So I have been absent for awhile, and I wasn't quite sure where to start - how do I chronicle all of the meals, trips, and recipes that have occurred over the past 2 months? I mean, when you love food as much as I do, you know this can add up to a lot.
Well, first I offered cheesecake, and now I am inviting you to lunch. Later, we'll go back into the kitchen and get cooking again. For now, I bring you Starbelly, a new-ish restaurant in the Castro, by people behind Beretta. Let's eat!
I believe that a great meal begins with something simple. In this case, just look at these beautiful roasted padron peppers with sea salt and olive oil. They are mostly mild, but every now and then one gives you a little bite - as if to say, well, what do you expect, we are peppers, after all. Apparently, they are common in Spain as tapas, but I had never had them there. What a treat - they are absolutely wonderful.
Next, a house-made chicken liver paté. (ooh look at me using the alt key to add the accent - fancy!!) Despite how humble it sounds to use chicken livers, this pate is flavorful, elegant, velvety, and satisfying. Again, simple ingredients, beautifully presented.
Next is the oyster poorboy (is it "poorboy" or "po-boy"? I have always thought the latter but "poorboy" is how it was listed on the menu - perhaps more PC, I don't know). I think that this is a hard sandwich to pull off if you do not have Cajun roots somewhere in your kitchen - a little spice is key, and this one, while well-prepared, is begging for some.
This sandwich, on the other hand, is very well seasoned. The meat is a house-made porchetta, which is a traditional Italian boneless pork which has been seasoned with herbs and spices and slow-cooked over a wood fire. It is tender and delicious, with thin white strips of fat appearing now and again for extra flavor. On top is a salsa verde and a salsa calabria, arugula and pork jus...a flavorful, lovely sandwich for a fall day.
And finally, dessert. Pot de creme, herbed cookies. Smooth with a side of crunchy.
One thing that Starbelly does absolutely right is that they have a huge beer list. Beer is the perfect pairing with this kind of food, and can be as varied as wine, so you can match it to the season or to your palate.
Often, we get asked by servers if we are in the food industry. I always laugh and say no, we are just really enthusiatic consumers. I suppose it is because we ask a lot of questions, treat the wait staff like equals rather than servants, and show a genuine curiosity about everything on our plates. We are fortunate to have friends in the restaurant business, so I think we have a pretty good appreciation for the behind the scenes stuff...and a distaste for when things are uninspired or pre-prepared.
All right, then. This was a good catch-up lunch - I feel reconnected and back on track. More to come.
