Review on the Fly: Tamarindo's Crispy Shrimp Tacos

 Tamarindo has a shiny silver ceiling and a bright, open space leaves you feeling you are hanging out with the family. An air of femininity adds an extra bit of charm to the decor.

Drawn in by the crispy prawn taco on the menu, I got a seat in the sunlit dining room.  It may seem odd that at that exact moment one might be struck with the urge to have a taco, however, these aren't any ordinary tacos. 

Prawns, creamy avocado, chopped lettuce & sprinkling of cheese make for a more elegant eat. This is not a taco to be wolfed down in haste. Washed down with a pineapple aqua fresca on a less than beautiful day served to brighten it.

This would be a perfect spot to lunch or happy hour with friends and I look forward to doing so.

+ great food, lovely atmospshere
- service friendly but distant

Perfect Ice Cream Pairings!

I've got some good news and some better news. The good news is.. it's national Ice Cream Month! And I'm here to share Chef Tim Nugent's perfect ice cream pairings, courtesy of the good folks over at Real California Milk. They hosted a group of us over at the beautiful Ketchum Kitchen where we could talk about some great California ice creams and the magic of the sundae.

Per Merriam-Webster, a sundae is ice cream served with topping (as crushed fruit, syrup, nuts, or whipped cream) and the first known use of the word was 1897. We've come a long way from ancient Rome when snow was mixed with honey, and from Victorian England when flavored ices were a regular part of the Upper Crust's dessert array. Today the variety of flavors available would blow old Nero's mind and the Victorians would no doubt tremble in horror at the idea of partaking in Foie Gras, bacon, licorice or Whale. No, I'm not making that last one up.

Lucky for us, we got some delicious flavor combinations and none that were too scary!

Chef Tim Nugent is a real treat all in himself and a real charmer. I love that he is exactly what you saw if you watched Just Desserts, an honest representation of a hardworking Pastry chef and all around great guy! The first sundae we tried (the second and third picture) was a vanilla ice cream with caramel, cherries, almond brittle, whipped creme fraiche and a hit of black salt. This sundae was great and that black salt elevated it to fantastic in my book. That extra layer of flavor was perfect in the balance.

The last photo is Humboldt Organic Chocolate ice cream with bitter chocolate syrup, smoked salt and pink peppercorns. Since pink peppercorns are not true members of the pepper family they add an interesting flavor to desserts.

From top left: Thrifty Coconut Pineapple with lemongrass syrup, grilled pineapple and toasted coconut. It's a little on the sweet side, so I think this would also be great with some lime for a citrusy break.

Loard's has been an East Bay staple my whole life, oh & way beyond. We would go for Sundaes because the ice cream is good (try the chocolate mint!!) and you had your choice of dreamy sundae options! The one above is Loard's Lemon Chiffon drizzled with limoncello and topped with whipped cream & marcona almonds. This creamy goodness will make anyone smile and you won't need a lot of it to be satisfied!

Strawberry Crystal ice cream with a drizzle of balsamic reduction and deep fried basil leaves, refreshing and simple. This would be an elegant end to an Italian based meal to carry through the flavors.

I had no idea that Fresno State made ice cream, which just proves that you learn something new everyday. The fresh peach was light and paired nicely with a thyme meringue & a roasted strawberry sauce.

 

Like waffle cones but want your ice cream in a bowl? Edible waffle cone bowls! Shirts proclaim ice cream love and we scope out the ice cream sundae bar.

 My concoction: Bourbon Vanilla ice cream from Silver Moon with condensed milk, Marcona almonds, black sesame candy and a hit of sea salt. So ready to create your own sundae bar for a party? Try this:


*Have at least one flavor of ice cream per person invited.

*If you plan to make ice cream, keep in mind how much time it will take to make your base, freeze and set. Don't wait until the last minute unless you really like to be frazzled.

*Vary your sauce options beyond chocolate and strawberry. Make a caramel with lemon verbena or cardamom for some great flavors addition. Remember that condensed milk also makes a quick easy caramel substitute and that you can easily make your own flavored simple syrup for an extra shot of taste.

*What goes on top? Nuts? Sure. Fruit? Why not? Want some other options? Toasted coconut, caramelized coffee beans, shortbread, ladyfingers, crushed graham crackers, sesame candy, marshmallow, chocolate or other flavored chips, whipped cream or creme fraiche, salt....if you can think of it and it will go with sweets, add it to your list!

*Have enough containers, spoons etc for both the items on the sundae bar and for your guests to eat. I know that might sound silly, but trust me, that one is not as no brainer as it seems.

Have fun! Summer is just beginning and there are many days to enjoyed with your friends and family having a great time and eating well. But if you get your hands on some sauerkraut ice cream? Please don't invite me.

Tillamook Sandwich Week

This week you have the chance to hit up some of your favorite food spots to eat some awesome Tillamook creations! If you love cheese and really, who doesn't, be sure to support these local joints by dropping by & grabbing a bite!

Tillamook Sandwich Week participating restaurants

Don't miss a chance to taste the cheese in your hood! Loaf Love Tour

Cheese, glorious cheese!

So you already know that I have bragging rights for being the Tillamook Fan of the month in May. Last night it was essentially confirmed by the ladies at Tillamook that I am indeed, a superfan. Don't scare though, as they also confirmed that I don't seem at all stalkery. HA! Little do they know.....

 Firestone Double Barrel Ale was a toasty pairing for tomato soup shots and ham & cheese biscuits. This is most certainly a beer I can drink more of!

Last night I tried the Garlic Chili Cheddar for what I thought was the first time. However, looking back at the post for last years awesome Tillamook event at American Grilled Cheese Kitchen I see it was there and for some reason didn't register. I can promise you that is no longer the case.

I see really great things for the Garlic Chili Cheddar in my future! see? Superfan!

Last night Heidi introduced us to her version of grilled mac & cheese sandwich. It is the ultimate in decadent carbing and not for the faint of heart. Mac & Cheese sandwiched with cheddar on one side and pepper jack on the other and then grilled to perfection. If you do not fear the carb, definitely check it out! PS: DON'T FEAR THE CARB!

And don't miss the lovely Tillamook peeps when they come to do tastings in your town! Great cheese and really wonderful people. How can you lose?!

Of Underground Markets, 21st Birthdays and Ice Cream

When I saw that there would be Bacon Caramel Corn and Candied Violet Ice Cream at the ForageSF Underground Market this week, I decided this would be a good time to check out the scene. Both of those treats were good, though neither ended up being our favorite.

Every booth had foods with pretty colors and lovely packaging. The vendors were fun, friendly and delighted to share their wares with so many excited people. My brother and I got there first and made the rounds to see what was available before we started buying. Our first stop was Simply Mochi were we tried the Lemon Curd, Blueberry Red bean, Strawberry Cheesecake and Strawberry & Chocolate. After much tasting & discussion the winner for both of us, based on flavor and consistency was the Strawberry Cheesecake.

Lemon Curd (left) and Strawberry Cheesecake Mochi

 Dorian was very happy to see Oaktown Jerk in the house and grab a bag of his favorite Thai Basil jerky. He also snagged some amazing chocolate chip cookies made with honey from Bay Area Bee Company. Before we started drinking mimosas, we decided to see what there was for noms and settled on a saucy pulled chicken sandwich from Good Foods Catering and a pastrami sandwich from Jablow's Meats. Dorian wanted to get some of the bbq sauce and try it in the pastrami, so next time he just might!

messy rules. and the sauce was so good!

we both agreed, we could have eaten several of these. the meat was smoked Friday!!

When Heather came, we had another round of Mimosa's and got to see the market again with a fresh (read, not starving) eye. Pie in a jar? Win! Hibiscus and Quince jam? Yes! After leaving the market, we headed toward the Pirate Store and Paxton Gate. We stopped at the Children's Paxton Gate store and I fell in love with Courtney Cerruti's beautiful work, most especially the owls.

The owls are all love. Go to her to see the rest. You will be so happy you did!

We also came across SFMADE, where there were corsets, candies, jewelry, kids capes and even tobacco on sale that were all locally made!

We then headed off to Bi Rite for ice cream where Salted Caramel was the favored flavor.After dropping Ms. Heather in cab, Dorian and I headed off toward 24th st so he could get the full Mission experience. We ended at Rosamunde because when I said the word sausages my brother started to salivate.

Dorian chose lamb and I went for the boar. Then we shared out so we got one of each and we split fries. The boar was good though once again the consensus was mutual with the lamb the clear favorite. All in all, this was a great day and the first ever with my brother old enough to drink! Yay for good days!