Category: FoodPrint-San Francisco

Restaurant:
Benu

Address:
22 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105

Category:
Asian/French fusion

Average:
Tasting menu: $285/ person (additional $210 for wine)

Review:
During my recent trip to San Francisco, I visited the acclaimed restaurant in town, Benu. Head chef Corey Lee was leading the culinary team at French Laundry before opening his own restaurant. Hence, a touch of French element is expected in his creations. In order to explore his roots and culture, Chef Lee also incorporates Asian, and particularly Korean influences into his menu installation. Therefore, Asian/French fusion theme runs through the whole experience at Benu.

Starting with small delicacies, Asian influences were obvious. Thousand Year Old Quail Egg was made so perfectly that the usual muddy taste was negligible. Bold choices of a mixture of ingredients were truly exceptional. From oyster to abalone to jelly fish to Korean sausages, these small plates showcased what the bay area had to offer.

However, the fusion of Asian and French cooking was truly represented in Benu’s main courses. foie gras xiao long bao beautifully merged traditional Chinese soupy bun with foie gras. Caviar, instead of being served with bread and diced onion, was matched with hand-pressed sesame oil and rice. These novel pairings brought liveliness to traditional Asian cuisine.

Chef’s originality was also demonstrated in desserts. Omija (five-flavored berry) ice-cream with ice-cream was a rare taste from Korean culture. Even the normal-looking cherry for finishing the meal was actually cored and stuffed with almond and sour cream. Chef’s meticulous care for details and creativity truly transformed his menu and made this dining experience exceptional.

Dining at Benu is like watching a grand painting unfold, with gorgeous design, bold flavor and pairing, and creative use of ingredients from different cultures and cuisines. It is certainly a must have dining experience in the bay area.

 

Restaurant:
Hog Island Oyster

Address:
1 Ferry Bldg
Shop 11
San Francisco, CA 94111

Category:
Seafood, Oyster

Average:
$10-30/person

Review:
It was exciting to finally make it to one of the most reviewed oyster bars in SF. Located in the Ferry Building, Hog Island Oyster has a prime spot for serving seafood, being right next to the ocean. To be completely honest, I did quite catch the interior decoration of the place since I directly picked a outside deck seat for my afternoon snack meal.

Oyster is absolutely among one of my top seafood selections. Therefore, there was no way that I can avoid the temptation of fresh oyster from this place. Naturally, the only thing I ordered there after a whole day of eating out was fresh oyster. I picked Hog Island Sweetwater (Pacific) oyster from Tomales Bay, CA.  Oysters were medium size and they were served very quickly after the ordering. The freshness of these oysters were indescribable as it tasted like straight from the ocean. These oysters had a very strong milky flavor, ending with a hint of almost vanilla like taste in my mouth. The freshness of the oysters stood out when I paired then with the vinegar based sauce served on the side. However, I did think that the strong flavor from the sauce overwhelmed some of the subtle tastes of fresh oysters so I would recommend true oyster lovers to just eat it as it is.

In general, I have to say that Hog Island Oyster does provide you some of the finest oyster products on the market and it is definitely a place worth visiting even just for an afternoon snack (always order oyster). I did have any of the entrees so I cannot comment on the cooking of this place, but their selection of oysters is certainly worth trying.