January 16, 2015 - This week's tablehopper: putting the fry in Friday.

This week's tablehopper: putting the fry in Friday.                    

Delicata squash tempura with rosemary honey, pepato, and hazelnut cocaine (well, that’s what I called it) at The Alembic. Photo: © tablehopper.com.

Greetings from the hopper infirmary, where if you call the “receptionist,” she sounds a lot like Brenda Vaccaro, and you may find her working in her flannel pj’s (pink with drawings of the Eiffel Tower, if you must know). Being sick is so damn lame. Hopefully I will be in tip-top shape when I board my Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong on Wednesday. Thanks to everyone who sent in their Hong Kong tips, you rock. Again and again, I am amazed at how thoughtful you all are in taking the time to share information. I am truly grateful!

Many of you are gearing up for a three-day weekend, and it seems an appropriate time to get in a viewing of the civil rights film Selma in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, Oscar nomination snubs be damned. (At least it’s on my docket.)

Today’s issue has a review of Brenda’s Meat & Three, and some 707 news from Heather Irwin for you, complete with some of her top Mendocino picks.

Oh, and if you happen to be a fellow Champagne and sparkling wine lover, then you’ll definitely want to check out my recent piece for 7x7.com on where to drink and buy the good stuff in SF!

Cheers, dollinks! Marcia Gagliardi

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fresh meat

New Restaurant Reviews (I'm looking for somewhere new to eat)

Brenda's Meat & Three

Fried. Bologna. Sandwich. With pimento cheese. When chef Brenda Buenviaje told me about the menu at the new restaurant (BRENDA’S MEAT & THREE) she would be opening with her partner and wife, Libby Truesdell—along with André and Jennifer Larzul—in the former Blue Jay Café, I knew I was going to want that sandwich. Isn’t it nice when you’re right? Which, quite frankly, is all of the time for me. It’s exhausting being me. (This is a running joke I have with my sister. I kid!)

A thick slice of fried Saag’s bologna ($8.25) is generously layered with pimento cheese (I hope your doctor doesn’t see you reading this) and tucked into a toasted bun—which seems part pain de mie and part brioche, and it’s not made by our usual bread players in the city—with bread-and-butter pickles and tomato and, of course, some special secret sauce that is like a love child of Thousand Island and rémoulade. This sandwich is one of those things that is so wrong but, really, so so right. You won’t find this on the menu at Brenda’s French Soul Food on Polk, the mothership, where Brenda made her name with her NOLA classics, her biscuits, and her fried chicken, becoming one of the most popular brunch spots in the city.

Brenda’s Meat & Three is a different animal, more straightforward Southern in its scope instead of strictly New Orleans-based, and the daytime menu morphs into a classic Southern diner format at 5pm, with your choice of a meat entrée and three sides. There’s Brenda’s famed fried chicken ($16.75 for three pieces), which I found to be a bit more peppery here, and she shares that she also tweaked the dredge on this version so it stays crispy longer. She is constantly tinkering with the fried chicken, and confides, “I drive myself crazy.”

Meanwhile, I lost my mind for the “kickass” meatloaf ($16.50), so tender and spicy under its saucy spoonful of smoky onion jam and gravy. It’s indulgent comfort to the max with a side of fluffy mashed potatoes, smothered green beans (a bit salty), and mac and cheese (with crusty edges, yay). I have yet to finish a meat-and-three dinner—I opt to bring home the leftovers for a rather fulfilling lunch. Other rotating picks include chicken-fried steak, fried catfish, oxtails, and more, and all under $20. And the food comes out HOT, on hot plates. Yes.

The 20 or so sides are very appealing, I have even considered just doing a dinner tour of them (which you can, four for $15). The stewed okra and tomatoes, lively with thyme, plus the cauliflower gratin, and the porky-rich collards (which you can get vegan) are all fantastic. Vegetarians and vegans and even those who need to eat gluten-free have a surfeit of options to choose from.

Lunch has a nice buzz, with folks chowing down on po’boys, sharing a plate of shrimp hush puppies (you should do that too) and fried oyster salads with bacon and buttermilk dressing. You can warm up with a taste, cup, or bowl of “low-country gumbo” ($3-$11.50), which has tomato in it. Brenda says tomato is a point of contention for the “gumbo police,” but I like this version, with perfectly cooked shrimp and Dungeness crab added à la minute.

You’ll also see diners wrestling with the Big Mama’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich ($10.75), spilling over with a paillard that is fried in their usual recipe, and then gets a quick dunk in what Brenda calls “devil sauce.” Yeah, it has some kick. (But I do think the menu should clarify it’s a wet sandwich.)

Brunch packs ‘em in like Polk Street, although Brenda said if you come on the early side (before 10am) you have a better shot at a table (for now) and tucking into a plate of her best-in-class cream biscuits and gravy with two eggs ($8.25), and you may as well add on the Creole-fried cutlet for $4.95. More is more. Brenda’s stuffed johnnycakes ($8) are her own creation and are popular too.

There are three beers on tap, not your usual suspects, and the wine on tap means you can find a glass of Vinum pinot noir for $7, and I also had a glass of the Pol Clement brut from the Loire for just $6. Those prices say a lot, affirming it’s the kind of place they want you to be able to visit often.

Brenda really cares about feeding the neighborhood, and you don’t walk out of here hungry. You walk out stuffed like a turkey, which, let’s admit it, is sometimes what you want. Especially after a bad day, or on a cold night, or you just need some TLC—it’s why they call it comfort food. She is carefully trying to find that balance between quality ingredients and being affordable, so while the chicken isn’t organic, it is local and delivered fresh four times a week, and the seafood is 90 percent sustainable. Personally, I could do without the out-of-season tomatoes on a few dishes until they come back around, but some people just want their tomato on their sandwich, no matter what month it is.

The space got a nice overhaul and freshening up, and I’m so happy part of the diner’s original counter remains. Come early in the evening and you’ll see half the place dedicated to parents and their kids. The back patio—complete with sunny yellow chairs—is a bonus, and there are plans to add some heaters soon.

I have to do a shout-out to the incredibly warm staff here in their jaunty aprons—if you sit at the counter, you’ll have multiple folks check in on you, smile, ask how you like your meal, and sweetly inquire if you’re ready for some pie. They really help build the Southern hospitality vibe, even if their twang is more Californian than Carolinian. This place couldn’t be a more welcome addition to the Western Addition.

This review was based on three visits and one takeout order.

Brenda's Meat & Three            - 919 Divisadero St. San Francisco - 415-926-8657

707 scout

Wine Country Buzz (it’s what happens there)

Mendo Bound, Keller's Ad Lib, Dry Creek's New Chef, Milk Bread

By 707 correspondent Heather Irwin. Sign up for the BiteClub Newsletter.

The best time to go to the Mendocino Coast? If you ask me, it’s right about now, when crab season is still humming along and you might as well sit inside on a cold, blustery day and watch the crashing waves over a hot bowl of chowder. BiteClub spent three days wandering the bluffs of southern Mendocino County between Little River and Fort Bragg, eating, drinking, and enjoying a little solitude between sea and sky. Though this list is far from comprehensive, here are some of my faves from this trip.

Best Clam Chowder and Crab Cakes: LITTLE RIVER INN

We all do it: visit the coast and eat clam chowder and crab cakes. And most of the time, let’s be honest, it’s a huge disappointment. Pasty bowls of rubbery clams and hard potatoes, crab-ish cakes made mostly of bread crumbs and egg. Even worse is when you know it’s been shipped in from some corporate kitchen hundreds of miles away. Little River Inn gets clam chowder right: a generous bowl of creamy broth, bits of Roundman bacon (see below), celery, onions, and clams still inside the shell. Best. Chowder. Ever.

Also a winner, literally, are their crab cakes; they’ve won the Mendocino crab cake cook-off several years in a row. The secret: lots of crème fraîche and sour cream, cornbread crumbs, and citrus zest. While you’re there, leave room for the olallieberry cobbler. 7751 California 1, Little River, 707-937-5942.

Best View: Mendocino Headlands

There’s no shortage of dramatic ocean vistas along the north coast, but some of my favorites are along the rugged coastline in the town of Mendocino. Be sure to bring a warm coat, hat, and gloves, then just park off Main Street and walk along any of the many trails along the bluffs. If you look closely, you may find a stairway down to a quiet cove, or a path through windswept trees to the edge of the world. On windy days, the Pacific booms in the caves below and ocean spray pelts your face. Just be careful, because this is unforgiving surf and one misstep can really ruin your day.

Best Local Seafood: WILD FISH

Hidden behind a small convenience store and gas station, Wild Fish is the best restaurant you’ve never heard of in Mendocino. Using carefully sourced local products, including seafood from nearby Noyo Harbor, nearly everything on the menu just sings out to be ordered. Chef Jackson Clark is behind one of the best restaurants on the coast, with a dinner menu that includes whole Dungeness crab, local sablefish, swordfish with hedgehog mushrooms, and roasted goose from nearby Salmon Creek Ranch. The lunch menu is also incredible, with tequila-lime fish tacos, crab mac and cheese, roasted mussels, and the Wild Louie salad. Prices can be a little steep, but the view and the impeccably prepared dishes are well worth it. The wine pairings are spot-on as well. With just 10 tiny tables, be sure to call ahead for a reservation. 7750 California 1, Little River, 707-937-3055.

Best Winery: NAVARRO VINEYARDS

The Sonoma Coast and nearby Anderson Valley are home to my favorite cool-climate whites and pinot noirs. And for everyday sipping, my absolute favorite bottles are from Navarro Vineyards, often hard to find outside of Mendocino County or their own Anderson Valley tasting room. We love seeing Navarro wines all over local menus; they’re well priced and pair so perfectly with the local seafood offerings. Their sister business, Pennyroyal Farms, offers up incredible goat’s milk cheeses that can also be found in restaurants and local grocers. If you find it, be sure to snap it up, because it won’t last. For kids (or non-drinkers), Navarro offers a line of nonalcoholic grape juices that are almost as good as the fermented stuff. 5601 Hwy 128, Philo.

Best Dessert: TRILLIUM CAFE AND INN

Snuggle up around a cozy fireplace at this combination inn and restaurant. Though the restaurant lost its chef a few months after opening last year, the sous has kept things running smoothly. Though we’re sad that the baked Alaska has disappeared off the menu. It’s just as well, however, because the owner’s homemade salted caramel and ganache tart more than compensated. 10390 Kasten St., Mendocino, 707-937-3200.

Best Buns to Wake Up To: GOODLIFE CAFE AND BAKERY

One of the best things about small towns like Mendocino is that everyone knows everyone else. Walk into GoodLife and you’ll overhear friends and neighbors catching up over the week’s news and a good cup of coffee. To boot, there’s an incredible array of freshly baked pastries, bagels, soups, salads, and daily specials like pumpkin curry. The morning bun, however, is a swirl of flour, butter, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and orange that’s best enjoyed with a spicy cup of chai. Cozy up at a window seat to get the best view of downtown’s small-town bustle. 10483 Lansing St., Mendocino, 707-937-0836.

Best Smoked Everything: ROUNDMAN’S SMOKEHOUSE AND BUTCHER SHOP

“We’ll smoke anything,” is the motto of this Fort Bragg meat shop, which upon entering, immediately infuses your soul with the sweet scent of smoke. They’ve got cases of housemade smoked sausages, cheeses, salmon, tuna, tilapia, hams, beef jerky, chicken, duck, lamb, and, well, you get the idea. They’ll smoke anything. The beef comes in from nearby H-Bench Ranch in Covelo. 412 N. Main St., Fort Bragg, 707-964-5438.

Word broke earlier this week that Thomas Keller is opening AD LIB, a “pop-up restaurant” at the Silverado Resort through early March while the French Laundry undergoes a renovation. The restaurant will operate Thursday through Monday evenings out of the resort’s Royal Oak Room from January 21st to March 2nd.

According to the website, the menu consists of “traditional, honest food.” The à la carte entrées range from $28-$55 and include classic Caesar salad and steak tartare, both prepared tableside, fruitwood-smoked kielbasa, Black Angus chop steak, root vegetable potpie, braised beef short rib “Wellington,” broiled Alaskan king crab legs, and a seven-layer coconut cake. Guests can also expect a hearty selection of daily specials influenced by The French Laundry culinary garden.

This is a collaborative effort from the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group’s chef de cuisine Devin Knell, and The French Laundry’s chef de cuisine David Breeden and sous chef Michael Wallace, who is also the chef de cuisine of the pop-up.

But here’s the rub. Unless you’ve got at least four people, you’re out of luck (and even then, you’ll have to call soon). Tables for two have already been snapped up for the duration of the pop-up. Details and more info online. 1600 Atlas Peak Road, Napa, 707-754-4148.

Andrew Wilson has  been named the new chef at Charlie Palmer’s DRY CREEK KITCHEN in Healdsburg, replacing Dustin Valette. Wilson was most recently at the Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar in Sonoma. With Wilson at the helm, Palmer says he plans to create “an elevated dining experience at the Hotel Healdsburg restaurant with a new style of service, enhanced operations, and all-new menus.” We look forward to seeing what changes Wilson brings to the destination restaurant. Dry Creek Kitchen at the Hotel Healdsburg, 317 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg.

Milk bread, where have you been all my life? Found primarily in Asian bakeries, this Japanese-style bread (also called Hokkaido) makes a supple, sweet, heavenly loaf, with nary a sprout, seed, or whole grain in sight. Perfect for toast, sandwiches, or simply nibbling straight from the bag, fresh loaves are baked daily at the recently opened pan-Asian EAST WIND BAKERY. The loaves are about $5 each and are flecked with bits of Earl Grey tea, herbs, or cinnamon (as well as plain).

But that’s just the start of the inevitable caloric overload. This beautiful little bakery, owned by partners Doug Quick and Tony Tam, also features barbecue pork curried beef, red bean, and taro bao; kimchi- and Chinese sausage-stuffed croissants; garam masala-spiced sweet buns; Massaman beef and Thai chicken potpies; pork banh mi; and, well, you get the idea. Go with a sense of adventure and a hungry belly, and don’t miss out on the Sea Foam Coffee (made with a sweet-salty whipped cream and Asian spices) or boba tea. They’ve also got plenty of Western sweets (cupcakes, lemon tarts, etc.) that are equally delicious. 3851 Sebastopol Rd., Santa Rosa, 707-568-6081.