I'm a lightweight. Since I can't drink a million beers like everyone else, my 1-2 pints must count. And the other stuff just don't cut it like the craft stuff.
Okay, I still like my Guinness occasionally, but the craft stouts and porters out there these days are damn tasty.
So, here's to you, craft beer drinkers and brewers!
Showing posts with label beer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beer. Show all posts
August 1, 2011
March 25, 2008
"Ritual"-istic Dining
Yet again, Justin and Olaina staked out a great place to eat to take me to in North Park area of San Diego. The first time we went was late Wednesday night. We all ate lightly. But I was so hooked and they couldn't stop thinking about the food either so we returned on Friday.
The place is living up to its name for my brief stay in San Diego.
Ritual Tavern with subtitle of "Taps and Cookery" was a perfect place for foodies and beer snobs alike. You walked through the door; one side is the bar and the other is the restaurant.
It definitely feels like a real pub over on the bar side. Local brews on tap and 30 some bottles from all over the world. I mean, there is even a gluten-free beer! The staff is definitely knowledgeable. (I think our bartender and server on Friday was Chris...?) Olaina asked him to recommend a beer to go with her bread pudding with bourbon sauce. He suggested St. Bernardus Apt 12. The match was so perfect the girl washed the whole hefty piece of pudding down with that beer. Need I say more?
Over on the restaurant side, it was definitely cozy. Playing up pub grub to a few notched down from snooty gastropub, the food here is just divine. They use local and organic produces and make their own condiments. And the price is definitely reasonable. Actually, if they would charge more--not that they should--I would totally pay for it.
The first time I was there, I ordered shrimp scampi appetizer which was cooked with garlic, butter and, not with white wine but sherry. was served up with plenty of sauce and grilled ciabatta to sop it up with. I damn near bit the waiter's hand off when he tried to take my plate away as left the bread in the bowl to soak up very last little bit of yumminess. THAT was just how good it was. And of course, I came back two days later to once again have it for dinner.
Justin ordered the beer battered vegetables. Light, crispy, not oily. Veggies were cooked just right, still had a bite to them. Simple. Perfect.
And Olaina? Well, you already read about the bread pudding and the beer. :)
As mentioned, we returned 2 days later for a sit-down dinner. Just couldn't resist.
We ordered the cheese board to start with. With a side of blackberries and raw almonds, three artisan cheeses for the day was Cashel Blue Irish Farmhouse Cheese, Cahill's Irish Porter Cheddar, and what I jotted down as "Beamish Gouda", aged for 18 months. The herbed goat cheese was from Santa Barbara and had a great zip to it. I can eat that cheese board for the rest of my life.
For dinner, I ordered the scampi, of course, and their special of oyster rockefeller. It was economical for oysters. And then I realized that they did have a fresh oyster bar Thursday. Indeed, I was suckered into having not so fresh seafood, but I was a very happy sucker. The oysters maybe tiny, but the flavors of the crumbs and everything was great.
Justin ordered the gluten-free shepherd's pie with Niman Ranch lamb and beef. I have had several different variety of the pie before, but none like this. This is essentially a crock of fall-off-the-fork tender lamb and beef stew, topped with mashed potatoes and baked. I am drooling just thinking about the flavors.
Now, our dessert girl went with butternut squash soup and the sea bass special with fennel something something reduction. (I didn't jot that one down). The soup came in drizzled with olive oil. It was light and butternutty. The sea bass was cooked to perfection, piled high with baked (or boiled?) purple potatoes. It was fantastic.
Finally, we did share the bread pudding. Spicy, custardy, and not overly sweet or rich. We nibbled on the pudding while continuing our conversation and people watch. It was a perfect end to a perfect visit in San Diego for me.
And a beginning of a brand new habit.
Why does San Diego have to be so far away?!?!?
The place is living up to its name for my brief stay in San Diego.
Ritual Tavern with subtitle of "Taps and Cookery" was a perfect place for foodies and beer snobs alike. You walked through the door; one side is the bar and the other is the restaurant.
It definitely feels like a real pub over on the bar side. Local brews on tap and 30 some bottles from all over the world. I mean, there is even a gluten-free beer! The staff is definitely knowledgeable. (I think our bartender and server on Friday was Chris...?) Olaina asked him to recommend a beer to go with her bread pudding with bourbon sauce. He suggested St. Bernardus Apt 12. The match was so perfect the girl washed the whole hefty piece of pudding down with that beer. Need I say more?
Over on the restaurant side, it was definitely cozy. Playing up pub grub to a few notched down from snooty gastropub, the food here is just divine. They use local and organic produces and make their own condiments. And the price is definitely reasonable. Actually, if they would charge more--not that they should--I would totally pay for it.
The first time I was there, I ordered shrimp scampi appetizer which was cooked with garlic, butter and, not with white wine but sherry. was served up with plenty of sauce and grilled ciabatta to sop it up with. I damn near bit the waiter's hand off when he tried to take my plate away as left the bread in the bowl to soak up very last little bit of yumminess. THAT was just how good it was. And of course, I came back two days later to once again have it for dinner.
Justin ordered the beer battered vegetables. Light, crispy, not oily. Veggies were cooked just right, still had a bite to them. Simple. Perfect.
And Olaina? Well, you already read about the bread pudding and the beer. :)
As mentioned, we returned 2 days later for a sit-down dinner. Just couldn't resist.
We ordered the cheese board to start with. With a side of blackberries and raw almonds, three artisan cheeses for the day was Cashel Blue Irish Farmhouse Cheese, Cahill's Irish Porter Cheddar, and what I jotted down as "Beamish Gouda", aged for 18 months. The herbed goat cheese was from Santa Barbara and had a great zip to it. I can eat that cheese board for the rest of my life.
For dinner, I ordered the scampi, of course, and their special of oyster rockefeller. It was economical for oysters. And then I realized that they did have a fresh oyster bar Thursday. Indeed, I was suckered into having not so fresh seafood, but I was a very happy sucker. The oysters maybe tiny, but the flavors of the crumbs and everything was great.
Justin ordered the gluten-free shepherd's pie with Niman Ranch lamb and beef. I have had several different variety of the pie before, but none like this. This is essentially a crock of fall-off-the-fork tender lamb and beef stew, topped with mashed potatoes and baked. I am drooling just thinking about the flavors.
Now, our dessert girl went with butternut squash soup and the sea bass special with fennel something something reduction. (I didn't jot that one down). The soup came in drizzled with olive oil. It was light and butternutty. The sea bass was cooked to perfection, piled high with baked (or boiled?) purple potatoes. It was fantastic.
Finally, we did share the bread pudding. Spicy, custardy, and not overly sweet or rich. We nibbled on the pudding while continuing our conversation and people watch. It was a perfect end to a perfect visit in San Diego for me.
And a beginning of a brand new habit.
Why does San Diego have to be so far away?!?!?
March 16, 2008
Black and Tan Cake and Cupcakes
My Saint Patrick's Day tradition of the Guinness stew continues this year as I just put the big ol' vat of the stew in the fridge, awaiting tomorrow's reheating.
*UPDATE -2010* I have since found a different Chocolate Guinness Cake recipe by Nigella's recipe that is a complete and total hit. I will not let you suffer through this dry cake so I have removed the recipe and link for this one.*
For dessert, this year I am going with the Chocolate Guinness Cake, a recipe directly from Guinness Proposition 317 campaign kit. But instead of using the chocolate granache that came with this recipe, I frost the cake with the Bailey's Dip/Frosting I made last year.
Not only you will have yummy Guinness treat, the color of the chocolate and the cream frosting does look like a pine of Guinness, the black and the creamy foam on top!
I made a regular cake version of this for Paul's birthday yesterday. The cake was a little dry, but the frosting saved the day. Today, I made the cupcake version of it with the whole bottle of Guinness instead of one cup in attempt to add more moisture--it's only a splash more beer than a cup anyway--and it worked okay.
*UPDATE -2010* I have since found a different Chocolate Guinness Cake recipe by Nigella's recipe that is a complete and total hit. I will not let you suffer through this dry cake so I have removed the recipe and link for this one.*
For dessert, this year I am going with the Chocolate Guinness Cake, a recipe directly from Guinness Proposition 317 campaign kit. But instead of using the chocolate granache that came with this recipe, I frost the cake with the Bailey's Dip/Frosting I made last year.
Not only you will have yummy Guinness treat, the color of the chocolate and the cream frosting does look like a pine of Guinness, the black and the creamy foam on top!
I made a regular cake version of this for Paul's birthday yesterday. The cake was a little dry, but the frosting saved the day. Today, I made the cupcake version of it with the whole bottle of Guinness instead of one cup in attempt to add more moisture--it's only a splash more beer than a cup anyway--and it worked okay.
January 27, 2007
Pillaging Downtown LA
"Where are we going to lunch today?" asked CLo.
It was an unsolved mystery even when CLo, me, and Eva started walking out of our office building on Friday. Like a sign from God, CLo's brother was there and he told us about one of the new joints in Downtown LA.
"It's a pirate bar and grill," said Mario. Obviously, he had my full attention.
The X really marks the spot for Redwood Bar and Grill on 2nd and Broadway. I mean, the X is on their awning. You can see it a block away.
They opened their door appropriately on Talk Like A Pirate Day in September. The "nautical themed" spot is on a little dimmer lit side but makes it perfect. I felt like I just walked into either a saloon on a pirate hideaway or the captain's quarter on the Burly Mermaid.
The menu has a great variety at a very reasonable price for being a Downtown dig. The most expensive thing on the menu is $14. I mean, $10 burger is THICK and comes loaded with fries.
Eva and I split their special, pork roast sandwich topped with sweet potato chips and a side of frieds. (Oh...the dream I have about those damn chips!) CLo had the Waldorf salad. Mario had the variety fried cheese--mozzerella, fontina and majon with a side of chipotle aioli.
Everything we ordered was fantastic. The pork was tender. And I like I said, those damn chips! CLo salad was mighty tasty. The fried cheese? Oh. My. God! The aioli brings it all home. Actually Eva and I were stealing some of that smoky and spicy goodness for our fries as well. Heh.
The brew selection is also impressive. On tap are Guinness, Downtown Brown, Stone, 1903, Sierra Nevada, Heff and something else. The bottled selection is even more extensive. Duvell and other ales galore. What more could a snooty, beer loving, one-beer wonder ask for!
But like what I told Dev, the co-owner. Pirate themed bar that serves Guinness on tap? And that sweet potato chips? You guys have my soul. (And I haven't even tried your sweet potato fries or mussels and chips yet!?)
The Redwood definitely earns Captain Bubbles' seal of approval. Yarrrrgh!
It was an unsolved mystery even when CLo, me, and Eva started walking out of our office building on Friday. Like a sign from God, CLo's brother was there and he told us about one of the new joints in Downtown LA.
"It's a pirate bar and grill," said Mario. Obviously, he had my full attention.
The X really marks the spot for Redwood Bar and Grill on 2nd and Broadway. I mean, the X is on their awning. You can see it a block away.
They opened their door appropriately on Talk Like A Pirate Day in September. The "nautical themed" spot is on a little dimmer lit side but makes it perfect. I felt like I just walked into either a saloon on a pirate hideaway or the captain's quarter on the Burly Mermaid.
The menu has a great variety at a very reasonable price for being a Downtown dig. The most expensive thing on the menu is $14. I mean, $10 burger is THICK and comes loaded with fries.
Eva and I split their special, pork roast sandwich topped with sweet potato chips and a side of frieds. (Oh...the dream I have about those damn chips!) CLo had the Waldorf salad. Mario had the variety fried cheese--mozzerella, fontina and majon with a side of chipotle aioli.
Everything we ordered was fantastic. The pork was tender. And I like I said, those damn chips! CLo salad was mighty tasty. The fried cheese? Oh. My. God! The aioli brings it all home. Actually Eva and I were stealing some of that smoky and spicy goodness for our fries as well. Heh.
The brew selection is also impressive. On tap are Guinness, Downtown Brown, Stone, 1903, Sierra Nevada, Heff and something else. The bottled selection is even more extensive. Duvell and other ales galore. What more could a snooty, beer loving, one-beer wonder ask for!
But like what I told Dev, the co-owner. Pirate themed bar that serves Guinness on tap? And that sweet potato chips? You guys have my soul. (And I haven't even tried your sweet potato fries or mussels and chips yet!?)
The Redwood definitely earns Captain Bubbles' seal of approval. Yarrrrgh!
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