Dine about town picks for 2011

Dine about town is here in SF again. This happens twice a year, one in January and one in June. It's a 2 week food fest where diners can enjoy a 2 course lunch for $17.95 and a 3 course dinner for $34.95 from SF's top restaurants. I've been participating at this event for 2 years now. This is basically your chance to sample and taste what the restaurant has to offer especially if it's on the expensive side. Last year, Ruth's Chris did this and they offered their rib eye steak which usually costs about $30 by itself. Now they are back but it seems like they are offering the Filet Mignon with chicken breast and shrimp or their fresh fish.

Here are my top picks for this year.

Chaya

Dinner

First Course

Wild Arugula, Fennel & Blood Orange Salad

Parmigiano-Regggiano, Pine nuts, Orange Olive Oil

or

Shrimp Tempura Roll & Radish Salad

Avocado, Tobiko, Cucumber, Kaieare, Yamagobo

Second Course

Pan-Roasted Local Petrel Sole

Potato Fondant, Brussels sprouts, Forest Mushrooms, Lobster Vinaigrette

or

Grilled Black Angus Flat Iron Steak

Potato Puree, French Beans, Salsa Verde

Third Course

Meyer Lemon Sorbet

or

French Apple Tart

Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream

Chez Papa Bistrot

Lunch

First Course

Soup du Jour

or

Butter lettuce salad, mustard, shallot vinaigrette

or

Anson Mills semoule, roasted chanterelle mushrooms, truffle oil, cypress hills goat cheese

Second Course

Salade Nicoise, rose pepper crusted ahi tuna, citrus-thyme vinaigrette

or

Pan roasted chicken breast with haricot vert, lardon, white corn, whole grain mustard jus

or

Mussels "Provencale", garlic, shallots, cherry tomato, nicoise olive, Pastis

Dinner

First Course

Mussels any style (recommended with french fries)

or

Lyonnaise salad, farm fresh poached egg, bacon, smoked duck, sherry vinaigrette

or

Grilled local sardines, fresh chick pea salad, parsnip chips, pistou coulis 

or

Anson Mills semoule, roasted chanterelle mushrooms, truffle oil, cypress hills goat cheese

Second Course

Bouillabaisse, black cod, clams, mussels, prawns, bay scallops, fingerling potatoes & rouille

or

Pan roasted Red Trout, braised cabbage, smoked bacon, pearl onions, lemon-tarragon beurre blanc

or                                

Lamb daube, rosemary-red wine sauce, seasonal vegetables

or

Duck confit leg, fennel puree, lardons, wild mushrooms, perigourdine sauce

Third Course

Chocolate fondant, crème anglaise

or

Apple tarte tatin, crème fraiche

or

Lavender crème brulee

Isa

Dinner

First Course

Organic Loch Duart salmon carpaccio with lemon, creme fraiche, cucumber, egg, capers & corstini

or

Dungeness crab salad with avocado, apple, grapefruit & taragon

or

Butter lettuce salad with barlet pears, candied walnuts, watercress & Point Reyes blue cheese

or

Arugula salad with mandarines, fuji apples, fennel, lemon vinaigrette and reggiano

or

Baked Laura Chenel goat cheese with pesto, tomato, concassee & pinenuts

or

Steamed Prince Edward island mussels with garlic, white wine, parsley & grilled bread

Second Course

Seared scallops with sauteed asparagus, mashed potatoes & truffle sauce

or

Nothern Halibut a la plancha with artichokes, tomato confit, olives, basil & zucchini

or

Spaghetti with himalayan truffles, tomatoes, basil & parmesan cheese

or

Truffle risotto with baby shiitake, hon shimiji mushroom & reggiano

or

Pan roasted rocky Jr. Range chicken with fresh herbs, creamy mashed potatoes & jus de poulet

or

Maple leaf farm duck breast with bacon, baby spinach, pine nuts, raisins, sherry & vinaigrette sauce

or

Grilled golden gate natural Angus flat iron steak with zucchini, fingerling potatoes, moutarde verte & bordelaise sauce

  

Third Course

Grapefruit granite

or

Semifreddo all'amaretto

or

Vanilla bean gelato with biscotti

or

Vanilla bean creme brulee

Lafitte

Lunch

First Course

Quiche of Green Garlic, Potato & Chèvre

Second Course

Spring Cassoulet of

Poultry, Pork Sausage & Gigante Beans

  

Optional Wine Pairing

Le P'tit Paysan Chardonnay, Rose or Sirah 10% off bottle price

Dinner

First Course

Escargot with Herbé Butter

or

Smoked Salmon, Orange, Radish & Frisée

Second Course

Porchetta, Grilled Spring Onions & Potatoes

or

Breast of Duck, Camargue Rice & Olives

Third Course

Almond cake with Cherry Espuma

Optional Wine Pairing

Le P'tit Paysan Chardonnay, Rose or Sirah 10% off bottle price

Luce

Lunch

First Course

Heirloom Carrot Veloute / Crispy Carrots

or

Babe Farm Baby Beets / Compressed Apple / Chevre Mousse / Toasted Hazelnuts

Second Course

Steelhead Trout / Toasted White Quinoa / Onion “Soubise” / Citrus

or

“72 Hour Short Rib” / Spaghettini / Local Mushrooms / Grana Padano

Dinner

First Course

Burrata, Compressed Peach, Toasted Quinoa, Wild Arugula

or

Diver Scallop, Cauliflower, Pickled Ramps, Lemon

Second Course

Steelhead Trout, Petit Squash, Tomato, Olive, and Spring Blossoms

or

Glazed Beef Short Rib, New Potatoes, Spring Onion, & Cucumber

Third Course

Warm Croissant Bread Pudding, Walnuts, and Coffee Ice Cream

or

Vanilla Bean Semi-Freddo, Strawberries, Rhubarb, and Phyllo

Tommy Toy’s

Dinner

First Course

Crab Cake with Mango Salsa

Second Course

Shanghai Bisque with White Fish, Silken Tofu, and Cilantro

Third Course

Salmon Wellington with Ginger-Scallion Cream and Daikon Slaw

Fourth Course

Wok-Charred Filet Mignon with XO Sauce and snow peas

Accompanied with Four Seasons Fried Rice with Shrimp, Chicken, Beef, and Barbeque Pork

Here are some pics from past DAT

Salmon dish - Bushi Tei (Lunch)

Bushi Tei salad (lunch)

Mussels - Sutro's @ the Cliff house (lunch)



Yucca balls - La Costanera (Dinner)




Duck Arborio rice - La Costanera (Dinner)



Asia De Cuba's bento box (lunch)

Enjoy Foodies... What's your pick?