For pescatarians
The past year or so has just been sort of sad here in Sonoma. Why, you might ask? Two words: No. Sushi. A famously food oriented town without sushi? It simply isn’t right. The thought of driving out of town every time the uncontrollable craving for raw fish and the burn of wasabi sets in is truly heartbreaking. Well, fear not Sonomans! Ed Metcalf’s Shiso Sushi is back and is better than ever. The lovely, atmospheric restaurant is located in the somewhat non-atmospheric Maxwell Village Shopping Center. The smiling, attentive staff showed my companion and I to seats at the sushi bar, which is topped with a gorgeous, oversized plank of polished wood. Here, diners have the happy opportunity to watch the glistening fresh fish cut to order. The menu is made up of plenty of traditional fare such as simple nigiri, creative rolls and the ubiquitous, but appreciated seaweed salad. My hand roll, which I always begin with, was near perfection. The nori wrapper was fresh and crisp, while the filling of salmon, avocado and minty shiso was lavish. A single, fresh diver scallop stuffed with fatty yellowtail left me wishing I had ordered more. There are a nice sized handful of offerings for non-sushi lovers as well. A pan-seared chunk of Szechuan-glazed pork belly was an indulgence, sautéed cabbage its ideal accompaniment. Lunch is quite possibly the steal here. A big bowl of pork, noodles and spiced broth was a recent special for the bargain price of $12. Good news for long, pretty summer evenings; an outdoor patio is in the works with seating under a massive, fragrant eucalyptus tree and views overlooking raised garden beds where Metcalf will harvest a unique selection of hard to procure Japanese herbs and vegetables. Just talking about sushi begins the whole craving process all over again…hmmm, Shiso for dinner tonight? Shiso Sushi and Grill is open for lunch Tuesday throu gh Saturday from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. and dinner Wednesday through Saturday 4:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. Call 933.9331 to make reservations.
For carnivores
Speaking of cravings, how often do you crave a beautiful, perfectly grilled steak? I have a good feeling that Alsina Station, the new Argentinian spot at Cornerstone Gardens, is going to be Sonoma’s new go-to spot for steakhouse fare. The setting is stunning, the interiors now boast a generous amount of rustic recycled wood and the olive tree lined patio sparkles with little white twinkly lights. At last weekend’s grand opening party, a substantial outdoor grill burned hardwood, resulting in decadent, smoky cuts of lamb, beef and sausage lovingly cooked to a state of ultimate juiciness. Visit alsinagrill.com to see the complete menu of Argentine sandwiches, salads and entrees. They are open Sunday thru Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and are located in the Cornerstone Gardens complex at 23570 Arnold Drive. Call 933.4422 for more details.
Good old dad
For many families, fathers were the source of countless favorite food memories and endless years of fun, delicious or even at times, questionable meals. In honor of the Father’s Day holiday this weekend, I asked the following local chefs to share some of their favorite food memories of their dads.
Sarah Pinkin, Chef at Murphy’s Irish Pub. “My father was a horrible cook, however he did have one good recipe – especially for kids – called the ‘Beanie Weenie.’ It’s a trashy concoction of pork and beans, cheddar cheese cubes and sliced hot dogs. Hot dog buns are then filled with the mix and baked in the oven until everything is hot and bubbly. I can still smell them coming out of the oven! It’s been a good twenty years since I’ve had one and I think I know what I’m having for dinner tonight!”
Ed Metcalf, Chef-Owner of Shiso Sushi and Grill. “My dad happened to own and operate four restaurants at one time, but was not a chef. They were called ‘Ham & Egg’s.’ It was like a comedy show where my mom and dad would be arguing through the pass-through window as customers would watch and laugh. My dad had a secret ingredient. He would add pepperoncini juice to everything; his potato salad, hollandaise sauce, soups and whatever else he could think of! To this day, he makes very good homemade pancakes and waffles. He was and is the inspiration to my cooking career and life.”
John McReynolds, Culinary Director at Stone Edge Farm. “My dad would occasionally cook Sunday night dinner which would always be breakfast fare, including waffles with bacon or Denver omelets. His specialty though, was a big bowl of home fried potatoes with over easy eggs mixed in, which he called ‘McReynolds Stew.’ There is something very appealing about eating breakfast for dinner, especially when your dad is cooking it.”
Norman Owens, Chef-Owner of Hotbox Grill. “My father passed away when I was very young, but my stepfather would always take us hunting and fishing. We would always cook what we caught or killed. A favorite of mine was black duck in currant sauce -– watch out for the shotgun pellets! My grandfather was also a decent cook. I remember going to visit him in Texas where he would always cook the same thing every year, oxtail soup out of the New York Times Cook Book. We would buy one ham and he could make that thing last a week with about ten different preparations and in the end the bone would end up in a less appetizing version of the same oxtail soup we started the week with.”
Argentinian Grilled Steak with Chimichurri
Serves 4
For beef:
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin (or other favorite cut)
For chimichurri:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
1 fresh bay leaf (optional), finely chopped
Stir together all ingredients for beef with 1 1/2 teaspoons each of salt and pepper. Marinate, covered and chilled, 4 hours. Meanwhile, stir together all chimichurri ingredients with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and let stand at least 2 hours. Remove beef from marinade, rub off excess (discarding marinade) and grill to desired temperature. Serve beef immediately with chimichurri sauce on the side.
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