announcer:â a kqed television production. ♪♪ sbrocco: hi.i'm leslie sbrocco. welcome to"check, please! bay area," the show whereregular bay area residents review and talk abouttheir favorite restaurants. now, we have three guests, and each one recommends oneof their favorite spots, and the other twogo check them out
to see what they think. this week,high-school english teacher jesse mcgrath expounds uponliterature, grammar, and composition, then unwinds by performingstand-up comedy. he professes a love of foodand eats very well. that's no laughing matter. c.e.o. --chief everything officer --
tim mcdonaldruns his own p.r. firm and loves to talk as muchas he loves to eat and drink. he's always readyto spin a new culinary tale, wax poetic about wine, or craft a classic cocktail. but first,pediatrician kavitha rajaram spends long hours treatingfevers, bumps, and bruises, so when it's timefor a special night out, she heads to her fave spot,
a quintessential example of downtown oakland'srenaissance and revival. it's on 19th street in oakland,and it's called duende. canales: in spanish folklore, a duendeis a naughty or nice little elf that lives in the woods. but duende, the restaurant, is named aftergarcãa lorca's discovery of the evocative spiritof creative expression
as distinguishedby the flamenco artists. my name is paul canales,and this is duende. the idea of food at duende was to be inspiredby spanish and basque cooking. my father's heritage is basque. but i did not want to domuseum food, meaning food that's been donefor ages and ages without any inspirationleft in it. the core of the cookingis based in traditional recipes,
but yet, we're reinvigoratingthem through creative expression and improvisation. paella's paella. it has to be made ina traditional paella pan. the core base of it is sofrito, and then the correct rice,so we do that. however, we then imbue it with what'shappening currently in season and bring ina few naughty twists
just to make ita little more interesting. like our food, our cocktailsare creative and interesting and created here. we don't buy a lot. we makemost of what we're doing. the feel of duende is fun,liveliness, and excitement. i want people to come inand feel the hug as if they're joining a partythat's already started. and there's our paella. sbrocco: all right, kavitha.how did you discover duende?
rajaram: well, actually,i was on a girls' night out with some doctor friendsof mine, and we happened upon duende. sbrocco:i think i saw you there. rajaram:yeah, and it was amazing. you go through --you know, there's, like, a curtain up over the door,and you walk in. and it's this dark,dim lighting. it's very industrial chic.
there's,like, exposed brick walls, these amazing, you know, artworkand dark, brooding colors. it's justa beautiful atmosphere, and it just makes you reallyexcited about the whole evening and excited about the food and the drinksthat you're about to have. sbrocco: it used to be the oldoakland flower mart. rajaram:oh, really? oh, wow. yeah.
it looked like a --architecturally, a beautiful building,so i could see that. so, the menuis divided into tapas, which is, like, small platesthat you can share, and then the raciones,which are, like, bigger dishes, and then, finally, the paella,which is the highlight. so, i usually tryand have a couple tapas and then have a big paellaat the end, which is the way to goif you go to duende.
i really lovethe ensalada de col. so, it's a saladprepared with savoy cabbage, and it's, like,chopped up very finely. it's put in with nuggetsof pistachios and really good sliced olives.and it's -- on top, there's a reallyexcellent mahã³n cheese, which is a spanish cheese. and it has, like,a champagne vinaigrette, so it's just --it's an amazing dish,
and it really kind of startsthe evening right with, like, a punch of flavors.-sbrocco: gets it kicked off. -rajaram: yeah, exactly.-sbrocco: all right, tim. what did you havewhen you started at duende? mcdonald:we had a cocktail first. and patrick was really great. has a very nice cocktail list. sbrocco:and they're really known -- and that's why we'redrinking cocktails
on set here todayduring the show, because, in spain, all the trend, all the rage is to drinkhuge gin and tonics -- these big, balloon glassesof gin and tonic. so, we havea fabulous local gin, and we're just giving youa little taste of spain today. -mcdonald: that's right.-sbrocco: you'll get gin and tonics at duende, as well. mcdonald: that's right,and i couldn't help
but play aroundin the appetizer category. piquillios rellenos --oh, to die for. i normallywouldn't order a relleno, but, you know,when you're looking at all these clever things that are onthe appetizer list... and it came,and it was just perfectly not hot.-sbrocco: right. mcdonald:just the right amount of cheese.
was the perfect wayto keep things going. and because i had some sherriesin front of me, i just thought the combowere just brilliant. mcgrath: i had the croquets,which i loved. and that's -- i had those a lot when i was in spain,and it's just -- it's hard to beatfried cheese, you know? and i love that wholespanish feel of, like, you're having --it's not so much a meal
as it is an experience.you are sitting there and you're havingall of these drinks and you're havingall of these appetizers and you're havingthis conversation. and they did that really well. mcdonald: those were someof the best brussels sprouts i think i've ever had. they were delicate.-mcgrath: for me, i loved them. i thought they werea little bit crispy for me --
little bit on the --had a little bit of that -- i like the burnt flavor,but it was -- it was a little bittoo present for me. but just -- i mean, if you're gonnaput butter and lemon all over anythingand then fry it up, i'm gonna eat it,and it's gonna be delicious. sbrocco: that's gonna be good. mcgrath: yeah, yeah.yeah, i'm gonna love it.
so...-mcdonald: the second course, you just have to have meatballs. uh, the beef was a realhigh quality. just fall-apartkind of meatballs with a lovely chili sauce on it. mcgrath: i had this dishthat was, like, a -- like, a pureed lamb almost. and it came with bread,and you spread it on there. and i did not thinki had ever had it before,
and it had almost, like, the same taste as,like, a salami, which was kind ofstrange at first, but then we got used to itand it was kind of amazing -- this, like, spreadable salami that we were just putting onthis really nice, soft, kind of squishy bread. and it was perfect.it was -- it was lovely. sbrocco: well, chefalso cures his own jamã³n,
so they've got jamã³n agingin the basement for years. you've been chomping at the bitto get to paella. rajaram: yeah, so i really thinkit should be illegal to leave duendewithout trying the arroz negro. it's amazing.it's the best i've ever had. so, they -- you know,it starts with bomba rice -- the spanish,traditional bomba rice -- that's perfectly cooked.it's not -- it's tender, but, you know, not mushy at alllike some paellas that you get.
and it's servedwith this beautiful blanket of squid ink that kind of adds this briny sea flavorto it that's amazing. and then they kind of topit off with fresh seafood, whatever's in season, whateverthe chef can, you know, get. and so, it's different each timeyou go. and so, the timethat i went, they had, like, an amazing rock fish that was kind of mildbut kind of lent to the --
the sea flavorsand the saltiness of everything. mcgrath: i had the onethat had rabbit in it. it was rabbit and clams,and it was delicious. the rabbit was really tender, and i like the paellathat has a little bit of the crisp kindof on the bottom. -sbrocco: the best part!-mcgrath: yes. absolutely. you kind of have to fight overit a little bit at the table. but, yeah.it was -- it was excellent.
the meat was really tender andthe rice was cooked perfectly. mcdonald: i love paella, but i tried somethingi never tried before, which was one madewith the noodles. -rajaram: oh, okay.-mcdonald: and, you know, it was good, but it wasn'tknock-your-socks-off. rajaram: right. mcdonald:we were all quite happy, becausewe'd had a flight of sherry,
and ---sbrocco: well, and they do -- and that's the other drinkthat you have in the glass, is we're getting --we're getting a little creative here -- is a fino sherry --a dry sherry. so, it's a fantastic wine with all sorts of pintxosor tapas and spanish food. rajaram: yeah, this is the firstplace i tried sherry before, and it really goes wellwith the food there -- the bright, bold flavors,
and the sherry is, like,really dry and kind of acidic. and it just reallymelds together perfectly. -sbrocco: and what desserts?-mcgrath: uh, yeah. we had -- the highlight for me wasthis little white cake, and it was servedwith little tangerines. -sbrocco: mm-hmm.-mcgrath: and it was just, i mean, like nectar. rajaram: i had an amazing cake
that had reconstituteddried cherries on top of a spongy-soft poundcake, and it was so delicious. and it was not too overly sweet, so it was, like,the perfect end to the meal. mcdonald: i kind of wentwith the classic sundae. you know,the chocolate sauce, to me, on a really decent ice cream is the perfect wayto end a meal. sbrocco: and paul's wifemakes the ice cream, right?
-mcdonald: as it turns out.-sbrocco: all right, kavitha. your spot --give us a quick summary. rajaram: an industrial-chichideout in oakland, duende is the place to gofor bold flavors and strong cocktails.-sbrocco: all right. and tim?-mcdonald: a huge go-back place. easy to get to, parkingwas easy, loved it a bunch, and will recommend it. sbrocco: all right. and jesse?
mcgrath: great cocktailsand excellent appetizers. great place to start a night.-sbrocco: all right. if you would like to try duende,it's located on 19th street at telegraph in oakland. the telephone number is510-893-0174. it's open for dinnerwednesday through monday with brunch on sunday. reservations are recommended. the average dinner tab,without drinks, is around $35.
you'll always feel welcomed at jesse's favoritebeer-and-burger-centric hangout. once a lackluster pizzeria, it's nowa family-friendly gastropub located on geneva avenue in san francisco'sexcelsior district. so, get ready for some pub grubat the dark horse inn. ferrucci: we opened this place because we wantedto find a place
where we would be comfortable, the kind of placethat we wanted to go to, where we could getgood food, good beer, and a good environment. i'm andrea ferrucci,and this is the dark horse inn. we've joked that every nightis a block party at the bar, because so manyof the neighbors know each other or have met each other here. it's become a big family.
ingram: my name is sean ingram. i'm the owner/operatorof the dark horse inn. man:there's your flight of beers. ingram: we have eight taps. they're all different. there's an ipa, a pale ale, there's a dark beer, there's, like, a saisonor a malty beer. there's always somethingfor somebody.
and wine -- lots of wine. the menu's changedover the last four years from the, uh, huge,huge list of items, and it was justtoo big to handle. so, we pared it downand kept the stuff that was really good, started smokinga lot of stuff -- pastrami, chicken, eggs. ferrucci: i love the specials.
it's so much funto play with different foods and flavors and doall the different specials coming up. ingram: i'm a nighttime person. andrea's a nighttime person. so, we're here morethan we're at our house. so, we invite everyoneto come in and just have a good time. sbrocco: all right, jesse.this is definitely
a family-friendly, casual spot, local-neighborhood place, huh? mcgrath: yeah, absolutely.so, it was a neighborhood with three pizzerias, which no neighborhoodprobably needs. andrea and sean,the owners, in 2011, came and took it over and turned it into this kindof family-friendly gastropub. it's not pretentiousor super dive-y.
it's kind of that perfectfine line in between. i live in the neighborhood,and so it just so happened to beone of my favorite restaurants. sbrocco: and i don't wantto say you stumbled in, but you stumbled in.-mcgrath: yeah. and you stumble out'cause of all the beer, so... i mean,they have great specials, and everythingon the menu is great, but you can't go wrongwith a burger at dark horse.
it sounds simple,but the cheese is so melty and the burgeris always so tender. and the fries servedwith it are crispy and delicious and seasoned so well. it's hard to do a classic kindof boring dish that well, but they manage to do it.it's fantastic. rajaram: and so, i livedin new york for a little while, so i'm always lookingfor the best pastrami. and so, in the bay area,
there's, you know,not too much going around. but this place was, really,an awesome pastrami. it was really softand kind of -- it was fatty, but,like, not too fatty. and they actually,instead of using sauerkraut, they put it with kimchi,which i think is a really interesting kindof meld of flavors. 'cause it still hasthat sourness and the spiciness, and it's just, like,this perfect crunchy bread
on top that gives it structure. and it's just --it was delicious, and it wascomplete comfort food. it was so good.-sbrocco: yeah, and did you havea beer with that? rajaram: of course!i had a beer with it. i got the perfect beer,and i was so excited about it. it was so delicious. mcdonald:i didn't have the reuben
because i had justhad one for lunch. although i would -- sbrocco: you canhave two reubens in a day. -mcdonald: you can have two.-rajaram: you should go back. mcdonald: but the specialwas really good. they had a cuban-type sandwichon there, and darngood beer selection, fresh, and the wine list is pretty goodand pretty well thought out, actually, if you'rea wine drinker.
-rajaram: and well-priced.-mcdonald: and well-priced. it was kind of busy, so the service might havebeen a little slow, but, uh, all in all,it was a great pub experience. mcgrath:i had the veggie burger, which you may not know itlooking at me, but i'm not normallya veggie-burger type of guy. sbrocco: why looking at you? you're a -- i don't know.
mcgrath: but their veggie burgeris, like, black bean and quinoa, and it has feta cheese and, like, this edamame spread on it. the textureis really interesting. it's soft. it's almost like a burgerof mashed potatoes. and the flavor is incredible. the feta cheese is kind ofthe perfect compliment to this. i think the keyis that it doesn't taste
like it's tryingto be a burger. it's very much its own thing. rajaram: i tried the friedjalapeã±o peppers and pickles. so, it's house-cured pickles,which were amazing. they were kind of batter-fried. and you really can't go wrongwith batter-fried anything. but these were especially good, 'cause the contrast of flavorsbetween the jalapeã±o peppers and this tart pickles,
and you kind of dip itinto this ranch sauce. i thoughtthey were really amazing. it was a great combination. sbrocco: but because this iselevated gastro-- i mean pub food.you know, this is -- mcgrath: i reallylike the deviled eggs. they're smoked deviled eggsis what they sell them as, and i kind of thoughtthat that was just, like, an adjectiveto sell the eggs,
but they really -- i mean,it's like biting into a rib. they stick a halfa piece of bacon -- real crispy bacon -- in there. the portionsare a little bit small, but it's kind of perfectif you're about to get this big heaping burger to get this nice littlecreamy, smoky treat. mcdonald: trio of --we had the deviled eggs, too, and i like making them,
but i never had onewith that salty component with the baconsitting right on the top. sbrocco: and whatabout those fish tacos, tim? mcdonald:the fish tacos were okay, but i probably oughtto stick to fish tacos when i'm in a place that is known for fish tacos.-rajaram: go with the pastrami. mcdonald:so, i wanted the pastrami, and that was the thing.
mcgrath: they stock --i think it's called not your father's root beer. and they makea root-beer float with it, and it's a classicroot-beer float, other than the factthat it's adult-themed, but it is fantastic. you get the creaminessof the vanilla ice cream and kindof that little frothy cap that you geton a root-beer float.
and i think that sometimes you forgethow good root-beer floats are. sbrocco: oh, they're so good,aren't they? mcgrath: right, but you don'thave them in a while. as least, me, personally,i don't have them enough to really appreciate them. and every timethey come around, i think, "oh! why don't i get moreroot-beer floats?" sbrocco: and any otherrecommendations
when people go visit?-mcgrath: make a friend. rajaram: it was weird 'cause,like, a lot of people were -- like, strangers weretalking to each other at the bar, which,when does that happen, too? i feel like everyonewas just really friendly. sbrocco: i don't know.i talk to strangers all the time. mcgrath:it's such a friendly place. like you said, i mean, peopleare just talking to each other,
and they'll letyou try anything. and everyone's willing to talk,and the food is great. mcdonald: i even felta little bit overdressed. mcgrath: did you go like that? sbrocco: well, you're wearinga bow tie, for god's sake. mcdonald: sort of. but i should have broughtmy beanie. rajaram:yeah. it's a special place. mcdonald: and my puffy jacketor something.
so, i mean, it was real casual,real local, real neighborhoody. sbrocco: fantastic.well, it's your spot, so wrap it up for us. mcgrath: i think, at the price,with the service and the food, it's a perfect placefor any occasion. sbrocco: okay. and kavitha? rajaram: a friendly neighborhoodbar with really good food and an amazingpastrami sandwich. sbrocco: all right. and tim?
mcdonald: i lovethe neighborhood feel for it. i need to go back for the reuben and the root-beer float.-sbrocco: all right. if you would liketo try the dark horse inn, it's located on geneva avenueat mission in san francisco. the telephone number is415-469-5508. it's open for dinnertuesday through sunday reservations are not accepted,and the average tab for dinner, without drinks, is around $25.
calistoga -- the name evokes imagesof hot-spring spas and spouting geysers, but when it comes to wine,calistoga is a napa classic. though known for centuries as a unique growing regionwith steep mountain slopes and valley-floor vineyardslayered with volcanic soil, it was anointed as an americanviticultural area in 2010. anchored bythe iconic chateau montelena,
a winerythat drew worldwide attention when its 1973 chardonnaybested french versions during the judgment of paristasting, today it's home to a rangeof boutique wineries that have joined its ranks. reds, particularly cabernetsauvignons, are superstars. and the best hail from grapesthat soak in the day's heat and chill down during nights influencedby cool coastal air currents.
it may be relatively smallin size compared to other spots, but calistoga's luscious winesare grand in stature. cheers. created by an iron chef,tim's modern, energetic, and hyper-cool spotfeatures more than sushi. it takes styleand service to a new level, offering contemporarycal-inspired japanese cuisine. overlookingthe napa river in napa, it's called morimoto napa.
galyen: chef morimoto has beenat this for many, many years. he started outon the original "iron chef" and then moved to americato do "iron chef america." we understandwhat it took to get where he is, so we're incredibly careful'cause he takes it so seriously. i'm michael galyen, generalmanager of morimoto napa. we utilize local wood. the wood that's in our sushi bar is actuallyfrom a reclaimed barn.
we also have stripped down50-year-old cabernet vines. so, you have that tieto the local area while still havingthat metropolitan feel. myself and my team here --we're all about the vibe. woman: oh! there it goes! galyen: our head chefis chef sean massey. chef sean has broughtan amazing energy and vibe to this restaurant. man: one snapper.
galyen: the sushiand sashimi here is flown in 24 hoursout of japan. we get deliveriesthree days a week. we get deliverieson sundays here. as far as the sake goes, we're actually the onlyrestaurant in north america to havefive certified sake specialist. we have an extensive wine list. one thing we do before dinner
is they do a chantcalled the hana kurowa. it's a wayto get the staff pumped up and send them into battleon a high note. sbrocco: now, tim, morimotois a classic across the country. this is their napa outlet. and it is really in the heartof wine country, isn't it? mcdonald: downtown napa.it's been there several years. this place has been on fire pretty muchsince the day it opened,
and what i like about itis the service is over-the-top. there are a lot ofmore expensive and more famous restaurants you could go to wherethe service is that way, but this is a little bit more friendly, i think.-sbrocco: right. mcdonald: the sushi baris my personal favorite, but when you gowith two or three people you want to be on a table.
the rock shrimp with the two different styles with the homemade ranch dressing is a go-to type of dish. and theni really like their gyoza. light, delicate dumplingswith a bacon foam around it. he has a wayof taking textures of cold and warmand spice and -- sbrocco: and chef morimotois certainly known.
he was, you know,the founding chef at nobu and he's iron chef and he's famousaround the world. mcdonald:and it's his restaurant. plus,they do some great renditions, i think, of that spicy crab leg. it's hot! it's spicy! it's crab!i mean, what's not to like? mcgrath: i loved everythingi had, but specifically
the toro tartare, which was --it seems like a signature dish sbrocco:in that beautiful palette. mcgrath: yes. sbrocco: it looks likea painting set, right? mcgrath: yes,and it's hard to decide if you like the food as much as you likethe presentation or vice versa. i mean, it was nothinglike i'd ever had before --
the taste, the presentation, eating with what looked likethe scraper for a windshield if you had an icy morning.-sbrocco: a little tiny car. it'd be a little tiny car. rajaram: at first,i wasn't that interested in going to morimotobecause of the big name, but, you know, going there,i was super-impressed. i think it was really amazing. i think the presentationis really their strong point.
i remember the tuna pizza,which is an amazing dish. it's like a flour tortillathat's crisped up. they put fresh ahi on it, and they put the jalapeã±osand olives. and they top itwith this amazing anchovy aioli. and just, like,the combination of flavors is really well-balanced -- lots of tartnessand smooth flavors. and it just comes togetherperfectly
and is justan amazing appetizer. sbrocco:and what else did you have? rajaram: so, we alsohad that rock shrimp tempura, and actually i wasn't that muchof a fan of it. i thought the batter wastoo thick, and it was kind of trying to hidebehind the different flavors. like, the wasabi,i thought, was too sweet. but i thought,overall, it was, you know, nice fried dishto have for an appetizer.
it goes with sake really well. sbrocco: and let's talk about --you know, you mentioned sake, you mentioned wine.eduardo dingler, who is the fantasticwine director there, has put together a listof not only sakes but champagnes go beautifullywith this kind of cuisine. what other dishes did you havewhen you were there, jesse? mcgrath: we had a lot of dishes. something i really, really likedwas the seared halibut.
that was my favorite,and it had, like, a thai kind of curry with it. and it was, like, this nicekind of rich component. it felt very savoryand comforting, and the dish itself was justreally high in flavor. sbrocco: i can see you, like,thinking about it right now. your face is ---mcgrath: i know. i just want to be back. rajaram: so, i hadthe sea urchin carbonara,
and that wasa really interesting asian-fusion kind of dish. so, it takesa traditional carbonara, and it uses, kind of, like,the cheese and the egg and the creamy, luxurious sauce,and it was really beautiful. has a little bitof asian influences with the soft,squishy sea urchin. mcdonald: my favorite entrã©eis the buri bop. and that isa traditional type of dish
where you have yellowtail, you have some seasoned rice, you have four kinds of veggies. the bowl comes outat 500 degrees, and they cook the fishon the side of the bowls. then they put some liquid in it, and then theymix it all up together. and it is their signature dishat that restaurant. there's a dessert there that'sjust like a chocolate bomb.
and they put a little rum on it,and they light it. and you watch the chocolatemelt on top, and inside of the bowl -- it's like a bombe --chocolate, bittersweet. inside is a whipped cream,kind of vanilla flavored, and inside that, there'sthis frozen chocolate gelato. sbrocco:and it's like a "pshu!" bomb. -mcdonald: it's like a bomb.-mcgrath: exactly. very impressiveto watch it happen.
the intimidating partof this place is the price tag. you want to go,and you see the menu. and then you want to geteverything, and then you say, "well, maybe one$90 steak is enough for me." sbrocco: they havethat wagyu carpaccio, right? mcgrath: right, right, right. but the serviceis unmatched to me. it is more than just a meal. it is a dining experience.
i mean,you get really catered to. we came in withkind of a fairly big party, and it was like we werethe only people there. sbrocco:and what do you feel about that? rajaram: oh, i completely agree. so, it was amazing waitstaffthere. they also look really great. like, all the waiterswere incredibly handsome. i'm like, "where did they findthese people?"
it's, like, all this eye candy. and they're all reallyknowledgeable, and they -- sbrocco: well, the foodis eye candy, too. rajaram: yeah, oh, my gosh.the food is beautiful, and i think that'sthe real strength of morimoto's. it was, like,the most beautiful presentation i've had in a restaurant. sbrocco: well, that's a good wayto wrap it up. so, if people wantto make this a destination,
what do you say to them? quick summary. mcdonald: chic, urban in napa. tons of great restaurantsin that town, but this is an experiencethat you'll remember. sbrocco: all right. and kavitha? rajaram: a beautiful restaurant with an emphasison presentation. sbrocco: and jesse?
mcgrath: if you're willing to -- to go for that price tag, you will have an unforgettabledining experience for sure. sbrocco: all right. if you wouldlike to try morimoto napa, it's located on mainat 3rd street in napa. the telephone number is707-252-1600. it's open every dayfor lunch and dinner. reservations are recommended,and the average tab for dinner, without drinks, is around $60.
i have to thank my great guestson this week's show -- kavitha rajaram, whose modern spanishcuisine highlights flavorful shared platesand creative cocktails at duende in oakland, jesse mcgrathand the friendly neighborhood beer-centric gastropubthe dark horse inn in san francisco,and tim mcdonald, whose elegant eatery deliverscontemporary japanese cuisine
at morimoto in napa. now, we really want to hearabout your experiences at any of the restaurantswe've been talking about, so keep in touch with uson facebook and follow us on twitter. and don't forget thatyou can watch any of the shows on our website atkqed.org/checkplease. it's where you'll find linksto the restaurants and where you'll find my noteson the wines and spirits
we're drinking today. so, join us next time when three new guests willrecommend their favorite spots, right here on"check, please! bay area." i'm leslie sbrocco,and i'll see you then. cheers, everyone.and cheers to you. -all: cheers!-sbrocco: cheers! both of them! cheers!-rajaram: cheers! -sbrocco: cheers, cheers.-rajaram: yeah, whoo-hoo!
that's right.
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