SF Chefs: 49 Square Miles Food Tour

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri Krasov

Right before the SF Chefs weekend started at the Grand Tasting Tent on Union Square, a lavish preview of the upcoming festivities unfolded on the Imperial Floor of the iconic Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. The San Francisco Chronicle’s 49 Square Miles Food Tour introduced the amazing diversity of gourmet neighborhoods found in each square mile of the City by the Bay. The party ticket holders were treated to handcrafted cocktails from the Campari Americaportfolio, wines from California vineyards, and beer from local microbreweries. Golden Gate 75 cocktail, created by Camper English, resembled the “international orange” color of the world-famous bridge, and consisted of Campari, California sparkling wine, blood orange juice, and simple syrup. Desperadococktail from Dosa restaurant was made with tequila Espolon, chai tea, Maraschino, ginger, lemon, and golden ale. Food choices reflected the natural bounty of the Bay Area and Northern California. Presidio Social Club (Chefs Jay Abrams and Rene Cruz) presented alderwood smoked clams in Bloody Ceasar with tomatoes, tequila, and pickled Jimmy Nardello peppers; tea smoked trout gougeres with crème fraiche, and lemon meringue cake squares.

Pier 23 Café (Chef Matt Garcia) served scallop ceviche with guacamole, grilled yellow corn, red onions, and poblano peppers.

Bar Crudo had fresh butterfish topped with prosciutto and hardboiled egg, and marinated mussels.

From Sutro’s restaurant at the Cliff House came grilled local sea bass with apple kimchi, green onion crema, and chicharones.

Alioto’s came up with the original seafood sausage made of prawns, Bay shrimp, scallops, tomato and basil in pork casing and white wine, lemon, and butter sauce.

Other participants, like Yank Sing, Coco 500, Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA), Ristobar, Arizmendi Bakery, Yvonne's Southern Sweets, etc. were dishing out their dumplings, duck liver pate, soup, meatballs, and cookies to everyone’s delight.   

The evening concluded with the pastry chefs’ competition judged by the party attendees. Several prominent San Francisco chefs were assigned to express their feelings about their beloved city in cake.

The winning cake baker, Gary Rulli of Emporio Rulli and Ristobar, created a three-dimensional image of the Golden Gate Bridge surrounded by abstracted lotus petals, and was awarded a basket of chocolates from Guittard Chocolate Company.

Runners-up were Foreign Cinema (Nicole Hayes), reflecting the neighborhoods of San Francisco on the round multi-tiered cake, the Fifth Floor Restaurant (Francis Ang) presenting everything the city is proud of on a square multicolored construction, and gorgeous and tasteful creations from Baker and Banker (Lori Baker and Daniel Saravia), and Perbacco (Laura Cronin).