SNOB Continues Its Wednesday Wine Tastings

Last night SNOB Wine Bar continued its Wednesday wine tasting series with a flight of German whites. Right up my alley as I prefer whites to reds, generally speaking, and enjoy a bit of sweetness, but not too much, in some whites. On offer were three wines. The first was Schloss Saarstein Riesling 2006. The wine featured rich flavors and a bit of minerality and a smooth, slightly sweet finish. Very tasty. The second selection was a P.J. Valckenberg Kabinett 2006 which exuded rich fruit flavors such as apricot as well as a tropical aroma all finished with a bit of crisp acidity. Definitely my favorite of the evening. The last selection was a Leth Steinagrund 2007. The wine was more dry than the other two and had a citrus finish on the palate. A nice way to end the tasting. The tasting is $10 and includes a flight of the selected wines and cheese, crackers and grapes. Hope you stop by to enjoy.

SNOB Wine Bar
1327 Polk Street
www.sfsnob.com

Half-Price Wine Night at Solstice

Solstice is a great neighborhood and also sometimes destination bar and restaurant that somehow manages to combine a hip and modern ambiance with a comfortable and inviting vibe. The space, which used to house Rassella's which is now located near The Fillmore, is dimly lit with comfortable tables and chairs, an attractive bar area and lots of plants, a large palm-like tree being the centerpiece of the dining room. There also is a lounge area just slightly down from the main space which is perfect for groups of 20 or so. On Mondays all wines by the bottle are half-price, just another reason to make a visit and start the work week off on a happy note. The wine list is interesting and generally affordable, especially on Monday nights. We sampled a few bottles between the group, including a very crisp and effervescent Portuguese Vino Verde, Mia's Playground Merlot from Sonoma, and Ringbolt Cabernet from Australia. The reds were both nice - fruity with a big flavor and a lasting finish. The Merlot was especially heavy on notes of sweet, ripe berries. We snacked on a few of the food items as well. The menu is fairly short but very appealing and features items that showcase local ingredients. We had Frites Two Ways which features traditional fries made with Idaho potatoes and serves with ketchup, and sweet potato fries served with a jalapeno aioli. The sweet potato fries were especially tasty, though I thought a bit of additional salt would have been beneficial. The Prosciutto Pizzetta, which features a thin and crispy crust topped with prosciutto, smoked mozzarella and roasted tomatoes, also got good reviews. The Gorgonzola Mac N Cheese is, well, a heaping pile of goodness featuring the pasta on a base of granny smith apples with lots of gooey cheese and topped with toasted walnut dust. All in all a very enjoyable evening, and an inexpensive one at that. Enjoy.

Solstice

2801 California Street in San Francisco

http://www.solsticelounge.com/

Krupp Brothers Estate Wines at the California Wine Merchant

California Wine Merchant on Chestnut Street in San Francisco is a really cute wine shop that has a nice wine bar and a small offering of cheeses and breads to go along with the wines you taste, and they do tastings from time to time as well. Yesterday on offer were wines from Krupp Brothers Estate. The owner of the winery was on hand along with one of his operatives. Both really nice folks. The wines range in price from $54.95 to $109.95 a bottle, not generally in my price range, but they were definitely well-crafted and unique. We started with a Veraison 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, which was a fairly big wine with a bit of pepper that lingered on the palate after a sip. The Krupp Brothers 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Stagecoach Vineyard was almost European big red wine in style, with alcohol being the main aftertaste. The Doctor, a blend of four grapes including mostly Tempranillo and Malbec, was slightly off in my opinion. Not fruity enough, but an interesting flavor combination for sure. We then tasted the Veraison 2004 Synchrony, Stagecoach Vineyard. Certainly more well-balanced than the previous selection, I enjoyed this wine but wasn't sure what food I would pair it with or if it would work on its own generally speaking. The last two selections were my favorites. A Black Bart 2004 Syrah, Stagecoach Vineyard, and a Joshua 2004 Syrah, Stagecoach Vineyard. The latter I thought was really special, but both exhibited nice fruit and good structure. At $15, the Monday tastings are a great way to sample wines you may not otherwise, and perhaps find a hidden treasure. Enjoy.

California Wine Merchant

2113 Chestnut Street in San Francisco

http://www.californiawinemerchant.com/

Happy Hour at Nook Cafe

Nook Cafe is a really cozy spot at the corner of Hyde Street and Jackson on Russian Hill where you can relax with a cup of coffee, enjoy a good glass of wine or have a casual and healthy meal. Happy hour is from 5 to 7p.m. on Monday through Friday, and features $3 house wines by the glass. The space is small but with high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides of the spot, so it doesn't feel cramped at all. There's also free wi-fi until 6p.m. on weekdays which is a nice bonus. During the day it's easily a spot you can just hang out at while reading or perhaps getting some work done. At night it's somewhat romantic even and a great venue for having a nice glass of wine or two and a bite. The menu is a fusion of Mediterranean and Californian flavors and concentrates on items that are healthy (low fat, bran, natural ingredients, organic, vegan…), flavorful and imaginative. I almost always love hummus, and their version is thick and tasty and is served with olive tapenade, cucumber, tomatoes and warm pita bread. Nook also offers several delicious salads, my favorite of which is the Spinach Salad with apples, caramelized walnuts and Gorgonzola in a raspberry walnut dressing. You can add chicken to any of the salads for only $2 so it makes for an inexpensive light meal as well. There are also a few sandwiches on the menu, all of which feature great ingredient combinations. Selections include a Honey Baked Ham Sandwich with Fontina cheese and sage on whole wheat baguette, a Turkey Sandwich with melted Brie and cranberry sauce on baguette; and a Chicken Sandwich with hummus, red onions and mixed Lebanese herbs on Ciabatta bread. Breakfast items include egg sandwiches, bagels with various toppings and spreads and pastries. It's a really adorable neighborhood spot to spend a little while in, and one with inexpensive and tasty food and drink.

Nook Cafe

1500 Hyde Street in San Francisco

http://www.cafenook.com/

Picaro, Inexpensive Tapas in the Mission

The Mission certainly offers quite a few tasty choices as far as tapas spots go, but Picaro is one which is centrally located, consistently tasty and inexpensive. There are four tables outside for enjoying your meal when the weather is nice, and the indoor portion of the restaurant is good-sized and earth tones, simple wood tables and other furnishings, Spanish paintings and other decor and friendly staff give off a nice and comfortable vibe. There's a short wine list as well as several beers on tap and sangria on offer as far as libations go. I had the Marques de Riscal, a dry white wine, last time I was there and at $5 a glass it certainly works just fine. Patatas Bravas, the standard fried potato dish, is nice and somewhat spicy at Picaro. Tortilla de Patata, potato and oniion omelet; Championes de Ajillo, or mushrooms sauteed with garlic; Pollo al Ajillo or garlic chicken, are other standbys that Picaro does well. I also almost always order grilled calamari when I see it on a menu since I much prefer it to the fried variety, and Picaro's take on the dish is delicious. Ropa Vieja, or stew with beef, chicken and chorizo is another solid dish. Picaro is a good place to just know about and stop in when you are in the neighborhood and are looking for a relaxed place to enjoy tapas for not a lot of money. Enjoy.

Picaro

3120 16th Street in San Francisco

Amelie Le Bar de Vin on Polk Street

I have been wanting to try Amelie, especially since it's in my neighborhood, and was really happy when the chance came to pop by last Friday night. We arrived around 7:30ish and the place was hopping - standing room only at the bar and full tables. The space is sort of railroad in style with a somewhat narrow width and much longer space from front to back of house. The tall bar back spans one side of the venue and the other is adorned with a handsome mirror. Hues of rich red and earthy tones generally lend a really appealing ambiance, and a shiny bar top and loads of pretty little candles add a really nice warmth as well. The furniture is minimal which works in the smallish space and goes with the generally clean lines and modern vibe. We were seated on the inside end of the bar area and thus had a perfect view of the small kitchen-space they have in the restaurant section of the space and which they use to make several of the menu items, including a couple of which my friend and I ended up ordering. The wine and food menu is a printout which is clipped to a vintage vinyl of one or another variety - a cute touch. There are various epithets and other quick blurbs regarding wine and enjoying life and each other's company and the like in various spots which makes for fun eye wandering. I was tempted by many of the offerings on the approachable and well-crafted yet not at all overwhelming wine list. I chose a somewhat lesser-known white variety from Austria - Gruner Veltliner, which was really nice and light and a decent value at $8 a glass. My friend had the Bordeaux Chateaux Bonnet Reserve Merlot which had really nice fruit character and was well-balanced and smooth on the palate. We both enjoyed our selections quite a bit and stayed with them for the duration of the evening. I would say most folks were having some sort of snack with their libations, though I imagine later in the evening it's more of just a wine bar and not also a spot for food as well. We shared a Mixed Lettuce Salad with grilled fennel and lemon-herb vinaigrette; Flatbread with portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions, watercress, balsamic reduction and topped with oregano; and Roasted Peanuts topped with sea salt. The salad was crisp and tasty and only lightly dressed which was nice. The flatbread was tasty, although a bit heavy on the onions for my taste. A nice flavor pairing with the crisp wine though. Next time I go back I want to try a Roasted Pork dish that's served with faro and vegetables and perhaps the Miyagi Oysters and the Cheese and Charcuterie Plate. Amelie is really cute neighborhood spot and one ideal for lingering over wine and small plates for the duration of an evening.

Amelie

1754 Polk Street in San Francisco

http://www.ameliesf.com/

Olea Opens at California and Larkin

A new spot to pop by, Olea, opened yesterday on California and Larkin in San Francisco. The space is somewhat small yet elegantly and simply decorated, and the cuisine is American and Mediterranean featuring local ingredients. Hues of rich, deep red and warm lighting yield a comfortable ambiance. The menu and wine options are fairly limited but certainly appealing and approachable. Options include appetizers of Grilled Shrimp with Black Rice, and Butter Bean Crostini with Arugula. Entrees range from Halibut with a Green Bean Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette, and a Vegan Plate with farro, broccoli and walnuts. Desserts are simple and well thought out and include a tasty Cheesecake with layers of vanilla, walnut and chocolate with a top that is crisp thanks to a flame torch used for creme brulee and which is also accented with swirls of a blackberry coulis. Looks to be a casual neighborhood spot and one I recommend checking out for sure.

olea

1494 California Street at Larkin in San Francisco

Happy Hour Everyday

Walking around my new
neighborhood I noticed a sign with a quite appealing iteration - happy hour from 3 to 7pm seven days a week. How perfect that the spot, Ti Piacera, is not only a comfortable and appealing restaurant with very friendly bar and waitstaff, but it is only a couple of blocks from home. During happy hour, rail drinks and house wines (whites are Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay, and the red is a Merlot) are $3 a glass, and appetizers (except the fresh oysters on the half shell) are half off. The Calamari Fritti served with marinara sauce, thick and rich Hummus with Toasted Pita Wedges, and Involtini Melanzane, or pan seared eggplant stuffed with mozzarella and mushrooms topped with roasted bell pepper coulis, are all tasty, and a nice accompaniment to an early-evening glass of wine or two. The bar area is quite easy to hang out in, and offers 3 seats with a great view of the Polk Street passersby. The general lunch and dinner menus are nice as well, offering various Italian and a few Mediterranean dishes, which are affordable and approachable. The wine list is fairly inexpensive and while not in-depth, you can most likely easily find something to your liking. A great casual neighborhood spot for sure.

Ti Piacera
1507 Polk Street at California in San Francisco
http://www.tipiacera.com/