Restaurant Review
16 Apr 2009

Back A Yard – Menlo Park

Filed Under:

1 Comment

A mild case of human smuggling brought The Astronomer and me to Back A Yard in Menlo Park. Our friend Matt, who traveled with us from L.A. to The Bay, needed to meet up with his friends A.J. and Ariel in Mountain View. Rather than drop off Matt at A.J. and Ariel’s place, we decided to meet halfway in Menlo Park for a casual lunch. The impromptu meet-up also provided a fun opportunity to put a face to a food blog—Ariel is the author of This Food is my J.A.M. The more cameras at a meal, the merrier.

According the restaurant’s website, ‘Back A Yard’ is a Caribbean term that encompasses the “lifestyle, culture, spirit, cuisine, and festive mood of welcoming visitors to your home.” Located in a not-so-swank part of The Peninsula, this brightly painted hole-in-the-wall seats just sixteen people. All orders are placed and paid for up front with the cashier. Food is delivered hot from the kitchen soon after.

Mandy Erickson of the San Francisco Chronicle writes, “At Back A Yard, jerk cooking, a marriage of Jamaican spices and African barbecue techniques, is applied to pork, chicken, salmon, steak and tofu. The marinade permeates the meat (or meat substitute), adding complexity of flavor and heat without overwhelming the palate.”

The Astronomer and I shared a Jerk Chicken and Pork Combo ($11.50), which came with rice and beans, fried plantains, a small salad, and a garlicky dipping sauce on the side. The chicken and pork, which were seasoned with allspice, nutmeg, Scotch bonnet peppers, and thyme, were moist, flavorful, and fatty in all the right places. The plantains were nicely caramelized and pleasantly sweet, while the rice and beans took on the same flavor profile as the meats. The food at Back A Yard is straightforward, hearty, and satisfying.

In addition to our jerk platter, we ordered a side of corn festivals ($2.25). These doughnut-like pieces of fried flour and cornmeal were slightly sweet, simultaneously springy yet doughy, and very addictive. They paired perfectly with the jerky meats and savory rice.

Lastly, our table shared a slice of key lime pie ($2.75). The graham cracker crust was crumbly and buttery, while the curd filling delicately balanced sweet and tart.

—

Back A Yard
1189 Willow Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Phone: 650-323-4244

Back a Yard Caribbean American Grill on Urbanspoon

Restaurant Review
15 Apr 2009

Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream – San Francisco

Filed Under:

9 Comments

Fried Chicken Thursday at Magnolia Pub and Brewery was immediately followed by ice cream for grownups at Humphry Slocombe in The Mission.

Humphry Slocombe was one of two standout San Francisco ice cream shops that Jon, The Gourmet Pig, recommended to me. “Humphry Slocombe and Bi-rite Creamery both make excellent ice cream. Humphry Slocombe makes slightly more off-beat flavors, like foie gras and other such things. They’re both in the mission, so why not try them both?”

Now, that’s the mentality of a serious eater.

I wanted to sample the goods at both shops, but the pack of boys I was dining with weren’t nearly as ambitious or curious as I was, so I had to settle on one. Since unique always trumps normal in my world; I went with Humphry Slocombe.

The flavors at Humphry Slocombe rotate daily with about ten to twelve varieties on offer each day. Jake Godby, the mastermind behind the shop, is “not afraid of salt or assertive flavors” and challenges ice cream-goers with flavors like strawberry candied jalapeño, pistachio-bacon, and government cheese.

After a handful of samples, including an odd tasting balsamic caramel, The Astronomer and I settled on a scoop of honey thyme and another of kumquat-poppy seed ($3.25). I loved how each of the flavors were bold, clear, and distinct—the experience was more reminiscent of eating premium gelato than ice cream.

Humphry Slocombe’s ice cream is so daring and different that only a fraction of the twelve flavors on hand struck me as truly delicious. Even so, I’d take a maverick (ha!) ice cream shop over the standard thirty-one flavors any day.

—

Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream
2790 Harrison Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
Phone: 415-550-6971

Humphry Slocombe on Urbanspoon

Restaurant Review
14 Apr 2009

Magnolia Pub and Brewery – San Francisco

Filed Under:

5 Comments

“I’m coming to San Francisco and want you to tell me where to eat,” I wrote to my friend Jon, The Gourmet Pig. “What’s your top three for not too fancy but solid eats?”

Jon went above and beyond my request and prepared a list of over ten top-notch places for me to try. Although I wanted to hit them all, time constraints kept me from rocking the Bay Area party to the fullest. One of the items that stuck out from the lengthy list was Magnolia Pub and Brewery. “Go for their beers and fried chicken on Thursdays,” recommended Jon.

For some inexplicable reason, I find foods that are consumed on a designated day of the week infinitely more appealing than those that are always available. Granted, fried chicken tastes great just about every day, but the fact that it’s served only on Thursdays at Magnolia somehow makes it all the more special. I heart gimmicks.

The Astronomer and I, along with our good friends and former teammates Matt and Paul, headed to Magnolia for an early dinner. When we arrived at the bar, I was surprised by the large number of babies on the premise—I guess new parents need their fried chicken fix too. I was also taken aback by the general lack of dinginess. Gastropubs in San Francisco are so clean and family-friendly!

Even though I arrived with fried chicken on the brain, I couldn’t resist the roasted beet salad starter ($9). The red and golden beats were paired with arugula, goat cheese, cara cara oranges, fennel, ground pepper, and a creamy dressing. All the ingredients were extremely fresh and at their most delicious (and nutritious) peak. Well-composed salads are kind of like art.

My three dining companions and I shared two orders of the fried chicken special ($18 per order). Each portion consisted of half a chicken and two sides. Our plates of hormone-free fried chicken arrived meticulously deboned atop toothsome grits smothered in savory gravy. The platter was finished off with a neat pile of buttery sauteed spinach.

Without bones to gnaw on, our fried chicken dinner was strictly a knife and fork affair. The well-seasoned and thickly battered chicken was fried to a delicious crisp, leaving the meat tender and juicy. The grits, gravy, and spinach, which were all great on their own, complemented the chicken very well. The Astronomer was so enamored with the gravy that he drenched his chicken in it before every bite.

My friends and I weren’t expecting such a gourmet fried chicken experience at a bar, but were pleased as heck with our dinner. There’s no question that Magnolia fries up a killer bird.

Thanks, Jon.

—

Magnolia Pub and Brewery
1398 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
Phone: 415-864-7468