled protein sandwiches with 1 side ($10)
--or pizzettes ($5)
They describe themselves as farm-to-table without high prices. Really, it's modelling itself after Tender Greens, but there are many more choices. Instead of the TG model, which requires you to get a green salad and mashed potatoes along with your grilled protein, here your choices include: beet salad, quinoa with edamame, grilled mushrooms and leeks....or you could have mashed potatoes if you really wanted (I'm leaving out about 10 other choices of hot or cold veggie sides). Oh - and just like TG, they have *fabulous* grilled bread - only theirs is made in house (I chatted with the chefs - did I mention it was super exciting to stumble out of my house in my I'm-squeezing-in-work-and-I-haven't-showered-yet clothes, and to find myself in a culinary wonderland?). They also have a soup station ($4) and a dessert station (more on that in a moment) and wines by the glass.
DECOR: *Love* the design. It is so pleasant - it fits very well with farm-to-table. Bright colors, open space, contemporary design, nice wood tables.
KIDDIE CHOICES: Their "Urban Kids" station includes gourmet m&c, grilled cheese, organic pb&J and several other yummy-looking meaty things I'm forgetting. They come with fruit salad and organic chips, but I bet they'd let you sub a salad.
SERVICE: Everyone was super-nice, and even though it's cafeteria style, there were hordes of energetic, friendly servers circulating once you sat to see if you needed something. I'm sure this was especially for the soft-opening, but it boded well.
WHAT I SAMPLED:
--grilled ahi plate (good), with beet salad (awesome) and mashed potatoes (yum, just as good as TG)
--grilled bread (yum....white carbs are too tempting)
--roasted red pepper soup and veggie curry soup (both tasty)
--mushroom pizzette (very tasty)
DESSERT: Ok, this place is *ridiculous.* The choices are overwhelming, and the cakes are beautiful like at Cafe Zinc. I watch Top Chef desserts weekly and salivate, then get disappointed when the desserts at nice places in SD are just ok (Rachel's crunchies at Burlap aside). These cakes were all ridiculously tasty looking (plus there are cookies, brownies, and other desserts I'm blocking out). I ordered the strawberry-almond cake - it was out of this world moist, with light as air frosting, and delicious strawberry jam inside. They gave me a nice to-go box, so I actually brought this home to share with Super Boy. We both loved it.
My prediction: this is quickly going to become the most popular place in Carmel Valley. People will flock there with their children, or they'll flock there if they don't have children. It's healthy if you want it to be (or decadent if you don't), simple, tasty, and reasonable. (Of course, if you get an entree and a soup and a dessert, you're at $20 very quickly for a cafeteria, but for the quality of food in Carmel Valley, it's still very exciting).
LOVE IT, CAN'T WAIT TO BRING THE BOYS! (and don't spread the word too much, or the line will be out the door and it won't be toddler-friendly anymore!!)
Barrio Star (Bankers Hill): Yum!
Got a Living Social Deal for Barrio Star a few months ago and was delighted to have a chance to use it for a revisit (with a friend, since CH declined!).
Ordered:
--Barrio Margarita (relatively low-cal, since fresh lime juice and fresh agave): delish, but not very much of it
--Plantains with chipotle cream (lighter, tastier french fries, essentially)
--chopped Mexican Salad: delicious and very large
--barrio bowl, with tofu; sub power rice for coconut rice (includes coconout chili sauce, power greens, black beans): same thing I got last time; super-delicious, worth returning for again
--pineapple mint agua fresca: yum!
Companion (she is nicknameless, first time going out with her) got steak tacos, which she said were very tasty (though just as small as I had predicted).
With Living Social deal, was not super-cheap but was cheaper than it would have been. Will definitely return! It's so convenient too for a post-meal walk across the Cabrillo Bridge and into the Park and back to burn off some of that margarita!
Ordered:
--Barrio Margarita (relatively low-cal, since fresh lime juice and fresh agave): delish, but not very much of it
--Plantains with chipotle cream (lighter, tastier french fries, essentially)
--chopped Mexican Salad: delicious and very large
--barrio bowl, with tofu; sub power rice for coconut rice (includes coconout chili sauce, power greens, black beans): same thing I got last time; super-delicious, worth returning for again
--pineapple mint agua fresca: yum!
Companion (she is nicknameless, first time going out with her) got steak tacos, which she said were very tasty (though just as small as I had predicted).
With Living Social deal, was not super-cheap but was cheaper than it would have been. Will definitely return! It's so convenient too for a post-meal walk across the Cabrillo Bridge and into the Park and back to burn off some of that margarita!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Apollonia (La Jolla): revisit
I just want to show some love to Apollonia. We had a quick bite after a Nobel Park outing today. We always forget how kid-friendly (at least ST-friendly) they are. They don't have a kids' menu per se, and there's no mac and cheese etc. But they have crayons, fast and efficient service, and ST loves the:
--humus and pita, which arrives super-fast
--delicious lentil soup
--greek salad with olives, feta, tomatos and a yummy lemony dressing
--plenty of space to wander with Dad, plus a bar with a TV to peek at the football game.
I loved my: taramosalata, grilled salmon + spanaki lemonato. CH had a light meal of lemon-chicken soup and some of ST's humus.
All around, a very pleasant evening out with toddler in tow. (He is getting so big he'll need to be called Super-Boy soon).
--humus and pita, which arrives super-fast
--delicious lentil soup
--greek salad with olives, feta, tomatos and a yummy lemony dressing
--plenty of space to wander with Dad, plus a bar with a TV to peek at the football game.
I loved my: taramosalata, grilled salmon + spanaki lemonato. CH had a light meal of lemon-chicken soup and some of ST's humus.
All around, a very pleasant evening out with toddler in tow. (He is getting so big he'll need to be called Super-Boy soon).
Burlap Restaurant Review: Overwhelmed in the Strip Mall (Carmel Valley)
CH and I finally hit Burlap last night. I'm still deciding what I think. On the one hand, we both didn't like it nearly as much as its mother-ship Searsucker in the Gaslamp. However, I am still in shock about how enormous the restaurant is and how *packed* it was at 6 pm on a Sat. I've been talking about all day.
DECOR: Holy crap, this was the Wherehouse? I love Searsucker, cuz it's exciting and warehousy and feels like Grand Central Station. But Burlap is like Walmart in comparison, or even a fancy and ornately-decorated hangar - I found it very disorienting, not only because it makes Searsucker seem intimate, but because it is very weird to have this giant, buzzy, packed space - complete with patio, koi pond, etc. - on the edge of the strip mall in the midst of suburbia.
MENU: Again, overwhelming. How does this kitchen turn out that many different dishes - well and efficiently - to such a gigantic crowd? It is impressive. On the other hand, we didn't find the menu as exciting as Searsucker - the Asian cowboy theme is maybe not for us. There were also just too many choices. But there certainly is something for everyone. For vegetarians, for instance, there is not a veg entree, but lots of veg small plates: an heirloom tomato and tofu salad; enoki mushroom salad; oyster mushroom cured ceviche style, edamame; sweet potato fries; and a whole lot of "sides", like wild rice stir fry with cactus or garlic noodles or cauliflower with curried yogurt (I didn't try any of these yet, since I decided to choose from the overwhelming list of fish options).
Oh - and MALARKEY SIGHTINGS: There seem to be more of these at Burlap these days, as he and his hat circulated on the patio. Back to the food....
SAVORY FOOD: We got:
--truffle miso soup (CH): Some Yelpers said it was ordinary, not that different from regular miso; CH enjoyed it; I thought it was just ok til I hit the scrumptious mushrooms he left over at the bottom.
--green salad (with walnuts, strawberries, plum dressing) (me): Absolutely delightful. Great salad just like at searsucker.
--half-chicken with steamed buns (CH): this was from the "rotisserie" section of the menu and it was enormous for $10. CH liked it. Kept saying that it is not as good as Searsucker, though.
--snow peas and ham (CH): nice-sized veg side; he liked it, can't vouch for it myself. :)
CH was very sated with a soup + half-chicken + side dish (=only $23). He left most of the chicken over.
In addition to my salad, I got two of the "left-column of the menu choices" (they have categories too complicated to remember: raw? satay? there's no such thing as an "appetizer" here). The waitress said that would be plenty of food.
--salmon belly satay: tasty and well-cooked, but not that big.
--tuna two ways: The waitress really plugged this, but at $14, it was much smaller than I expected. It was essentially a tiny and less spiced scoop of Searsucker's tuna + screaming rooster dish, plus three little squares of cured tuna. I would have orderd a veg side dish instead of one of these fish appetizers and been a lot more satisfied. So at $7 + 7 + 14 = $28, I was still pretty hungry.
WINE: I love Searsucker because every glass I've ordered has been fabulous, even if $10+. At Burlap, I got a Rhone Blend for $12, which sounded like the most interesting of the white choices. It was ok - not bad, but not that exciting.
At this point of the meal, we both agreed that Burlap (despite the crowds who seem to be very happy there) was just not that exciting for us, and we'd be happy to stick with Searsucker.
HOWEVER, the Snake Oil COCKTAIL co. guys saved the day (Yay, Ian and the other guy!!) At first, the cocktails struck me as too weird: Asian-ginger themed cocktails are not my thing. But since all of the whites-by-the-glass seemed boring and I didn't want to switch to red with my fish, I decided to give their lime-basil-martini thing a try. HOLY YUMMY AND HOLY STRONG! I think the secret to a good time at a Malarkey joint is to start with a Snake Oil Cocktail. Everything seems fabulous and delicious after you drink it.
Which brings me to DESSERT....
Whether it was because the strong cocktail made me very drunk - or because Rachel the pastry chef (who has left Searsucker to be on-site at Burlap) is newly inspired - DESSERT WAS THE BEST PART OF THE MEAL. So wonderful, that in my drunk state, I kept declaring to my wonderful Cute Husband: I love Rachel, I want to marry Rachel. (I never met Rachel, and I was not that excited when I got her red velvet cake at Searsucker the only time I was ever not so full that I had room for dessert there). But at Burlap, I was ready to become a polygamist so she could make dessert for me every night.
--My carrot cake, recommended by the waitress: kind of boring. HOWEVER, the crunchy things on the plate around the carrot cake: RIDICULOUSLY TASTY. They were some kind of pineapple nut brittle. Again, RIDICULOUSLY TASTY.
--CH's bittersweet chocolate tart with chocolate ice cream and more chocolate crunchy things (peanut/caramel/chocolate?). CH thought his tart was "ok, good." He thought his chocolate ice cream was amazing. And me: I scooped up all the RIDICULOUSLY TASTY crunchy things, because evidently Rachel is the queen of all things sweet and crunchy.
The other things on the dessert menu (condensed milk cake with green tea mousse and carmelized puffed rice; almond panna cotta with tamarind caramel and almond crunch, lemongrass tapioca with a coconut sorbet) all sounded very delicious - more exciting than any dessert menu I've seen recently.
So here is my TEMPORARY VERDICT (I'm still processing the place). I am not sure whether I will go there again for dinner. Again, it's kind of overwhelming. But I'm ready to have a girls' night out on a *weeknight* after bedtime (more mellow, less crowded - they told me it's not as bad outside of Th/F/Sat) to have a snake oil cocktail + some more dessert from Rachel. For now, those are the two things about Burlap that excite me....though it's too bad that I live a little too far away to walk the cocktail off at the end of the night!
DECOR: Holy crap, this was the Wherehouse? I love Searsucker, cuz it's exciting and warehousy and feels like Grand Central Station. But Burlap is like Walmart in comparison, or even a fancy and ornately-decorated hangar - I found it very disorienting, not only because it makes Searsucker seem intimate, but because it is very weird to have this giant, buzzy, packed space - complete with patio, koi pond, etc. - on the edge of the strip mall in the midst of suburbia.
MENU: Again, overwhelming. How does this kitchen turn out that many different dishes - well and efficiently - to such a gigantic crowd? It is impressive. On the other hand, we didn't find the menu as exciting as Searsucker - the Asian cowboy theme is maybe not for us. There were also just too many choices. But there certainly is something for everyone. For vegetarians, for instance, there is not a veg entree, but lots of veg small plates: an heirloom tomato and tofu salad; enoki mushroom salad; oyster mushroom cured ceviche style, edamame; sweet potato fries; and a whole lot of "sides", like wild rice stir fry with cactus or garlic noodles or cauliflower with curried yogurt (I didn't try any of these yet, since I decided to choose from the overwhelming list of fish options).
Oh - and MALARKEY SIGHTINGS: There seem to be more of these at Burlap these days, as he and his hat circulated on the patio. Back to the food....
SAVORY FOOD: We got:
--truffle miso soup (CH): Some Yelpers said it was ordinary, not that different from regular miso; CH enjoyed it; I thought it was just ok til I hit the scrumptious mushrooms he left over at the bottom.
--green salad (with walnuts, strawberries, plum dressing) (me): Absolutely delightful. Great salad just like at searsucker.
--half-chicken with steamed buns (CH): this was from the "rotisserie" section of the menu and it was enormous for $10. CH liked it. Kept saying that it is not as good as Searsucker, though.
--snow peas and ham (CH): nice-sized veg side; he liked it, can't vouch for it myself. :)
CH was very sated with a soup + half-chicken + side dish (=only $23). He left most of the chicken over.
In addition to my salad, I got two of the "left-column of the menu choices" (they have categories too complicated to remember: raw? satay? there's no such thing as an "appetizer" here). The waitress said that would be plenty of food.
--salmon belly satay: tasty and well-cooked, but not that big.
--tuna two ways: The waitress really plugged this, but at $14, it was much smaller than I expected. It was essentially a tiny and less spiced scoop of Searsucker's tuna + screaming rooster dish, plus three little squares of cured tuna. I would have orderd a veg side dish instead of one of these fish appetizers and been a lot more satisfied. So at $7 + 7 + 14 = $28, I was still pretty hungry.
WINE: I love Searsucker because every glass I've ordered has been fabulous, even if $10+. At Burlap, I got a Rhone Blend for $12, which sounded like the most interesting of the white choices. It was ok - not bad, but not that exciting.
At this point of the meal, we both agreed that Burlap (despite the crowds who seem to be very happy there) was just not that exciting for us, and we'd be happy to stick with Searsucker.
HOWEVER, the Snake Oil COCKTAIL co. guys saved the day (Yay, Ian and the other guy!!) At first, the cocktails struck me as too weird: Asian-ginger themed cocktails are not my thing. But since all of the whites-by-the-glass seemed boring and I didn't want to switch to red with my fish, I decided to give their lime-basil-martini thing a try. HOLY YUMMY AND HOLY STRONG! I think the secret to a good time at a Malarkey joint is to start with a Snake Oil Cocktail. Everything seems fabulous and delicious after you drink it.
Which brings me to DESSERT....
Whether it was because the strong cocktail made me very drunk - or because Rachel the pastry chef (who has left Searsucker to be on-site at Burlap) is newly inspired - DESSERT WAS THE BEST PART OF THE MEAL. So wonderful, that in my drunk state, I kept declaring to my wonderful Cute Husband: I love Rachel, I want to marry Rachel. (I never met Rachel, and I was not that excited when I got her red velvet cake at Searsucker the only time I was ever not so full that I had room for dessert there). But at Burlap, I was ready to become a polygamist so she could make dessert for me every night.
--My carrot cake, recommended by the waitress: kind of boring. HOWEVER, the crunchy things on the plate around the carrot cake: RIDICULOUSLY TASTY. They were some kind of pineapple nut brittle. Again, RIDICULOUSLY TASTY.
--CH's bittersweet chocolate tart with chocolate ice cream and more chocolate crunchy things (peanut/caramel/chocolate?). CH thought his tart was "ok, good." He thought his chocolate ice cream was amazing. And me: I scooped up all the RIDICULOUSLY TASTY crunchy things, because evidently Rachel is the queen of all things sweet and crunchy.
The other things on the dessert menu (condensed milk cake with green tea mousse and carmelized puffed rice; almond panna cotta with tamarind caramel and almond crunch, lemongrass tapioca with a coconut sorbet) all sounded very delicious - more exciting than any dessert menu I've seen recently.
So here is my TEMPORARY VERDICT (I'm still processing the place). I am not sure whether I will go there again for dinner. Again, it's kind of overwhelming. But I'm ready to have a girls' night out on a *weeknight* after bedtime (more mellow, less crowded - they told me it's not as bad outside of Th/F/Sat) to have a snake oil cocktail + some more dessert from Rachel. For now, those are the two things about Burlap that excite me....though it's too bad that I live a little too far away to walk the cocktail off at the end of the night!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
New and improved Del Mar Farmers' Market! + Viva Pops and Sicilian Thing again...
ST and I were heading to the Flower Hill Farmers Market this morning....when we realized there was no FHFM this morning! A web check at home confirmed that that market is RIP as of two weeks ago. Well, we only went once, so we weren't keeping it in business. We decided we'd either hit Del Mar this afternoon or Fairbanks tomorrow.
Whoa!!! Who took the Del Mar market and put it on steroids? Today's market was much bigger than I remember. Plus they had a scavenger hunt for kids, which included a prize of a free fruit drink from Gina's (ST, ever the gourmand, selected watermelon lemonade). There are some new vendors, so we had some wonderful choices. We came home with a lot of fruit and veggie loot. Oh - and Randy Gruber of Americana was on hand cooking up fresh food with market goodies. I have been to Americana 2x and never got overly excited about it....but my oh my, he did a fabulous job with black cod and the market vegetables (green beans, corn, tomatoes). Loved it! We saw Mr. Manvite and his family there - he said he is a happy customer of Americana. We should probably try it again!
We also visited Sicilian Thing recently, where I was reminded how delicious its pizza is (I think it's better than Bongiorno's consistently, but CH says when Mike Bongiorno himself is on hand, Bongiorno's still wins). Loved my nino espinosa + barack-oli ricotta. ST tries Sicilian for the first time, and declared that he preferred it over thin-crust. That's my adventurous eater!
And at viva pops later, ST selected strawberry (he's allowed to choose the familiar now and then). At the next table, a mom had mango-chili and was raving about it. I think I have yet to try that one.
Whoa!!! Who took the Del Mar market and put it on steroids? Today's market was much bigger than I remember. Plus they had a scavenger hunt for kids, which included a prize of a free fruit drink from Gina's (ST, ever the gourmand, selected watermelon lemonade). There are some new vendors, so we had some wonderful choices. We came home with a lot of fruit and veggie loot. Oh - and Randy Gruber of Americana was on hand cooking up fresh food with market goodies. I have been to Americana 2x and never got overly excited about it....but my oh my, he did a fabulous job with black cod and the market vegetables (green beans, corn, tomatoes). Loved it! We saw Mr. Manvite and his family there - he said he is a happy customer of Americana. We should probably try it again!
We also visited Sicilian Thing recently, where I was reminded how delicious its pizza is (I think it's better than Bongiorno's consistently, but CH says when Mike Bongiorno himself is on hand, Bongiorno's still wins). Loved my nino espinosa + barack-oli ricotta. ST tries Sicilian for the first time, and declared that he preferred it over thin-crust. That's my adventurous eater!
And at viva pops later, ST selected strawberry (he's allowed to choose the familiar now and then). At the next table, a mom had mango-chili and was raving about it. I think I have yet to try that one.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Happy feet! (Happy Buddha Foot Reflexology, Convoy)
I had no time for a foodie adventure today, but I did have very sore feet and a sore body all around. I decided to sneak over for an hour to Happy Buddha Foot Reflexology - aka the place right next to Dumpling Inn (Convoy). (Mmmmm.....Dumpling Inn). It was ABSOLUTE BLISS and at a ridiculously low price, $30 for one hour of foot reflexology plus neck, scalp, arms and legs (they probably save on overhead because everyone is worked on in one quiet room, nail salon style). SO RELAXING. I had forgotten how good this place was (I think we went once together pre-parenthood, and CH goes occasionally). The work on my feet did not really hurt at all, and the rest was super relaxing. It's an absolute must-try!
And if you have more time than I did, you can stop next door afterwards at Dumpling Inn for some of my faves:
--spinach egg flower soup OR veg hot and sour soup
--kung pao sea bass or black bean sea bass
--Chinese tender greens
--CH likes the dumpling soup and pretty much all their chicken or beef dishes
--homemade noodles
--veggie dumplings
I'm forgetting lots of dishes.....
And if you have more time than I did, you can stop next door afterwards at Dumpling Inn for some of my faves:
--spinach egg flower soup OR veg hot and sour soup
--kung pao sea bass or black bean sea bass
--Chinese tender greens
--CH likes the dumpling soup and pretty much all their chicken or beef dishes
--homemade noodles
--veggie dumplings
I'm forgetting lots of dishes.....
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Salazar's (Downtown/East Village): Too disappointing!
We took ST to the Festival of Sail today downtown. Tons of fun - and pirates! We decided to get Mexican food on the way home. I suggested Lucha Libre: last time we went, ST raced out into traffic, so CH wasn't ready to try it again. He suggested El Indio (but sometimes the lines are long and ST would get impatient). So I thought of Salazar's at 15th and Market. MuseumGirl and I had a great meal there 2 yrs ago after getting a rec. from a friend. They have their own parking lot. It seemed a good idea to try again.
Oh no! First of all, one poor woman was working as the only waitress, the only busgirl and the cashier. Emptied tables full of rotting food sat around through our whole meal. It took *forever* for any of our food to come. ST had a major tantrum (I don't blame him given how long it took, but it wasn't fun). I was kicking myself for suggesting the place at all, though I have to admit that when the food came it was pretty good (I got a fish burrito with fish sauteed in ranchero sauce, with some very tasty pinto beans and rice and fresh avocado slices). ST's guac was bland but just right for him.
But leaving all the dishes out forever was just disgusting and made me wonder about the cleanliness of my food. Waiting that long with Super-Toddler is just not going to happen again either. Oh well! It's rare I make a really bad call. Too bad for me!
Oh no! First of all, one poor woman was working as the only waitress, the only busgirl and the cashier. Emptied tables full of rotting food sat around through our whole meal. It took *forever* for any of our food to come. ST had a major tantrum (I don't blame him given how long it took, but it wasn't fun). I was kicking myself for suggesting the place at all, though I have to admit that when the food came it was pretty good (I got a fish burrito with fish sauteed in ranchero sauce, with some very tasty pinto beans and rice and fresh avocado slices). ST's guac was bland but just right for him.
But leaving all the dishes out forever was just disgusting and made me wonder about the cleanliness of my food. Waiting that long with Super-Toddler is just not going to happen again either. Oh well! It's rare I make a really bad call. Too bad for me!
Friday, September 2, 2011
Fifty Six & Five restaurant review (Carmel Valley)
Got a Living Social deal for "Fifty Six and Five" (the new name for Sydney's in the Doubletree Del Mar) and decided to give it a try.
Not a bad destination with a toddler, especially with a deal. Beautiful decor, but lots of room to run around the lobby and to the pool area to blow off steam between courses. The staff was very friendly (ST was very tickled when after dressing himself in his best collar shirt, the room service staff keep greeting him with a cheerful "Good evening, sir" or "Hello, my friend" as he raced around the lobby). It was generally relaxing, and nice to get a glass of wine with some decent food (I got grilled halibut tacos with a somewhat interesting chipotle sauce, CH got some chicken).
It certainy is not perfect. They screwed up CH's order at first and he had to wait while we ate. The service was friendly but slow. The salad was trying to be better than it was (the restaurant's concept is farm to table - the salad was like spring mix from Ralph's with a bottled red wine vinaigrette). Ditto the food.
I don't think we'd return paying full price (ie, $19 for 3 fish tacos, $7.50 for a glass of ok Kendall Jackson chardonnay). But for a deal we'd consider it; it was a nice change of pace on an evenine we didn't feel like cooking!
Not a bad destination with a toddler, especially with a deal. Beautiful decor, but lots of room to run around the lobby and to the pool area to blow off steam between courses. The staff was very friendly (ST was very tickled when after dressing himself in his best collar shirt, the room service staff keep greeting him with a cheerful "Good evening, sir" or "Hello, my friend" as he raced around the lobby). It was generally relaxing, and nice to get a glass of wine with some decent food (I got grilled halibut tacos with a somewhat interesting chipotle sauce, CH got some chicken).
It certainy is not perfect. They screwed up CH's order at first and he had to wait while we ate. The service was friendly but slow. The salad was trying to be better than it was (the restaurant's concept is farm to table - the salad was like spring mix from Ralph's with a bottled red wine vinaigrette). Ditto the food.
I don't think we'd return paying full price (ie, $19 for 3 fish tacos, $7.50 for a glass of ok Kendall Jackson chardonnay). But for a deal we'd consider it; it was a nice change of pace on an evenine we didn't feel like cooking!
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