Basking in the Warmth of Le Soleil

 
By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri Krasov

Warm, cozy, elegant, and impeccably designed, Le Soleil in the San Francisco’s Inner Richmond neighborhood is a United States branch of the Michelin-rated Hong Kong venue located in the five-star Royal Garden Hotel in Kowloon. A shining example of a family business done right, this little restaurant is owned and operated by Dennis and Annie Wong – a remarkable pair of achievers meticulously following their own high standards in food, service, and ambience for nearly 20 years.

Recently remodeled and reopened, the beloved dining spot in the lively pedestrian district attracts neighborhood loyals as well as newcomers tipped off by the culinary awards and patrons’ accolades given to Chef Dennis’s “new Vietnamese cuisine” with French and Pan-Asian influences.

On any given night the sleek minimalist dining room decorated with dark carved wood, shiny geometrical accents, live orchids, and cultural artifacts, fills out fast. Most of the groups and couples are greeted by Annie as regulars (and indeed, they are) who know what they crave without looking at the menu.

My dining companion and I had to ask our gracious server, also a Wong family member, for advice, and were we glad we did!

Our Fresh Spring Roll with BBQ pork, lettuce, and cucumber wrapped in silky rice paper was served with chili fish sauce and – bursting with flavor.

Crispy and sunny-yellow Turmeric Crepe made with mung beans and coconut milk was stuffed with mushrooms and tofu, grated vegetables and bean sprouts, and served alongside wide lettuce leaves and fresh mint. Following our server’s instructions, we wrapped salad leaves around chunks of the crepe, added some mint, and dipped the entire thing in soy, vinegar, and chili sauce for a rewarding bite.

Then we indulged in a mini-circus, when our rum-soaked quail was put on fire tableside, and then extinguished, leaving the bird enticingly seared and oozing with juices. Pouring a scoop of lemon-pepper sauce over it brought this sophisticated appetizer to pure perfection. 

A cup of Spicy Chicken Coconut Soup had all the comfort of combined chicken broth and coconut milk, plus just enough heat to counter the texture of mushrooms and the mild perfume of lemongrass.

Caramelized Sea Bass, glazed in soy and garnished with Brussels sprouts and Jasmine rice, was unbelievably tender and juicy, with the crispy outer layer.

Finally, the king of main courses, Garlic Roasted Dungeness Crab came whole, with brightly decorative shell and claws, pan-fried in browned butter and loads of garlic, and placed atop egg noodles studded with bits of egg, scallions, bamboo shoots, ginger, and chili flakes.  

In the beautiful Le Soleil everything invites you to linger. You have to wrap and dip your crepe, peel your crab, and when it comes to dessert, you really need to indulge.

A traditional Vietnamese sweet concoction is marked on the menu as Triple Layer Sundae, but it’s a thing of richer flavors than the name implies. Delectable coconut ice cream is placed in a glass mug, topped with red beans, green mung bean jelly, and coconut milk.  You can mix it up and eat with a spoon or wait until it melts and drink it with a straw. Both ways it’s irresistible.  

Another great dessert is Crème Brulee flavored with Vietnamese coffee – who could ask for anything more?

Le Soleil carries a decent wine and beer list and an engaging array of non-alcoholic beverages.There are several varieties of Asian hot teas, of which Burmese Pink Rose Bud is served in a tea pot decorated with a little rose bud – a nice touch and yet another little testament to the owners’ appreciation for design and attention to detail.

Le Soleil Restaurant is located at 133 Clement in San Francisco, California. Open Wednesday through Monday for dinner (5:00 to 10:00 p.m.) and lunch (11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.).  For more information or reservations, call (415) 668-4848 or visit: www.lesoleilsf.com.

Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael is All about Homegrown Food & Music

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri Krasov

Multidisciplinary approach to art and entertainment proves rewarding at the opened earlier this year all-American restaurant Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, California.

By merging music and culinary arts in one rather spacious and inviting venue, the founding member of the legendary Grateful Dead and a Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famer Phil Lesh and his wife Jill brought together a vast array of performing live bands, an army of music fans, and stellar seasonal cuisine by Chef Chris Fernandezwith Oliveto and Poggio experience under his belt.Chef Chris Fernandez

Suffice it to say that Mr. Lesh performs at the Terrapin Crossroads when he is not touring, as well as his famed colleagues – Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes, Dickie Betts and Warren Haynes of the Allman Brothers, Jimmy Herring (Widespread Panic), Mike Gordon (Phish), John Scofield, Jackie Greene, Stanley Jordan, J. Geils and others.

While the well-appointed dining hall sits 150, the Great Room (performance venue) fits 350, plus there is a popular in fair weather waterfront patio overlooking San Rafael Canal with a private dock for diners’ boats, and a bar/lounge area for 85, where people dance to no-cover live music several times a week.  

As for food and drink, an eventful evening here can start with a specialty cocktail, like the Jade, made with Hendrick’s gin, St. Germaine, basil and lime, or with a glass of one of local draught beers, like a refreshing Magnolia Kalifornia Kolsch.  There is also a very satisfying wine list comprised of enticing labels mostly from Napa and Sonoma.

Fried Squash Blossoms from the Bites menu are melt-in-your-mouth doughy morsels stuffed with airy ricotta and complimented with sweet tomato jam.

Crispy Pork Belly from the Small Plates is glazed with Lagunitas “Brown Shagga” beer and garnished with flavorful caramelized apples.

Mushroom and arugula wood-fired pizza is made with roasted crimini, fontina, and plenty of arugula.

Delectable skinless Alaskan halibut is crisped in olive oil and butter, and served with pea shoots, frisee, Jimmy Nardello peppers, and toy box tomato sauce.

Rotisserie half-chicken from the wood grill is golden-brown and irresistible with shallot herb jus, creamy mashed potatoes and fresh snap peas.

On the dessert menu, warm chocolate tart is predictably decadent, while Orange Sugar Dusted Donuts belong to the never-to-be-missed category. These crispy fried beignets have just a hint of orange essence thoroughly enhanced by two delectable sauces – butter bourbon and crème Anglaise.

Terrapin Crossroads is located at 100 Yacht Club Drive in San Rafael, California. The dining room is open Tuesday through Sunday from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., with bar service from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Call for reservations 415-524-2773 or visit www.terrapincrossroads.net.

San Francisco’s Most Popular Skool is Warming Up for the Season

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri Krasov

Filled to capacity on a Friday night and brimming with youthful energy, Skool Restaurant and Bar in Potrero Hill neighborhood is a delicious San Francisco staple.   

Since the opening of this modern, stylishly designed venue a few years ago, Skool seasonal cocktails and an array of highly enticing small and large plates keep them coming back for more.

It would be hard not to notice the creative touches that set Skool apart from the many other restaurants in the City by the Bay, making it a place where you want to come again and to bring your friends, your family, your in-laws, and your out-of-towners.

A quartet of partners behind the successful enterprise – spouses Andy Mirabell and Olia Kedik, and Toshihiro and Hiroko Nagano are on the premises practically every night making sure that everyone in the dining room is having a pleasing and memorable experience. 

While Andy and Olia greet visitors at the door, bring Andy’s famous cocktails to the polished walnut-and-epoxide designer tables and provide information about the new arrivals on the menu, Chef Toshihiro and pastry chef Hiroko dazzle their newcomers and regulars with their latest creations, especially when a change of the season brings along new opportunities for the menu development.  

Heirloom tomato salad and smoked salmon flatbread are now quickly becoming stars among the starters.

The small plates menu features many recent additions, like festive picturesque Ika-Yaki – grilled squid in a spicy bean and smoked bacon soup with house-smoked yuzu kosho butter. A whole sliced fresh squid with healthy ruddy color and chewy texture is served in an oblong white plate filled with fragrant red sauce, and inevitably attracts other diners’ attention when brought to the table in all its glory.

Hoisin Duck is one of the new main courses, with perfectly seared Hoisin-glazed duck breast garnished with pumpkin puree, sautéed Brussels sprout leaves, and soy-infused duck egg, which acquires some amazing cheesy-custardy quality.  

With the recent arrival of Skool’s new sous chef Ryan Jacobs, some menu options point into comfort food direction, or rather – very sophisticated comfort food.   

Crab Brandade arrives in a miniature iron skillet, in which chunks of sweet Dungeness are baked with mozzarella, parmesan, creamy potato puree, and cauliflower, and decorated with caper barriers.

Quinoa Morning Salmon is a tease on a breakfast theme. Loch Duart salmon filet is crusted in quinoa (here’s your morning lox AND cereal), topped with a fried egg (here’s your sunny-side up), garnished with prosciutto-wrapped gobu root (your bacon), tomato-edamame ratatouille (your vegetables), and a toast with bacon powder butter. A tiny jar of what looks like maple syrup contains soy-mirin sauce to be poured over the entire dish, ‘cause it’s just great with everything.

No one familiar with the Skool temptations would ever leave the place without a dessert. New this season – an amazing Purple Yam Pot De Crème with butterscotch tamari soy balsamic sauce, black pepper Chantilly and sesame yam chips. If you ever had any prejudice toward yam, it’s ripe time to suspend it and indulge in this masterpiece of earthly delights. 

Another plate-licking sensation is Sake Kasu Panna Cotta with decaf coffee infused Anglaise sauce, poached pear and decaf almond coffee crumbs.

Skool Restaurant and Bar is located at 1725 Alameda Street in San Francisco, California. Call for reservations: 415-255-8800, or visit: www.skoolsf.com.

Just in Time for Halloween Dracula Arrives at Peninsula Ballet Theatre

By Emma Krasov

The opening night of the Peninsula Ballet Theatre’s Dracula, staged to the recorded music of Wojciech Kilar and Johann Strauss, unfolded at the historic Fox Theatre in Redwood City, California, on Halloween weekend.  Based on the original Bram Stoker’s novel from 1887, the show, conceived, choreographed and directed by the PBT’s Artistic Director Bruce Steivel, follows the tragic legend of a 13^th century crusader, Count Dracula, who loses the love of his life and turns into a vampire a.k.a. “undead” in his eternal search for the woman he loves. Six centuries later, Dracula’s story continues in the Victorian London, where his ideal woman now resides as a young bride of a hapless attorney.

Before the opening curtain, Mr. Steivel spoke to the audience about his decision to bring the notorious spooky character to life on stage not as a blood-sucking murderer of his many victims, but as a romantic lover and a tragic figure of high poetic significance.

The production features highly skilled guest artists Milos Marijan and Boyana Zegarac – principal dancers from the National Ballet of Serbia where Steivel also serves as ballet director – in the leading roles of Dracula and Mina, as well as the Peninsula Ballet principal dancer Nathan Cottam who currently performs with the National Ballet of Serbia in the role of the American Jonathan Harker.

PBT soloist Amanda McGovern performs the complex role of Lucy, following her character’s transformations with conviction and precision.
Chelsea Hix, Reina Victoria, and Nicole Yip are very graceful and seriously frightening as Dracula's Wives, and the entire company performs at the height of their ability and enthusiasm.  

The concise version of the Stoker’s extensive plot transports viewers from Dracula’s castle to Lucy’s garden and brings the chilling ancient legend to life with the combined magic of literature, life theatre, and classical dance.   

Peninsula Ballet Theatre’s original production of this Victorian-era tale runs through tomorrow, October 28, at the Fox Theatre, 2223 Broadway, Redwood City, California.
More information: 650-369-7770 or www.peninsulaballet.org 

Photo courtesy Lance Huntley: Guest artists Boyana ZEGARAC and Milos MARIJAN of National Ballet of Serbia. Scenes from PBT’s Dracula.

Pasión is for Passionate Gourmands

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri Krasov

PasiónRestaurant in San Francisco defines itself as Modern Latin Cuisine, but it’s so much more than that. Stylish, eclectic, and magnetically attractive, this place lures passersby from the lively streets of the Inner Sunset District, and makes its regulars plan ahead to assure a reservation and indulge in its many food, wine, and art delights.

Executive Chef and owner Jose Calvo-Perez grew up working in the kitchen of the famed San Francisco restaurant Fresca, founded by his father. Now he makes his father proud with his endless creativity and passionate devotion to the family trade.  

Pasión’s Latino Caribbean cuisine with South and Central America influences is prepared with traditional ingredients and modern techniques, and is paired with the most enticing wine list brimming with exclusive small production labels from Spain, Portugal, Argentina, and California.

On the night we dined, the first sign of excellence came from our highly knowledgeable and attentive server, Christopher. We thoroughly enjoyed our reds and our plates – at his suggestion. My glass of smoky, almost leathery Dacalier 2009, a grenache, carignan, and syrah blend from the Lake County, California, was perfect with everything – and on its own. My dining companion preferred Bueyes 2010, a soft-tannic malbec from Mendoza, Argentina.  

Christopher also kept us well-supplied with warm rosemary bread from the Fresca bakery and his own dipping sauce made of olive oil, balsamic, sea salt, pepper, and loads of fresh coarsely chopped garlic.  

Whatever came from the kitchen that night seemed especially delectable in the cozy romantically low-lit dining space with a playful Michael Brannan’s mural, mirrors, crystals, and dark wood and leather tables and booths.  

We were happily nibbling on the bright-yellow dried plantain chips arranged in a little toy bucket on the table. Then, studded with Peruvian corn kernels, our ceviche arrived – one of the six from the ceviche bar menu – all original and unique to the house.

Ceviche Campechano was made with local halibut, ahi tuna, and salmon soaked in the traditional Peruvian leche de tigre fused with white truffle oil and spiked with red onion, cilantro and pickled jalapeno.   

Another signature item came from a dozen of Entradas (appetizers). Albondigas, lamb meatballs in a black truffle sherry cream with shaved Manchego cheese from Spain, were decorated with green peas and red rings of Fresno peppers, and so irresistible, they steadily appeared on every table around us.

Our Platos Fuertes (entrees) were also not surprisingly presenting some creative twists and fusions of multi-cultural ingredients.

My salmon was pan-roasted to medium rare to the chef’s (and mine) preference, and garnished with squid-ink colored jasmine rice and crispy calamari salad in distinctive passion fruit escabeche sauce.

My dining companion’s Vaca a Caballo steak of grass fed Estancia Farms beef came neatly surrounded by plantain-chorizo hash that contained all vegetables from the kitchen, even giant white corn kernels; bright-green chimichurri, and topped with Peruvian-style egg sunny side up.   

We shared a beautiful round house-made cheesecake infused with fresh mango. It was complimented by fresh berries and raspberry-mango coulis.

Then we proceeded to Chocolate Coconut Bread Pudding with lucuma ice cream and passion fruit sabayon, which I had to officially proclaim my favorite dessert of all time. At least, I honestly thought so while enjoying it right after I said that I could not eat another bite.  

Thankfully, Pasión is now serving lunch and weekend brunch with bottomless mimosas in addition to dinner, so there is hope to try everything on its menu in multiple smaller installments, so to speak. The bar at Pasión, besides its international selection of wines and beers, offers specialty cocktails. There are also a weekday Happy Hour from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. with drink specials and half off the Bar Bites menu and $1 oysters; half price sangria pitchers on Mondays, and Half Price Wine Night on Tuesdays.

Pasión is located at 737 Irving Street in San Francisco. The restaurant is open nightly for dinner beginning at 5:00 p.m., for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and for Saturday and Sunday brunch from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Call for reservations (415) 742-5727 or visit www.pasionsf.com. 

Swan Lake at Cal Performances: A Gift and a Promise of What to Come

 
By Emma Krasov

The opening of the Cal Performances’ 2012-2013 Danceseason at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley mid-October came as a precious gift to the Bay Area viewers – a gift like no other. It is no overstatement that Mariinsky Ballet & Orchestra’s Swan Lake coming from St. Petersburg, Russia, is an event of a lifetime, and a highlight of any balletomane’s trophy list. Tchaikovsky’s undying classic finds its rightful home at the Russia’s historic theatre that had never lost its importance in the course of centuries, generations, and rapidly changing political regimes.

The original Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov production of 1895, revised by Konstantin Sergeyev in 1950 with the added happy ending, seems expressly relevant and heart-warming today, maybe because in the 21^stcentury we are wary of tragic losses more than ever before or maybe because the sheer beauty of the opulent show fills us with new hopes. Childish as it sounds, we don’t want the gracious swan to die in the hands of evil sorcerer. We want perfect love to endure and overcome obstacles, we want beauty to triumph.

At a Saturday matinee performed to a full house, tall, lithe Ekaterina Kondaurova as Odette/Odile showed off her impressive dramatic talent on top of her dancing virtuosity. The sparkly black outfit of Odile never looked so good as it did on this fiery redhead, smiling her winning red-lipstick smile to Prince Siegfried (Danila Korsuntsev) – reduced to a love-sick schoolboy under her magic spell.

Rothbart (Konstantin Zverev) countered the leads with his commanding presence, exquisite costume and makeup, and gravity-defying leaps.

A feather-light jester (Ilya Petrov) provided a needed comic relief effortlessly twirling around the stage and playing the part with his entire body, face, and soul. 

Another glorious moment came from a text-book dance of cygnets. Anastasia Mikheykina, Svetlana Ivanova, Elena Chmil, and Maria Shirinkina were practically one in their lightning-speed leg movements, extraordinarily synchronized to the effect of spontaneous screams of delighted delirium from the audience.     

And speaking of synchronicity, Mariinsky’s enormously skilled corps de ballet was at the top of its game, simultaneously accepting the most poetic poses with subtle movements of perfectly turned heads and outstretched arms as if weaving a magic thread of white light through the fairy-tale scenes by the lake – turning the stage into an ethereal unearthly dreamland, into a shiny happy place attainable only in a dream or in art.  

Artistic & General Director Valery Gergiev, Interim Ballet Director Yury Fateev, Conductor Mikhail Agrest.

Coming up in Dance at Cal Performances:

Joffrey Ballet – Jan. 26-27, 2013

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago – Feb. 1-2, 2013

Trisha Brown Dance Company – March 15, 2013

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – April 23-28, 2013

Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg – May 10-12, 2013

More information at: www.calperformances.org; www.mariinsky.ru/en.