ICHI Sushi + NI Bar

Originally just ICHI Sushi, the restaurant expanded and re-opened with a new name, ICHI Sushi + NI Bar. I made reservations about a week in advance and called ahead to request seats at the bar because I like watching the sushi chefs at work.

We started with four Kusshi oysters, which were extremely cold and fresh. We ordered a variety of different nigiris: maguro zuke (marinated tuna), shiro toro (albacore tuna belly), ikura (salmon roe), japanese uni hokkaido, and hotategai hokkaido scallop. I've never had scallop nigiri before and it was my favorite of the night. Like the mural on the wall boldly states, there was no need for soy sauce because each nigiri is seasoned by the chef. I have to admit though that some pieces were heavy on the wasabi and made my eyes water. But I could really tell that the ingredients were fresh and well prepared.

We also tried the hot beef tataki dish and the wagyu beef was so tender and went well with the white ponzu sauce. The cold somen with shiso and crab was unique because of the shiso pesto and was reminiscent of an Italian dish. Overall, ICHI is a solid restaurant but I do think that the prices are a bit steep. Also Bernal Heights is a bit far from where I live so not sure I would make the special trip out to come again. But no regrets tonight because I've heard such great things about the restaurant and I'm always happy to try new places.

Kusshi Oysters

Ikura Nigiri

Japanese Uni Hokkaido

Beef Tataki: japanese wagyu beef, radish kimchee, white ponzu, crispy burdock root

cold somen with shiso: thin wheat noodles, shiso pesto, citrus, crab

Mission Bowling Club Part 1

Had a fun gathering for a friend's birthday at Mission Bowling Club! I've never been before and was surprised to see a large number of people just there for the food. The place is smaller than I'd thought and there seems to only be six bowling lanes.

I started off with a Michelada, which I've never had before and ZOMG it was so delicious. I definitely had to pace myself so I didn't end up guzzling the whole drink at once. I'm a big Modelo fan so big two thumbs up. The salted rim was key.

For brunch I was craving eggs so I ordered the Chilaquiles, which I have become enamored with. I thought about getting the burger because I've heard it was one of the best in SF but I just couldn't stomach the thought of a giant burger right then. A few friends ordered the burger though and it looked super impressive. I took a bite of the burger and while it was pretty good, I wasn't that excited about it.

The birthday girl got cupcakes from Kara's Cupcakes and I tried the Guinness Chocolate Stout with Bailey's Buttercream and wowowow, it was super rich. Food coma.

Monda Michelada: del maguey y mezcal vida, tomato juice, and negra modelo

Chilaquiles: scrambled eggs, salsa, guacamole, cotija, scallion crema, home fries

Recipe: Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake

I've been meaning to make this for months! This is a pantry meal though which means it's perfect for days when you having nothing fresh to eat in your fridge and end up pulling out a can of beans, cook some rice, and voila. The recipe is flexible for subs and add-ins; I had no cheese so mine is sans cheese and I added in some taco seasoning for some extra flavor.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice
Adapted from How Sweet Eats
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
4 cups cooked brown rice
3/4 cup frozen corn
15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese (optional)
4 ounces can green chilis
½ cup salsa
1 tbsp taco seasoning
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, rice, corn, black beans, greek yogurt, chilis, and salsa.
Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to an oven-safe dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through.

Stranded: Golden Gate Bridge

I haven't been driving my scooter to work for the past few days because of the rain. I took the bus one morning and ended up stranded at the Golden Gate Bridge. Although I was late to work, walking in the wet morning crisp air felt so pure.

Cookbooks on Cookbooks

I hope it never ends. This is my happy place.

Le Soleil

After a nice Sunday hike/walk at Lands End, we walked to the Inner Richmond for dinner. We stopped for tea at some point and continued on our way until we reached Le Soleil. We didn't really have a place to go in mind so we were open to trying a new restaurant. Le Soleil seems like a French inspired Vietnamese restaurant and not being very familiar with Vietnamese food in general, our server was kind enough to explain and recommend dishes. Obviously I enjoyed all the coconut milk in nearly every dish.

We started with the crepe and the server explained to wrap the crepe in the lettuce and dip it into the sauce. This was probably my favorite dish of the night! We also shared the curry short rib, which was super rich and came with a side of garlic bread. The shaken beef was pretty good too and came with a side of brown rice. Overall the food was solid but not really worth going out of my way to come back.

Chicken & Shrimp Turmeric Crepe with mung bean, bean sprouts filling, & coconut milk with fresh vegetables

Curry Short Rib with braised boneless short ribs in yellow curry with potatoes, carrots, & lime leaf; garlic bread

Luc Lac "Shaken Beef": wok tossed flank steak with lemon pepper dipping sauce and brown rice

Recipe: Italian Meatballs

Promptly after returning from NYC, I made meatballs! Never really have been a meatball fan, I even surprised myself. I was inspired by The Meatball Shop and Simply Recipe's Italian Meatballs recipe. I chose to use panko breadcrumbs and roasted the meatballs instead of cooking them on the skillet. I also strayed with a different marinara sauce. Start cooking the marinara sauce first so that it'll simmer while the meatballs are prepared.



Marinara Sauce
Adapted from The New York Times
Serves ~4

Ingredients
1 28-ounce can peeled plum tomatoes
1 cup water
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
garlic cloves, minced
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp dried oregano

Instructions
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. When it is hot, add garlic.
As soon as garlic is sizzling (do not let it brown), add the tomatoes and water.
Add red pepper flakes, oregano, and salt. Stir.
Crush the tomatoes lightly with the back of a spoon as they cook, and stir occasionally.
Simmer very gently for 45 minutes until sauce thickens and oil on surface is a deep orange.


Italian Meatballs
Inspired by Simply Recipes
Serves ~6 (makes 24 1½-inch meatballs)

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1/3 cup milk
1½ ounces panko bread crumbs
1/8 cup ricotta cheese
1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
½ dried oregano
1½ garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat the milk in a small pot until steamy.
Turn off the heat and soak the panko crumbs until it partially dissolves. Mash until it becomes a paste. Turn it out onto a plate to let it cool.
In a large bowl, combine the beef, ricotta cheese, grated parmesan, eggs, salt, oregano, black pepper, garlic cloves, and the panko-milk mixture.
Mix it well with hands until it barely combines. Don't overwork the mixture or it will become tough.
Wet your hands and form the meatballs.
Set each one on a baking sheet and roast in oven for ~20 minutes.
Once all the meatballs are firm and fully cooked, remove from the oven and drain the excess grease from the pan.
Arrange meatballs in sauce, turning each one over in the sauce to coat. Cover the pot and simmer gently. Serve with sauce and pasta, crusty bread, or atop salad greens.