California Dreaming
I love going on vacation. Who doesn’t? There is something exhilarating about packing up way too many t-shirts, never enough underwear, and somehow forgetting a toothbrush and hopping on a plane. My most recent trip was to the Golden State, California. Spent a few days in San Francisco before heading north to Napa for a week in Wine Country. The trip contained copious amounts of food, wine, and laughs, so it’s hard to identify some of the best highlights, but I’m going to give it my best shot. This post will focus on San Francisco, with a Napa post coming up soon. So without further adieu, here is the City by the Bay.
House Of Prime Rib
This might be one of the best dining experiences on Planet Earth. The front door is like a time machine that instantly transports you back to a simpler time. The House of Prime Rib’s beauty comes from it’s simplicity. After ordering a killer bottle of vino off their extensive wine list, you only have a few more decisions to make. Each meal comes with a hand-spun salad that is prepared table side. The table side preparation is legitamtely entertaining. I’ve never been one to get excited about salad, but these are some special greens. The house-crafted dressing melds perfectly with the cool lettuce and beets and it’s the perfect kick off to this meal. Only a few more decisions need to be made. How big do you want your meat and what temperature do you want it prepared to? My personal favorite is the King Henry Cut, sliced English Style, medium-rare. I’m not saying that’s the way it should be, but it’s damn near perfect for me. Next, baked potato or mashed potatoes? And last but not least, corn or spinach? That’s it! That’s as difficult as ordering ever needs to be! Ye have been warned…when your meal arrives, it will not be coming from the kitchen already plated. You’ll know it’s about to go down when the meat zeppelin arrives at your table. The beef is housed in a rolling, steel cart that looks like something Indiana Jones and his father tried to fly out of Nazi Germany in. Your perfectly dry-aged beef has finally arrived, and the meal has officially begun. Have you ever eaten a meal so perfect, that you’re actually upset when it’s over? When the final morsel has been consumed, you can only wish you had the chance to savor it again…well come to the HOPR and you have that opportunity! Clean your plate here, and you are given the offering of seconds. While not as large as the initial portion, nothing cures meat sweats better than more beef! When the beef is gone, and the wine has mysteriously vanished, the end of the road has officially arrived. There is a very tempting dessert menu, but good luck eating dessert after eating all of the beef. The HOPR is a must eat while in San Francisco. Everything from atmosphere, service, cuisine is top notch. You will not be disappointed.
Sichaun Peppers
Had the opportunity to eat at Z&Y and try their Chicken with Explosive Chili Peppers. Any normal person would see the word “explosive” and say maybe we should get the Beef Lo Mein. Not me! I had not tried Sichuan peppers, so I wanted the full experience. The dish came and my buddy Josh and I looked at each other and wondered where the chicken was. The chicken was hiding beneath a mound of these fiery little bastards. Literally a pile of peppers was stacked on top of the chicken pieces. After a few bites of the chicken and peppers, we soon realized that these were no joke. Sichuan peppers don’t hit you immediately right in the face like some peppers do. These have a slow burn quality to them, and it numbs your mouth. Consuming Sichuan peppers is like putting Icy Hot in your mouth. It’s a lingering numb feeling that is truly hard to describe. I took a sip of Tsing Tao and thought I was drinking Mott’s Apple Juice. My mouth was so very confused after being nuked by the peppers, but it was incredibly delicious. Highly recommend trying them if you are a lover of spicy cuisine.
Mission Style Burrito
In my travels, I have found that the Mission Style Burrito is an object of great contention in the Bay Area? Who was the first to serve this Mission Style Burrito? Who has the best? Some of these questions really have no answers. I’ll be talking about the much more subjective best question, though rumor has it La Cumbre was the first, but I’m not here to debate. On this trip, I tried Carne Asada super burritos from both El Farolito and La Cumbre, and in my opinion El Farolito was vastly superior. The burritos are stuffed with the protein of your choice, rice, beans, cheese, sour cream, and salsa. You may ask, “Wait a minute Jackson, the super burrito doesn’t come with avocado or guacamole??” Oh no, it does, I just think avocados are gross and it’s one of the few things I won’t eat. Warning though, you will get a lot of strange looks in California if you ask for things without avocado. You’re met with the same head tilt that a puppy does when they hear a new noise for the first time. It’s amusing to me at least. Anyway, mission style burritos have an old world charm to them. The flavors mesh together so well, and each bite is like a warm hug. It’s pure gut-busting, comforting food with a ton of flavor. The carne asada has that dirty grill taste to it, but in the best way possible. Like the flat top that is seasoned from decades of use and never cleaned. Those grilled flavors are the shining star in these burritos.
In-N-Out Burger
Did you really think I’d write a blog about California without writing a little about In-N-Out. In-N-Out is truly the Holy Grail of fast food restaurants. I know, I know…relax Whataburger fans. This is just my opinion of my taste preferences. When people think about California, they think about the beautiful weather, Hollywood, Disneyland, redwood trees…I think about In-N-Out Burger. This was our first meal off the plane and what a great decision it was. A Double-Double Animal Style with well done fries and a root beer is my standard order, but I did add a new wrinkle into the mix. I experienced my first Flying Dutchman off the secret menu. The Flying Dutchman is just two patties with cheese in the middle. Great if you’re watching your carbs, or you know, are intentionally trying to cut years off your life. Anyway, the dudes at the Oakland Airport In-N-Out were able to get the Flying Dutchman prepared animal style and it was awesome!
That concludes Part 1 of this food journey to the Golden State. Tune in next time for the latest installment of Jackcity Eats and more California travels!
Eat Well!
-Jackcity
Jackcity Eats 