Late breaking brunch news: Tony Bourdain will not be making "cobra-heart omelets and fermented shark waffles" with Chef Erik Hopfinger at Circa Restaurant in the Marina tomorrow. I received email speculation that that was potentially happening. So I had to find out the truth and sent Tony an email. Yes, he is in town. But it's only for one day, to interview Hopfinger for a project he's working on. Tony is adamant that "if anybody believes I'm EVER working another brunch shift," they are mistaken. Ow. The Bay Area mourns a missed culinary opportunity.
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The Devil in the Kitchen
My SFist write up of an Incanto dinner honoring Marco Pierre White is here. Flickr stream here. Menu Pages blurb here.
Uber chef Marco Pierre White's book, The Devil in the Kitchen is the food intense story of his life in restaurants. There aren't the usual tales of drugs and booze, but it is fascinating nonetheless. That is one difference from some other modern chef tales & depictions that are popular today. It's clear that White remained devoted to work and practicing his craft above all else: family and relationships were lower priorities. Don't worry, though. He did eventually allow himself to have fun & lovin' with all sorts of ladies. Even better for celebrity chef-philes, there is stellar gossip since he has worked with-and dishes some dirt on-the Roux brothers, Mario Batali, Heston Blumenthal and Gordon Ramsay. There's even a dash of celeb gossip by way of appearances from Madonna, Michael Caine, and Damien Hirst.
White's happiness in the kitchen continued to grow after his first experience at getting paid for providing pleasure as a fish seller. Yes, he's happy, but he eventually became a boss who would regularly throw tantrums. With reason. The anger and fits stemmed from a commitment to high quality, which seems to make sense when you consider how much effort White always applied to his food and restaurants. He now has an empire to show for it all. As a boss and business owner, he sought respect and loyalty from those working for and with him.
This consistent hard work earned him three Michelin stars, which set a historical precedent because he was the youngest to do so. It shocked some when he gave his stars up when he retired. That's something many chefs wouldn't think to do, because with the stars go notoriety, glory, and ample profits. But it shows White's integrity: why keep stars if he won't be in the kitchen, preparing the food? For chefs like Anthony Bourdain, White was the "original rock star chef" because he was so obsessed and brilliant in his craft. When they see each other, White told me he and Bourdain swap tales over "fags," their beloved cigarettes.
White's food lessons are enjoyable and pop up throughout the book. He uses simple and stark language to explain things like the texture and flavor differences in a raw versus grilled tomato. Cooks of all stripes will benefit from his lessons on food, ingredients, cooking and the role of nature. It's not surprising that he has always respected nature, and is a fan of hunting (in person, he calls hunting, "stalking"). His full story is worth checking out.
For another review of White's book, read Incanto Chef Chris Cosentino's tribute from this Sunday's San Francisco Chronicle book section. His Editor--okay, it's my husband, Oscar Villalon--told me there was little editing needed. Chef Chris's take on the night can be read here.
Anthony Bourdain's Post Event Treats: Medjool & Doc's Clock
Finding good food after 10 p.m. on a Monday night can be a challenge. Last night with Anthony Bourdain, we ended up at Medjool and Doc's Clock. I wanted a Mission area cigarette friendly place that wasn't a mob scene, so we could all hear each other talk. Front Porch and Emmy's Spaghetti Shack were out since they're pretty noisy.
Drinks were our main focus. We were only going to graze on a few appetizers. Medjool's roof seemed to be a great option, so Tony could take in the city views. However, we ended up eating downstairs since they weren't serving food on the deck. Bummer that the deck was closing up when we arrived. Our Medjool picks were: lamb & fig tagine, Moroccan beef meatball, tomato, and egg tagine; grilled octopus with chick pea salad (too many greens, too little octopus); Spanish cheese plate, lamb Kefta and the Medjool sampler with hummus, tabouleh, and baba ghanouj.
One Medjool server told Anthony he was a fan of his show. Folks politely gawked, and the Doc's Clock bartender tried to give him quarters for the jukebox. He declined her offer, and was enjoying picking some songs that included Pale Blue Eyes by Velvet Underground.
Below is part of the email I sent to Tony last week.
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There are many awesome Mission eats on 24th Street or Mission that would be interesting and fun to check out. Street food may be available at one or more of the places unless they are shuttered on Monday. The 'hood can be a little dicey at night but as long as you don't wear the 2 prominent gang colors of red or blue, it's cool. We've lived here almost 4 years and never had problems. But then again, Oscar's a big guy and my flirty personality and Spanish help.
If it's not raining, we can head to Medjool's deck after eating, where ample views of the City and locals, as well as a lot of smoking happens. We also have lots of divey bars that we love and think you might, too.
Eating Option 1: Tortas made by a sweet woman in her 50s. She shares space in a liquor mart, and there are only around 10 seats in the whole place.
Eating Option 2: Tacos and of course burritos
Where I'll be Monday night: Anthony Bourdain's in town!
My fork is ready. It may not be possible to top our Incanto dining experience with Tony Bourdain, but I plan on trying. He has a City Arts & Lectures (sold out) event Monday night at the Herbst Theatre. Last week, I crafted and emailed a few late-ish night meal and drink itineraries for him to peruse. The tentative plan is to eat, drink, and of course get Tony ample smoke breaks. I will let you know where we end up.
Anthony Bourdain Back Story
More than a few folks wanted me to know I should feel lucky to dine with Anthony Bourdain. True that. They also had questions: did I know him through this blog or somewhere else? I wish Tony knew me via my blog!
The Incanto offal dinner came about through my husband Oscar Villalon, who is the San Francisco Chronicle Book Review Editor. He and Tony met years ago at the Book Expo in Chicago, where Tony was peddling his first book, Kitchen Confidential. Book Expo is a place for booksellers, publishers, authors, and media types to learn about new titles coming out in the next 9-12 months. It's a schmooze and booze fest with endless panel discussions, cocktails, meet and greets, and my favorite... parties.
Oscar and Tony hit it off and spent one night drinking and talking til the early morning about Graham Greene, punk rock, NYC, Vietnam and the like. While Oscar had a blast, he didn't expect to keep in touch with Tony as Tony continued to gain more fame and notoriety based on his books, TV shows and stunts like eating a still beating cobra heart.
Whenever we try to make plans to hang out with Tony on our two or three annual NYC treks, he's MIA off in Turkey, Indonesia, or some other far away spot. "If you ask for me at Les Halles," his NYC eatery, "they'll tell you 'Oh, you just missed him.' " This is true for anyone, and happens all the time.
The last time we met up with him, it was at the bar in his swanky hotel in downtown San Francisco. He was amazed that the Rolling Stones were fellow guests, and had this modest awe of the music giants. I remained quiet during our drinks, and spent time admiring Tony's thumb ring, which looked awesome on his tan, lean, elegant fingers. I was like a little kid, and wanted to get a thumb ring so I could have that same knowledgable cool-sexiness Tony has. He told us about drinking multiple rounds of strong vodka in Russia, and how they were some of the sweetest, nicest people around. He makes me want to travel more and eat adventurous food as often as possible. And that's a good thing.
Offal Incanto Dinner with Anthony Bourdain
Last Friday, Oscar and I thought we were joining chef-author-Travel TV presence Anthony Bourdain for drinks. He usually likes to go to a divey bar that is near Union Square, but we wanted to take him to some of our favorite Mission spots: the Latin American Club, Bissap Baobab, Medjool (for the deck views more than anything else), and simply titled Bar, another dive. Plans changed.
He told us, "We've got an offal dinner set up at Incanto." Were we up for it? Tasting menu? Offal? But of course, darling! We are set to celebrate Oscar's 35th birthday there in August, to consume an entire pig with friends. It's within walking distance to our apartment, which also made us happy.
Incanto's chef, Chris Cosentino and his crew meticulously prepared a "Fifth Quarter" menu based on "non-skeletal meats, including the skin, head, feet and guts." In other words, just the nasty bits Bourdain consumes and enjoys so much (although he's had it with pig's head. Small or no tastes at all, if he can help it).
Chef Cosentino is working on a book that is 100% offal dishes. I look forward to seeing it in print, since it will give resources on shopping, prep and cooking offal, which remains a mystery for many Americans, including me. The bottom of the menu said, "Lips & Assholes: The Other, Other White Meat" which is an amusing and slightly shocking way of putting it.
Here's the menu with tasting notes:
Shaved tripe salad with huckleberry potatoes, parsley & lemon-my favorite. It was refreshing, bright, and lemony. No muddled flavors here. The tripe wasn't stringy or spongy, but had the look and texture of perfect pasta, soft with just the right slight firmness. Sponginess seems to give the eater pause, and for me conjures up images of brains and heads. It's not a texture to strive for with offal in most cases.
Marin mountain oysters with porcini-testicles. Balls, balls, balls (I gleefully, drunkenly chanted later). Yes, it made me giggle to be eating balls. These oysters/balls came from Prather Ranch veal, and were small enough to look like miniature sausages. The texture was smooth without any bloody or urine taste. They were my first mountain oysters, and Tony liked them because they weren't spongy like other, larger mountain oysters he's sampled. I liked that they weren't breaded and fried, either. The porcini gave the plate some umami flavor and subtle muskiness that went well with the balls. Ventresco di tonno, tonnarotti stew of tuna maw. A very delicious hot, spicy, lemony stew with tuna tripe and intestines, lemon zest and juice, garbanzo, tomato and kale. It made us sweat a little, and had interesting half moon shapes from the tuna innards. Oscar and Tony agreed that garbanzo beans somehow make it into many ethnic, country soups and stews and pairs well with offal. Fitting, because garbanzos offer a firm, nutty counterpoint to the meats and other ingredients.
Roasted lamb neck with polenta & broccoli di ciccio. This "two fork" deal blew us away. The forks work best at getting the neck to give, by pulling in opposite directions with each one. The neck is a huge hunk that stands up on the plate. Chef Cosentino's blog, quotes Tony: "the lamb neck was what Fergus Henderson talks about– the meaty, fatty and funk factor all rolled into one." Fennel accented the tender/fatty meat and had been rubbed all over. Oscar marvelled at the neck texture, "like carnitas," he swooned. If Oscar and I hadn't eaten before Tony's book reading and signing (we didn't know what was in store, clearly!), we would have been able to finish. A photo of Tony and Oscar digging in, below.
The finale was fitting: Italian toast of ciccioli brioche with chocolate blood gelato & cherry brown butter caramel. I'm adventurous, but having Chef Cosentino and his pastry chef go over the details with constant mention of blood, blood and more blood put me off. I was also really full from all the food and generous wine pours. I loved the buttery, rich brioche and cherry brown butter caramel, yet only ate a few bites of the bloody gelato.
Tony got up to smoke between every course. No wonder he works his way through 2 packs a day. What does one talk about with Tony Bourdain? Some highlights:
Food & travel, obviously. He could live the rest of his days in China, where he'd "eat my way for an eternity." He particularly loves the Sichan pepper pot dish.
Turn ons-Tony finds a woman who grew up killing chickens in Italy "so hot." Note he seems oblivious to the throngs of women of all shapes and ages who adore him. I listened to two women flirt with him during his reading at Cody's, and another two discuss his marital status, smoking habits, and handsome looks after the reading. Even Incanto owner Mark Pastore's Mom is under the Bourdain spell, and insisted that Mark tell Tony, he's "a hunk. There... I promised I would tell you," he said sheepishly.
The James Beard Foundation-although they've cleaned house, Tony won't respect the organization until they offer legal services to cooks, and maybe open up their gorgeous library and let working cooks use it, since "they're the guys who would love that," rather than a bunch of rich folks.
Chef Work & Gossip-spending 30 years in kitchens sparked friendships with Mario Batali, Eric Ripert, and many other heavy hitters. But Tony remains adamant that credit and recognition should go to the line cooks who slave away and do most of the work. His humble approach showed when he talked shop with Cosentino, the Incanto kitchen staff, as well as my brother Josh who is Executive Chef at the Paragon in the Claremont Resort. The hard work doesn't stop. Even after "losing" his "cherry" participating in an animals' death, it still deeply effects him.
Tony was curious about our local scribe Michael Bauer and despises critics that are rumored to take bribes. He doesn't mind poor reviews when they are deserved, but is skeptical when a reviewer is on the take. The latest hot trend for chefs in NYC is eating chicken sashimi style in underground Japanese hot spots. I'll pass-salmonella scares me!
Drinking-It was a relief, Tony said, to have the wine pairings given to us without "the usual" spiel from the server or sommelier. We had a printed menu with wine info in front of us to consult. He'd rather drink and enjoy it than wait around to listen to someone go on and on. Great point. He's been hungover every day for the last three weeks. I thought I had it bad partying five nights a week, but three weeks straight? We would've been able to dive into the bottle of grappa that Mark brought to the table, but Tony wanted to be sure to get up for next morning's TV appearance. He'd also be at the Sur La Table store in the Ferry Building, where I told him he had, had, had to have a Blue Bottle coffee paired with a Frog Hollow Farm pastry. Duty calls.
Incanto
1550 Church Street
San Francisco
T: 415-641-4500
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