Oktoberfest for Art: San Francisco Open Studios

By Emma Krasov

Image: Natasha Dikareva, There is No Other Shell Dweller in View except Us Two. Courtesy of the artistFor five weekends this October, ArtSpan brings back its 36th Annual San Francisco Open Studios – the oldest and largest event of its kind in the country. More than 900 artists in the city’s vibrant neighborhoods will let the public see and acquire their latest artwork.

October 1 and 2 it’s the Mission, Bernal Heights, Castro, Eureka Valley, and Excelsior. Paul Madonna, the creator of All Over Coffee, a weekly strip in the SanFrancisco Chronicle; painter and installation artist Cynthia Tom; mixed media artist Doyle Johnson and the Metal Arts Guild with dozens of metal and jewelry artists will participate. Don’t miss a Russian artist Natasha Dikareva www.artspan.org/artist/natashadikareva in the Mission.

October 8 and 9 – Ocean Beach, the Sunset, the Richmond, Duboce, Upper Noe Valley, Hayes Valley, the Haight, Diamond Heights, Buena Vista, Mount Davidson, Twin Peaks, West Portal, and Glen Park. Among the presenting artists there are Osaka-born painter and printmaker Takeshi Nakayoshi; Hong Kong-born abstract painter Fong Fai; Mark Ulriksen, an illustrator for The New Yorker who was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle for his painting of the 2010 World Champion San Francisco Giants. In the Sunset, there is also a Russian artist, Gregory Vernitsky, www.artspan.org/artist/gvernitsky.Image: Gregory Vernitsky, The Ship. Courtesy of the artist.

October 15 and 16 go to SOMA, the Tenderloin, Potrero Hill, and Bayview. 3 Fish Studios; photographer Ron Saunders; Hamburg-born Kay Weber, father and son Rene and Rio Yanez who founded The Great Tortilla Conspiracy art collective. A free public reception will be held at SOMArts on Saturday, October 15.

October 22 and 23 includes Fort Mason, the Marina, Pacific Heights, Russian Hill, North Beach, and the Financial District. Bay Area Printmakers and The Nocturnes, a Bay Area collective of night photographers, will be at Fort Mason.

October 29 and 30 highlights the Hunters Point Shipyard and Islais Creek Studios. Robin Denevan who works by layering hot wax and oil paint; environmental photographer Sharon Beals, and metal sculptor Rebecca Fox will be among the featured artists.

SF Open Studios is free, self-guided and takes place every weekend October 1 to 30, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

September 29 to October 29 at SOMArts Cultural Center at 934 Brannan St. there will be SF Open Studios Exhibition featuring select works by many participating artists; free SF Open Studios Guide for pick up, and on September 29 – ArtLaunch, a special exhibition preview event and fundraising party at 6:30. Tickets and more information at http://www.artspan.org/.

Coming to a Shop near You: Dumplings and Buns

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri KrasovThe news about Dumplings and Buns, Asian Comfort Fare specialty grocery shop opening in Pacific Heights in San Francisco, sounded like music to the ears of this dim sum-lover. I can’t imagine anything more comforting than succulent Hong Kong dumplings in silky steamed dough – be it meat, shrimp, vegetable, or a number of combinations of various enticing ingredients.
And of course, the buns – savory or sweet – all is good in dough (am I repeating myself?)
At the pre-opening event, I had a chance to try a teaser from the upcoming short but sweet menu of my favorite treats. My chicken dumpling, pork dumpling, and pea shoot dumpling were of a slightly larger size then usual, delicately slim, showing their stuffing through the thin rice wrapper, and absolutely divine with soy-and-chili sauce.
A BBQ pork bao had a perfect golden tan from the oven, and was nicely stuffed with meat and onions. Finally, a sweet custard bun was filled with chocolate, and presented the best imaginable dessert – not too sugary and very satisfying.
On the eat in/take out menu, there are also pork, shrimp, and mix ‘n match dumplings; chicken bao; chicken wonton soup with mushrooms, pea shoot wonton soup with mushrooms and tofu (vegan); soba noodles salad with baked tofu and cabbage; and sweet bao with vanilla, coconut crème, orange and ginger as well as “boozer buns” – chocolate Kahlua, lemon Cointreau, and May’s Favorite Amaretto.May of the latter is the shop founder, May Lee Iorfido. She came up with the menu ideas in collaboration with Chef Katie Leaird, trained in French pastry, who is now at the helm of the kitchen here. Chef Katie told me that she learned how to perfect the dumplings and the buns from May’s grandmother, so the stamp of authenticity is definitely there.
Dumplings and Buns will be open to the public on Monday, August 29, and is sure to please the lunching/dining crowds of this swanky area of the city.Dumplings and Buns is located at 2411 California St., off Fillmore, and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, or to place a to go order, call 415-292-6209 or visit: http://www.dumplingsandbuns.com/.

Getting Creative with Joshu-ya

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri KrasovFor any self-respecting restaurant, having a university campus for a neighbor poses a mix of advantages and challenges. On one hand, the young crowd needs lots and lots of food. On the other hand, creative culinary inventions might go underappreciated with the budget-conscious student body.Joshu-ya Brasserie in Berkeley, recently reopened in place of a remodeled Joshu-ya Sushi Bar, strives to take the advantages and meet the challenges by offering high quality food at affordable prices.

Some might argue that with the perpetually hungry patrons there is no need to be creative. I say, the earlier they realize that the good taste is irreversible the better.Executive Chef/Owner Jason Kwon makes Joshu-ya equally accessible for the campus dwellers and sophisticated diners with an array of traditional sushi rolls, loved by the students, and creative takes on Japanese classics, appreciated by his more mature clientele.

Serving sustainable seafood from the sources careful not to overfish, and local seasonal fruit and vegetables surely adds to the new brasserie appeal.

Chef Kwon creates his original recipes using Asian and European cuisine for inspiration.

His omakase menu (chef’s tasting menu) quickly became the favorite of many regulars, and deservedly so. Lobster and uni (sea urchin) sashimi came atop arugula, asparagus, toy box tomato and pear salad with sweet mango dressing.Scrumptious monk fish “foie gras” was dressed with lemon vinaigrette, fried wonton, and matcha tea powder.Delicate slices of aji (horse mackerel) were placed atop a cloud of shaved daikon radish and sided with ikura sushi wrapped in a fresh cucumber.Nigiri sushi plate was my favorite, with an assortment of various kinds of tuna and different preparations of salmon over silky rice. The freshness of sake (from Scotland), maguro (from Hawaii), hamachi (from Japan) and hiramasa (from Australia) was unparalleled and the taste – simply divine.

Speaking of sake (not salmon) – Sho Chiku Bai warm sake in a porcelain bottle was a great accompaniment to the Japanese delicacies, as well as some creative cocktails – watermelon shochu martini and fresh cantaloupe saketini.For omakase main course the chef came up with a filling porridge dish enriched with slow roasted Berkshire pork belly (marinated for 12 hours, and cooked for 6 in the oven) and fried egg.

I must admit that I like Japanese restaurants for letting me have my dessert and eat it, too. Never overly sweet, always on a lighter side, Japanese traditional desserts invariably leave a good taste in one’s mouth.

For dessert at Joshu-ya we had some red bean ice cream and green tea pop corn ice cream over a bed of tapioca.

Besides the excellent food and drink, there are at least two major attractions at Joshu-ya – its ambience with cozy dining rooms and an outdoor terrace, and its young and friendly service. Joshu-ya Brasserie is located at 2441 Dwight Way in Berkeley, and is open daily for dinner and Monday though Saturday for lunch. For reservations call (510) 848-5260 or visit www.Joshu-ya.com.

Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto, Diamond on Fourth Street

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri KrasovRecently implemented Sunday brunch at Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto is now the talk of Berkeley.Fresh-from-the-boat Pacific oysters never looked as good as they do here, under a full-sale tall ship model mounted on crates above the brunch buffet.The ambience is nautical, whimsical, eclectic, and thoroughly enticing. The food is bountiful and fresh, and neatly arranged in specialty stations that include: seafood – salmon, crab, shrimp, and bivalves; meat – prime rib and ham; specials – eggs Benedict, grilled fish and chicken, bacon and sausage, rice and potatoes; omelets made to order – with artichoke hearts, mushrooms, tomatoes, and other gourmet ingredients; freshly baked breads and salads; seasonal fruit and vegetables; bananas foster and waffles; pastries and other desserts.

Mimosas and champagne come in bottomless glasses and coffee cups are being duly refilled.

Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto is a very special place, with plenty of character and rich history that goes back for more than a century. Founded by a fisherman, Johan Spenger, who brought his daily catch to the kitchen straight from the San Francisco Bay, it was owned and operated for decades by the Spenger family.

In its heyday, Spenger’s was considered the largest seafood restaurant in the world, and continues to stand out today as a classic seafood place committed to local sourcing and quality.To me, the most striking feature of this unique restaurant is the Star of Denmark 34-carat canary diamond, modestly displayed in a sort of a compass stand, in the entryway to the dining hall. A commemorative plaque reads, “…This diamond was set in a ring given by the Princess of Denmark to Queen Kapiolani of Hawaii when she attended Queen Victoria’s jubilee in 1887…”Of course, you come here for food, not diamonds, but I’d return to Spenger’s just to look at this marvel…

Sunday brunch at Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto is served from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at 1919 Fourth Street in Berkeley. Call for reservations (510) 845-7771, or visit www.spengers.com.

Squeeze In, You’ll Be Glad You Did

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri KrasovSqueeze In in Truckee, California, is a local omelette institution, founded in 1974 and last year featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay on Food Network TV (the episode is now syndicated).

A casual small-town establishment, Squeeze In is a marketing marvel and a longevity wonder in the breakfast arena. Family owned and family oriented, it is fun, funky, hippy, and heavily relies on its regulars who join EggHead Breakfast Club for various perks, read EggHead EggZaminer monthly newsletter, and tweet away for a chance to participate in Taste & Tweet free events well-oiled with Mimosas and Bloody Maries.

Of course, it’s not only about the omelettes as the place serves other breakfast and lunch staples like soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and pancakes.

Many dishes here bear first names of family and extended family members, and are marked on the menu with various signs for easy identifying. Boxed items are staff favorites, those marked with a heart are meat-free, and those with a peace sign are most popular.

Squeeze In motto reads, Best Omelettes on the Planet, and the omellettes take up the central stage here. The restaurant produces an almost endless amount of combinations of eggs, egg whites or egg beaters stuffed with a variety of meats, cheeses, veggies, and sided with potatoes, toasts, and sauces.

For a fuller experience, I picked two omelettes with a Food Network sign.I ordered The Spanish Flay with red bell peppers, jack cheese and paprika, and made my husband (as I always do) order my second choice.This one was called Racy Tracy and was stuffed with bacon, avocado, mushrooms, and jack cheese. Not a vegetarian, and prompted by our attentive server, I added sausage to The Spanish Flay. We were given a choice of sauces and picked mushroom and salsa.

The place was bustling-busy, but the young servers were flying around with drinks, plates, orders, and checks, taking time to recommend a favorite or to enquire about their customers’ preferences – always with a nod and a smile.

While we were working on our generous portions, we made fast friends with a couple at the next table, who appeared to be the regulars coming here for 27 years, stopping by every time they visit their summer home nearby.

Squeeze In is a two-state “chain” with two more locations in Northwest Reno and South Reno, Nevada. It is owned and operated by a family of Chad and Shila Morris and Gary, Misty, and Kay Young. To learn more, stop by when you are in Truckee or in Reno, or visit: www.squeezein.com.

I Always Stay at the Ritz

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri KrasovLet me rephrase that. I stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Destination Club Lake Tahoe once. My short stay at the new High Sierra luxury property was as fine as… always at the Ritz!

The most comfortable residence with cozy bedrooms, walk-in closets, whirlpool tubs, and hardwood floors – check; immaculate gourmet kitchen and formal dining room – check; living room with a fireplace, entertainment center, and wireless internet – check, check, and check.

Add to it a spectacular mid-mountain location, year-round Tahoe Mountain Club with golf and ski, day spa, fitness center and yoga classes, the Ritz Kids and private members’ lounge, and the list goes on and on, assured every step of the way by the impeccable service.

Looking back, I can’t decide what the highlight of my end-of-summer mini-vacation was.I loved just sitting on my balcony with a cup of morning joy, basking in the sun, breathing in that fresh mountain air, and staring at the green pine trees underneath and blue ridges on the horizon.I liked watching a man on the roof of the R-C hotel watering potted herbs and tomatoes for Manzanita restaurant downstairs.While my husband was braving mountain biking trails with some snow patches still visible on the slopes, I took a hike to Sawmill Lake through the Northstar forest, fully prepped by a concierge who handed me printed directions, a trail map, a bottle of water, and a can of bug repellent.I didn’t have to use the latter as the bugs didn’t bother me on the trail, but I surely appreciated the thought.I considered a spa swim in an open-air heated pool surrounded by blooming daisies, but then decided in favor of sitting pretty with a book by an outdoor fire pit. A courteous café server came up, put a glass of water with a lemon wedge in front of me and asked if I would like anything to eat or drink.I enjoyed cooking myself in our residence kitchen, using all the shiny utensils, and a California cook book prominently displayed on the gorgeous granite counter.I brought with me some fresh produce bought along our driving route from San Francisco, but I did have an option of pre-arrival provisioning provided by the Club for easy home cooking.Every minute of my day at the Ritz-Carlton Club Lake Tahoe was filled with serenity and quiet contemplation. I felt relaxed, and rested, and at home, and being well taken care of.

The best was yet to come

.That evening, my husband and I dined at Manzanita Lake Tahoe, a beautifully decorated restaurant on hotel premises. It is headed by a celebrity San Francisco chef Traci des Jardins, and has an elaborate and sophisticated menu executed by recently arriving from Los Angeles chef de cuisine Jacob Ramos.Chef Jacob made his yellow gazpacho with Northern California Dungeness crab, poblano peppers, almonds, and peppermint flowers, adding an unexpected and very satisfying twist to the seasonal classic.The tenderest seared scallop arrived on a bed of truffled corn and springy frisee salad, harmoniously matching the flavors of sea and earth.

My perennial favorite – black squid ink pasta came interspersed with chunks of calamari and dressed with chili flakes, Meyer lemon and San Marzano tomato sauce.The restaurant’s most popular main course is called duo of beef, featuring a wonderful slice of filet, red wine-braised short rib, a neat square of rosemary potato gratin, oyster mushroom, tomato confit, and asparagus spear.When I asked Chef Jacob how he achieved the perfect texture and even pink color of the beef filet, he said, “sous vide – for a very long time.” (I had to drop the idea of attempting it at home).A well selected wine list, compiled by sommelier Gail Oversteg presented a great opportunity for us to indulge in excellent California pinot noir from Santa Rita Hills, and Bordeaux from Montagne-Saint-Emilion, France.

Finally, our desserts arrived – seasonal rhubarb crisp in a toy pan topped with vanilla bean ice cream, and luscious caramel bread pudding.Ritz-Carlton Destination Club membership allows access to the R-C hotels and resorts around the world. Fractional ownership includes the “home club” in Tahoe as well as in San Francisco; Kapalua on Maui; Aspen Highlands; Bachelor’s Gulch at Beaver Creek and Vail, Colorado; Jupiter, Florida; St. Thomas, USVI; and Abaco in the Bahamas. There are Winter, Summer, and Tahoe memberships – each including 14 days in your favorite season(s) and 7 float days for world-wide exchanges.

All home club members in Tahoe are guaranteed 21 days of use each year in prime season, with additional hundreds of optional days allocated for each residence. More information at: www.ritzcarltondestinationclub.com.