ANOTHER “MONEYMOY” WEEKEND

This past weekend was another exercise in gastronomic activities.  Well, for me, it was Sunday through Tuesday as Money was attending a family wedding here on the Left Coast on Saturday.  (Slumming it on the golf course at Half Moon Bay no less!)  Sunday morning started off with Beth and I jumping in the car and heading up to San Mateo for a late breakfast at Santa Ramen.  This was my first foray into authentic Japanese Ramen, but Steve is an old pro.  Beth and I enjoyed the steaming hot bowl of ramen noodles, milky pork flavored broth, and added delicious stewed-pork.  It is definitely a good wintertime meal!  As it was, I was sweating after almost finishing my bowl.

Next, we headed up to SF to hit the Ferry Building.  Some of Steve’s relatives also came along for the tour.  The weather was beautiful and the company enjoyable.  After touring the Ferry Building, Steve, Beth and I sat down at the counter at Tsar Nicoulai Caviar Co.  Beth and I had been before, and we saw the menu had changed in the two or three years it had been since eating there.  Unfortunately, there was no more Caviar Sashimi dish.  That was my favorite; a big glass bowl with a Betta fish swimming in the bottom and above, a mix of caviar, sturgeon sashimi, and a raw quail egg among other items.  Oh well, Beth was satisfied to drink a Belini, while Steve and I both ordered the sparkling wine/caviar flight.  A glass of Domanie Carneros paired with Select American Osetra, a glass of J rose with Estate American Osetra, and Paddlefish caviar with Roederer.  After polishing off our pairings, we split a sampler platter.  It was good, but to be honest, I have to say the place has gone downhill.  The menu wasn’t as good and the sampler plates were not as good a value as they once were.  Not only had the prices gone up, which I could understand, but the grouping of caviar per sampler had changed.  It is still a place I will bring people, but I admit to being slightly disappointed.

While Steve and I were putting a hurting on our bank accounts eating caviar, his relatives were at Pete’s Coffee trying to digest all the ramen.  We met up at The Hog Island Oyster Company and put down a couple dozen oysters, some steamers, clam chowder and oyster stew.  The highlight was the Pacific Sweetwater Oysters for sure!!!  OMG!!!  Must have more!!!  I think Beth and I will be heading up to Tomales Bay to sample some more of these delicious beauties!

After the oysters, we headed bay towards Steve’s cousin’s place in Fremont.  They had planned a big BBQ with tons of food.  We stopped at a hole in the wall Indian store, where they had cooked food to go!  Steve’s cousin Nancy made us try a few things, that were good and spicy.  Then I was too full to eat at the BBQ and decided to drink my dinner.  I brought a bottle of Provenance Cab which turned out to be OK, and also had some wine Charlie provided, and a Mojito mixed by Nancy.  Then Beth and I headed home to fall asleep!  (I must note that as a polite house guest, Steve offered to cook something for his cousins and he decided on Beer-can chicken.  Now Steve is a good cook, but he was using an unfamiliar grill, and here is a picture of what he cooked!)  

I think they're done!!!

On Monday, Beth had to work, but I went with Steve, his bro Harv, Harv’s wife Rosa, and cousins Tony and Nancy up to Napa.  We went to two of Steve’s favorites; Rubicon and Corison, but the main event was dinner at Ad Hoc, one of Thomas Keller’s joints.  It was casual, but the food was spot on.  It was a fixed menu, and that day the four courses were:  A salad with fruit, Wagyu steak and veggies including potato fried in duck fat, a cheese/apple/honey course and a warm chocolate brownie for dessert.  We washed it all down with a bottle of Roederer champagne and a bottle of Rubicon Estate Cabernet.  Yum!

I was foolish enough to think that we would drive back to Fremont, where I could get in my car and go home to my nice bed, but I was wrong.  I should have known better because Money is a Foodie.  A very serious Foodie.  And I had noticed in the past two days that his extended family was eerily similar!  So, we headed into SF for sushi.  Nancy wanted us to experience the live Uni at Sushi Groove and it did not disappoint!  They only had one left by the time we got there, but it was delish!  There was some talk of going to a club after that, but the older folks won out and we headed home.

Tuesday I was so beat that I stayed home and caught up on some rest and my chores while Tony took Steve for his first Pete’s coffee and later for some Vietnamese coffee (which I’ve heard is served by scantily clad women) and pizza.  That night, we met up in San Mateo again at Sushi Sam’s for dinner.  I got there late and they had already order a few apps, and Nancy had gone to the store for a couple bottles of Sake (I think the corkage was $10 per bottle) then we all ordered Omakase which means “it’s up to you”, or basically “I trust the chef”.  It was seven sushi items brought out one course at a time and I must say,  at least four of five were exquisite!!  Great combos of three or four contrasting flavors in one bite.  Very good!  Then Charlie was crazy enough to pick up the tab for our table so we owe him big time!  Then it was off to a local bar for a last drink with Money and a couple games of Eight-ball before saying goodbye until the next time I see my NYC buddy.