Kat's 9 Lives

The first time I went to The House was when I took a bunch of pals on a foodie tour of the city. Ever since then, I have always had a great memory of the place. Finally one day I was able to convince Ms. Lin to go with me. Ironically, she never recommended The House to me but after I went last year and gave it glowing reviews she decided to return.The House is a cozy restaurant located in the heart of North Beach. Their menu consists of a great selection of Asian fusion cuisine. We stopped by for 2nd lunch after a quick grab at Naked Lunch, which was very close by.
On the place mats they have hole punched a small house into the sheet to represent their namesake, which I find very cute. To start the meal off they brought us some pickled cucumbers to nibble on.
It's always a good idea to call ahead for seating or to make reservations since they are always very busy and they are a small restaurant. If you can't get in, I recommend take out because you don't want to miss out. I wish I lived closer because I would want the Deep Fried Salmon Rolls! It's definitely my favorite item here. Paired with Chinese hot mustard to add that extra kick. The roll is perfectly fried where you can enjoy the slightly cooked salmon near the shell yet enjoy the smooth texture of raw salmon inside. It's a perfect pick me up for any time of the day.
The special for the day offered Barbecued Oysters, which Ms. Lin decided to get. We agreed to share but I really rather had more of the deep fried salmon roll. I don't think this is what she expected. The oysters were tender but I didn't enjoy the heavy BBQ sauce. I prefer eating raw oysters.
Ms. Lin decided to be adventurous and ordered the Steamed Mussels in Garlic infused Shrimp Broth for her lunch. This dish was not bad but nothing out of the ordinary for me. I thought the presentation was very nice with the colored cucumber and masago, but an appetizer as a main course would not have been enough for me.
Ever since Ms. Lin brought some left overs back from The House of their Warm Wasabi House Noodles with Grilled Pork, I have been a huge fan since. I love dousing it with tons of wasabi sauce to really get your motors going. The pork is always very tender and flavorful and the noodles are just the right texture. All the flavors come together harmoniously with a little pizazz. Great fresh at the table or even when you are eating out of a take-out box leisurely on your couch in front of the TV.
All in all I really enjoy The House. The staff there is always friendly and the food is always solid. Even the prices are very reasonable for SF. A great place to take friends from out of town and just for yourself to enjoy! Don't forget to try those tasty deep fried salmon rolls when you are there.

The House
1230 Grant Ave
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 986-8612

So what does Ti Couz mean? It means "The Old House". Their culinary creation comes from Brittany in Northern France. Traditionally they use buckwheat flour and only the privilege get to enjoy wheat crêpes. Here, they serve wheat flour crêpes and with stipulations. They only want their customers to enjoy the best and freshest taste so they refuse to let anyone take out or take home any of the crêpes. Be sure to be ready to enjoy a tasty snack, a meal, or a dessert and you can always bring friends. They would never dare dream of letting their customers walk away with a soggy or cold crêpe that does not live up to their standards, so take a seat and enjoy.
Even though Ms. Lin and I were fully stuffed with sushi nearby, we had to stop by for another treat. Despite it all, Ms. Lin still chose a savory treat. This was my first time, but she is a veteran here and she definitely chose the better crêpe. At first I was a little skeptical to her choice of Saucisse & Fromage (Sausage and Cheese). The crêpes are very thin but they do have an even filling inside. I enjoyed the subtle flavor and texture of the wheat crêpe. It's much better than the ones I got in Paris, France. I like the delicate texture yet maintaining a resilient chewiness.
I made the wrong choice to get their Citron-Sucre (Lemon and Sugar). Not sure if it was because the last crêpe they made was a savory/salty one because I felt my crêpe had an awkward salty flavor. Maybe it is the butter that they use, but I didn't like that the salty flavor overtook the sweetness and the lemon masked any sweetness as well. I started to monopolize Ms. Lin's crêpe. Odd enough, I always want what the other has and I am lucky enough that she will succumb to my demands and give me the goods ^_-.
The moral of the story is to always go with someone who will be willing to share the yummy goods and definitely order the savory crêpes here. If and when I come back, I am sticking to my love for meat and cheese or at least make sure that someone else there gets it and is willing to share or split.
Ti Couz
3108 16th St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 252-7373

Sure, it might be cold in San Francisco all the time but that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy a nice big scoop of ice cream! After a nice filling meal, the best way to end the night is a sweet treat. I am always up for trying a new place so that I can write about them and happen to come across Joe's Ice Cream that offers some tasty treats. In the populous and cultural city of San Francisco there is a plethora of tasty ice cream shops. So what does an ice cream shop need to do to stand out? Well....
Offer some unique flavors like Thai Tea! The flavor was subtle and fun. It's always fun to try some tasty new flavors. To top things off, the prices are very reasonable and affordable and they don't skimp on the serving size too. They serve a variety of homemade ice creams.
As for me, I wanted some good ole fashioned ice cream. I couldn't stay away from the Peppermint. Sure, it isn't unique but I just love the minty freshness mixed in with the crisp bits of candy embedded into each scoop. **Lick Lick** **Munch Munch** One scoop is plenty and will fill you up for an after meal snack, but if you are in a jolly mood then double it up! =D

Joe's Ice Cream
5351 Geary Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 751-1950

Clear your schedule and make a trip up to the Bay Area in August! Get a taste of the best that San Francisco has to offer at SF Chefs 2011 from August 1st-7th. I have gone two years in a row and it has been getting better every year. It is the ultimate foodies' dream. Not only do they offer the finest to drink but all the great Chefs of the city come out to man their booth and greet all the wonderful people that attend. This event is sponsored by Visa Signature so if you use your Visa Signature card to purchase the tickets you will be eligible for a discount. Be sure to grab the wine glass holders that will make the evening that much easier. It'll free your drinking hand for some delicious food!

Date :
Monday August 1st
Food Arts Industry Series: Westin St. Francis, 3:00 - 4:30 pm

Tuesday August 2nd
Food Arts Industry Series: Westin St. Francis, 3:00 - 4:30 pm

Wednesday August 3rd
Food Arts Industry Series: Westin St. Francis, 3:00 - 4:30 pm


Thursday August 4th
Food Arts Industry Series: Westin St. Francis, 3:00- 4:30 pm
Sugar & Spice Party: Westin St. Francis, 6:00- 9:00 pm

Friday August 5th
Food Arts Industry Series: Westin St. Francis, 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Friday Night Grand Tasting | Opening Ceremony: Grand Tasting Tent on Union Square, 6:00 -10:00 pm
Friday Night After Party: 10:00 pm - 1:00 am

Saturday August 6th
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir | A Mosaic of Distinctions: Westin St. Francis, 10:30 am to Noon
Gin Blossoms: Westin St. Francis, 10:30 am to Noon
Talking and Tasting Pork: Westin St. Francis, 10:30 am to Noon
Saturday Afternoon Grand Tasting | Classic San Francisco: Grand Tasting Tent on Union Square, 12:00 - 4:00 pm
Illy Chef Challenge | As Seen on TV: Westin St. Francis, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Saturday Night Grand Tasting | Decadence After Dark: Grand Tasting Tent on Union Square, 6:30 -10:30 pm
Saturday Night After Party: 10:00 pm - 1:00 am

Sunday August 7th
Anolon Date Night Dinner | Seduction in Three Courses: Westin St. Francis, 10:30 am to Noon
Secrets of the Sommeliers | Rhone Valley Wines: Westin St. Francis, 10:30 am to Noon
Four Star Family Meal: Westin St. Francis, 10:30 am to Noon
Sunday Afternoon Grand Tasting | The Culinary Innovators: Grand Tasting Tent on Union Square, 12:00 - 4:00 pm

Location :
Union Square and the Westin St. Francis Hotel

Website :
http://sfchefs2011.com
Ticket Price :
$100-$125 for the Grand Tasting Tent and other prices vary depending on event or $425 for the VIP Pass Weekend
Visa Signature holders receive a discount!

Description :
SFChefs 2011 presented by Visa Signature®, is a food and wine event celebrating the unique flavor, diversity and bounty of Northern California. The main tasting tent will be in Union Square, where chefs, wine makers and distillers will offer an exploration of taste featuring local products. Classes and seminars will offer interactive opportunities for the public to participate with local farmers, ranchers, chefs, winemakers, distillers, media, luminaries, authors, vintners, mixologists and culinary experts in an entertaining forum.

After hearing all the hype about Little Skillet, I thought it was about time I ventured out and tried Little Skillet. It's literally across the street so I was hoping to find a new favorite spot that's convenient and delicious. At least that is what I hoped. Maybe I had too high of an expectation, which led to a great fall. I thought they had huge potential when I saw the line waiting for their food. As you walk down the alley to a quaint window that was just so picturesque. It almost feels like there should be a pie cooling on the window sill. The staff were very friendly when they took my order.
Couldn't miss the chance to snap a quick pic of the inner works. You can clearly see they have a very clean kitchen and work with the small space they have. I love their little sign that points to where you should order. If you have never been down this little street, you just might miss them.
The first sign that this meal might not turn out the way I had hoped was the Hibiscus drink. Everyone online raved about it so Ms. Lin definitely wanted to buy one to try. Maybe it's just personal flavor but I didn't quite like the flavor. It was more bitter and had that dry after taste than anything else. I have had hibiscus before but not pure juice, so maybe I don't like it so potent.
They were out of some specials, which I guess was a blessing in disguise. I decided to only get the 3 pc Chicken & Waffles. Here they use free range petaluma chicken. I thought the chicken was a bit dry and that there was nothing special about their batter. Since the apt is really close, it is convenient to walk back and dig in without losing the essence of the food. Maybe the few mins it took to get back made a difference, but the chicken wasn't that crispy and the waffle was a little soggy. Sure, hot food can make a big difference but there really isn't any place people can sit and eat on the spot. The walk back is so close that the food was still hot but apparently it can't hold up? Or maybe it just comes that way. Either way, not worth the $9.50 I spent.
Another thing that people rave about here were their Angel Biscuits with Sausage Gravy. This was the worst thing IMHO because that is not a good biscuit! I expect biscuits to have layers that really melt in your mouth. Here, I felt it was tough and chewy. Having just been to Animal in Los Angeles, I can't help but compare the difference. At Animal they offer a delicious biscuit with maple sausage gravy and a nicely seared chunk of foie gras on top. **drool drool** A million times better! For $5, their biscuit was sorely disappointing. I would rather use that money to eat a nice flaky biscuit at KFC.
All in all, I definitely won't be back any time soon. When people ask me where is a good breakfast place in SF, I make sure to say not here. Sorry, there are many better places to eat in SF and this is definitely not one of them.

Little Skillet
360 Ritch St
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 777-2777