ICHI Sushi

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ICHI sushi reminds Sebo in Hayes Valley.  A sushi place specializing in omakase served up by non Japanese sushi chefs.  While sometimes order omakase at a sushi bar can seem a little daunting, the sushi chefs are friendly provide a lot of guidance and information on each piece of sushi and every plate along your omakase journey.  The omakase here has an option of mixing it with cooked dishes or straight sushi.  Of course, I have to eat everything, so the omakase I chose was a mix of the two.  I did notice that most of the cooked dishes can be ordered straight off the menu.  Some things to take note:  omakase here is served until you are full (so the 15 items I had cost around $60/person) and the sushi is served per piece and not in the usual by pairs.

The night started off with a chilled cucumber salad with a light tahini dressing and topped with sesame seeds.  It was crunchy and refreshing.

A shisho leaf under red snapper nigiri with yuzu and a dash of green tea salt.

Lightly cured fluke with shisho and ponzu.

The miragai aka geoduck clam was crunchy and topped with green tea salt.

The inside of the geoduck clam was lightly fried and served with a little ponzu dressing.  Delicious, chewy, and one of my favorite dishes of the night.

I've had seared tuna many times, but this Big Eye Hawaiian tuna had a dry, smokey taste and texture.

Ahi tuna mixed with avocado, ginger, and green onions.  Essentially its a poke.  While not the best poke I've ever had, I love avocado in my poke.

Gorgeously presented snapper sushi.

At first glance, it looks like a regular piece of tako (octopus), but its actually sous vide so the octopus is really tender.  Its good, but I love chewiness of tako.

I absolutely love the way they serve up the cooked dishes and sushi.  Its like I will never get bored of sitting there and thinking what will come next.  Fried snapper mixed with pickled peppers.

Hawaiian amberjack with yuzu zest.  Yuzu seems to be a popular flavoring here, whether as a zest or as a sauce.

Shiro maguro with garlic ponzu.

ICHI sushi has no kitchen in their restaurant so how well cooked the hot items come out is impressive.  Best dish of the night is this yuzu chicken wings.  They are sous vide and then fried.  The batter is light and crispy, but the flavor of the chicken is amazing.  One of the best Asian style fried chickens I've ever tasted and I've eaten a lot of fried chicken.

It looks like salmon, but its actually ocean trout with a touch of ume (plum) paste.

I am not a big fan of mackerel.  The oily fish is even too fishy for me.  At ICHI, they layer it with a sake reduction so it cuts most of the fishiness. 

    Uni is amazing when its fresh.  The Fort Bragg uni is custardy and fresh.  

ICHI sushi is not the best sushi I've ever had.  The sushi is above average, but I love how they present it in a very friendly setting and try to introduce omakase and other fish, besides the usual tuna, salmon, hamachi, to other sushi eaters.  While I do love a some sushi eaten with specific chef made sauces, its a little overkill here.  Every fish is hit with either a green tea sea salt, yuzu, or ponzu flavor.  It would be nice if they let some of the fish flavor just shine on its own.

updated - Working my way through the 2013 7x7's SF big eat 100 things

Address:                  ICHI Sushi
                                 3369 Mission St.
                                 San Francisco, CA
 

Type:                       Japanese

Popular chomps:     omakase
                                chicken wings

Chomp worthy:       omakase
                                chicken wings

Kirimachi Ramen

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Kirimachi Ramen is a little farther and outside of my normal radius for lunchtime eats, but I had been meaning to tackle this ramen spot with hopes of discovering at least 1 good ramen spot in the city.  The location of this ramen joint is random.  It's in right in the middle of North Beach's strip clubs and bars.  It's odd, but I've scoured more random areas for food. 

The menu at Kirimachi Ramen.

The shoyu ramen intrigued me since it was made with Sun Marin Farms chicken broth.  This is one of the few times I've seen ramen advertising their use of local ingredients, but that's the norm on menus in San Francisco.  Toppings include bamboo shoots (my favorite!), green onions, bean sprouts, fishcake, and mushrooms.  The broth was light, but too light for my taste in that it lacked much flavor.  Pretty unmemorable bowl of ramen, except for the chewiness of the noodles and the runny inside of the slow cooked egg. 

The tonkatsu ramen had a nice, rich color to their both.  Toppings include slices of pork, fishcake, slow cooked egg, green onions, bean sprouts, and mushrooms.

        

Address:                   Kirimachi Ramen
                                  450 Broadway St.
                                  San Francisco, CA
 

Type:                         Japanese/ramen

Popular chomps:       soft boiled egg
                                   kuro ramen

Chomp worthy:          soft boiled egg     

Taco Bell's Cool Ranch Loco Taco

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Cool Ranch Doritos loco tacos has finally made an appearance at Taco Bell!  It doesn't seem to be making the same headlines that their Nacho flavored locos tacos (see post HERE) did.  I've never been a huge fan of the Cool Ranch Doritos, but I found these to have only a hint of Cool Ranch flavor on the taco shell.

Una Pizza Napoletana

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The concept is simple at Una Pizza Napoletana.  Five pizzas all around $20, six on Saturdays.  When Anthony Mangieri runs out of dough, they close up the shop. 

The place is small, but the space is open and airy.  After reading that this place fills up quick and the wait can be atrocious, I noticed that even around 6 the restaurant still hadn't filled up.

Margherita at Una Pizza Napoletana-  2013 7x7 SF's Top 100 Eats

All the pizza choices are relatively the same with a couple ingredients omitted or added.  One thing that stands out is the crust.  Its chewy with a nice charred flavor.  I think it needs a touch more salt because its a little bland for my taste.  I still prefer the crust at Delfina, which I think has a good flavor and a nice crisp crust.  The margharita at Una Pizza Napoletana had San Marzano tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, and sea salt.  I didn't think the ingredients on the pizza tasted very fresh or stood out.  I've had San Marzano tomatoes before and these didn't have that distinct flavor that distinguishes San Marzano tomatoes from all other tomatoes.

The Illaria pizza was the only one that had different ingredients from the rest since I wasn't lucky enough to come on a Saturday.  Its topped with smoked mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, arugula, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt.  The smoked mozzarella made up most of the flavor of this pizza with its smokiness that reminded me of smoked salmon.  The cherry tomatoes were tart and the arugula lacked that peppery bite.  Usually I'm a fan of the more basic pizzas like the Margherita, but here the Illaria was the better of the two.

updated - Working my way through the 2013 7x7's SF big eat 100 things

Address:                   Una Pizza Napoletana
                                  210 11th St.
                                  San Francisco, CA 

 

Type:                         pizza

Popular chomps:       margherita
                                  apollonia  

Chomp worthy:         nothing    

Acme Bread (sandwiches)

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I was searching around for something for lunch when I took a double take at Acme Bread in the Ferry Building.  Acme Bread sells sandwiches?  I love Acme bread and a lot of cafes around the city make sandwiches with the delicious Acme bread so its only fitting that Acme finally makes their own sandwiches.  At $5.45 each, its one of the cheaper lunch options in the area.

Instead of the usual do it yourself snack with Acme bread and hopping next door to Cowgirl Creamery and picking up some cheese, Acme bread combines its own to create their cheese sandwich.  They use Cowgirl's Mt Tam triple creme cheese, sweet fruit jam, arugula, and a sprinkle of black pepper.  Hints of sweetness along with one of Cowgirl's more popular cheese made this my favorite sandwich of the two.

The green garlic on this sandwich was the thing that caught my eye.  Fresh green garlic, chevre cheese, fire roasted red peppers, and balsamic vinegrette inside a chewy, fresh tasting baguette.  Delicious and creamy, but I wished there was more green garlic.

     

Address:                  Acme Bread
                                 1 Ferry Bldg
                                 Marketplace Shop 15
                                 San Francisco, CA
 

Type:                        bakery/Sandwiches

Popular chomps:      bread

Chomp worthy:         cheese sandwich      

The Ice Cream Bar

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The Ice Cream Bar is located in Cole Valley right behind the Haight-Ashbury area.  This area has to be one of the worst areas to find parking!  I've heard this place is usually packed, but on a rainy day, like today, there were only a couple people seeking out a cold treat.

The flavor board at The Ice Cream Bar.

Banana Split at The Ice Cream Bar-  2013 7x7 SF's Top 100 Eats

Best and most distinctive thing about the banana split was the hand roasted bananas.  Sprinkled with sugar and hand torched like creme brulee, these bananas had a caramel glazed crust.  It consisted of milk chocolate, vanilla, and morello cherry scoops with slivered almonds for crunch.  I wasn't a big fan of the morello cherry ice cream.  It was a bit too tart for me.

One of the more interesting flavors was the roasted pineapple.  There were large chunks of juicy pineapple throughout the scoop of ice cream, but I was hoping for a more roasted flavor.  The best part of this was the waffle cone.  Not exactly on par with Ici's waffle cone (see post HERE), but the taste was sugary and one of the better homemade waffle cones I've tasted.

updated - Working my way through the 2013 7x7's SF big eat 100 things

Address:                  The Ice Cream Bar
                                 815 Cole St.
                                 San Francisco, CA 
 

Type:                        ice cream/dessert

Popular chomps:      banana split
                                  roasted pineapple
                                  root beer float
                                  waffle cone
                                  New Orleans Hangover

Chomp worthy:         banana split
                                  waffle cone     

Camino

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I've been so busy tackling the 2013 7x7 100 Big Eats list that I just noticed that I haven't had any crab this crab season!  Camino has been on my list of restaurants to try since it open way back when.  Every crab season, Camino does a roasted crab dish as well as a Monday crab prix fixe menu of 3 dishes for $34.  I almost thought I missed it, but, lucky me, they extended it out till the end of February!

Camino has a large open space with long communal tables.  The small tables by the bar are first come, first serve.

Tasty munchies of crunchy, pickled carrots are dropped off to the table to start of the meal.  They are very similar to the spicy carrots served up in taquerias, but without the spiciness.

My primary purpose of coming to Camino was for the crab, but I couldn't help but be tempted by the pig's head fritters.  The crust is extremely hard and crunchy, but its worth it after you finally bite into it.  The pig's head is fatty and flavorful. 

Large chunks of sweet crab meat in a soup mixed with burdock, wild nettles, and chiles started off the pre fixe menu.  The soup had a surprisingly strong fresh crab flavor.  I was pleased to see that the soup wasn't a creamy based soup, which would fill me up too fast and leave no room for the roasted crab!

Seafood rarely fills me up so I feel obligated to get another dish.  Camino's speciality dishes are anything made in their wood fired oven.  Oven roasted mushrooms, grits, and an oven baked egg (!).  An absolutely yummy dish because it had all my favorites in one:  egg and mushrooms.

The prix fixe menu comes with half a roasted crab, but an additional half crab can be added for $13.  The full crab was a no brainer choice for me.  The crab is roasted in their restaurant fireplace, which is a can't miss when you walk into the restaurant.  Its served up with potatoes fried in duck fat and a carrot, beet & rutabaga salad.  The potatoes had a light crunch and were incredibly tasty.  The salad had a nice crunchy texture and tangy flavor.  Of course, I can't forget the crab!  I've read that some people considered this crab one of their best dishes of the year.  I was surprised and delighted to find that the seasoning on the crab seeped into the crab meat so it created a grilled, smokey taste.  Not the best crab of my life, but its a well cooked roasted crab that hits the spot.

I order another dessert because two desserts are always better than one.  Blood orange sorbet with sparkling wine and benne seed wafers.  Tart, but not too tart.

The pre fixe dessert of the evening was a yogurt-sesame pudding with blood orange and pomelos.  Citrusy and light.  It was a refreshing way to end the crabby meal.

For the month of March, Camino is roasting up a pre fixed menu of kabobs on Mondays.  Although its not crab, you can still taste up some of Camino's oven roasting goodness. 

Address:                  Camino
                                 3917 Grand Ave.
                                 Oakland, CA
 

Type:                        American

Popular chomps:      brunch
                                  roasted crab
                                  baked eggs
                                  oysters

Chomp worthy:         roasted crab    

El Tonayense taco truck

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One of the only reasons to go to Best Buy in the city is to stop by El Tonayense taco truck for some tacos.  There are actually a El Tonayense taco trucks on Harrison, but the Best Buy location makes for an easier parking option.  Unlike most taco trucks and food trucks, El Tonayense is guaranteed to at this location whenever your taco cravings occur as long as its M-Sun 9a-9p.

El Tonayense is probably one of my favorite taco trucks in the city because the food is consistently good and I don't have to chase it around the city.  A unique fact is that this taco truck is actually Michelin recommended.  Who even knew they rate taco trucks..

The menu includes most of the traditional meats and they haven't caved to the gluten free, tofu craze, yet.

From right; clockwise: al pastor, carne asada, carnitas.  While all the meats are tasty, my favorite and must order is their carne asada.  Juicy and flavorful without any gristly parts, the carne asada always hits the spot.

Address:                 El Tonayense Taco Truck
                                Harrison (by Best Buy)
                                San Francisco, CA
 

Type:                      Mexico/food truck

Popular chomps:    carne asada tacos
                                carnitas
                                al pastor

Chomp worthy:       carne asada tacos
                                carnitas
                                al pastor        

The Mill

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Yes! Josie Baker Bread has finally rooted down a permanent home in the city.  Fresh baked bread (loaves cost $6) and my favorite coffee - Four Barrel in a one stop shop.   

Less than a month and it seems like everyone else has heard the news of this opening already.  Long lines for the coffee and long lines for the freshly cut toast made on Josie Baker Bread.  The space is large and open similar to Four Barrel in the Mission. 

With the menu item specializing in toast and Trouble Coffee's specialty toast (see post HERE), it seems like toast is the new "in" food.  That, and toast seems to be a popular hipster food.  Three types of toast are offered, but you can take home a freshly baked loaf for $6 and make your own toast.

The thick slice of country bread with butter and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar is delightful.  The bread is fluffy with a springy texture.  Each bite has a sour aftertaste similar to a traditional sourdough.  Good, but not as good as Trouble's toast, where they lay on butter and cinnamon on thick as if calories don't exist.

The whole wheat toast is topped with the simple toppings of butter and honey.  Again, I wish they heaped on the toppings a little more, but the bread is so good, you just gobble it up anyways.  Similar to the country bread, the taste does have a little bite to it.  I need to remember to buy a couple loaves for myself and slather on some caloric goodness at home.

Address:                  The Mill
                                 736 Divisadero St.
                                 San Francisco, CA
 

Type:                        coffee/bakery/cafe

Popular chomps:      loaves of bread
                                  toast
                                  Four Barrel coffee

Chomp worthy:         loaves of bread
                                  toast
                                  Four Barrel coffee