GOLDILOCK'S SPARKLES

Newark CA - You know this was coming. Mama and Papa bear returned the favor and went to Goldilock's. Tasted the tuna kinilaw (ceviche), bbq chicken, pork short ribs, fried calamari, garlic rice and everything wasn't just "just right, "too cold", "too hot", but just perfect.

Usually Pilipino food can be too dry, too spicy, too greasy, too soggy and too whatever.

Chef Brian cooks traditional Pilipino food with french preparation. The presentation isn't a blob of this or that, but nicely appeal ling. The veggies are uniformly cut and sauces smooth and flavorful. The tuna dish with a creamy mango sauce is an example. The sauce is not too sweet and it's creamy. The BBQ chicken on a bamboo skewer had a sweet and not too tart (acidic) sauce (achara included). The chicken was plump and moist. Chef Brian's signature dish of the tuna ceviche had the nicely uniformed cut veggies. The tuna was moist. The calamari was crispy (vinegar and garlic dip included). Each bite produced a crunch followed by the softness of the squid. I like the tentacles the best.

The wine: Sonoma Landing 2005 Merlot. It was fruit forward, smooth and nice nose. It matched the dishes we had.

For dessert, we had the coconut pandan. It was fresh, cold and not too sweet. It was very refreshing.

We were invited by our Ate (not really my eldest sister) but our friend from church. The Friday night we had dinner, the band Vintage Plus Dance Band played until midnight. They played uptempo beat music.

The service was surprising attentive. When we were ready to go, we asked for the check. Whatever we needed, we got promptly.

On this Friday night, there was a $10/person cover charge, but it's credited back when you order dinner. We just presented the receipt with the bill and our payment. We'll be back when we're in the area and when there's live music.

It was great to have Pilipino food that was nicely presented. Go Chef Brian!

Garlic-Ginger Dungenous Crab

The other day my wife and I were craving garlic-ginger crab. That afternoon, we were on a mission to buy crab, dungenous crab specifically. We purchased a two pound (about 1 kilo) weighted sized one. About $4,99/lb. We already had the garlic, ginger, olive & sesame oil, and butter. I find the dungenous crab the sweetest and most meaty. And it's readily available in the San Francisco bay area. It turned out delicious. Definitely finger licking good. It's messy, but worth the work. I figure it tastes better when there's work involved.

Ingredients:

1 Dungenous crab

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

4 cloves garlic (diced)

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger (sliced thinly)

In a large pot, fill with water just enough to cover the crab. Boil water and drop crab inside boiling water. Cook for about 20- 30 minutes. Drain crab when done cooking.

When the crab is cooled enough to handle, remove the claws, and legs. Crack the claws and legs with the back end of a knife or seafood cracker. Separate the main body from the top shell. Remove the lungs and discard. Cut the main body into two halves.

In a small bowl, save and remove the crab fat (the yellow liquid & solids) from the top shell and from the main body. The crab fat has the most flavor. Use the liquid and solid later at the end of the cooking period.

Use a wok, preheated on med-medium high heat. Add cooking oils in the wok to heat for about one minute. Add garlic and ginger, cook for 2 minutes. Add butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the ingredients so not to burn. Add the cooked crab pieces. Mix together and cook for about 3- 5 minutes. Add the crab fat liquid and solid.

Serve on a large plate. Side dishes include steamed rice or french bread and steamed green veggie like asparagus, green beans, broccoli, or bok choy.

San Francisco, CA - The chess world had everyone looking for Bobby Fisher; and the food world had us looking for Melissa Perello after her stint in a restaurant located in a hotel pressing the "5" button in the elevator.

She appears here! I don't know how my wife found her, but she did and I'm glad she did. We had my birthday dinner here. Chef Melissa hasn't lost her touch. Everything we had was tasty - chicken liver mousse (fluffy and smooth), steamed clams (mild garlic soup was yummy), slow roasted beef (it was really lean and tender); and the gnocchi (tender duck confit). The Valrhona ganache tart with olive oil ice cream was rich and the hidden candied citrus was a fresh surprise.

For the wine: 06 Pinot Domaine Emile Juillott It was light, taste of berries and had a nice nose.

The Blue bottle coffee served via Comex should be ordered a dish before one plans on eatting dessert. The coffee turned up after we had our dessert.

The seating is tight, acoustics loud; and you'll need some patience finding parking. We had the early seating, but by the time we finished our dinner, the line was out the door. Reservations highly recommended.

A definite go back place. It's very homey, service timely and food delicious. It's great to see Chef Melissa.

CHEZ:PANISSE, Say Fresh!

Berkeley, CA - We celebrate the turn of the decade with Alice Waters...she was actually in the restaurant, in the cafe, and in the kitchen. She came by our table and wished us a Happy New Year and thanked us for being there.

The New Year Eve's menu was a four course prix fix: smoked Bolinas cod salad with salmon caviar and chicory lettuce; Dungeness crab (and uni) consomme with wild mushrooms and green garlic; Roulade of Paine Farm squab breast with black truffles, Pommes Anna, and grilled Chino Ranch veggies; and Chocolate souffle Rothchild. There was an amuse bouche and the additional dessert at the end of the meal. The hearty bread lay on the Prette linen table cloth. A special pear and champagne aperitif was served before the meal.

The wine was a Margaux 2000, nice nose, long legs and really smooth and silky.

The decor was homey and warm. The holiday greens were festive. The fresh whole fruits and flowers in serving platters & vases were placed throughout the restaurant. What was really cool was the custom water carafe and water glasses.

It was a special night. Prior to the strike of midnight, the wait staff passed out the noise makers, hats, and champagne filled flutes. It was a memorable night. The live jazz quartet provided the music all night. The food was fresh, delicious and simple; and the service friendly and unpretentious. A definite special occasion place.

BTW, they passed our napkin test. I left the table, and when I returned, the napkin was folded.