the roundup: april 2023
I spent the first two weeks of April in the Bay Area and while they weren’t under the best circumstances, I am so happy I was able to be home and be with family. (That also meant that April was off to a VERY strong food start).
Food:
I landed at SFO and immediately my dad and I went to Koi Palace in Daly City for some dim sum. While this isn’t my favorite dim sum in the Bay Area this definitely hit the spot as my first touch down back home.
We tried out A16 on Chestnut Street in SF and I really enjoyed it! The highlights for me were actually the appetizers (meatballs) and the pizza (not pictured) and of course, the wine! It would be a great date night spot!
One of my favorite things to do with my family is a DIY sushi night with the supplies from Tokyo Fish Market. We buy the fish and all the salads and pickles and then make a big batch of rice and make our own hand rolls!
No trip back home is complete without some seafood and specifically oysters. We went to Hog Island at the Ferry Building and it was delicious as always! I love their grilled BBQ bourdon oysters, they are SUCH a treat.
RUN don’t walk to Wako Japanese Restaurant in San Francisco. Seriously, one of the most magical meals I have had in a very long time. We did their omakase meal plus a few extras and everything I ate was just incredible. We sat at the sushi bar and the chef was so friendly and truly a real artist in his craft. Everything I ate was incredible (dare I say… life changing) but the Japanese uni was truly on another level.
My dad took me to New Dumpling in El Cerrito, CA and man, it was delicious. First of all, the staff is so nice, the place is spotless and they make everything to order… even fill the dumplings on order. We got two kinds of dumpling (shrimp and pork and pork and cabbage), the pig ear salad, the shredded potato salad, the cucumber and wood ear mushroom salad, the chive pockets, the beef noodle soup and the wonton soup. Everything was so damn good. If you are in the area definitely check it out. Also they do takeout and you can ask for frozen dumplings to go!
One of the days I was back home, we went to Animo Restaurant in Sonomo and it was a treat. The chef combines California style cooking and ingredients with influence from his Korean background. Everything was absolutely amazing but the cannot miss items for me where the duck and the clam appetizer.
One night for dinner when I was home, my dad and I decided to make an Indian inspired and it was amazing. I made a Tan France dahl recipe, some saag, rice, homemade raita, braised cabbage, grilled onion naan and spiced lamb chops.
I tried out Kiraku in Berkley and it was stunning. The staff is incredible and every bite we had was amazing. I really loved how intimate the space is and I loved the combo of incredibly fresh fish and cooked dished. Some of my favorites were the uni nigiri, fried corn fritters, miso cod, kimchi and the udon carbonara.
When I got back to DC, my husband and I finally tried Martha Dear in Mount Pleasant and it was such a great experience. It is a great, cozy spot that does sourdough pizza with a Greek flare. We got some incredible cocktails (negroni season!), a cheese and ‘nduja sausage, a glorious Caesar salad and the most delicious chocolate olive oil cake. I will be back (often).
I made a delightful spring-inspired quiche with some great produce from the farmer’s market. For this one, I added cheese, ham, asparagus, fresh peas and ramps.
We went with some friends to El Secreto de Rosita and had an amazing meal! I feel like this spot is very overlooked because it is so unassuming from the outside. The space is super cool, the cocktails are amazing and the food is delicious!
We were able to try Genki Izakaya in Fairfax, VA towards the end of the month and wow it did not disappoint. It is such a fun spot with great drinks, a nice sake selection and delicious food! Some of my favorites were the torched salmon nigiri and the udon with cod row and cream.
Drinks:
My dad whipped out this Chateau Pierre de Lune from 2009 one night for dinner and it was sooooo good. Really rich but also light and fruit foward.
When I was in CA we did a day in Wine Country and we went to Scribe Winery. I am now obsessed with their Pet Nat wine. It is so light, fizzy, refreshing and perfect for summer!
If you are a Lambrusco lover (like I am) this is a wine you will love! This is a sweeter red with a very mild fizz (not as bubbly as Lambrusco) and is delicious chilled. It is very drinkable and my opinion a pretty non-offensive wine that would be perfect with a cheese or charcuterie plate.
Other Things:
I found an artist on Instagram, Anastasia Inciardi, who does this amazing stamped prints of food and I could not resist the little mini jam print for my food art wall! I hope more of her print comes back in stock so I can buy a few more!
This photo is taken from my favorite spot in my parent’s/childhood home. I love the view out of the big windows in the living room and I took this on a rainy day, which is my favorite kind of days at home!
Nothing too complex here, but I just had the best two weeks at home. We didn’t do much but it was exactly what I needed- feeling refreshed after some Bay Area time.
I am in my La-Roche Posay era! I have known about this brand for a while but while researching what I should buy/stock up on in France, I was super tempted to buy these two products and I can confirm they are so good. (I did not, in fact, wait to buy them in France). The first product is the Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment which is a spot treatment that really works and then the Lipikar Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream for your hands and body. I have been using it on my super dry hands and I have been loving it!
The first weekend I was back in DC, the weather was amazing, the farmers market was filled with ramps and I walked a ton! DC springtime was really showing off!
Lenny:
