WHISKIES OF THE WORLD – MARCH 27

Friendly pours at Whiskies of the World

• Whiskies of the World (aka WoW)- Smaller in scope and selection than Whiskyfest, I expected a little more focus and ease at this event in the Hotel Nikko. It ended up being obnoxiously over-crowded, with only slightly more breathing room during the VIP hour.

Bagpipes from Bushmills Pipe & Drum Band were a nice touch – they came through every hour or so. But the body-to-body mayhem was less appealing. Maybe a bigger venue next time? There were similar greats in the whisk(e)y world here as at classier Whiskyfest, but not necessarily with their greater-aged spirits. There was a nice focus on small batch distillers, like Edradour, who weren’t at the last Whiskyfest. For your money, I’d still recommend Whiskyfest, but I’m glad I was able to attend WoW.

A tipsy duck

The most fascinating hour came with the Craft Panel Discussion at 9pm, a prime board led by Ralph Erenzo of Hudson Valley, NY’s, Tuthilltown Spirits, Scott Bush of Templeton Rye in Western Iowa, Brian Ellison of Death’s Door outside of Madison, WI, and the one-and-only Fritz Maytag of our own Anchor Steam. Each shared the history of their companies, formed from the ground up – true American-ingenuity stories. It was especially inspiring hearing from Mr. Maytag, with his delightfully crusty sense of humor. He’s really a grandfather of the new wave of craft distilling in the US, leading the way in beer in the ’70′s, then spirits a good 20 years ago, long before craft distilling techniques became a highly-valued commodity again.

Fritz Maytag, of Anchor Steam, talks craft distilling

In a side by side tasting from these masters, Tuthilltown’s whiskey is a spicy rye with a sticky, musky smell and notes of vanilla, mustard and honey. Templeton’s 2006 whiskey is influenced by Bush’s great grandfather, a Templeton distiller during Prohibition. It’s a strong, brown sugar-tinged rye at 95% rye/5% barley grains (non-craft ryes are usually around 51% rye, which is not as complicated to produce). Death’s Door white whiskey is about the best example of this young, robust spirit experiencing a resurgence. Made from malted barley and organic red winter wheat, it’s double distilled, aged for less than 72 hours (to secure the whiskey moniker) and is clean, smooth,  grainy, sweet, strong.  Anchor Steam’s Old Potrero 18th Century-style whiskey is a favorite stocked in my home for some time. Fiery on the nose, it is grassy, complex and singeing on the palate.

As far as tasting in the main ballroom, many of the greats were there, like Glenmorangie, but here are a few tastes that were new or noteworthy to me this time around:

Prichards Double-Barrel Bourbon

• Dalmore – I was able to try more scotches in the Dalmore line, from a new 18 year expression (spice, coffee, chocolate notes) to a Gran Reserva (aged from 10-15 years) with dried fruit, chocolate and citrus accents.  King Alexander III stood out with layers of sherry, citrus and vanilla… an expertly blended mix of different aged malts.

(L) Ralph Erenzo (Tuthilltown) & (R) Brian Ellison (Death's Door)

• Prichards – Rum from… Tennessee? You did hear right, and it’s a good time. But my kicks were had with their Double-Barrel Bourbon. This is a medium-bodied, smooth Tennessee whiskey and I imagine it makes a pretty fine Manhattan.

• Corsair – I like Corsair’s (a small Kentucky craft distiller) whiskeys, but was more interested in their Pumpkin Spice Moonshine, a white whiskey with the spirit of a pumpkin ale, and their intriguing RED Absinthe: floral fennel notes with a pinkish hue from hibiscus.

• Dry Fly – Dry Fly Single Malt Whiskey is from a fairly new (2007) distillery in Spokane, WA, also making gin and vodka. It is a 100% wheat whiskey, spicy for merely 80 proof, but smooth, with sweet peach notes. The wheat aspect comes through almost like cinnamon toast.

Craft Panel w/ Scott Bush of Templeton Rye (R)

• Bruichladdich Organic – Available for tasting during the VIP hour only, it was a pleasure to sip what they’re labeling as “the world’s first organic Islay” scotch, a 2003 vintage, creamy but hot, with hints of currant and flowers.

• Tomintoul 31 Years Reserve – Another VIP hour tasting, their line is a delight, while the 31 year is a slightly sweet, smooth scotch.

NON-WHISKEY

Drew Faulkner pouring Bend Distillery spirits

•  Bend Distillery – I’ve been itching to tell you about Bend Distillery, pleased to see them at WoW. Though they make award-winning vodka and gin in Bend, OR, they also have two special brands I can’t get enough of: Cofia is a lush blend of roasted hazelnuts and fresh-brewed coffee in vodka. It’s not sweet but aromatic and dark. The other stand-out is Mazama-infused Pepper Vodka. Trust me and try and get your hands on this one.  Named after a volcano that erupted to become Crater Lake, it is blend of six different sweet and hot peppers. Heat is abundant and its redolent of fresh pepper skins. It’s smashing on its own, even though recommended in cocktails or for cooking.

Corsair Moonshine (photo source: Corsair website)

• Germain-Robin – These brandies are gorgeous and a Northern California (Ukiah) treasure. Trying the line was a pleasure, from cigar-friendly Old Havana to their elegant grappas. Take note of the lush Craft-Method Brandy XO.

• St. George Spirits – My beloved St. George (which is also Hangar One) lines my home bar with their incomparable Absinthe and Agua Azul Reposado. I always enjoy trying anything they make and a seasonal Spiced Pear Vodka is clean but laden with creamy clove.

*More on my non-whiskey picks from WoW in SF Bay Guardian article.

Top Tastes, rather than a list of all-time favorites (another thing altogether), are among the best eats since my last newsletter, often from new openings. Many don’t make the cut, being a revisit previously written about or simply not as stand-out as dishes mentioned.

CHEAP EATS

The Liberties' Irish Boxty

• You don’t go to an Irish pub for Indian Samosas ($7)… or do you? I know I do at The Liberties when the samosas are spiced with Irish bacon, curry and, wonderfully surprising… blood pudding. It’s Indian, and yet, oh, so Irish. With mint cilantro sauce, it’s perfect bar food. While you’re at it, I’ll take a tasty Irish Boxty/Potato Pancake ($8) with smoked salmon and sour cream on top (add $2).

Rhea's Korean Steak

• Rhea’s Deli serves up such bad-ass Korean Steak Sandwiches ($7.95), it’s tempting to wolf one down in minutes, but better to savor tender, spicy Korean beef, shredded cabbage, red onions and even cheddar cheese on a crunch baguette for as long as you can. Call ahead at this Mission liquor store to place your order or you may wait 20-30 minutes for a sandwich.

Don Pisto's ceviche

• Don Pisto’s is just what North Beach needed: fresh, affordable Mexican in a brick-walled, comfortably urban dining room (formerly El Raigon). The only downside? No margaritas (wine and beer only). Sure, Ceviche is not Mexican but they take Ahi Tuna ($11) and toss it with chunks of delectable, ripe mango, serrano chiles, red onion and lime juice so refreshing you feel like you were on vacation. Their green mole salsa and house-fried chips are addictive. Carnitas Tacos ($8 for 2) do justice to slow-braised pork with a fresh arbol salsa. No reservations and a low price point mean it’s bustling, but even on a Saturday night, I had no wait and found the relaxed, convivial vibe appealing.

Buttercup's Pastrami

Buttercup Grill in downtown Oakland may look like a Denny’s-style diner, and surely not every dish on the lengthy menu can be a stand-out. But despite a ’70′s chain appearance, there’s a surprising amount of personal care and quality going into the food here… not to mention an eclectic crowd. For one, they do a proper (and hefty) Pastrami Sandwich that lovingly takes me back to my East Coast days. Coleslaw and potato salad do not disappoint. Don’t even get me started on dessert! With recipes from owner, Debbie Shahvar, their signature Upside Down Apple Pie ($3-4 for a huge slice of most pies) tastes like home. Peanut Butter Pie is loaded with cream cheese. Peanut-y and topped with chocolate, I’m dreaming of it still.

Green Chile Apple Pie

• Yes, the slices are pricey ($5-6 for small to average wedges of pie), but Chile Pies and Ice Cream, which just opened on 3/24 from Green Chile Kitchen owners, does make some tasty pies. Skip the gimmicky Frito Pie ($7) and go straight for signature Green Chile Apple Pie with walnuts and cheddar crust, a blend of comforting apple pie with savory green chilies. This is a good one. Going for Peanut Butter Pie again (see Buttercup Grill, above) was 100% worth it. A dark cookie crust and cream cheese- heavy peanut butter, plus chocolate drizzle, make this two for two on awesome PB pies in the Bay Area (Buttercup’s is more affordable, however).

MID-RANGE RESTAURANTS

Moussy's burger

• Moussy’s (named after a small village in the Champagne region of France, hometown of owner, Jean-luc Kayigire’s father) – I went when it first opened a year ago, intrigued by the basement setting in Alliance Francaise, with French students sipping cappuccinos. A couple weeks ago, I finally returned, having heard new chef Nathan Ivry was on board (formerly from the likes of Jardiniére and Grand Café).

Moussy's awesome fries and boquerones

On a Wednesday night, I walked down the stairs to a charming jazz duo playing classic jazz standards and even bossa nova (they had me there!) Between that and our warm greeting from our server extraordinaire, Johnny, I was immediately transported to some European basement cafe, lingering over a glass of wine (happy hour specials run Tuesday-Friday, 5-7pm) and a basket of  twice-fried (extra crispy – heaven!) Herbed Pomme Frites ($6) with spicy aioli. The fries alone (with a glass of wine or beer) are worth a visit. Add in an Angus Burger ($12) with red onion confit, Gruyere cheese and grain mustard and it gets better. I adore boquerones and their Basque White Anchovies ($8) are fresh and flaky over avocado yogurt. Grilled Gulf Prawns ($14) are plump over white bean puree with citrus and fennel salad. This is a quintessential French neighborhood bistro, the likes of which I wish was in every neighborhood.

Range's Rhubarb Tart with cardamom ice cream

• Over the years, I always leave happy at Range, even if I only make it there for dinner couple times a year (I go for cocktails more often). Last week, despite a winning Lamb Shoulder & Lamb Chop ($27) with plump, housemade green garlic spaetzle and baby turnips, and Whiskey & Brown Sugar-glazed Pork Ribs ($12), the biggest stand-out was Melted Leeks & Poached Farm Egg ($11), with bits of crispy red quinoa, doused in a Parmesan broth so aromatic and comforting, I was tempted to drink the last remaining drops. Another highlight was California Halibut ($26), flaky, white, tender with asparagus, barley, almonds and the perfect accent of preserved Meyer lemon. Desserts are not an afterthought here, which is why my beloved Rhubarb delighted in the form of a tart ($8.50) with lush cardamom ice cream.

Citrus Rice Pudding at Gather in Berkeley

BERKELEY

Gather's lights

• Gather – Yes, it’s local, sustainable, organic (even the spirits, wine and beer). Though that’s happily typical in the Bay Area, I venture to say that Gather, open only since December, already operates like a hardly “typical”, fully-realized restaurant. In a large, rounded corner room, the bustling, open space is in full view of the kitchen, a muted showpiece in the center of activity. It’s casual, holistic and chic, all at the same time.

Cocktails stand out with organic spirits (like Papagayo rum), without sacrificing craftsmanship and taste. Portions are small but classically so, in the proper sizes cocktails once were served. Greg’s Pisco Sour ($10) is served in a champagne flute with Square One cucumber vodka, Marian Farms pisco, lemon, lime, with shaved hibiscus over the top of egg white foam.

Organic cocktails

Humo Dulce ($12), 4 Copas tequila, Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal, lime, pineapple gum syrup, captures the proper smokiness of the mezcal and doesn’t play it sweet. Wines and beers are local and organic, from Bay Area south to Santa Cruz, north to Wine Country and Mendocino.

Not your typical grilled squid dish, Monterey Bay Squid ($12), on Forbidden black rice, with aioli, mint, chili, bacon, is a sumptuous small plate with layers and warmth. All I can say is “wow” for 28-month House-Cured Ham ($13) with grilled Castelfranco, marinated crescenza, cardoon-walnut salsa. The crescenza cheese is warm and melting over a delightful, thinly sliced ham, prosciutto-like, ribboned with fat. One of the best dishes here.

Stunning Vegan "Charcuterie" Platter

The piece de resistance is Vegan “Charcuterie” ($14)… and this comes from a decidedly non-vegetarian. As soon as this artwork array of vegetables come out on a wood slab, you know you’re about to experience something unique. If only veggies were always this flavor-packed, we’d eat them without complaint. Completely worth the price for a vegetable extravaganza. On the platter was:
- Heirloom carrots, green garlic confit, mint, English pea-tarragon puree
- Grilled asparagus, almond-pepper puree, Spanish red spring garlic, “aioli”
- Roasted sunchokes, Rub Red crescent potatoes, fried onion cabernet vinaigrette, oyster mushrooms
- Roasted baby beets, shaved fennel, dill, blood orange, horseradish almond puree, pistachio
- Fried tofu skin bruschetta, avocado, spicy baby fennel escabeche.

Awesome house-cured ham w/ crescenza cheese

Those of us who eat for a living can get burnt out on the pizza insanity of recent years… that is, until we have another great one. I did not come here for pizza but as soon as I saw one, I had to order it. Puffy crust bubbles up in charred mounds filled with doughy bread and the house Sausage Pizza ($17) did not disappoint, laden with spring onion salsa, oregano, corno di capra (sweet peppers). A Petrale Sole special ($22) was a flaky, grilled fish with greens and lemon, rustically presented. It’s always work picking out little bones but the dish recalled whole fish I’ve had in Switzerland, fresh from the lakes.

With little room left for dessert, I still managed to bask in the light cream of Citrus Rice Pudding ($7.50) with uber-tart Meyer lemon frozen yogurt and cinnamon-dusted graham shortbread. This early on, I project that Gather is not only one of the East Bay’s best new openings but already one of its best restaurants.

OAKLAND

Saltfish & Ackee

• Hibiscus is one of those chic Uptown newcomers with rustic walls and homey notes mixed with modern sensibilities serving “upscale” Caribbean food. I absolutely love the space, especially the charming bar area, which looks pretty different from the spacious dining room. It’s inviting, as is the sweet staff. I want to be crazy about the food, too, and I think it shows great promise. The restaurant is still in its early weeks of opening and should become more even over time. For now, ingredients are of high quality, even as some dishes stand out more than others. Exec Chef Sarah Kirnon plays with a range of culinary influences from Trinidad to the Congo. Jerk Cornish Hen ($10.25) is prepared Maroon-style (Jamaican), with luscious coconut-braised Sea Island peas and Red Fresno salsa. This was my favorite dish.

Hibiscus' Jerk Cornish Hen

Super spicy Crab & Grits ($9) turns the traditional Southern dish on its head with Caribbean spices, peppers and plenty of heat. Saltfish & Ackee ($8.75), the national dish of Jamaica, comes with sweet plantains, contrasting with salty cod and heat intensity of garlic oil. Split-Pea Fritters ($7.50) with tamarind sauce weren’t as flavorful or texturally interesting as I’d hoped.

A simple Parish Punch ($7) is a mix of El Dorado Rum and house Ginger Limeade, initially a bit sweet, but once the salty heat of the meal kicks in, a refreshing soother. With ingredients and animals sourced locally and sustainably, not to mention the welcome pleasure of something different, this place has the potential of becoming another downtown Oakland gem.

Xia Long Bao in South SF

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO

• South San Francisco’s Xiao Long Bao Kitchen makes some mean xiao long bao (Shanghai soup dumplings). They’re downright addictive and among the better I’ve had locally, warm broth oozing over ground pork and chewy dumpling wrapper. $6.95 for eight good-sized dumplings is a deal. If you order one giant one, good luck trying to eat it.

BAUME – Palo Alto Molecular Gastronomy

Minimalist presentation cheese plate: Swiss Tete de Moine comes in shaved curls that melt like velvet or buttery wings, while a fritter is oozing with the same cheese, accented with yuzu marmalade

As far as I’m concerned, there’s room for it all. I crave artistic, mind-blowing experimentation as much as I hunger for pure, simple comfort food. We excel in the latter in San Francisco but I don’t see enough of the former. There’s Coi and Daniel Patterson bringing us fine dining in ways we won’t see it done anywhere else. But where are the all-senses-engaged gastronomy temples like Chicago’s Alinea or the whimsical decadence of Jose Andres The Bazaar in LA (my review and photos coming next issue)?

"Baume-tini": sparkling sake with bursting passion-fruit lilikoi pearls

Thankfully, the Bay Area just gained a molecular gastronomy gem from Chef Bruno Chemel (formerly of Chez TJ in Mountain View), who opened Baume in a non-descript, ’70′s-looking Palo Alto building on California Street.

This is expensive, special occasion dining, but only weeks into opening, I’d already say it’s one of the more rewarding options for the price in all of the Bay Area. Service is well-orchestrated, timely and warm, each server informed and seemingly happy to be there.

In a simple but striking dining room of brightly elegant orange and warm browns, choose from five ($78), 10 ($108) or 15 courses ($158), plus more for wine pairings (I heard the table next to me ask to split a wine pairing and was delighted they accommodated – ideal for tasting but not wanting to go overboard).

Foie gras comes with apricot miso, a sliver of candied pineapple and a hoppy shot of house pineapple beer

As a guest of the restaurant last month, I was offered the 10-course meal and ready for whatever Chemel might serve. I hear he may slightly alter a dish each night, and, naturally changes the menu often. As an eater who’s about food first, I crave adventure and artistry… but never at the expense of taste or with pretension. Chemel manages to succeed on all fronts and I can imagine his menu only ripening with time.

The meal hit its highest note early with a 62 degree sous-vide egg (this type of a dish is also a highlight at Coi) served in a bowl with wild mushroom and Noilly Prat (French dry vermouth) foam. I closed my eyes, letting out a moan of delight at first silky bite. Paired with shots of fresh celery and lime juice with roasted rosemary stalks, it was the best course of the night.

Thoughtful wine pairings took it further… and at quite a range. It could be anything from a local 2008 Viognier from Jazz Cellars, to Blandy’s 10 year Malmsey Madeira with dessert. I especially savored two Chardonnays: first, an ’06 Collovray-Terrier “Vielles Vignes” Pouilly-Fuisse (mineral initially but after sitting there awhile, became buttery). Then, a 2007 Windy Oaks “One-Acre Estate” Chard from the Santa Cruz Mountains, with a mineral acidity reminiscent of white Burgundy wines.

I’ll share just some of the beauties of the meal here through my photos…

The piece de resistance: 62 degree egg with celery lime juice shots

Paper-thin nori-shoyu flatbread with tofu parsley spread and an aged balsamic "butter" so addictive I ate every drop

Striped bass over bouillabaisse gelee, topped with a transparent purple potato chip

Asparagus Salade in shallot vinaigrette - simple, gorgeous with Parmesan, edible flowers, creamy hollandaise pearls

Palate cleanser of lavender foam frozen with liquid nitrogen - nitrogen 'smoke' playfully expels from your mouth

Grass-fed filet is prepared sous-vide, completely dry yet miraculously juicy with orange vinaigrette and spring onion

A dessert extravaganza, from pastry chef Ryan Shelton, is an ode to the strawberry: mini donut with strawberry gelee; chocolate tarragon ganache and burnt almond “rocks’’, and my favorite: a dry strawberry ice cream soda with sorbet-like float

TOP TASTES IN DRINK

Wine & sparkling wine cocktails at brand new Prohibition Speakeasy in Healdsburg

SPIRITS

Brian Ellison (R) of Death's Door Spirits

•  Classic & Vintage Roadshow rolled into SF the first week of March with an industry tasting lunch at Nopa on March 3. This was an ideal tasting event as there were a handful of small batch vendors of highest quality. No wading through a sea of mediocrity to find a gem or two. This was a a selection of hand-picked, boutique distillers offering superb product.

There’s the awesome Bitter Truth, a dynamic German duo (Stephan Berg and Alexander Hauck) making some of the best bitters in existence. Not only are they the only ones making Celery Bitters, their brand new Creole Bitters, a tribute to classic New Orleans-style bitters, is beautifully labeled with spice, floral and cardamom notes. They take it into the stratosphere with Jerry Thomas Bitters in tribute to the bartender who exemplified the craft in full form back in the 1800′s. Tweaked from the Professor’s own recipe, these bitters taste good on their own, punching bitter, spiced and fruity notes hard.

I’m quite taken with Death’s Door Spirits, a small batch distiller with impeccable, classic packaging and gracious distiller, Brian Ellison,  along with Nick Quiat, at the helm. Reflecting the terroir and ingredients of their Washington Island, WI, locale, their vodka, gorgeous gin and awesome white whiskey are made from organic, local Wisconsin wheat in a way that promotes small scale farming. All three are stand-outs in recent years.

G'Vine Gins from Cognac, France

An Italian representative flew out for Averna products, like Citrus Sambuca, a sticky sweet but bold combo of citrus and anise. Cognac, France, was also ‘in the house’ with lush, floral gins from G’Vine like Florasion (which makes a fab Gin & Tonic, by the way) and the especially lush Nouasion, which tastes lovely all by itself. Fazenda Mae de Ouro Cachaca stood out with its smooth but peppery, citrus notes… an above average, small batch cachaca. I’ve already happily been exposed to Ransom Old Tom Gin from a small farm in Sheridan, Oregon, thanks to Neyah White at Nopa introducing it to me in his cocktails, but it was nice to taste it straight here. Check out the mention of it in Saveur magazine’s current Gin article by expert, Dave Wondrich. Award-winning, unusual Suprema Grappas are a pleasure, particularly the soft Refosco with its seductive, long finish.

Bitter Truth's Creole Bitters (Photo Source: Bitter Truth website)

• Bushmill’s Irish Whiskey – March 12 was a dream start to St. Patty’s Day week: an industry-only Irish breakfast at Lefty O’ Doul’s with Bushmill’s Master Distiller, Colum Egan. Colum exemplified the charm and ease of an Irish chum walking you through his favorite spirits over breakfast, albiet one who makes what you’re drinking. Two hours later, full of corned beef hash and Irish coffees, we’d tasted the entire line from Original and Black Bush whiskeys, to the 10, 16 and 21 year. The 21 year, aged in Oloroso sherry, bourbon-seasoned and Madeira casks, haunted me with raisin notes, spicy malt and smooth dry fruit. My other favorite was the 1608 Anniversary Edition, layered with sweetness, leather, toasted nuts, dark toffee. As Egan described it, Bushmills is a line meant for casual, friendly drinking… not elitist or froufrou. All this is true, yet the aged whiskeys maintained a smooth elegance that keeps up with some of the better whiskeys out there.

WINE

A friendly warning at Prohibition's entrance

•  Prohibition Speakeasy is the first of its kind up in Wine Country: a speakeasy with clandestine phone booth entrance through a Healdsburg shop selling hand-picked accouterments amidst vintage telephones and film cameras. Delightful owners, Richard and Kae Rosenberg, a retired film producer and runway model/novelist respectively, also own nearby Grape Leaf Inn. Their guest-only, secret cellar at the inn has been so successful, it inspired them to open the speakeasy-style bar, infused with Richard’s grandfather’s legacy running an actual speakeasy during Prohibition.

Though I long for Sonoma County to have some fine classic cocktail bars, this won’t quite be it as they don’t have a hard liquor license. Staying true to wine country, it’s wines here, including many small, acclaimed local wineries, like Williams-Selyem, plus a few ales and beers (SF’s own Speakeasy ales, naturally).

Prohibition's phone booth

Thankfully, they have some sparkling wine cocktails on the menu to mix things up, with playful names like Bogart Breeze and The Flapper. The decor inside is not as vintage as I anticipated, more a comfortable, modern wine bar with classic touches, like a flat screen playing Cagney films and an actual Tommy Gun displayed behind the bar. Convivial and packed (mostly standing room) only three days into opening, I suspect this will be a big a hit in downtown Healdsburg, especially with the gracious warmth of its owners behind it.

•  Disclaimer: this recommend does not fall into fine wines but was an ideal partner to Currywurst and Chicken Cherry sausages ($6 each) from Rosamunde in the Mission. They had a cheap ($5) Napa Marsanne out of a barrel. I expected basic house wine but was surprised with crisp but buttery layers of this white, reminiscent of a Chardonnay. House wine like this, I can do… it actually brought out layers in the Currywurst.

The Moss Room

• At a winemaker dinner at The Moss Room, a stunning restaurant with moss-laced wall and fish pond inside the Academy of Sciences, the winemaker (Christian himself) from Domaine Christian Moreau made an appearance, though I wish he had interacted with guests or did a brief talk on his wines. It was a pleasingly bold move to have four chablis wines for each course, and a happy education comparing the nuances of each as we progressed through a four-course seafood dinner.

A wall of moss at the Moss Room

The first 2007 Chablis had an earthy, mushroom crispness that married well with beech mushrooms and Kombu Marinted Ocean Trout. An ’07 Chablis 1er Cru “Vaillon” had a creamy tinge to its acidity… ideal with Dungeness Crab Capellini mixed with sea urchin and Meyer lemon. We moved on to a brightly acidic ’07 Chablis Grand Cru “Les Clos de Hospices”, paired with Baked Sablefish (loved crispy skin and buttery folds of white fish giving way at the touch of my fork), with fava bean shoots, celery root, grapefruit shallot gremolata. Finishing with Cowgirl Creamery’s famed “Mt. Tam” cheese, which I’ve had (and loved) many a time, the natural sweetness of baked apple and walnut levian toast balanced the cheese and an ’05 Chablis Grand Cru “Valmur”, which smelled distinctly of cheese itself. Though the nose was pungent, its taste was more a buttery mix of citrus and baked pear.

Delicious Baked Sablefish

I’m not sure if the whole experience was worth $95 compared to other meals I’ve had for similar cost (or less) – especially without any interaction from the visiting winemaker (doesn’t fit with the moniker of “winemaker’s dinner”), but the Moss Room is a one-of-a-kind setting worth visiting.

3/20 SF Chocolate Salon at Fort Mason

Cacao Atlanta's "Salami" di Cioccolato

The annual SF Chocolate Salon is a spread-out sea of chocolate purveyors, plus a small few choco spirits, wines, and cheese thrown in for good measure, in massive Fort Mason. There were few new discoveries for me, and some were just plain awful, plus the disorganized will call check-in made for a frustrating start. As my stomach eventually began to protest, I still made it my mission to taste something from every table – specifically products I hadn’t tried from chocolatiers I may already be familiar with.

Being one who (nerd-ily) keeps an extensive chocolate spreadsheet with my own ratings over the years, it takes something expertly made or unique to stand out. My local favorites remain tops, including Christine Doerr’s Neo Cocoa and the addictive toffee “tiles” of Poco Dolce.

Addictive Chocolate Almonds from Oakland's Vice Chocolates

There were a slew of vegan chocolates, which I must be honest, I always find at the bottom in terms of taste: anything that sacrifices taste is a mark against for me. Chocoveda, at Fancy Food last month, is the only chocolate I’ve personally tasted that didn’t fall far below ‘regular’ chocolate.

Highlights:

• Socola Chocolatier – I was about to tell you prior to this event about this new Oakland chocolatier, started by two charming Vietnamese sisters, whose truffles I bought last month at Bi-Rite. Trying their range of Western and Eastern truffles at the Chocolate Salon helped round out my recommends. Playful flavors and names appeal, but some work better than others (beer taste is too subtle in Guinness, for example). Le Frog is really Laphroig and it’s peaty, earthy, just like the scotch. Give it to Me Guava and Jasmine Tea stand out. But the winner for me is Notorious H.O.G. (both in name and taste): the crunch of applewood-smoked bacon with Hawaiian sea salt makes a superb truffle marriage of the now common chocolate and bacon.
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  Bacon truffles from Socola

  Vice Chocolates – I’ve written about Vice before, and this one woman chocolate business remains among the best here. I was taken in by her new Vixen truffle. Though I’ve had my beloved passion fruit in many a truffle, the twist here is it’s spiced way up with chili pepper. The other highlight? Subtle White Choco-dusted Matcha Almonds and especially addictive Spicy Orange Dark Chocolate-dusted Almonds, which I can’t stop eating at home.

• Amano Chocolates – For pure, straight-up chocolate, Amano aims high, as its sweep of the salon’s awards show. Premium dark bars have complex notes and cocoa beans sourced from various countries.
• William Dean Chocolates – Though I loved their truffle flavor profiles, not all tasted as good as they sounded. What blew me away is their toothsome Pate de Fruit, particularly the Caribbean Cocktail blend of guava, coconut, etc… a whiff of the islands pulsing through lush gelee.
• Edible Love – Their flashy Moulin Rouge/bordello presentation stands out, if in a theatrical, Berkeley-boho sort of way. What I particular appreciate is Absinthe Truffles, heavy on the absinthe.
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  Kika's new Dark Chocolate Palm Sugar Pecan Caramel

  Kika’s Treats – Kika’s has long been a local hit. I’ve always enjoyed their caramelized graham crackers and Brazilian honeycakes. At this event, I was delighted to try a new product: their caramels are more of the old school chewy/sticky kind, rather than velvety/silky sort, but Dark Chocolate Palm Sugar Pecan Caramel is delectable as a nutty, crunchy confection on its own.

• Clarine’s Florentines – This is winning crispy, buttery Almond Brittle on bittersweet chocolate from Berkeley.
• AF2 Fudge – Unlike the heavy, milk-chocolatey fudge of our American youth, this refined dark fudge is light but rich. The one I liked is Espresso Fudge, bitter and laced with espresso beans (Grand Marnier was too sweet for me).