Cocktails in Joe's of Westlake's bar; this photo: Daniel Stumpf

Top Tastes is my usual run-down of tastes over the past two weeks. Rather than a list of all-time favorites (another thing altogether), it’s highlights since my last newsletter, often from new openings. Many don’t make the cut, being a revisit written about before or simply not as stand-out as dishes mentioned.

SAVORY – SEAFOOD

Calamares & Pimientos de Padron a la Plancha at Contigo

•  For me, dinner at Contigo is a welcoming, comforting experience. Not only is the food of high quality, transporting me to Spain, but the Spanish and Portuguese wines are gorgeous, and staff knowledgeable. In the ever-changing menu, keeping up with the seasons and fresh availability, it’s hard to choose a favorite dish. Last week, it could have been any one of them, including Piquillo Peppers ($9) stuffed with oxtail, pine nuts, raisins, calaspara rice; or ever tasty Catalan-style flatbreads, like the Coca with zucchini, caramelized onions, super-sweet tomatoes, basil, black olives – I added anchovies ($14 + $3 for anchovies); even simple bread covered in garden fresh tomatoes: Pa Amb Tomaquet ($4). I’d recommend them all, especially Calamares & Pimientos de Padron a la Plancha ($8), tender grilled calamari meats with green peppers and aioli to dip. So satisfying.

"Surf & Turf" at Seasons

•  In my anniversary dinner at the Four Seasons Seasons’ restaurant, the five course Tastes of Fall menu ($80) offered an array of beauties from Australian Hiramasa Sashimi to Hudson Valley Foie Gras. Sitting next to massive, picturesque windows with a striking view over Market Street, my favorite course was “Surf & Turf”: butter poached lobster claws on celery root puree for the “surf”, the “turf” being crispy fried veal sweetbreads on a pink pearl apple puree. From the a la carte menu, a juicy cast-iron roasted Rib Eye ($39) with fatty house bacon, caramelized pearl onions and Yukon gold potatoes pleases but I crave the Popcorn Bisque ($13), a creamy broth with delicate Maine lobster flan in the center and a drizzle of basil oil.

SAVORY – MEAT

Martinis at Joe's of Westlake

•  Though I will surely miss (and watch out for) chef Jason Fox, formerly of Bar Tartine, Chris Kronner (of Good Evening Thursday and Slow Club), is now at Bar Tartine’s Exec Chef helm and his menu is chock-full of goodness. When it comes to beef, I moaned over the Braised Beef Rib ($24), falling off the bone over caponata and rocket salad… until I tasted sinfully buttery, rare Filet of Beef & Marrow Bone ($28). Wow.

•  Joe’s of Westlake Spaghetti Dinner ($11.95) with Meat Sauce and extra-garlicky Garlic Bread (1/4 loaf $3.95; 1/2 a loaf $5.35) is about as old school as it gets. Take the Rat Pack circa 1970’s, add in delightfully crusty bar and bartenders, stellar jukebox (from George Jones to Dean Martin), with strong cocktails mostly under $5, then toss in older clientele from sports fans to decked-out Vegas-types. And this is Daly City… via Reno or old world Vegas. Sitting at the dining room counter for a hearty plate of classic spaghetti takes me back to my Jersey days. On either side of me, I make friends with sweethearts of elderly gentleman, regulars who know and love food. We talk old radio programs, music, and SF through the decades. Not every dish works and the side ’80’s dining room puts me off (glaring fluorescent lighting plus masses of noisy, large families – shudder!) But for a simple pasta or steak & veggies… and truly heartwarming  company… there’s nothing like it. I hope it lasts forever.

•  Nob Hill Grille is not going to change your life but on those rare weekend mornings atop Nob Hill, it’s my brunch spot of choice: friendly, cozy, small (i.e. unfortunate waits for a table), grilling up generously-portioned breakfasts. The last two times I’ve gone, I still find Breakfast Sliders ($9) the highlight: three mini brioche buns with Italian sausage patties, American cheese, scrambled eggs and chipotle aioli.

Foie Gras at Seasons

SAVORY – VEGETARIAN

•  After a few visits to Castro’s new Chilango, I’m not as enthused as I hoped to be, especially at $10-12 a plate for what is done at least as well as in a number of  Mission hole-in-the-walls (the huarache, for example).  But a Chile Relleno does me right and service is sweet if distractedly slow.

SWEET

•  Saratoga Chocolates, from, yes, Saratoga, set up shop in the Castro in the former Joseph Schmidt chocolate shop. Friendly staff offer truffle samples and like at most chocolatiers, some truffles are better than others (around $1.50-2 each). Chile Spiced is a fine version of chile and dark chocolate, while the too subtle Grapefruit Honey needed more flavor. Just right Caramel Cinnamon tantalized with a strong burst of cinnamon and silky caramel.

•  Bar Tartine must be mentioned again for a Roasted Banana Parfait ($8) with crispy graham crumble in hot buttered rum and brown sugar. A brilliant spin on bananas foster…

Recchiuti’s Taste Project:
BEER & CHOCOLATE
with Michael Recchiuti and Dave McLean

Though renowned artisan chocolatier, Recchiuti, just ended their fabulous tasting series, pairing chocolate with everything from spirits to mushrooms to bread, there will be more ahead so I urge you to sign up on their email list to be notified when they do. I went to my first ‘class’, Beer and Chocolate, not sure what to expect: a tasting, discussion, both?

I entered a intimate, candlelit room in the Recchiuti chocolate factory/headquarters in Dogpatch, where Michael Recchiuti himself, and Dave McLean, brewmaster and owner of Magnolia Pub & Brewery and the Alembic, led us through the two hour class. It certainly was educational, with time to converse directly with these two experts. We were lucky to have a face-to-face tour and demo from Michael, watching him make chocolate truffles, serving them to us fresh out of the molds, a caramel truffle in particular exploding with tender flavor.

Then, the tasting menu: beer in its various stages before and after fermentation, chocolate pairings, creative bites, dishes and rare creations from Michael and Dave just for this class. Myself and the Renaissance Man, my husband, Daniel Stumpf, took a few photos from our time. For aficionados, it’s well worth a $55 class fee for the education and rare tastings.

MALT, a tasting of 3 heirloom malts (malted barely is reminiscent of grape nuts) & an incredible chocolate disc with smoky barley (I tasted a hint of burnt marshmallow in the 64% dark chocolate)

Wort Soda (beer pre-fermentation or hops) with malt foam cube garnish

Michael Recchiuti making truffles, then serving to us straight from the molds - melt in your mouth!

Chocolate making at Recchiuti's factory

Magnolia's Dark Star Mild beer (burnt coffee notes) w/ Recchiuti's Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

Recchiuti's candlelit "classroom"; Michael's films of Magnolia Brewery shown the wall

From Dave McLean's "secret stash" at home, a 2007 Imperial Stout - a rare treat! Paired with Michael's Chocolate Stout Tort w/ Kulchwort ganache and Japanese-style Stout Gelee

Magnolia Beer Flight paired w/ Recchiuti chocolates: (L) Blue Bell Bitter w/ Candied Orange Peel - mulled, spiced notes; (C) India Pale Ale w/ Star Anise/Pink Peppercorn truffle; (R) Brown Ale w/ Burnt Caramel truffle

This issue’s Top Tastes in DRINK

Wort Soda at Recchuiti's Beer & Chocolate Class; this photo: Daniel Stumpf

WINE

• Contigo is a fine source for experimenting with Spanish and Portuguese wines, which the staff know well. Though a crisp, white Bodegas As Laxas from Rias Baixas ($9 glass; $23 carafe; $42 bottle) certainly paired well with my meal, the one I’d hunt down is recently added Vina Valoria Crianza, a 2004 white from Rioja (10 glass; $25 carafe; $48 bottle). Dry, with hints of honey, it startles with a mustard finish.

COCKTAILS

Ellie Mae & Zona Rosa at Eve Lounge

•  Yes, I may be mentioning Bourbon & Branch for the umpteenth time but their specials are so often winners, like Indian Summer (since we’re in ours): Rittenhouse Rye, orgeat, egg white, lemon, Angostura bitters, house-made cherry-based sherry, zest of lime.

•  The club scene is not mine by a long stretch, but I had to stop in to brand new Eve at happy hour to try a cocktail menu put together by 15 Romolo’s Bon Vivants consulting service.  I didn’t mind pin-up paintings and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” playing on a double-sided screen. Though I didn’t leave with one stand-out favorite among drinks I tried ($10; $2 off at happy hour), it’s a consistently fine menu, and for club-goers, a classy step up. There’s surprisingly tropical Zona Rosa: Gran Centario Roseangel tequila with guava, lime, pink peppercorn and a splash of rose water. Ellie Mae is happy mix of rye whiskey and Georgia peach, accented by ginger syrup, lemon, peach bitters, and my favorite Bundaberg ginger beer.

•  Sierra Zimei at Four Seasons’ Seasons Bar is one of our city’s great mixologists and I pretty much trust any drink she makes. Though I’ve long appreciated the absinthe/champagne combo in a classic Death in the Afternoon, Sierra’s take, Passion & ‘Pagne ($14), contains fresh-squeezed, potent passion fruit puree and absinthe smoothly mixed with punch of crisp champagne in a generous wine glass. Wondrously balanced, it creeps up on you… seductively so.