Talkin' Shop

The tasting menu, a seven part experience, was presented in three shifts, forcing us to focus on and discuss each dish. The first three courses came one by one, accompanied by small serving plates. Next came the entree segment. After being instructed to choose between two options for the main entree, this course was then served with two sizable sides. Lastly, an individual dessert plate was delivered to each of us. 

The first dish was a fried tofu with a fish and soy sauce glaze. Having only been the second time I’ve tasted this combination of flavors, I was more than pleased. With the overall bounce of a marshmallow, my teeth broke through the crispy outer layer to be met by a soft interior. When it comes to frying, temperature is key, otherwise too much cooking fat will be absorbed into the food. In the case of this tofu, the chefs created a perfect product, bursting with flavor upon every bite, but not soggy and weighed down. 

Dish two: Sea Urchin Cheong Fun. The rumors are true, I had never tasted sea urchin before this meal. I’m a little hesitant to try new things on the menu if it means agreeing to drop a good sum of money on something I might hate. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case at all with this dish. The Cheong Fun noodles were rolled around a chopstick reminding me of the fruit by the foot tattoo sheets that I used to barter off my friends in elementary school. But unlike the sugary snacks of my past, these noodles were topped with globs of uni and doused in sesame oil. The uni nearly dissolved in my mouth untouched and the noodles paired magically, cooked to retain a nice bite. 

Dish three: Dutch Crunch Pork Buns: Pork buns are one of those foods that I would never seek out on my own. There is something about super sweet pork that just doesn’t play well in my head. I am also not a fan of the surprise factor that comes with biting into something that I can’t see inside. But apart from my strange dispositions, this pork bun was pretty fantastic. The pork, although sweet, was not overdone and the bun had a Dutch crunch topping that added a unique textural component. More than anything, I loved watching the look on the faces of my friends (both pork bun lovers) who were having a completely new experience. 

Dish 4: The entrees. Our two options were either a sizzled black cod or a roasted quail stuffed with sticky rice and figs. As a fish lover, I chose the cod. The skin was left on and crisped just the way I like it and the fish itself was extremely tender. I am convinced that it was basted right before hitting the plate because not only was it moist (not sorry) but the oil rounded out the fish’s flavor beautifully. Even better, the fish didn’t come alone. It was served alongside julienned ginger, carrots, and taro root. 

As we worked on our entrees, two other family style dishes made their way over. The first was a wagyu and pork belly fried rice with a few chicken livers thrown in for good measure and the second was steamed bok choy with a mysterious black paste ( it tasted good, I don’t question things that taste good). The bok choy certainly didn’t stand out, but generally, those are my universal feelings towards the vegetable. The fried rice, on the other hand, truly hit the spot. It had a slight chew, the beef was fabulous, and the pork was somehow both fatty and lean. Once we were all stuffed, one of my friends started picking off the beef and popping it into her mouth, sacrificing the equally delicious rice but strategically saving room for dessert. Normally, I would have angrily called out this type of behavior, but I had already given up my rights to the leftovers and appreciated her commitment, so I let continue unbothered. 

Last course, dessert: Black sesame sponge cake. I am weak when it comes to a well executed sweet and savory mashup, but this sponge cake just wasn’t my thing. In all honesty, the flavors didn’t stand out enough from one another, leaving the dish a bit muted. If anything, it had a very tea-like earthy tone (not my idea of a memorable dessert).

All together, I would rate Mister Jui’s with a solid 8. I really enjoyed the experience and definitely noticed the staff’s creative efforts in action. Would I go here on a regular basis? No. Instead, I think it is a valuable restaurant to keep on one’s radar when a moment of curiosity and exploration arises. However, I do think the new-school bar lends itself to a fun date venue and the food would provide a topic for discussion to cure the awkwardness of meeting up with someone for the first time.

Last week I celebrated a friend’s birthday at Matador. We were a group of 13 women and took up the majority of the small, dimly lit restaurant. After arriving early with a friend, we sat at the bar and I ordered the Spicy Margarita. Muddled with cucumber and jalapeno, the spicy margarita was refreshingly light with a kick at the end. The cucumber added a nice balance and the jalapeno wasn’t too overwhelming.

I started by ordering the Queso Fundido. I have had many different styles of queso in my lifetime, but I can confidently say this was the most interesting queso I’ve ever had. Served with small corn tortillas, the queso was thick with mushrooms, chile poblano, full bunches of roasted corn and housemade chile chorizo. Instead of dipping typical corn tortilla chips, we scooped spoonfuls of the components onto the tortilla and made queso tacos. These were super filling, but my friends were happy to help me finish.

 
The mix-and-match tacos were a great deal at 2 for $10 or 3 for $15. I ordered a Taco de Matador and a Bistec Ranchero. The bistec ranchero was my favorite with New York steak and sauteed onions and peppers. While the taco de matador was delicious, I found it to be very meat-heavy and wished it had more mango salsa and apple and onion slaw. The menu has 10 different taco options, so next time I will definitely be trying the other ones!

The food…

Great Gold Tomato Bread lot’s of red sauce, lots of garlic, lots of olive oil, Meatballs red sauce, cranberry beans, roasted garlic, Cavatellisweet corn, brown butter cacio e pepe, Vermicelli Carbonara snap peas, guanciale, duck egg yolk, pecorino

 
The wine…

’18 Giacomelli, Vermentino, ‘Pianacce’, Colli di Luni
Liguria, Italy
 
I wasn’t expecting too much from Great Gold, the American Italian Restaurant that went into the Mission space that was formerly Foxister mostly because I am a snob when it comes to the American Italian food I grew up with. Brandon Kirksey and David Steele are both behind this new spot (as well as Flour + Water and Foxister). However, everything that I read convinced me that this just might hold up to my idea of East Coast Italian eateries with its red sauce style Italian American comfort staples.
 
I went with a friend and I arrived roughly ten minutes before she did. I didn’t mind that she was late as I was able to absorb the decor of the restaurant as I people-watched among the moderately sized crowd. The interior is the same as it was for Foxister, but I love it regardless. It’s got a great mural of a woman emerging from a moon and red leather booths. When my friend finally arrived, we spent a lot of time catching up before ordering, and the staff was incredibly patient and in no hurry to rush us. That was refreshing.
 
We started with glasses of Vermentino, the Great Gold Tomato Bread, and Meatballs. The meatballs were a lovely texture and while they didn’t necessarily taste like Sunday dinner, they felt like it (if that makes sense). The bread, which was described on the menu as “lots of red sauce,” was disappointingly not saucy enough for me. It was good and lived up to its claim to “lots of garlic,” but when it comes to red sauce on anything, I want my dish drowning in it with a basket of bread to accompany so that I can perform my ritualistic plate mopping in the end. This red sauce was cooked on top of the foccacia which takes away from the desired end result.
 
Again, the staff was diligent to check on us but never once pressured us to hurry up and order our entrees. When we finally found the need for another glass of wine, we also ordered the Cavatelli and Vermicelli Carbonara. I.LOVE.CARBORNARA. This was not the kind my mother would quickly whip up on a weeknight, but it tasted just as good and comforting. It was like the carbonara I know got all dressed up and moved to the city. The duck egg was beautifully presented on top and mixing it into the gorgeous handmade noodles was extremely satisfying. We were sharing our dishes, but I definitely hogged this one a bit more than the others, and that’s saying a lot because the Cavatelli was also ridiculously good.
 
With sweet corn and brown butter cacio e pepe, the balance of flavors was perfect. For a warm pasta dish, it felt very refreshing. It was the perfect combo of light and comforting. I was confused, but in the best way possible.
 
All in all, we were at the restaurant for a little over three hours and the staff was extremely welcoming and we never felt like there was a rush. I definitely appreciate that kind of hospitality when it can all too often feel like you are being rushed to pay the bill and leave. I will definitely be going back, only next time I will be ordering a side of red sauce for the bread.