Thursday May 27th: Homage Series Recap

For the past 10 weeks we've been paying homage to world class chefs and have enjoyed presenting some great dishes inspired by their food. This Thursday we conclude the series by recapping some of our favorites from the series including dishes in the styles of Rene Redzepi, Michel Bras, Pascal Barbot, Inaki Aizpitarte and QuiQue DaCosta.

The Best of the Best!

MENU:

sea urchin, frozen cream, dill, cucumber - $8

roasted beet, goat cheese, olive soil - $7

foie gras and miso soup with assorted legumes - $9

bison tartare, tarragon, wood sorrel - $10

gargouillou - an assortment of raw and cooked vegetables, prepared appropriately - $8

skate, mussel emulsion, vegetable stems - $12

a basic understanding of lamb - roasted leg and crispy belly with lamb gelee, assorted seeds and grains - $14

yogurt parfait, celery, peas, chervil, mint oil - $5

olive oil cake, crème fraiche ice cream, strawberry, balsamic vinegar - $7

* * *

Notes:

Mission Burger will close on Saturday May 29th

Mission Street Food will close on Saturday June 5th with plans to re-open in a different format later this summer.

Saturday May 22nd: Guest Chef Bridget Batson

This Saturday we are excited to host Bridget Batson, executive chef of Gitane. A San Francisco Chronicle Rising Star Chef in 2001, Bridget graduated from the Institute of Culinary Education and has worked at Hawthorne Lane/TWO, Pizzeria Delfina, and Boston’s Blue Room and Hamersley’s Bistro.

Bridget has generously pledged a portion of her proceeds to Commonwealth, a progressive American restaurant with a charitable agenda, opening this summer.

MENU:

Scallop Crudo, txakoli, green apple, seaweed - $9

Monterey Bay sardines with spiced potato croquettes, preserved Meyer lemon $ 8

*Turnip Veloute, chicken quenelle, hazelnut, parsley - $7

Chicken Liver Confit, sweet herb salad, rye crumble, pickled ramps - $8

*Braised Carrot, pickled carrot, carrot pesto, fried chickpeas - $7

Poached Atlantic Skate, jamon broth, cherrystone clams, spinach, XO sauce - $12

Braised Sonoma Lamb cheeks w/ spring garlic, fava beans, artichoke puree $ 12

Lung Shan's Vegan Delight: shitake and oyster mushroom dumplings in miso soup - $5.5

Bellwether farms sheep's milk panna cotta with roasted cherries, cocoa nibs, sea salt $ 8

Thursday May 20th: Homage Series Auguste Escoffier

This Thursday we continue our homage series with Auguste Escoffier, the grandfather of Western cuisine. Escoffier was the first chef to emphasize seasonality, lighten sauces, preserve through canning, de-glaze, and use veal stock or fumet. He's also credited with the modernization of the menu and the development of professional kitchen systems. As co-founder of the Ritz-Carlton empire, Escoffier is responsible for elevating the hospitality industry to new heights, but he also undertook philanthropic endeavors including the organization of programs to feed the hungry, and programs to financially assist retired chefs. His ideas and codification of French cuisine are acknowledged as the foundation of modern cooking in Europe and around the world.

We hope you'll enjoy a menu of Escoffier classics, which we are as proud to serve as we are humbled by the challenge of presenting them correctly.

MENU:

Potage Montespan - Asparagus, Tapioca, Peas - $6

Salade Americane - Tomatoes, Potatoes, and Celery - $6

Oeufs Chasseur - Eggs with Chicken Liver and Mushroom Sauce - $8

Sole Veronique - Poached Dover Sole, Peeled Grapes, Fumet Glaze - $11

Poulet en Vessie - Game Hen and Black Summer Truffles steamed in Pig Bladder, with Spring Vegetables - $16

Rognon de Veau Robert - Seared Veal Kidney with Mustard Sauce - $8

Tournedos Rossini - Medallion of Filet Mignon with Seared Foie Gras, Madeira Demi Glace and Brioche - $16

Bombe Ceylan - Coffee and Rum Bombe - $6

Saturday May 15th: Guest Chef Ian Muntzert

This Saturday we're pleased to have Ian Muntzert as guest chef. Ian has worked at Coi, Zuni Cafe, Nopa, Pizzeria Delfina, Yoshi's, and Bar Tartine and his menu reflects that breadth of experience with myriad techniques and flavor profiles. Ian will also be the chef de cuisine at Commonwealth, set to open later this summer.

MENU:

Scallop crudo, coconut coulis, shaved turnips, ginger tapioca, squid ink granita - $10

Ragout of spring vegetables, goat milk veil, pine, gobo - $8

Poached egg, potato, tamarind, alliums, sheep's milk yogurt - $7

Foie Gras torchon, umeboshi, kinome, puffed rice - $12

Pork belly, rock shrimp, dashi, garlic, crunchy vegetable salad - $12

Manilla Clams, chorizo, ramps, fennel, cilantro, pea tendrils - $8

Hangar Steak, nira, enoki, wheatgrass - $11

Cherries, tarragon, chocolate crisp, dulce de leche ice cream - $6

Thursday May 13th: Homage series - QuiQue Dacosta

This Thursday we continue our homage series with QuiQue Dacosta Executive Chef of El Poblet, Denia Spain. Perhaps more so than any other chef, Dacosta is a virtuoso, whose food transcends culinary art, and borders on impressionism, expressionism, and even abstraction. What is impressive is that his food is as accomplished (or more) from a technical standpoint. Needless to say, our humble dishes will surely pale in comparison to what you could experience in Southeastern Spain, where the Montgo Mountain meets the Mediterranean Coast, but we hope you'll enjoy it.

MENU:

Foie Gras with Rum and Coke Gelee, citrus zest, arugula - $9

Abstraction of the Sea - Salad of seaweed and mushrooms, potato, almond aioli - $8

The Living Forest - Mushrooms in various forms, tender greens and herbs - $9

Fregula Salad - Peas, licorice, fumet gelatin, israeli cous cous - $6

Chicken of the Sea - Grilled Tuna Loin with Chicken and Tuna sauce - $13

Red Snapper "Mark Rothko", Saffron - $14

A Basic understanding of Lamb - Roasted Leg, Braised Belly, assorted seeds and grains - $14

Violet Ice Cream, Pineapple Meringue, Aloe - $6

Saturday May 8th: Pan-Asian Tapas

Nobody really uses the term Pan-Asian with a straight face these days (and that's not meant to be a slant-eye reference). Fusion is in again. You heard it here first.

MENU:

*Pea Soup, Ginger, Artichoke Chip - $4

*Castelvetrano Olive, Manchego, Lychee - $6

*Pan e Tomate - Grated Tomato, Toast, Shiso - $6

*Seared Sardines wrapped in Lardo, with Miso-White Beans - $8

Uni Bocadillo - $8

*Grilled Asparagus, Thai Chili-Cilantro Aioli - $5

Tortilla Okinomiyaki with Rock Shrimp, Salted Fish, Kewpie Mayo, Nori, Bonito - $9

General Chorizo's Chicken - $8

Pork Belly & Fried Oyster - with "Black Sherry" vinegar - $10

Chocolate Crisp, Tofu Custard, Chocolate, Olive Oil, Sea Salt - $5

Thursday May 6th: Homage Series - Tetsuya Wakuda

This Thursday we continue our homage series with Tetsuya Wakuda of Tetsuya's in Sydney, Australia. Often recognized as one of the top chefs in Australia and the world, his food is characterized by "pure clean flavors that are decisive, yet completely refined." Tetsuya's seafood driven menus reflect his Japanese heritage, and incorporate French Technique to showcase Tasmanian produce.

MENU:

Snapper Sashimi with black bean, orange, sprouts, chili threads - $9

Corn and Vanilla Soup with Sea Urchin Ice Cream - $7

Miyagi Oyster with Rice Vinegar and Ginger - $5

Tian of Scampi with Papaya, Cucumber - $10

Octopus Ravioli with Black Olive, Sushi Rice and Oregano - $8

Confit of Ocean Trout with Roe, Konbu, Apple, Daikon - $17

Chicken and Foie Gras Roulade with Olive and Caper Jus - $13

Green Apple Sorbet, Sorrel-Sauternes Jelly, Caramelised Apple with Calvados - $6

Cannellini, Mascarpone, Soy Caramel, Blue Cheese Anglaise - $5