Post 43.4: Bay Area - Smorgasbord

I'm all pooped out from writing lengthy posts about San Tung and Burma SuperStar, so this post is going to consolidate all the remaining smorgasbord of meals that I had during my weekend trip to the Bay Area.

Breakfast @ Country Inn Cafe (Bay Area: Santa Clara)

I had my first meal less than an hour after I landed at SJC.  Vickee whisked me away to a very filling breakfast with Ian, Aparna and Jeff.

Country fried steak and eggs over-medium

The country gravy smothered over the top was amazing-delicious.
This was the server's recommendation, and it made the perfect protein-packed breakfast.

Swedish pancakes with lingon berry butter
The crepe-like pancakes were light, but I could barely finish after inhaling the country fried steak.

Wine tasting @ Picchetti Winery (Bay Area: Cupertino)

What's the best way to digest a very filling breakfast? Mid-morning wine tasting of course! This is where my eyes were opened to the Mission Angelica, a Port wine that tasted like honey and was thick like syrup.  The sommelier dropped an ice cube and a lemon rind into each of our glasses for the tasting.  Quite interesting.

The entrance to Picchetti Winery

Wild peacocks roam the premises, so it's not a good idea to bring your pets.

Benches adorn the open grassy area, which makes for relaxing picnics.

The first tasting of many

2007 Chardonnay, Leslie's Estate

Picchetti charges $5 for five tastings.

The tasting room
Festive carolers provide holiday cheer as wine connoisseurs taste their favorites.
Barrels of wine are nestled right under the floor boards of the tasting room.

Lunch @ Santouka inside Mitsuwa (Bay Area: San Jose)

Nothin' beats the ramen from Santouka.  The chain restaurant is usually located inside a Mitsuwa Marketplace food court, but I think their ramen beats out local LA favorites Daikokuya, Orochon, and Shinsengumi.  A simple bowl of noodles in the afternoon really made me feel like I was on vacation.  And a walk around Daiso helped jump start my digestion.

The miso ramen and its spicy sister
Wood ear mushrooms, slices of bamboo and kamaboko lay atop the noodle bed.
The chasu is fatty but firm, and the broth is flavorful but not extremely salty.  The fish cake (kamaboko) is al dente, and the wood ear mushrooms have a texture similar to cartilage.

More wine @ Press Club (SF: SOMA/Union Square)

At Candice's suggestion we headed over to the Press Club near the Metreon to chill out with some wine.  The venue's basement has a spacious modern interior and had different sections of bar counters catering to specific types of wine.  The music was current but not pop, loud but not blaring... the crowd was Financial District yuppie cool.  They've got an interesting concept in terms of paying for the wine.  Patrons swap their Visas and MasterCards for the Press Club's own plastic charge card, and it's later used to cash and check out.

99 bottles of wine on the wall
Jamie, who happens to work for a wine distributor, was kind enough to show us a red wine with tastes of vanilla and leather.  Insert S&M joke here.

Late-night grub @ Golden Boy Pizza (SF: North Beach)

We shed our pre-midnight yuppie casual cool for a bit of post-midnight college kid debauchery at John Colins.  How can you pass up a night out without stopping by Zorro or Golden Boy?

Clam pizza
Minced clams are hidden under a chopped shrub of parsley.  Just a bit of intoxication augments the amazing-delicious taste.  Supposedly, Golden Boy makes the clam pizza only every so often; I'm glad I got to try it before my memory completely faded.

Breakfast @ Curly's Coffee Shop (Bay Area: North Beach)

I've passed Curly's a number a times when walking through the North Beach neighborhood, and I've asked my friend Grace, "How come we never eat here?" It always seemed like a very friendly, neighborhood coffee shop... and it is.  The coffee shop serves up traditional American breakfast with Japanese flair.  I'd stop by again for an early morning meal as a substitute for the long waits of the nearby brunch places.

Spam and eggs
The infamous canned lunch meat grilled alongside eggs with toast and hash browns
I ordered eggs over-medium... not solid but not too runny.  Perfect.
The hash browns were crisp on the outside and soft in the middle.

The ramen
Japanese ramen submerged in a pork broth with chasu and egg.
The soup was sticky and thick, almost like gravy.  The egg was cooked very well... medium-boiled with a slightly gooey and runny yolk.  The broth was a little on the salty side.

I was actually quite surprised at how much I accomplished in less than 48 hours in the Bay Area.  Half a dozen meals, wine tasting, spontaneous bar hopping, 2 near-missed flights, and 2 chance encounters with Nick Wong who ate at the same restaurants for lunch and dinner, San Tung and Burma SuperStar, as I did in the same day.  Minus the sprint through SFO to make my flight back to LA, I felt accomplished and ready to take on corporate America on Monday morning.  Until the next trip, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20110113/20101212

Post 8.2: Tacos La Doña (LA-SGV: San Gabriel)

A white, unmarked van pulls into a dark, empty lot at the corner of Duarte Road and Rosemead Blvd. The Tacos La Doña cart is hitched to the back of the van. When the vehicle comes to a complete stop, more vehicles enter the lot, and a line of parked cars is formed.

Def. la doña. A title of respect bestowed on elders or employers.

Out of the car file high school students and parents with children. They approach the cart's window and place their orders, "Tres tacos tripas... " It becomes apparent that many of them are locals. They know that La Doña is cash only, tacos are a buck a pop (no tax), and that they serve Coca Cola imported from Mexico... the kind that is made from real sugar cane and not high fructose corn syrup.

Authentic. The scratches indicate that the bottle has been reused.

Upon picking up their paper plates of pastor, the parents place their children in their laps and squat down on the concrete islands where gas pumps once stood. A few of the folding chairs provided by La Doña have of onion and cilantro on them, remnants of recently eaten tacos. Rather than wiping the chairs down, the parents have decided that it's easier to squat.

Provide a caption.
I'll buy a round of tacos for the reader who submits a winning caption by Feb. 28.

The teenagers eat standing over the trunks of their Civics and Integras. The rear spoilers provide just the right height for a makeshift table. Another group of locals arrive... they are gray-haired seniors of Asian descent. They arrive by foot, and they are wearing sweats and pajama bottoms. Definitely locals.

Suave suadero.
The brisket is smooth and comes from the lower chest of the cow.

Students, families, and retirees... what strikes me is not how different these groups are from one another, but that they all seem to have something in common. Although this is complete speculation, my intuition tells me that La Doña's patrons aren't here for the tacos (even though they are quite delicious). They are here to break the monotony of their daily lives and experience a bit of the local community nightlife.

Awesome asada.  
I couldn't resist using both salsas on the beef.

The students appear to be high school seniors that have finished their college applications and have contracted full-on senioritis... hanging out at a local late-night eatery foreshadows the forthcoming college nights. The parents bring their young'uns to La Doña to break from their nightly routine of washing dishes, reviewing homework assignments, and tuning in to Leno's lame laughs. The gray-haired grandparents may have been eagerly awaiting their post-dinner meal, which is common in many Asian countries where dinner is not the final meal of the night. (Taco Bell may have been marketing their Fourth Meal to the wrong demographic.)

Premium pastor.  
Grilled onions have been tossed in.

From the first visit to Tacos La Doña during my late-night taco run last week, I have been absurdly infatuated with the motor-less meals on wheels. Warm tortillas, grilled meat and onions, spicy salsa... asada, al pastor, cabeza, tripa, lengua, suadero... all of them are good. Not clubbing in Hollywood but got a craving for bacon-wrapped hot dogs? They have dirty dogs here too. What more could you ask for?

Dirty dog.
It's an absolute mess, but it's absolutely delish.

When I asked if I could take a few pictures, I was answered with silence. Dumbfounded, I took the 'reply' for no, but immediately, I was met with a sharp rap on the window. La doña began flipping the grilled meat. She was met with a blank stare. She rapped on the window again and used her stainless steel spatula to point to the pastor. When it finally registered that the show was for me, I whipped out my Canon and clicked away.

Service with a smile. The world is still good.

The steam from the meat began making its ascent into the air... I swore to myself that I could smell the particles of pastor pleasure. She even cooked with a smile on her face. I couldn't believe it. If that's not genuine service, I don't know what is.

Compliments for the complements.
Grilled meat and grilled onions are an undeniably perfect pair.

I am indebted to Tacos La Doña for providing a late-night alternative to 626's HK-style cafes and fast food drive-thrus. I may have found a new local spot. Granted, the tacos might be larger at other taco trucks, but hey, for a buck a pop, it beats McDonald's dollar menu any day.

Verde y roja.
If they were political parties, bipartisan gridlock would be a thing of the past.

Hasta luego, mujeres y muchachos... let's get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20100216