Posted in Grass-fed beef, Pao Chow, restaurants, SF Station reviews, Steak, Top Lists, Uncategorized, tagged restaurants, SFStation, steak on February 4, 2011 | 1 Comment »
Copied below is my recent roundup of the city’s best steakhouses – Bourbon Steak, Bobo’s and 5A5 Steak Lounge. I have also included the LINK if you’d like to reference the original article on SF Station as well as other restaurant reviews.
With increasing public awareness of grass-fed beef, opportunities for whole beast dinners, and butcher celebrity, beef is experiencing a second coming in San Francisco. The only question that remains: Where do meat-loving diners saddle up? (more…)
Posted in Burgers, Grass-fed beef, Pao Chow, restaurants, SF Burger Examiner, tagged Burgers on August 10, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Pasted below is my latest review for the SF Burger Examiner column on new Union St offering: Roam Artisan Burgers. Check out the original post and other burger-specific entries on my column’s home page here: SF Burger Examiner
San Franciscans eat well and live well, but we pay a pretty penny for our lifestyle. Dining patrons often struggle to balance being both cost-conscious and committed to sustainable, high-quality ingredients. The recent economic downturn has not made dining on the cheap any easier and several businesses have been hit hard, with empty spaces and “For Lease” signs decorating some of the most popular streets in the city. (more…)
Posted in Burgers, Grass-fed beef, Pao Chow, SF Burger Examiner, tagged beef, ranch on July 4, 2010 | 2 Comments »
Latest post from my SF Burger column on Examiner.com is copied below (actual article LINK)
A carnivore’s responsibility
San Francisco is a city that treats eating with the utmost responsibility. Vegetarian? Nowadays it is more about being vegan, gluten-free, and if you eat red meat, it better be locally-raised, hormone-free and grass-fed. The problem is the beef terminology has proliferated to such a level that some of the meaning has been lost.
I eat meat; more than most men, women and children in a 10 mile radius. Last week alone I ate three hamburgers, a steak, a cheese steak sandwich and tri-tip. Of late, my passion has ignited a curiosity to understand meat at a deeper level – convincing me to attend a tour of Stemple Creek Ranch with the San Mateo Natural and Organic Beef Group. We’ve all heard of corporate responsibility; well, what about carnivorous responsibility? Let’s face it, if I’m going to write about burgers, I better educate myself on where my meat comes from.
Tomales – It’s different up here
Just an hour or so north of San Francisco sits Tomales, a small town where local goods abound and everyone is on a first name basis. Breathe in the scents of fresh-baked breads at Tomales Bakery and or sample some fresh produce at the market.
Stemple Creek Ranch sits just off the main drag on a thousand acres. Originally named Poncia Ranch when it opened over a century ago, this farm has been passed down generation after generation. Loren Poncia renamed the ranch a year and a half ago after the famous Stemple Creek which flows throughout Tomales, providing natural hydration and support for the various agricultural enterprises.
Let’s be clear, Stemple Creek Ranch is no Harris Ranch – that crowded, stench-ridden abomination off the I-5. Stemple Creek is more of a cow hotel, and let me tell you, this is one Ritz Carlton I’d stay in if I had a tail. Cattle graze to their heart’s content on the hilly acreage, enjoying certified organic feed and sweet grasses. When you step outside the car you literally hear moos of happy cows.
The Stemple Creek way
Part of the happiness has something to do with the Poncia family and how they choose to ranch. Loren Poncia is a knowledgeable, kind, family man who believes in doing the right thing for his farm, cows and customers. He studied agribusiness and dairy science at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. With this resume, you can be assured that Loren knows his meat, his land, and especially how to raise and harvest quality, grass-fed animals in a sustainable way.
At the start of our tour, Loren identified different ranch grasses and covered the calculated approach cows take in the selection of their food. Even in a field of natural grasses, cows seek out all the sweet, nutritious grasses like clover and alfalfa, leaving the rest of the grounds untouched. To manage land waste or overuse, it is important to practice a progressive ranching technique known as management intensive grazing, which helps encourage the cows to eat all grass types.
Stemple Creek is different. For one, the cattle, pastures and feed are all certified organic; do not expect to find any corn here Michael Pollan. Second, the ranch’s focus on environmental responsibility is evidenced with the grazing techniques, solar water pumps, cattle crossings, and planting of over 1,000 trees. Loren’s father, Alfred, was even honored with the Excellence in Conservation Award by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The Poncia family also supports staying local. One of the biggest challenges is whether to go organic or local. Even though Stemple Creek has certified organic pastures and cattle, if you take the cows to a non-organic slaughterhouse the meat may no longer be sold as organic. The main differentiator is the chemicals used – chlorine is not permitted and must be substituted with an alternative like hydrogen peroxide. With a local focus, Loren can take the cows up the street to a reputable slaughterhouse, which is a less stressful experience for the cows and also leaves a smaller carbon footprint. With an organic focus, Loren must drive a couple hours away. Knowing these particularities makes the challenge of staying 100% organic only that much clearer.
Another interesting fact shared by Loren is the difference between corn-fed, grass-fed and corn-finished. Most cows start off grass-fed, and many ranches exploit this fact, taking cows that have been fed on grass for the majority of their life and then “finishing” them on corn the last 150 days. This process is used to fatten up the cows and make them better for market, but that does not really mean they are grass-fed. It’s important to determine whether the ranch you are buying your meat from is actually grass-fed and grass-finished or grass-fed and then corn-finished.
The taste of Stemple Creek meat
With all this talk about responsible ranching, I’ve almost left out one of the most important topics – taste! One of the most sought after types of beef is marbled beef. Marbling refers to intramuscular fat that gives the beef a marble quality. The meat is more flavorful and tender than other cuts of beef and cows must be big, fat, grass-fed and generally older. Stemple Creek has a number of cows with marbling qualities and during our ranch tour and beef tasting I had a chance to sample a few bites.
For our tasting, Loren pulled out a huge black BBQ large enough for sixty chickens to be cooked at one time. Menu for the day? Short ribs, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, filet mignon, rib eye, NY strip, skirt steak and tri tip. The meat was simply seasoned with garlic salt and pepper, allowing the true flavor to emerge. A few descriptions come to mind when I think back on that blessed hour of beef tasting:
Ever-lasting goodness. Coarsely-ground beef burgers. Savory and juicy. Luscious, silky smooth beef that melts in your mouth.
As our group sat there, tooth picking bite after bite of Stemple Creek beef, a chorus of approving groans was heard in unison. That was probably the only sound for a solid couple minutes. I can say with complete certainty that I sampled some of the best tasting beef I’ve had in years.
Ordering your own meat from Stemple Creek
Which brings us to the final set of questions: How can I order meat from the ranch and how much will it cost? Think of Stemple Creek as a meat CSA where you can order a quarter, half or whole cow. For a bit of perspective – a quarter cow yields about 110 lbs of beef, and all types of cuts. You could estimate about 25 pounds of steaks, 30 pounds of roasts, 45 pounds of ground beef, 10-15 pounds of short ribs and stew meat, and 10-15 pounds of soup bones.
The price inclusive of packing, harvesting and packaging is about $550, which breaks down to around $5 a pound. Economies of scale indeed – just think that normally you spend $20 for a lb of filet mignon at the local Whole Foods. Stemple Creek also organizes ranch tours which provide the opportunity to purchase individual cuts of meat. Just contact the Poncias on their website for more details. It’s also important to mention that Stemple Creek has some pretty serious lamb for purchase. The ranch sells out of its meat every year so I’d advise getting on the list early. A quarter cow supplies a lot of burgers and steaks that will satisfy even the most carnivorous of appetites.
http://www.stemplecreek.com/ranch.htm
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Posted in Burgers, Grass-fed beef, Pao Chow, restaurants, SF Burger Examiner, tagged Burgers on June 4, 2010 | 1 Comment »
(Latest post from SF Burger Examiner page pasted below)
Call it SF, The City, Bay area, but whatever you do, any local will agree you do not call our 49 square mile wonder San Fran or the shudder-inducing, Frisco. Similarly, do not think of calling burgers from Gott’s Roadside Tray Gourmet anything other than D is for Diablo style – Delicious.
Napa beginnings…and a name change
The Gotts brothers have been serving up piping hot, greasy-spoon burgers for over a decade at the classic St. Helena Hwy 29 location; a fifties style drive-in turned roadside diner. The siblings took over the lease at Taylor’s Refresher in 1999, and kept the name until legal brand battles influenced them to change it in March of 2010. The name may have undergone a refresher but the menu and owners have maintained the same popular menu, and even added a few enhancements.
Initially started as a simple hamburger stand out in the heat of Napa Valley, the Gotts brothers prove that simple, high-quality American food is the golden ticket; banging out over 500 burgers a day with a single grill, griddle and fryer as their tools of trade. Apparently, sweeping mountains, vineyards, and burgers go hand-in-hand.
Throw on your boat shoes – welcome to SF
After six years of booming business in wine country, the siblings followed the ferries south to expand the Gotts empire to the city. While other burger legend 4505 Meats rests in the back Farmers Market, Gotts Roadside posts up at the southern end of the Ferry Building, boasting a spacious interior and large patio area that will make any SF real estate agent’s eyes glimmer with dollar signs. While the location does not have the intimacy of the St. Helena pit-stop, and may feel a bit out of place among the pedestrian-overrun row of boutique eateries, do not fret. The Gotts boys bring their A-game and you can count on the same consistent lick-smacking burgers.
This is no McDonalds Fiesta menu – Gotts keeps it simple
What has helped Gotts Roadside capture burger bragging rights from the bay to the vines, even with an inconvenient name change? The answer: quality, local ingredients and a commitment to providing simple, good-tasting food. Egg buns from Sciamba Bakery and San Francisco sourdough are your starches for the day. Niman Ranch beef is ground fresh daily and answers the popular call for natural, antibiotic free meat by Bay area diners. Traditional accompaniments like iceberg lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles form palate-pleasing unions with classic go-to additions such as fried onion rings, cheddar cheese, bacon and avocado. These are no prim and proper burgers. Grab an extra set of napkins and expect to get messy with beef juices dripping all over. Also, expect to like it.
The dining experience is very low maintenance; a blessing for large groups and families with children. Walk through the glass doors and survey the menu’s options, which beyond burgers, includes a healthy range of salads, chicken sandwiches, fish mains and handmade milkshakes made from San Francisco Double Rainbow ice cream. Pick up your meal at the far end of the long kitchen counter and teleport back to warm summer nights at the drive-in, where metal trays and red-and-white checkered paper cartons were the norm.
So many burgers…so little time
For good eats check out the Wisconsin burger. It catches your eye with the promise of well-buttered, toasted sourdough slices. Sandwiched between these blankets of buttered goodness is a coarsely-ground beef patty with a perfect pink medium rare center. BBQ sauce oozes off the top of the patty, providing a burst of tangy sweetness. Saddle up with griddled mushrooms, cheddar cheese and bacon; love-at-first-bite for your taste buds.
The normal burgers are expertly wrapped, and an SF Burger Club attendee described his Western Bacon Blue Ring burger as the “difference between happiness and sadness.” The combination of crispy onion ring, blue cheese with the perfect amount of intensity, a healthy amount of bacon and final touches of red onion and BBQ sauce on an egg bun will have any cowboy shouting, “hee haw!”
If ethnic is more your speed, consider the Texas Burger, which throws spicy Jack cheese, guacamole, salsa and jalapenos on top of a slab of meat. For that extra kick-George Bush-in-the face spice, order your burger Diablo style – code for spicy chili aioli.
Non-meat eaters have a variety of tasty options; from the highly-acclaimed ahi tuna burger, which comes with a crunchy slaw and wasabi sauce, to fish tacos. The vegetarian burger is your standard garden burger, decently seasoned, and served with any variety of regular burger toppings.
Clog up your arteries with a range of sides; from regular skinny frites to burnt orange sweet potato fries to my personal favorite gut-bomb of choice, chili cheese fries, which will surely induce food coma upon consumption.
Neither Ferry Building competition or legal-driven name changes can keep SF locals, “Frisco” visitors (never utter that word again), or burger purists from frequenting this American eatery. Drive-ins may be near extinction, but Gott’s Roadside Tray Gourmet lives up to its (new) name – providing simple food with a level of execution that rivals the pricier options in the city.
Posted in Burgers, Cocktails, Grass-fed beef, Pao Chow, restaurants, Seasonal, SF Burger Examiner, tagged Burgers on May 28, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Latest post from my SF Burger Examiner column on NOPA!
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard about NOPA, and if you have any good sense, you’ve set aside an evening for an epic Californian/ Mediterranean meal and one of the best burgers you can find in San Francisco.
A culinary gem with cultural flavor
Named for the surrounding neighborhood known as North of Panhandle, NOPA is a go-to for anyone in search of a lively scene with exceptional food, creative, well-executed cocktails and attentive service. Enter the large bi-level space, take a deep breath, and feast your eyes on the impressive scene that scoffs in the face of an economic recession. NOPA’s owners converted the former bank into a hub of social gathering with good food to boot. High ceilings with exposed wooden beams, a commissioned Brian Barneclo mural of San Francisco’s cityscape, and a long bar that will bring any libation lover to his knees, beckon you to come in and stay a while. The energetic explosion of conversation from a diverse crowd acts as your accompanying sonata for the evening; and a late evening that can be as NOPA’s kitchen is open until 1AM.
Good drinks and service = happy guests
A communal table invites you to snag a spot and join the party. Just be on your toes, these first-come, first-serve seats go quickly. Drop-in diners should expect to wait 45 minutes to an hour pretty much any night for a sit-down table, but can happily post up at the bar for a signature NOPA cocktail. The ever-popular Pisco Sour is served in a tumbler with frothy whipped egg white, quebranta pisco and a dash of bitters. Many cocktails showcase a grown-up, inspired feel, with ingredients like huckleberry shrub and ting mixed dexterously with less common alcohols like elderflower or absinthe. Try the Paloma Rosa (Spanish for “rose dove”) – a concoction of Mezcal, strawberries and lime juice – and your tongue will say “gracias” for the perfect blend of tart and sweet. The Kumquat Caipirinha is a strong drink that has the potential to knock you on your “you know what” with its sliced sour kumquats, rinds, lime juice and Weber Haus Cachaca.
Thanks to a wonderfully accommodating restaurant staff, we finagled an intimate two-top that boasted a perfect view of the kitchen hustle and bustle directly below. Smells of rotisserie chicken and exotic spices floated upwards, tempting our appetites to come forth and prepare for the affair. Yasuaki, the welcoming evening manager, dropped by to ensure everything was in order. NOPA has an impressive staff on hand, one that is attentive without being overwhelming, and more than knowledgeable about the menu’s innovative twists on classic favorites.
A few favorites
I’ve enjoyed meals at hundreds of restaurants in SF, yet NOPA is the one that continually lures me back with her offerings of high quality, seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients formed into masterful creations. Roasted calamari with pea tendrils and Meyer lemon combine for a bright dish. NOPA is known for her rustic wood-fired flatbread with a variety of cheeses, fresh herbs, and tantalizing meats like prosciutto or sausage. The brined, country pork chop will have any vegetarian reconsidering his mission, and don’t expect to stay on your diet if your eyes spot the sopaipillas – pockets of hot, doughy goodness surrounded in a blanket of sugar and cinnamon. Rip off a corner of dough, pop that pocket and liberally pour in a dose of warm honey butter and you will officially have entered heaven.
Awaken to a multi-course adventure
NOPA starts off any meal with an amuse bouche to tempt your palate out of the 9-5 coma and back to the land of the living. A crispy mini crostini topped with snap peas, fennel, garlic, feta cheese and a droplet of olive oil is a perfect reawakening. But the bites do not stop there. A runny poached egg over a bed of greens is happily married with smoky bacon, sweet caramelized red onions, toasted browned breadcrumbs and shaved thin asparagus. The result is a mouth-watering escape of unwavering complexity and texture, not to mention flavor.
For the main, you cannot go wrong if you select one of the many delectable meat dishes. Seared duck breast, executed to a perfect soft pink, is served with mushrooms, artichoke hearts, red onions and bitter greens. The barley, buttery sauce reminds you that dark meat is always a good choice for a hungry belly.
The NOPA burger – in all her glory
Last, but certainly not least – the famous NOPA burger – a steal of a deal at $13, guaranteed to challenge the Spruce burger title for “perfect burger.” NOPA’s grass-fed beef from TLC Ranch is ground in-house, evidence of the tender, loving, care employed by the kitchen staff to any burger’s construction. Part owner, Jeff Hanak, is proud of his restaurant’s burger, declaring it his favorite burger in SF without hesitation. You can taste the difference in the meat, more savory than many other burgers in the city. Talk about well-deserved confidence, Chef Laurence Jossel seasons the burger simply with salt only, a choice which allows the natural flavor of the beef to be your focus.
Complementing the burger is some of the tastiest bacon I’ve sampled. This is no regular bacon…It is made in-house from Becker Lane pork belly. NOPA’s staff realizes the value of patience, curing the bacon over 7-10 days and then smoking it over almond wood for 3-4 hours.
The bun is by far the best I’ve had in this burger-loving city. It is a toasted, buttered brioche made in-house, that offers a rich complement to the red meat patty. Gruyere cheese, lettuce, tomato, mustard aioli and crunchy pink pickled onions are the well-placed accessories for the evening. The burger is slightly smaller in size, almost comparable to a slider, but its depth and richness will satiate any hunger pains. Pair that handful of red meat with crisp, piping hot French fries and you’ve got a partnership that keeps SF locals coming back for more.
