Garlic cucumber appetizer ($7) was okay. Not spicy like the usual.
Spring rolls ($6.50 for three small ones) were decent. Neglected to photograph.
The menu description for the Jiangxi noodle salad ($14) sounded good but it was bland as hell. I poured on all the soy and chili sauces that came with it and it was still bland. No hint of the promised seafood flavor. I could swear I took a photo.
Hainan chicken rice ($15): at first we thought there was no chicken in the rice but comparing it with the plain rice that came with the pork you could tell there was a little, but not enough. Chicken was refrigerator cold. Ginger sauce was decent though very strong.
Got a craving for lasagne from watching David Chang make it on Dinner Time Live, so got this delivered from Casa Barotti ($17 plus tax, tip, and fees). Cooked more than it needed to be but hit the spot. Came with a small salad. I’d order it again.
el burro veloz - guisados, in antioch
Cesar Hernandez’s recommendation/review of this place is spot-on. the guisados are outstanding quality. unlike many places, the guisados here are juicy with flavor, the bistek con nopales being a notable instance of this. i would say this place is worth driving to, except that being in antioch, unless you’re going to chuck e cheese’s or picking fruit in an orchard, you’re really only going for the purpose of visiting this place, which might be putting too much expectations…
1a) gordita w/puerco en salsa verde
1b) taco with bistek con nopales
2) barbacoa taco
We got out of a performance a few blocks away and were looking for someplace fun open late, so tried Pierre Pierre, a sort of New Orleans-ish place in the old Tribune Tavern space.
Menu said “Basque cheesecake” but this was nothing like it. Good, dense American-style cheesecake with a cookie crust and some sort of topping (same crust? caramel?)
Cocktails were a bit sweet for my taste but if I’d asked for something drier I imagine the bartender could have made that.
Place was pretty full and hopping, way more than I expected for a Thursday night after 8:30.
Crispy chicken: I wasn’t in the mood for it so can’t really speak to how good it was except that taking a bite didn’t change my mind. Satisfied my companion’s craving.
Banchan were good with some unusual things. The broccoli was seasoned nicely, often that one is bland as hell. I thought the sweet macaroni salad was weird at first but ate it all.
Pad see ew with prawns ($24) was bland. I added what condiments were on the table but it wasn’t enough. Maybe should have asked for more. I’m pretty sure I’ve had this at the Jack London location and liked it.
Maison Nico was phenomenal. Exactly what I needed today.
Pâté en Croûte de Canard, Abricot, et Pistache - PHENOMENAL. I enjoyed it so much that I went back up to the front to order another piece of pâté en croûte. I will be going back tomorrow for more.
Pâté en Croûte de Porc, Poulet, et Aubergine Fumé - Very good, but not on the level of the Canard. Tomorrow I’ll probably get the Cochon a la Tamate.
Croissant w/ plums and hazelnuts - I hadn’t seen anything like this anywhere else so I gave it a try and I’m glad I did. Very good croissant.
Cooked by following their reheating instructions, mine came out a little burnt on top and not quite as golden elsewhere. It could’ve been my oven, which was temperamental around that time. I’ve enjoyed it with a good Gevrey (Galeyrand), MSD (Lignier), Marsannay (Pataille), or Cote Rotie (JM Stephan), depending on the other meats and what condiments there were.
Don’t forget their Parisian flan and canelé de Bordeaux for dessert. I like to add Mitchell’s macapuno ice cream or Tin Pot’s Four Barrel Espresso ice cream with coconut nibs and have some old Grand Marnier or Barsac nearby. Their aspics are fun, too.
Maison Nico and Tarts de Feybesse are always must dos for me when I’m in the city and not caring about cholesterol.
Tried the new Oakland bb.q Chicken on College near Broadway. This is the US name of the BBQ Olive Chicken chain from Crash Landing on You. This is mostly takeout, just a few counter seats inside and patio furniture on rhe sidewalk (which might be nice on a warm afternoon) so we got it to go, should have ordered ahead. They don’t have the mozzarella balls (which watching the show I thought were potato).
The Golden Original was pretty good. The Secret Sauce was a little sweet for my taste and I generally prefer any sauce on the side so the chicken stays crisp.
As I said over there, when LuLu was in that space they got a ton of business from the convention center, though obviously their menu was way more mainstream. And I swear I read somewhere that Aphotic and its several predecessors under that chef were bankrolled by his billionaire father. Which would explain why he has a whole other restaurant built out, furnished, and never opened over on 11th or thereabouts. @matthewkang somebody at Eater SF should get on this.
