DINNER AT VANESSA'S BISTRO 2 IN WALNUT CREEK

Walnut Creek is rapidly becoming the East Bay/Contra Costa center for Asian/Fusion restaurants. It seems that a new place opens just about every other day.

While I exaggerate a bit, I personally think it is getting a bit overdone...more so than Italian did a few years back.

Jim and I already have our favorites, but are always willing to give the newcomers a try. We've been to Elevé which we enjoyed but, because we were one of the very few customers in there the night we dined, we've not been back...I always am uncomfortable when I see more servers than customers and, while it may be unfounded, tend to think the ingredients can't be the freshest if they are only serving a few customers on a given evening.

The other night, we were in the mood for Vietnamese food after a movie in Walnut Creek. We already love elegant, but comfortable Le Cheval and the more modest Da Lat. But I proposed that we try somewhere new.

We chose Vanessa's Bistro 2, a Vietnamese French place that has been open for a few months. Vanessa's may be new to Walnut Creek, but not to the San Francisco Bay Area. Chef Vanessa Dang has had a Berkeley restaurant for three years and, with her children, decided to expand to Walnut Creek. Her son Michael Nguyen owns the Walnut Creek restaurabt.

Vanessa's occupies a space that previously was a Japanese restaurant. It has a long busy bar, where you can eat also, and several tables in the main dining room where you enter. There is another dining room off the back of the main room. The decor is simple but stylish. I liked the ambiance immediately.

The restaurant describes its menu as "Vietnamese Tapas with a French Twist."

Right off Jim questioned having Tapas in an Asian restaurant, saying that Tapas are Spanish. I calmed him down, with an explanation that, these days, small plates are being called "tapas" regardless of the cuisine.

To my surprise, the menu is not all tapas; there are several full-sized entrées. This being our first time here, I asked if the larger dishes could be shared, as I frequently do in Asian restaurants. Our server assured us that all dishes are able to be shared.

We decided on two Small Plates (Tapas) from about 20 choices and one entrée-sized Seafood dish.

Our Tapa selections were Crispy Saigon Chicken Rolls



and Panko Crusted Fish Tacos.



The Chicken Rolls were served in a bowl with lettuce leaves and shredded carrot, mint, and daikon. Our server told us to wrap a roll in a lettuce leaf with the vegetables and dip it in Nuoc Mam Cham sauce that accompanied them.

The Fish Tacos were garnished with avocado and other tasty vegetables.

Our larger dish was Sautéed Jumbo Prawns & Day Boat Scallops with Vegetables in Thai Basil Coconut Curry.



We might have ordered more but our server told us that this would be enough. She was correct and we did not order dessert because we were more than satisfied with the amount of food we'd eaten for our meal. Another time, I have to at least save room for their Tarte Tatin, an upside-down caramelized French friut tart that I rarely pass up.

The wine list features over 50 wines by the glass and over 150 wines by the bottle. By the glass wine is offered in 2 ounce and 4 ounce servings. We both chose 4-ounce glasses of an Albarino from Spain; it was perfect with our meal.

I enjoyed every dish. The ingredients were fresh, the flavors wonderful. I'm planning to return again soon to sample more of the menu. I've been told that their Sandwiches (Rib Eye, Roasted Pork, Crab) are wonderful and there are several Small Plates that intrigue me (Green Papaya Salad with Poached Prawns, Maple Leaf Duck Confit Lettuce Wrap, Salt & Pepper Calamari, Shaking Beef,to name a few). Jim, on the other hand, liked what he ate, but likes our "regular places" better.

Hosting Jarka; Days Four & Five: Alcatraz, Le Cheval, St. Francis Yacht Club

By the fourth day of Jarka's five-day visit, we were ready to slow down a tiny bit.

The one sight remaining on her to-do list was Alcatraz. This is where we went on the last full day. I ordered our tickets online a few weeks in advance, knowing that they can sell out, especially in summer when there are more tourists in the Bay Area.

I chose the noon ferry, thinking that if there is fog in the morning, it is likely to burn off on the Bay side of San Francisco by noon. We drove in and parked at a parking lot next to the Teatro Zinzano tent along the Embarcadero. The flat fee was $15, much less than we would have paid in some of the lots and garages nearer to Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 that charge by the hour.



The Alcatraz ferries depart from Pier 33 about every half hour. While there is no fee to visit Alcatraz, which has become a National Park, there is a cost to take the 10-minute ferry ride over there.



I've not been to Alcatraz in many years, when the ferries departed from one of the Piers right near Fisherman's Wharf. Pier 33 is much less busy and the ferry operators have made the dock area very welcoming to visitors coming and going from Alcatraz. There is a dockside café and gift shop and informative displays that provide insights into the history of Alcatraz.




Once on the ferry, one has incredible views of the eastern part of San Francisco and, of course, of Alcatraz island.




One tours Alcatraz at one's own pace, with the aid of a recorded audio guide. Before we set out, we got a short orientation from a Park Service Ranger...and then we set out.



It takes a few hours to walk through this historic prison where some of America's most notorious prisoners spent their days.









Visitors can even walk into one of the cells in solitary confinement!



It is hard to imagine what it would be like to be imprisoned on this island in the middle of San Francisco Bay and, yet, be able to see the beautiful San Francisco shoreline.

Another interesting aspect of Alcatraz is its gardens. Apparently, it has an ideal climate for the colorful flowers that grow here. There are even special guided tours of the gardens each week.



That evening, Jim joined us for Vietnamese food at Le Cheval, our favorite Vietnamese restaurant.





On Jarka's final day, she joined us at a wedding luncheon at St. Francis Yacht Club.





I was amused that the clock in front of the yacht club is a Rolex!




The Club is close to the Golden Gate Bridge and thoughout the afternoon, the Bridge was in and out of the drifting fog. Sail boat races were going on right by the club and they provided an exciting backdrop to the party...the room we were in looked right out onto the Bay.





Now Jarka is back in Toronto where she reports that a six week city employee strike goes on. The biggest impact on her at this moment is that there is no garbage pickup in the city and that city parks have been designated as places to bring garbage.

I sure am glad that she came to visit me this year rather than my going there!

K & N were in town from Boston yesterday and we met them for dinner at Slanted Door. Why did I choose Slanted Door for out-of-towners? Well, this is a restaurant that continues to get a lot of hype for its fusion Vietnamese food. Its location in the Ferry Building, overlooking the Bay is lovely. Also, it is easy to get to from downtown San Francisco and easy to get to for me, coming into town from the East Bay.

I know K & N are adventurous (K and I go back to high school days) and I thought they would enjoy dining here. We had a wonderful evening.

Executive Chef Charles Phan was born in Vietnam and came, with his family, to San Francisco in 1977. Because his parents were each working two jobs, Phan, during his high school years, became the one to prepare dinner for his family of 10. His inspiration came from his mother's French/Vietnamese cooking style. I like to take out-of-towners to restaurants with a local angle. Chef Phan's approach is to create traditional Vietnamese dishes using local, sustainable, organic ingredients.

J & I got into town early and enjoyed the exceptionally warm weather by walking around the Ferry Building. As you can see, people were dining outdoors and just walking around, enjoying the glorious day. We saw several container ships heading in and out of the Port of Oakland, under the Bay Bridge.







Slanted Door begins dinner service at 5:30 p.m. Within half an hour of opening for dinner, its large dining room was full.



While we visited and looked over the menu, we sipped an excellent Loimer Riesling, a dry Riesling from Austria. I like Rieslings with Asian food and so does Chef Phan. The wine list features more than two dozen Rieslings, both dry and sweet. I relied on our waiter's suggestion for a moderately=priced dry Riesling. It was perfect for us.

Since most people share dishes at Slanted Door, we decided to each choose a main dish and to share two appetizers and two desserts.

Our appetizers were Raw Oysters from the Northwest (K wanted to taste the difference from East Coast oysters) and Slanted Door Spring Rolls. I missed taking a photo of the oysters and of one of the desserts, Vanilla Crème Brûlée, but have photos here of all our other dishes.

Our dinner was one of the best and most interesting meals I've had in San Francisco. In addition to enjoying the different flavors and perfect food preparation, I was especially impressed with the outstanding service. Even though there was a line of people waiting to be seated, we were never hurried. Our dishes were served one at a time and timed such that after we had sampled a bit of one dish, the next dish was brought to the table. This could not have been a better way to enjoy a meal with longtime friends.

Slanted Door Spring Rolls (shrimp, pork, and mint in soft rice noodle wrap, with peanut dipping sauce):



Day Boat Scallops (pan-seared, served with spinach and spicy pineapple-coconut sauce):



Shaking Beef (cubed filet mignon, cooked to your preferred "doneness", with watercress and red onion and served with a lime dipping sauce):



Cellophane Noodles with Dungeness Crab Meat:



Caramelized Tiger Prawns (with garlic, onions and chili sauce):



Beignets with Cinnamon Sabayon:



Slanted Door is open every day for lunch and dinner. Reservations are advised but drop-ins can eat at the bar or cocktail lounge as space is available. If you do find yourself in the neighborhood without a reservation, it won't hurt to stop in to see if there might be a table available...you could luck out as one of my friends recently did at lunch hour; she was seated almost immediately.

SATURDAY NIGHT & SUNDAY MORNING

It's been a cloudy, sometimes rainy, cool weekend in Northern California.

Last night, we were in the mood for Vietnamese food and headed to Le Cheval. We've been longtime fans of their original downtown Oakland restaurant and now consider ourselves extra lucky to have them also in Walnut Creek. Even though we were dining rather early, I made a reservation which was a good move. By 6:30 p.m., the place was packed.

Feeling a bit adventurous, we only ordered one of our favorites, the Le Cheval Bird's Nest, a noodle "nest" filled with chicken, prawns and vegetables. Instead of our favorite starters of Watercress Salad with Prawns and Salty Calamari, we tried the Hot and Sour Soup, Saigon Style, with Snapper. For a third dish, we had the Calamari with Vegetables.

The Hot and Sour Soup was WONDERFUL! Filled with chunks of snapper and lots of mushrooms and celery, all in a broth flavored with Lemon Grass, it was heavenly. Here's what it looked like in my cup.



The Calamari dish was not as thrilling mainly because, it contained most of the same vegetables as the Bird's Nest and tasted much the same.

But we tried new dishes and that's part of the fun.

Even more fun was we had leftovers for Sunday lunch.

Despite the drizzly weather Sunday morning, we did our marketing at the Walnut Creek Farmer's Market and then headed to Whole Foods for our Sunday breakfast with MA. Today her sister and brother-in-law, who are in town from Gaithersburg, joined us.



We sit out side, rain or shine, because Louie is with us on Sunday mornings. Even though Whole Foods does not have heaters on their patio, we usually manage to chat and eat for an hour or two.

What a nice Sunday tradition we have.

Dinner at Le Cheval before Nixon's Nixon

Last night we met two friends for dinner at Le Cheval in Walnut Creek before going to see Nixon's Nixon at the Dean Lesher Regional Center for Arts (DLRC). 

I've long been a fan of Le Cheval in downtown Oakland. When this popular Vietnamese restaurant opened a branch in Walnut Creek, I was both ecstastic and apprehensive. When restaurants expand into areas where the population is a bit different from their original locations, they do not always catch on.

The Walnut Creek Le Cheval was an instant success. My first visit was during the first week they opened last summer...the place was packed. And, it has continued to thrive. Last night, we started with the Watercress Salad with Grilled Prawns. Our other dishes were the Claypot Rice, Vietnamese Fried Rice cooked in a clay pot with chicken, prawns, beef and vegetables.

We also had Lemongrass Chicken, Green Beans, and a Crispy Bird's Nest, filled with seafood, chicken and vegetables.

With our meal, we drank a bottle of Ventana Riesling...a tart, dry Riesling that is delicious with the complex flavors of the food.  The cost of this satisfying meal for four? $85 before tip!!!

The Walnut Creek Le Cheval has a more elegant dining room than that in Oakland...I like them both. What is most important to me, regardless of which one I dine in is that the food is fresh, well-prepared and moderately priced.

Oh, and about the show afterwards...Nixon's Nixon is a hypothetical conversation between Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger on the eve of Nixon's resignation as president of the United States. The two main characters are on stage for 90 minutes of fascinating conversation...it brought back a lot of memories.  It continues to play at the DLRC until March 1...if you can't make it to Walnut Creek, look for it in your own location theatres.