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McDonald's Unwrapped - An Evening of Culinary Inspiration for Charity

This beautiful culinary creation by Chef Sophie Uong may appear very unfamiliar to you, but I guarantee that many of you have tasted parts of this dish at one point in your lives. You are probably wondering what I'm talking about, but if I tell you that the main protein is an actual deconstructed McDonald's Filet-O-Fish would you believe me? Well yes, it is true.

Last night, I attended a Charity dinner for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). Three Chefs including Top Chef alumnus Ryan Scott, Beverlie Terra, and Picán Restaurant's Sophie Uong created unique courses using purely deconstructed McDonald's ingredients. It was fascinating to say the least. 

The event was held at the California Culinary Academy, and as soon as you stepped through the entry door, the familiar scent of Mickey D's fries lingered. Nine courses of wine paired, haute Mickey D's awaited us.

With the exception of the late-night sundae, I hadn't eaten McDonald's in almost 10 years. My table mates were shocked. Who knew my reunion with McDonald's would be in the form of a hash brown gnocchi and a Big Mac streusel. I couldn't have even imagined.

In the end, whether or not the dishes were a one-bite taste, or worthy of a Gold(en) arch medal, the evening was a fun, once in a lifetime experience all for a great cause. Even if there were only one french fry on my plate for the entire evening, I was happy to be there amongst a wonderful group of people supporting a worthy cause - The Ronald McDonald House.

See all of the photos from the event, including eight other dishes created solely from McDonald's products HERE

CHAYA Scallop and Oyster Food Fair - Fleet Week & America's Cup Dining - Now through 10/14 - San Francisco

Could the weather be any more gorgeous in San Francisco this week? I think not. Indian Summer is finally here and the weather Gods are brightly shining down upon us. While the rest of the country is talking pumpkin soup and butternut squash ravioli, we in the Bay Area are finally reaching for our shorts and sandals. The timing couldn't be any more perfect with the arrival of Fleet Week and the 34^th America’s Cup World Series back to our city. Many are in a celebratory mood, and with this in mind, CHAYA Brasserie is offering a limited-time special menu ($12-$28) celebrating two of our favorite delicacies from the sea - Oysters and Scallops.

If you have guests coming in to town for Fleet Week, or just want to indulge in some satisfying cuisine and cocktails along the waterfront, CHAYA is your answer. Seeing the items on the menu below literally made my mouth water. Gosh, we are so blessed to live in San Francisco. Especially during this time of the year.

          

                                                     

Starters

Seasonal Half Shell Oysters

Classic accompaniments

 

Scallop Tartare

sesame chili ponzu, apples, tobiko, nori flat bread

 

Scallop Ceviche

red onion, cilantro, leche de tigre

 

Oyster Shooter Sampler

seaweed, ponzu, quail egg, radish, yuzu-yellow chili, shallots, mignonettes

 

Entrées

Scallop Pot Pie

wild mushrooms

 

Live Scallop Two Ways (market price)

sashimi and nigiri

 

Quick Smoked Scallops

lemon chive yogurt, cucumber salsa verde

 

 

CHAYA BRASSERIE SAN FRANCISCO

132 The Embarcadero

San Francisco, CA 94105

415.777.8688   

Matcha Affogato at Ippuku - Berkeley

If you are craving a taste of Tokyo, but don't have the time or funds to get on that plane to Narita at the moment; a visit to Berkeley's Ippuku just may do the temporary trick. Specializing in Izakaya cuisine, this authentically-decored space with a Japanese aesthetic and staff serves items not standard on American restaurant menus. Expect to find bites such as Chicken Tartare and Bacon-Wrapped Mochi.

Although you'll notice that a visit to Ippuku can be drenched in all things Nihonjin (Japanese), you'll be reminded of the fact that you are in the Bay Area. Especially, when you see the repeated use of local ingredients. One such example, is the Matcha Affogato ( green tea over Straus Organic soft serve vanilla) dessert. I'm an avid fan of Straus, making special visits to San Francisco's Super Duper and Zero Zero just to order it. The combination with the matcha was a perfect Ippuku ending. The only thing that could've made it better, was maybe a small dollop of azuki beans with a few fresh mochi on top. Reservations highly suggested.

Ippuku

2130 Center Street, Berkeley, CA 94704

(510) 665-1969