Burger Bar, San Francisco

This week America has been on my mind. A few friends have been recently, and we're in the midst of planning our next trip. I'm dreaming about burgers. When we went in September, I never actually finished all my blog posts because there were so many, so this week I'm going to try and catch up.

We stumbled across Burger Bar whilst walking through Macy's. We'd had some crackers in Vegas, so were still in 'burger mode' by the time we arrived in San Francisco. Burger Bar is owned by a chap called Hubert Keller (no relation to Thomas I believe), who made a name for himself after opening the Michelin starred Fleur de Lys in San Francisco. He's probably most famous in America for starring as a judge on Top Chef. Although all this makes him a very credible guy, we knew none of this before visiting.

Burger Bar looks out onto Union Square from the sixth floor of Macy's. If you can get a table near the window like we did, you're laughing. You'll have some of the best views across the busy shopping area below. 

My husband decided to opt for the 'Build the Ultimate Burger' option. He likes his burgers with no salad, so this is perfect for him. He had the Kobe beef burger with sesame bun, American cheese and bacon. I like all sorts of slop on mine, so stuck with the American classic, which is similar but comes with pickle, tomatoes, onion, lettuce and a black angus patty. They came perfectly pink with crispy fries. 

I didn't have dessert (shocker, I know...) because greed-o-guts here couldn't just order a coke like everyone else. I had to have the strawberry milkshake. It was massive! It was packed with fresh strawberries and topped with whipped cream. I was like a strawberry fuelled creature by the time I had finished it. Thank God for the lifts in Macy's.

My mouth is watering just looking at the pictures. I remember Burger Bar being a bit of a shocker, because we really didn't expect much. We didn't find it in a guide, and it wasn't recommended by anyone. We just found it purely by chance one day when we were starved. It was the perfect mid shop pit stop.

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Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina, San Francisco

You probably guessed by now how I found a lot of the restaurants we visited in America. Yes, I Googled where the best ones were. Want the best steak in San Francisco? We only had to walk to our hotel lobby at the Westin St Francis and into Bourbon Steak. Michael Mina uses a method of cooking called butter poaching (click the link for the most amazing video ever...) and then finishes them off in a hot pan. His menu offers a wide range of quality steaks with fantastic accompaniments. Bourbon Steak takes the average steak house to another level...

USDA beef standards mean that the burgers and steaks you have in America are generally of a much higher standard to the average ones in the UK, meaning we didn't have bad beef the entire time we were there. We really wanted to sample the best they had on offer, to see whether it was much different.

When we arrived our 'canapes' were three pots of fries with dips. A chipotle mayonaise, cucumber creme fraiche and spicy ketchup. They were a touch of brilliance! I really didn't expect chips in this restaurant so it was a cheeky surprise! Our waiter was chatty and gave really good advice on the type of steak to order. He asked lots of questions about how we liked it cooked and which cuts we normally go for. My husband had already decided on the Wagyu Snake River Rib Cap and I fancied the Angus New York as it was recommended for anyone who enjoys a rare rib-eye!

These steaks were massive. Mine was 14oz, so I presumed it came served on the bone. Noooo... It was the best steak I have ever eaten. Even better than Maze Grill. Charred on the outside, but pink and soft on the inside. Sealing them in butter is the work of a steak witch. That's one clever chap! They were exceptional value too. Don't get me wrong, this is a high end restaurant, but when compared to similar over here, the prices are very different. A Wagyu steak at Maze Grill is £85. At Bourbon Steak it is $72 (about £45). Even if there was a slight difference in size, I doubt the value would be the same. My husband's steak was a decent size and the quality was unbelievable!

We also ordered a side of Crispy Brussels Sprouts, just because we liked the sound of them. We only managed a few as we were both busy demolishing a huge pile of steak, Atkins stylee. A totally different take on the humble sprout, these were crisp on the edges and covered in parmesan.

Bellies full of steak, we decided to share a dessert. We opted for profiteroles filled with strawberry ice cream. A lovely light dessert, just perfect after such a rich meal. Another one who had cottoned onto the fact this was a birthday trip, they jazzed up our profiteroles and my husband got a card signed by all the chefs. Nice touch!

We also got sweeties...

If you ever find yourself in San Francisco, make sure you make a stop in Bourbon Steak. It's got a great atmosphere, a relaxed bar area and some of the best steak you will ever eat.

Please leave your comments below... x

The French Laundry, Yountville

When we started to plan our trip to America, we had a dream. We knew that we wanted to stay in San Francisco, and were more than aware that one legendary restaurant was only about an hour away. Nestled in a small town just outside Napa, The French Laundry is like a little piece of southern French countryside. Whilst perfecting his craft, Thomas Keller had spent time in some of France's most prestigious three Michelin starred restaurants, and knew he could bring this to America.

The French Laundry is one of the world's hardest restaurants to get in. Such huge demand on spaces meant that we didn't get our hopes up for a reservation, but we didn't admit defeat either...

How to Get in The French Laundry

Here's a quick guide to getting one of the most coveted reservations in the world...

1. The French Laundry take bookings two months in advance. You must try exactly two months to the day.
2. Open Table - this is an online booking system. However, there are only three tables available for each day. One for two people and two for four people. Tables are either 5.30pm or 9pm, so put your time selection in the middle of the two so you are offered both. Tables are opened up any time from 6pm (Pacific Time). Check the time difference over there before planning your reservation! I found this system a bit unreliable. I was hitting refresh like crazy, then I was offered a table only for it to suddenly disappear when I needed to put my details in. Gutted.
3. Phoning - this is all about endurance. Lines open at 10am. Expect them to be engaged. We had three phones on the go, (two mobiles and the house phone) hitting redial then cancel... again and again... Between us we made over 1500 attempts. After an hour and fifteen minutes we heard the recorded message telling us we were through... We nearly died. We were then put on hold for another fifteen minutes. I was convinced we wouldn't get a reservation. We were calling on the first day after their two week break in July, so every man and his dog were calling! We only had one day that we could go. After a quick chat with a friendly lady, we were in! We were elated! Quick tip here - use a phone that can be plugged in. I'd hate for your battery to go just as you get through... 

There are also some other tricks of the trade (so I hear). 

1. A couple in our San Francisco hotel said they went because their friend knew a chef who worked there... (Note - befriend chefs...)
2. American Express concierge - apparently have some sort of 'Bat-Phone' for reservations.
3. Hotel concierge - some local hotels are able to get reservations if you book with them three months in advance. The problem with this is that you are stuck with paying for these hotels if you don't get in...
4. My main tip - don't give up on the phones. There are only a couple of lines, that's why it's always engaged. We were on the phone for over twenty minutes, so really trying for over an hour means that they may have only dealt with about six people between them?! Persevere. 

Location

Many people talk about The French Laundry being in San Francisco. It isn't. It's about an hour and twenty minutes drive from the city. This was one of the reasons we decided to drive from Vegas to San Francisco (even before we had the reservation...). Hotels in Yountville get booked up months in advance, so by the time you have a booking in the restaurant, it's too late. We stayed in Napa which is about a ten minute taxi ride away. We stayed in the Hilton, but we thought the Marriott next door looked like it had better facilities. Hotels here are expensive but necessary if you want to stay so close. 

The Restaurant...

My OCD meant that we arrived (ridiculously) early, but it was already dark at 8.20pm. It's on a little street which looks like something out of a film set. Quaint little bistros and bars sit next to one of the world's most famous three star restaurants. It reminded me a little of Bray in the fact it's a tiny town with a massive culinary presence. The entrance is via the side through a beautiful walled garden with creeping ivy and an abundance of bright flowers. There it was. Even though the courtyard is quite dark, the famous blue door shone like a beacon! 

Inside is also very dimly lit, with large dark floral arrangements adorning the corners. We were seated in a small waiting area and offered a drink. This is where it gets tricky. I hate wine. I'm in one of the most famous wine producing regions in the world, in a three star restaurant, and I don't like wine. I confessed immediately, only for the host to look utterly bemused! I asked which soft drinks were available. She had to check. There mustn't be much call for them! It was like the time I went in the Fox and Hounds on Halliwell Road and they had to get orange juice from the basement... We decided for the rest of the trip that I was going to claim I didn't drink. It's just not cricket getting hammered on spirits whilst everyone else daintily sips wine! My husband took advantage of the good choice of ales on offer!

I nearly died with excitement when they said our table was ready. We were taken through to a small dining room, which had another alcove with tables to one side. There were also seats upstairs, so in comparison to many other fine dining restaurants, this was rather large (bearing in mind that a few nights earlier we were two of only eight diners!). 

We were seated in a lovely spot next to a window. The chairs even had a little shelf to put my handbag on. The menus were pegged to a napkin with a branded dolly peg. It was fate. I knew instantly what my husband was thinking when I saw his face; 'you're not nicking that peg!' I won this minor battle by asking could I have one at the end. I was told 'of course!' Result. I took both...

Now then, just as we did, I'm going to give to time to peruse the menu before I explain each course. As I mentioned earlier, it was very dimly lit in the restaurant so the pictures are a little hazy. I didn't want to appear rude by using the flash, although one chap was displaying enough bad manners for the whole dining room by boasting 'I probably pay more in helicopter fuel each month than most people get paid!' Knob. It's only slander if it isn't true...

Where there are two or more dishes before a dividing line, these are options.

Canapes: These were certainly a taste of things to come; cream cheese choux rolls and Keller's signature salmon cornet. I hate salmon but this was beautiful. Both had very subtle flavours but worked perfectly. 

Oysters and Pearls: This was the one I was a bit mithered by. I'm not a huge fan of fish, and this included two very fishy things; oysters and caviar. I was pleasantly surprised by this as the oysters were small and it was served in a rich buttery sauce. The caviar was actually quite mild in flavour.

Bread: I'm obsessed with restaurant bread. Imagine what I'm like in a really nice restaurant?! I'm all about the carbs. A wonderful array of fresh rolls appeared in phases, ranging from brioche style to pretzel rolls. All kinds of spectacular. Keller comes up with masterpieces and I'm scoffing bread like it's going out of fashion. You can take the girl out of Horwich...

Jamon Iberico de Bellota: This is Spanish style ham with peaches, beans and truffle. My husband said it was worth every penny of the supplement. That ham was pretty special!

Salad of French Laundry Garden Tomatoes: Believe it or not this was my stand out course. They had achieved something I have only experienced twice before. They managed to make food taste like a specific smell which reawakens a memory. I'll explain. When I was a little girl I loved picking tomatoes from the vine in my Uncle Tom's greenhouse. The waft of tomato plant as you slid open the door on a warm day... that's what this tasted like. The others who achieved this were Heston Blumenthal (that's his thing...) at the Fat Duck and Frantzen/Lindeberg in Stockholm. These tomatoes tasted of happy childhood memories.

Hibachi Grilled Fillet of Pacific Kanpachi: This elegant looking dish was the start of the meatier courses. This was a meaty fish served with squid, rice and vegetables. Bit of a Japanese nod I think!

Sweet-Butter Poached Maine Lobster Mitts: When done well I'm a huge fan of lobster, when done badly it's like an old tyre. This was perfect. Served with tarragon creme fresh, it was a lovely fresh dish before the onslaught of the meat. I ignored the beetroot (mortal enemy number 2).

Thomas Farm Squab: Just look how rare that is! This was gorgeous. Only just devoid of a pulse, this squab was rich and decadent and full of everything I had hoped! Mixed with such lovelies as figs, hazelnuts and coffee-chocolate sauce, this was Fall on a plate. We both had this, as the alternative was mortal enemy number 1. See menu.

Snake River Farms 'Calotte de Boeuf Grillee': American beef is so much better than the majority of ours (unless somewhere has a particularly good butcher!) This was a modest chunk of shin beef with the flavour of an entire cow. Served with a bone marrow and bread pudding and a thick 'sauce bordelaise', this was the point where I started to die. I always struggle around the main meat course because you generally go from very light vegetable and fish dishes into rich, dark meats with robust sauces. I was flagging.

Brebirousse D'Argental: This was a lighter mushroom dish (thank God!) with ribbons of celery. I was really struggling, but it was gorgeous. Again, very rich despite the lack of meat. Whoever said that fine dining portions leave them hungry need to have another chat with me after a tasting menu.

Plum-Ginger Soda: I was so pleased to see this. Something fresh and cold was just what I needed! This was immense. Sharp green tea ice cream with champagne granite and ginger snap crumble. Heaven.

Chocolate Pudding Pie: This was like a truffle with ice cream. This was the point where I nearly had to have a little cry. I went for a walk to the toilets just to try and wake up! The rich food and ambience was doing a bit of a number on me, and the food ache had well and truly set into the tops of my legs. At least I had a comfy dress on!

Birthday Cake: When we had made our booking, they slyly asked if it was for a special occasion. Most of the restaurants we booked over the phone asked this, but just as part of general chit chat as we were coming so far. My husband was presented with this pretty little cake complete with candle! We just about managed to eat it between the two of us! We knew we had another dessert to come...

Strawberries and Custard: This was the course I was looking forward to most, but came at the worst possible time. I'm dying. When it was put down I had a little chuckle, as it looked very similar to a dessert I had eaten at Northcote a few years ago. It stuck in my mind because it was incredible! Nigel Haworth obviously thought the same. He must have used this as his inspiration... It was just what the doctor ordered. Sorbet, chewy meringue and tart lemon custard to perk me right up! I enjoyed every mouthful, despite being on death's door five minutes previously. Total dessert warrior.

Chocolates: When our waiter appeared with a magnificent box of chocolates, I was torn between 'Ooh they are shiny and beautiful!' and 'Noooo! They will surely kill you!' We picked a Bounty style one and a peanut butter and jelly one. It's a good job we only picked one each, otherwise I am sure we would be deceased by now.

Petit Fours: I actually laughed out loud when I saw these appear with our coffees. I was again made to choose between feeling like I was about to burst and the utter gluttony that besieges me when I see a doughnut. Two doughnuts and a chocolate macadamia nut later, I was vowing never to eat again.

The French Laundry was everything we expected it to be and more. Classic French styling, influenced by Keller's experiences over a career spanning several decades at the top of his game. We left with an amazing goodie bag, which included food guides, copies of our personalised menus and two tins of house shortbread. They even packaged up the chocolate macadamia nuts we didn't manage to eat.

I hear Thomas Keller is now preparing for life as a retired man. Something tells me he won't be taking up crown green bowls or stamp collecting.

Please leave your comments below... x

Roam, San Francisco

If you Google 'Best Burgers in San Francisco', Roam will always be mentioned. We went here on our first day in the city and were welcomed by the most fantastic food! Roam is a bit of a fusion between the 'no booking' types and a fast food restaurant. You read a menu on a board, queue at the till, order your burger and then find a table. However, it's a far cry from fast food quality. It was really full when we got there, but people were coming and going all the time, so it mattered not.

Before I start, I have to tell you this burger is a strong contender for 'best of the trip'. I've still not quite decided yet, but it's in my top two. Their ethos here is simple. Fantastic produce means outstanding products. You're always going to get exactly what you want, as it's almost a 'build a burger' stylee. First you choose your pattie; beef, turkey, bison, veggie or elk (!). Then your style; these include classic, Swiss, BBQ and Pacific blue cheese. You can then add sauces and toppings. It's like burger pick n mix basically! I opted for the Classic with American cheese, as I saw someone else with it and a) wanted it b) didn't have much time to read the board! My husband had his with cheddar and applewood smoked bacon.

The burgers were unreal. The flavour of the beef was off the scale. So unbelievably juicy, full of flavour, slightly charred on the outside, beautifully pink on the inside. The salad was crisp and fresh, and the bacon was firm and tasty. What I'm trying to tell you is that these here burgers were fit (technical culinary term).

The fries were most definitely the best we had in America. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and covered in a sprinkling of parsley. It just works! Now then. Let's talk milkshake. I had a bit of a strawberry milkshake thing going on whilst in the States. I ordered one with almost every burger, just to test them... This one was again by far the best. I nearly gave myself a hernia trying to suck the shake up the straw. Chunks of real strawberry were suspended in thick ice cream.

I really cannot say enough nice things about this gaff. Staff were friendly and informative (yes, we were the obvious tourists looking lost at the counter) and the food was fast yet excellent. I would go back here in a heartbeat. Is a twelve hour flight is a step too far for a burger...? Nah! I'm having BBQ elk next time...

Dottie's, San Francisco

American breakfasts are epic. We're not talking bacon butties here. Even your coffee seems to come with a huge Danish pastry as standard! When we started planning our trip to the States I Googled 'best breakfast in San Francisco'. Dottie's was a feature on nearly every review site. If it wasn't top, it was damn close. Most of the reviews mentioned that you had to queue for about an hour to get in and that the neighbourhood wasn't the best. However, I thought (as BJ would say) the juice was worth the squeeze.

I looked at the menu again a bit closer to the time and saw that they had moved. Nice one! I'll be honest with you... the location is a little ropey in the morning, but it's ok. We got there at about 9.30am on a Sunday morning and they were already queuing round the corner. We had geared ourselves up for this, so it mattered not.

We waited around 45 minutes, which wasn't too bad. The queue continues inside, so you get to have a nose at the goings on in the restaurant before you are seated. Rather than being packed to the rafters, it's clear that the queue outside is a way of managing the number of covers inside. Service is fast and tables are turned round as soon as customers are finished, but no-one is ever rushed. There are empty tables in order to control the number of orders.

We were starved. Nothing whets the apetite like watching what other people are ordering and eating! My husband ordered the Open Road, which consisted of juice, two eggs (your way), home fries, your choice of bacon, sausage or ham and two pancakes with maple syrup. I opted for the quintessential American breakfast in the form of pancakes.

Hell's teeth. When they came the waiter was clearly having problems holding the plates! These pictures give you no idea of scale. Even the eggs were huge. My pancakes (the ones at the bottom) were the size of dinner plates and came with a full jug of maple syrup. A full jug. Whereas my husband polished most of his, I only managed to snaffle one and a bit pancakes. Pitiful. The great thing about American restaurants is that they hate waste. They always offer to package things up to take with you. In my case I politely declined, as the thought of eating anything batter fuelled for the next month was rather upsetting.

Dottie's is a wonderful place to go and chill out, and eat your breakfast in a relaxed manner. Coffee refills come as standard, and waiters are attentive without pestering. This is a very laid back affair. All baked goods are home made and everything is cooked fresh to order. They are very proud of their food, and take any opportunity to explain in more detail.

If you're ever in San Francisco, you must go to Dottie's. The wait really is worth it!

Check out their menu!

Please leave your comments below... x