Monk's Kettle

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Monk's Kettle is a place you can take someone who appreciates beer.  It has a book full of beer options and menu items with suggested beer pairings.  They don't take reservations, but if you get here before 7:30p, you won't have to wait long.

A damn tasty pretzel.  A crisp exterior with fluffy insides.  The first pretzel I've tasted with this type of texture.  Most are usually either chewy or crunchy.  It came with two sauces:  a cheesey dip and a mustard sauce.  Both were delectable, but the mustard sauce was my favorite.  A slightly sweet, but tangy taste made it a pleasant dipping option.  I'm usually not a fan of mustard, but this is insanely good - note to Monk's Kettle - bottle it up and sell it. 

 Bone marrow charged by the canoe ($9 per).  The bone marrow came out rich and fatty just like I like it, but I wasn't a fan of the popcorn.

Whats a gastropub without the juicy burger?  Monk's Kettle's burger came out super juicy with ground beef, onion jam (more like a mound of grilled onions), aged white cheddar, all on top of an acme bun.  A side of super crispy fries (McDonalds meets Burger King) came with the juicy burger.  Definitely a juicy burger, but could have done with a little more seasoning on the meat.  The flavor of the aged white cheddar got lost somewhere between the meat patty and the onions.  Since it was an Acme bun, nothing could go wrong there. 

From top right, clockwise: boar salumi, rabbit pate, soft cheese, toasted breads, house mustard, rhubard jam, hazelnuts, dried currants, and olives.  Definite favorites on the board were the boar sausage and the olives.  The boar sausage was hearty and full of flavor.  The olives had a sweeter aftertaste than the standard salty brininess.

Almost didn't order a dessert because the food coma was coming on quick, but so glad I did.  A huge scoop of ice cream served with a stout beer from a nitrogen pump.  First bite was a shock to the tastebuds due to the bitter stout beer, but after mixing the beer with the vanilla ice cream, the sweetness really came out.  A little scoop of beer foam and some vanilla ice cream made a unlikely, but delicious combination.    

Address:                        Monk's Kettle

                                              3141 16th Street.

                                              San Francisco, CA

Type:                                gastropub/American

Popular chomps:    burger
                                               pretzel                               

Chomp worthy:        pretzel
                                               stout milkshake       

Blue Ribbon Brasserie (2005) - New York

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This was the first time I ever had beef marrow prepared in this way and thus started my obsession with this dish.  During this visit, I also tasted the cheese fondue and the paella.  Both were unmemorable.  Six years later I still remember the first taste of this dish.

Beef marrow & oxtail marmalade

    

Prepared in the traditional vertical cut of the bone.  Creamy, with a burst of beef flavor.  You scoop out the marrow on spread it on the bread like a jam.  The toast provides a crispy texture for the jelly like consistency of the bone marrow.  Delicious!

Verdict:            The bone marrow is amazing. I love that its open late, but its hard to get reservations for this spot.  The popularity of this restaurant, even after all these years, shows that they still showcase quality dishes. 

Address:          Blue Ribbon Restaurants - Brasserie

                         97 Sullivan St.

                         New York, NY 10012

Type:               American
                          casual

Popular chomps:  Beef marrow with oxtail marmalade, Fried Chicken

Chomp worthy:  Beef marrow with oxtail marmalade

Pass:               cheese fondue

Random facts: 

• Due it to its late hours its a popular eating spot for new york shifts after working their dinner shift.
• Also affiliated with the other Blue Ribbon establishments in New York and Brooklyn, such as Blue Ribbon Sushi, Blue Ribbon Bakery, etc
• The fried chicken is a popular menu item here
• The Beef Marrow and Oxtail Marmalade is on Food Network's Best Thing I Ever Ate