By David Landis, The Gay Gourmet–
Who doesn’t remember those great continental restaurants of yesteryear where surf ‘n’ turf entrees ruled the day? While it may not be de rigueur on menus these days, the Bay Area offers up some viable steakhouses and coastal cuisine worth your while.
Two that I’ve visited recently and that make the grade are Coho in Mill Valley for seafood (surf) and Porterhouse in San Mateo for steaks (turf).
Coho in Mill Valley (Surf)
To the north in Mill Valley, the new, contemporary, seafood-focused Coho has opened across from The Depot in downtown. It’s an easy 20-minute drive from the city. Also welcome is the abundance of street parking nearby. The space is airy, with a marine blue décor and a modern feel reminiscent of California designer Kelly Wearstler. Owners Luigi Petrone (son of Piazza d’Angelo’s Domenico Petrone) and Felicia Ferguson have transformed the venue into a buzzy, fun, gathering space, and hip watering hole that could easily be right at home in the city.
The sourdough with home churned butter was a winning start to the meal (along with a perfectly dry gin martini). Another starter, the Kanpachi crudo, was as fresh as could be. But the Instagrammable moment of the evening was the pea shoot salad, a fun presentation served “live,” growing in soil, with scissors for your own personal pruning. The accompanying dressing of carrot with sunflower crumbles packs an aromatic punch. It all adds up to one of the most innovative salads I’ve had all year.
For our mains, we sampled the tasty maple tahini vinaigrette black cod (sweet but not overly so), the satisfying Dungeness crab noodles (made with tagliatelle), the McFarland Springs trout (with green lentils and cauliflower), and the seared albacore tuna with sun-dried tomato, green beans, egg, and potato gaufrette. Clearly, the chef knows what they are doing here. Every piece of fish was just caught, cooked properly, and presented and plated in an originally artistic way. The cocktail list is creative, and includes the signature Coho, with gin, elderflower and jasmine, Cocchi Americano, and lemon oil. All in all, it is well worth the trip across the bridge.
Porterhouse in San Mateo (Turf)
Re-located to an old, several-story, classic bank building in downtown San Mateo, Porterhouse has been around at its former location for more than 15 years. What made me decide to venture down from the city was that the restaurant has recently embraced “tableside experiences.” Who doesn’t love a great flambé, created at your table, while you watch? Why they ever went out of style, I’ll never know. Happily, they’re back at Porterhouse, and it makes an evening not just dinner, but dinner and a show.
Porterhouse features dry-aged Midwestern grass-fed beef (with a grain finish) and the results are stunning. We started the evening with a classic gin martini (shaken, not stirred), and executed perfectly (with an olive, of course). A seasonal butternut squash soup followed, with a throwback, tasty wedge salad, piled high with bacon and blue cheese. The extensive wine list covers the gamut from California to France and we selected a balanced 2015 Clos des Menuts Saint Emilion Grand Cru to accompany our meat selections.
For our entrées, we couldn’t pass up the signature Porterhouse (a combination tenderloin and strip steak), which was juicy and cooked as ordered to medium rare. It didn’t disappoint. The welcome sauces served on the side included both a classic house-made bordelaise and a tangy bearnaise sauce. A small, twice-baked potato (another great nostalgic offering) and grilled seasonal vegetables, along with a side of velvety home-made creamed spinach (worth the calories) accompanied the steaks to a T. But the piece de resistance was the show-stopping dessert: our able waitperson served the chef’s tableside Bananas Foster (bananas, rum, banana liqueur, and ice cream), flambéed to high heaven, in a display that drew a round of applause from the restaurant at large. Add Porterhouse to your dining list!
Bits and Bites
Let’s take a moment to toast iconic New York Times food critic Mimi Sheraton, who recently died at age 97. I love that she wore wigs to disguise herself while dining out, and that she also visited restaurants 5 or 6 times before reviewing. We’ll miss her erudite writing, especially this bon mot: “Food writers in general devote too much space to chefs’ philosophies. They’re not Picasso, after all—this is supper. So I don’t want to hear about a chef’s intentions. Call me when it’s good.”
Music makers Tertulia are partnering with Dandelion Chocolate, San Francisco’s own premium, bean-to-bar chocolate maker, for a chocolate tasting with musical pairings in their Mission factory. Pianist Elizabeth Joy Roe curates a program of musical works inspired by her own tasting of the chocolates to be sampled on May 5, with additional guidance provided by Dandelion’s own chocolate makers.
Winemaker JUSTIN just released some new wines for spring, and they’re affordable winners. The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is only $16 and pairs well for summer picnics: dry and crisp with a touch of citrus and tropical fruit. It’s “rosé all day” with the winery’s 2022 Rosé ($20) that tastes like Provence, enhanced by a beautiful salmon color, perfect for the beach or poolside. The 2020 Isosceles (at $85, a bit of a splurge) is in the Bordeaux style, with mellow notes of black fruit and spice.
A new find in Carmel: the six-table Le Soufflé, with both savory and sweet soufflé offerings. At $89 for three courses, it’s also a steal. Standouts include: the Alsatian style mushroom soufflé with mushroom Riesling sauce; the roasted fennel salad with cara cara oranges, mache, and pecans (enough for two); and the Grand Marnier soufflé for dessert. Book early since it fills up fast!
Congratulations to AsiaSF, who just recently celebrated 25 years as one of America’s most longstanding transgender restaurants and bars. Owners Larry Hashbarger, Skip Young, and Aaron Nelson have accomplished something of which we should all be proud. Way before “transgender” was a “thing,” they were employing transgender women and giving them not just a job, but a future. They’ve done it all these years with great cocktails, a superb wine list, delicious food, and a show to beat the band. Go back and celebrate with the Ladies of AsiaSF now!
I just read a captivating new book by chef George Geary called LA’s Landmark Restaurants (published by Santa Monica press). If, like me, you love everything culinary about California, it’s a must-read. It’s an illustrated history of 50 popular L.A. restaurants where Angelenos (not celebrities) dine, including such memorable haunts as Nate ‘N Als, Cole’s, Philippe the Original, The Victor Hugo, Canter’s Delicatessen, Sportsmen’s Lodge, Mocambo, Tail o’ the Pup, The Apple Pan, and Valentino.
Petaluma-based McEvoy Ranch (a Gay Gourmet favorite) has just come out with a new high-quality cooking olive oil. Like all of its other products, it’s first-class and splendid. It’s made with Frantoio olives, and is a cold-pressed EVOO ideal for sautéing, frying, and baking.
I just sampled the new Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin California Orange Citrus, which fuses oriental botanicals with regional citrus, juniper, and spice. It’s perfect for a Negroni, as it ably complements the Campari, but it’s also great for a sipping gin, a summertime gin and tonic, or a classic martini. It’s another Gay Gourmet favorite.
And, about those James Beard finalists … only three from the Bay Area? Methinks the judges are just trying to spread the wealth around, but IMHO there are many more of our local restaurateurs who deserve the recognition.
Porterhouse: https://tinyurl.com/2p8kkuas
Coho: https://tinyurl.com/w8vwxm76
Tertulia Chamber Music: https://tinyurl.com/58664969
Dandelion Chocolate: https://tinyurl.com/3p4zfzhx
JUSTIN: https://tinyurl.com/j545zwye
Le Soufflé: https://tinyurl.com/bdf92a5j
AsiaSF: https://tinyurl.com/2p98bxbt
LA’s Landmark Restaurants: https://tinyurl.com/2m9u4p9u
McEvoy Ranch: https://tinyurl.com/aty5t4fa
Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin California Orange Citrus: https://tinyurl.com/2s48nwvn
David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is a foodie, a freelance writer, and a retired PR maven. Follow him on Instagram @GayGourmetSF or email him at: davidlandissf@gmail.com
Or visit him online at: www.gaygourmetsf.com
The Gay Gourmet
Published on May 4, 2023
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