Dinner and drinks
Great cocktails (bloody mary if you are in the mood), great food, a lot of scene, gets super crowded though
http://www.betelnutrestaurant.com/
2030 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 929-8855
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
Academia de Cachaça
September 2008A low key bar in Leblon with incredible selection of the Brazilian liquor. While no one spoke English, we picked through their extensive menu (fortunately in English) and ordered 5R shots after the other, as well as other mixed cachaça shots. The Brazilian cherry one was kind of a miss, but I liked the shot with honey and brown sugar. My brother had had a shot of a really good cachaça at dinner – unfortunately the name is lost, but it was about 20R and totally worth it.
Rua Conde de Bernadotte 26G, Leblon
2239 1542
Porçao Ipanema
September 2008The Porçao in Flamengo is supposed to have wonderful view of Pão de Açúcar, but it was rainy for us, so we opted for its closer sister restaurant in Ipanema. Recommended by our concierge as one of the three churrascarias to go to (others being Espaça that we already went to and Mario’s which is a bit more expensive on the other end of Copacabana). 
This was definitely my favorite meal in Rio, with a great salad bar (Espaça had more selection but I liked this one better) and amazing meat. The waiters are incredibly friendly and we were quite happy and full after a few hours. We learned to ask for meat malpasado, which got us rare, bloody pieces of animal. The dessert cart came around when we thought we couldn’t take anymore, but of course we got flan, egg yolk pastry, ice cream and coffee. Yum. With two bottles of wine and a bunch of drinks, I think it was about 600R total (63R per person). 
They also have a bar area in front, with the most volume of Johnny Walker bottles that we (including my brother who works for Diageo) has seen.
Via Sete
September 2008Via Sete is a cute lunch spot around the block from the H Stern museum and flagship shop – convenient for us post shopping since it was raining. Ended up being a great, light lunch, ‘light’ being the operative word – we were all craving salads and wraps by day five of our Rio trip. Had a really yummy meat carpaccio and greens wrap with a salad. Cariocas kind of drown their salads with dressing, but besides that quite good. Also had a nice glass of mate, a Brazilian tea-like drink that I like from Argentina.
Osteria Dell’Angelo
September 2008Great Italian on Sunday night. Antipasti platter to start was fantastic, grilled eggplant, zucchini, warm baked parmesan, olives, marinated eggplant, fruta de mare. Appetizers of polenta with porcini was great, as was seafood salad and prosciutto. I had a veal and arugula dish that was quite rich, but my dad’s squid risotto in ink sauce was the best (and most famous) dish.
Rua Paul Redfern 40, Ipanema
2259-3148
Rio Scenarium
September 2008
Three story samba club in Lapa – Lonely Planet fairly described it as having a local-to-foreigner ratio of 50:50, but in September (off season), we found the “foreigners” to be from Sao Paulo or other parts of Brazil rather than real foreigners like us (though we could definitely point out the awkward dancing American pretty easily).
There was a line with several dozen people down the street when we got there around 10:30, 11pm, but we bought some bottles of beer to go from another bar and it wasn’t too long of a wait. There is a cover of something like 15-30R – they give you a piece of paper with your name, and the bartenders keep your tab on the sheet, so you pay for the cover and additional charges on your way out. Not sure what happens if you lose the paper…
The place is decorated in antiques – as Jesse described it, “it reminds me of my grandmother’s house.” Cool dark wood bars and walls with dozens of old school clocks, an old “drogeria” with rows and rows of corked dusty vials with “drogs” (that’s what they told my brother). The samba band plays on the stage on the first floor atrium with balconies that overlook the stage from the second and third floor.
http://www.rioscenarium.com.br/
Rua do Lavradio 20, Lapa
3852 5516
Three story samba club in Lapa – Lonely Planet fairly described it as having a local-to-foreigner ratio of 50:50, but in September (off season), we found the “foreigners” to be from Sao Paulo or other parts of Brazil rather than real foreigners like us (though we could definitely point out the awkward dancing American pretty easily).
There was a line with several dozen people down the street when we got there around 10:30, 11pm, but we bought some bottles of beer to go from another bar and it wasn’t too long of a wait. There is a cover of something like 15-30R – they give you a piece of paper with your name, and the bartenders keep your tab on the sheet, so you pay for the cover and additional charges on your way out. Not sure what happens if you lose the paper…
The place is decorated in antiques – as Jesse described it, “it reminds me of my grandmother’s house.” Cool dark wood bars and walls with dozens of old school clocks, an old “drogeria” with rows and rows of corked dusty vials with “drogs” (that’s what they told my brother). The samba band plays on the stage on the first floor atrium with balconies that overlook the stage from the second and third floor.
http://www.rioscenarium.com.br/
Rua do Lavradio 20, Lapa
3852 5516
Espaço Brasa Leblon
September 2008
Churrascaria with all-you-can-eat buffet and roaming waiters with slabs of meat – different cuts of beef, pork, chicken, adult and kid, and not sure what else, since we didn’t understand most of them. I think I actually like the salad bar better than the meat, though both were good.
Av Afrânio de Melo Franco 131, Leblon
2111 5700
2111 5700
Choperia Brazooka
September 2008Three story beer house that we happened to stop for lunch during out Rio sightseeing tour. Our tour guide kind of made fun of us for wanting to try feijeoda, a black-bean dish cooked with salted pork and other meats. It is served with rice and stewed kale, and typically eaten on Saturdays. Super yummy, though rich, we had several refreshing glasses of chope (draft beer) and also fried fish and cheese.
Rua Mem de Sá 70, Lapa
3474 3363
3474 3363
Garota de Ipanema
September 2008
We stopped in here for a post-dinner drink because the recommended bar down the street, Devassa, was too packed. No matter, we loved this place – got some chope, or draft beer and a plate of chicken hearts, which was perfectly grilled and super garlicky, we have been talking about it all week! I had a yummy spicy tomato juice, which we were split on whether it had none or a ton of alcohol, but good either way. This is also a hang out of Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes, of the famous bossa nova “Girl from Ipanema,” bar eponymously named.
We came here again for our last Rio lunch. We had the chicken hearts again, and palm heart salad, pizza, fried fish, soup and sandwiches.
We came here again for our last Rio lunch. We had the chicken hearts again, and palm heart salad, pizza, fried fish, soup and sandwiches.
Rua Vinícius de Moraes, Ipanema
2523 3787
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Zaza Bistro Tropical
September 2008We had dinner at Zaza our first night in Rio. We sat on the outdoor patio with “French-colonial décor”, cute lights and nice ambiance. On the second floor, patrons take off shoes to lounge and eat on throw pillows. Everything is organic.
We started with wasabi-cream cheese, eggplant antipasti and herb butter to go with bread and crackers. Then the waiter recommended Germana cachaça shot... Yummy seared tuna for entre.
Rua Joana Angelica 40, Ipanema
2247 9101
SaLitre
September 2008Wine and liquor bar in Leblon that we stopped in after shopping. Super cute with upstairs porch that we sat at. Wonderful bottle of CATENA 2006 Chardonnay from Mendoza (for about 60R)
Av General San Martin 857, Leblon
3205 6977
3205 6977
Bibi Sucos
September 2008
I stopped at this corner juice stand on my first day walking around Leblon in Rio. They had an overwhelming menu board, so I just fixed on the “açai” section and ordered a copa. I got a super thick glass filled over the brim with dark brownish-red slushie that I ate with a spoon until I had an ice cream head ache. I have no idea how to describe the fruit taste, but it’s good. I had them pour the rest into a cup to go though, a lot of slushie for one sitting.
Avenida Ataulfo de Paiva 591, Rio de Janeiro, 22440-032, Brazil
2259 4298
I stopped at this corner juice stand on my first day walking around Leblon in Rio. They had an overwhelming menu board, so I just fixed on the “açai” section and ordered a copa. I got a super thick glass filled over the brim with dark brownish-red slushie that I ate with a spoon until I had an ice cream head ache. I have no idea how to describe the fruit taste, but it’s good. I had them pour the rest into a cup to go though, a lot of slushie for one sitting.
Avenida Ataulfo de Paiva 591, Rio de Janeiro, 22440-032, Brazil
2259 4298
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Brothers Restaurant
August 2008
Dinner
Great Korean food in Inner Richmond.
4128 Geary Blvd (between 5th Ave & 6th Ave), San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 387-7991
Dinner
Great Korean food in Inner Richmond.
4128 Geary Blvd (between 5th Ave & 6th Ave), San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 387-7991
21st Amendment
August 2008
Drinks
Interesting watermelon wheat beer
www.21st-Amendment.com
563 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 369-0900
Drinks
Interesting watermelon wheat beer
www.21st-Amendment.com
563 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 369-0900
Lingba
August 2008Sunday brunch
Interesting Asian fusion-y menu at this cute place in Richmond (maybe? I have no idea where this really is).
Really yummy bloody mary's with an entire stick of bacon in it, pretty amazing. They had some great appetizers that we split - a corn fritatta kind of thing, fried egg rolls with risotto inside, taro chips with mango and tuna tartar, and ribs. My meal was kurobuta pork hash with roasted potatoes, kabocha pumpkin and poached eggs.
http://www.lingba.com/
1469 18th Street (and Connecticut), San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 355-0001
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Sushi Yoshi
August 2008
Dinner
Fantastic authentic Japanese place in Newark, right on the other side of the Dumbarton from the Peninsula. The restaurant is in a strip mall by Arby's and kind of a hole in a wall, but Yoshi-san and his mother have a great izakaya menu on the wall. Unfortunately for many, it is in Japanese, though they'll give you an English menu, and will answer questions from behind the bar.
Yoshi-san has a decent selection of sake and will let you taste before pouring it into a "masu", or wooden box. He also has shochu, all "imo" or potato base.
We started with edamame, ika geso (fried squid legs), and a grilled whole mackerel. I had to order ankimo (monkfish liver), which is "foie gras of the sea" per Kenneth. Yum. Off menu, they also have home made shiokara, a salty-spicy squid 'pickle.' They also make a good home made gyoza (dumpling).
For sushi, we had some ikura (salmon roe), uni (sea urchin), and really amazing toro. Also worth getting the California roll with real crab meat.
Yoshi-san gave us ice cream to finish - green tea, azuki (red bean) or vanilla are the choices.
Not the speediest so I would expect to take some time there. But worth it!
On Yelp
39261 Cedar Blvd (between Magazine & Mowry Ave), Newark, CA 94560
(510) 797-3835
Dinner
Fantastic authentic Japanese place in Newark, right on the other side of the Dumbarton from the Peninsula. The restaurant is in a strip mall by Arby's and kind of a hole in a wall, but Yoshi-san and his mother have a great izakaya menu on the wall. Unfortunately for many, it is in Japanese, though they'll give you an English menu, and will answer questions from behind the bar.
Yoshi-san has a decent selection of sake and will let you taste before pouring it into a "masu", or wooden box. He also has shochu, all "imo" or potato base.
We started with edamame, ika geso (fried squid legs), and a grilled whole mackerel. I had to order ankimo (monkfish liver), which is "foie gras of the sea" per Kenneth. Yum. Off menu, they also have home made shiokara, a salty-spicy squid 'pickle.' They also make a good home made gyoza (dumpling).
For sushi, we had some ikura (salmon roe), uni (sea urchin), and really amazing toro. Also worth getting the California roll with real crab meat.
Yoshi-san gave us ice cream to finish - green tea, azuki (red bean) or vanilla are the choices.
Not the speediest so I would expect to take some time there. But worth it!
On Yelp
39261 Cedar Blvd (between Magazine & Mowry Ave), Newark, CA 94560
(510) 797-3835
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Lemongrass
August 2008
Dinner
Great Thai place near Lizzie's on Polk between Green and Union. Their Tom Yum Gai soup was fantastic, spicy enough but not too much with chicken and mushrooms. Got quite full off the chicken and spinach with peanut sauce and even brought some home. Quite reasonably priced for dinner and bottle of wine, about $35 each.
www.lemongrassSF.com
2348 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 346-1818
Dinner
Great Thai place near Lizzie's on Polk between Green and Union. Their Tom Yum Gai soup was fantastic, spicy enough but not too much with chicken and mushrooms. Got quite full off the chicken and spinach with peanut sauce and even brought some home. Quite reasonably priced for dinner and bottle of wine, about $35 each.
www.lemongrassSF.com
2348 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 346-1818
Palo Alto Sol
August 2008
Dinner
Popular Mexican place on California Ave with great and potent margaritas. I love the food, though I always go back to the carne asada plate or fajitas. Everyone is always happy with their choice though.
www.paloaltosol.net
408 S California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650) 328-8840
Dinner
Popular Mexican place on California Ave with great and potent margaritas. I love the food, though I always go back to the carne asada plate or fajitas. Everyone is always happy with their choice though.
www.paloaltosol.net
408 S California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650) 328-8840
Ristorante Parma
August 2008
Dinner
Standard Italian on Steiner between Chestnut and Lombard. Gerri and I went there at 6pm the night before our half marathon for our "pasta dinner," as was the rest of the customers for the restaurant to be packed at such a geriatric hour. Good authentic, though not super exciting Italian food.
3314 Steiner Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 467-0500
Dinner
Standard Italian on Steiner between Chestnut and Lombard. Gerri and I went there at 6pm the night before our half marathon for our "pasta dinner," as was the rest of the customers for the restaurant to be packed at such a geriatric hour. Good authentic, though not super exciting Italian food.
3314 Steiner Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 467-0500
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