Restaurant – Will Bake for Shoes

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A Taste of Italy with Panino Giusto

Posted on January 12, 2017October 11, 2017by Brandy Saldana

A new year means new experiences, and now is the perfect time to eat lunch at recently opened Panino Giusto in Cupertino. Right before the holidays kicked in, I was invited to a tasting lunch.

Panino Giusto is an Italian restaurant that started out in Milan, Italy. They quickly became known for their artisanal menu and for sourcing fresh and local produce and have opened 22 locations worldwide. Cupertino is their first US location and a big reason why you should make your way over to visit them for lunch or dinner.

For starters, we had fresh squeezed juices, cheese plates, salads and cured meats. Among the cheeses we tried was their well-known 30-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. It was my favorite among the ones we tasted and one I highly recommend. We also tasted a variety of cured meats and my favorite was their 27-month old prosciutto crudo.

We tasted 3 of the most popular paninis from the menu: the Milano 2015, Madras, and Giusto. Each panini paired was paired with a different wine and I would ask a server what they would recommend if you drink wine with your panini. I loved the ambiance in the restaurant and enjoyed being able to eat in the outdoor area. There is a lot of detail in each panini and it is apparent through the taste. Each one had a fresh taste, and the flavors of each one surprised me. I never knew I liked anchovy until I tried the Giusto sandwich.

Of course, my favorite part of any meal is dessert and we indulged ourselves with chocolate pear cake, panna cotta, tiramisu, and apple tarts. Dessert paired nicely with a warm cappuccino made using their espresso machine. Our tasting lunch felt like an all day thing, but that was one of the nice things about it. There is no rush when eating at this spot and it makes a great place to hang out and enjoy the food that has been prepared.
There are plans for this restaurant to open a location in SF and LA, but don’t wait to try a panini or 2 in their first US location!

Food
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Oakland Eats: Hopscotch Bar & Restaurant

Posted on January 21, 2016by Brandy Saldana

I had the opportunity to eat with lifestyle and food bloggers at Hopscotch Bar & Restaurant back in November, and am shocked I have not shared this post sooner! I love trying out new places and lately I feel I am venturing outside of Berkeley a lot more often for delicious bites.
Hopscotch Bar & Restaurant is located in Uptown Oakland, 1915 San Pablo Ave., and only 2 blocks from 19th Street Bart Station. It is home to rising star Chef Kyle Itani, winner of Knife Fight and the restaurant “seasonally inspired cocktails and regional American food with Japanese sensibility.”

After being seated, our drink orders were taken and their cocktail menu did not disappoint! In case you are interested in trying what I had, its called the Ectoplasm Cooler, made with St. George Spirits citrus vodka, kiwi ad lemon and is nod to the Ghost Busters-inspired Hi-C flavor. Definitely living up to serving cocktails “with a twist.”

As starters, we were served a mixed green salad and yonsei oysters. The yonsei oysters were gorgeous and although they have a small shell, the oyster takes up most of the space. They were also topped with sea urchin, salmon roe, and citrus soy. I’ve only started tasting oysters towards the end of 2014, but this is by far some of the best oysters I have ever tasted. These are definitely a must-have if you visit Hopscotch.

The main entree of the evening was the buttermilk fried chicken with a side of greens & shrooms. I don’t think I can describe how amazing this chicken was. I wish I had eaten a whole bucket by myself, but we were served a couple of buckets for our table to share with one another. The seasoning was perfect and made me question everything I had known about fried chicken up until that point. It was cooked well and something I would definitely order again.
The greens & shrooms were the perfect compliment for the fried chicken, but I heard the chicken is amazing for brunch when paired with their waffles.

And finally, we came to dessert which was their donuts with butterscotch cream. The donuts are really light and almost reminded me of a beignet. They are coated with sugar and the cream takes these donuts to the next level.
The food I enjoyed at Hopscotch left such an impression on me, that I ordered the Fried Chicken and donuts to share with some of my coworkers last Wednesday through Caviar. If you are in the East Bay, Caviar can deliver some of the Hopscotch goodness to you in less than an hour. You can try it using my referral code for $5 off your first order
On the other hand, you should at least visit the restaurant if you have a chance. The ambiance is great and the food is excellent. I had dinner in their extra space, but I want to go back and experience dinner in their restaurant and potentially enjoy another classic cocktail with a twist at their bar.
Have you tried Hopscotch Bar & Restaurant? I would love to know especially if you have any other recommendations of what to order. Check out my blogger friend Aimee’s post on Hopscotch here for more foodie pictures and details of the restaurant.

Food
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Truvee Wine Tasting and Sangria Recipe

Posted on June 14, 2015by Brandy Saldana

Right before I headed out to Hawaii, I was invited by the McBride’s Sister’s Truvée wine company for a food & wine tasting at Sen’s Restaurant in San Francisco. Sen’s is one of my favorite restaurants in SF, particularly because of its happy hours and gorgeous view of the Bay Bridge. So of course, I RSVP’d and made my way over for a delicious lunch to learn more about this wine.

I had never heard of Truvée Wines before, but I found that its story is pretty unforgettable. Two sisters, Robin and Andrea McBride, grew up without knowing about each other until after their father’s death. Both were born in LA, but Robin, the eldest, grew up in Monterey and Andrea was raised in her mother’s native country of New Zealand. Both developed an early appreciation for wine because of where they grew up and became business partners soon after being reunited again. Truvée means “to find” in French, and I admired the relationship these sisters had, especially as partners in a business venture, and was excited to see what their wines tasted like.

We sampled the Chardonnay first and paired it with two starters: a Mediterranean Spread and a Spiced Chicken Meatball. This wine was very refreshing, and tasted unlike other Chardonnays I’ve tried. It featured hints of citrus, pear, honeysuckle, green apple and pineapple and had a clean, crisp finish. We also paired this Chardonnay with our salad, which featured paige mandarins, avocado, grapefruit, and a lemon vinaigrette.

For my entree, I ordered the Paella and that was paired with the Truvée Red Blend. The Red Blend featured notes of blueberry, blackberry, caramel, cocoa and red cherry, creating a smooth and decadent flavor. This was my first time trying Paella, but it was something I had always been interested in trying. I loved it and it was an excellent pairing for this wine.

And of course, this lunch would not be complete without dessert! It was a very tough decision, but I picked the Almond Basque Cake, a sponge cake with blackberry compote, almond croquant and chantilly. The alternative was a Meyer Lemon Tart, strawberries on a toasted oat streusel with a strawberry sorbet, which looked equally delicious!
Between the two wines, it was hard to choose a favorite. I was glad I had the opportunity to sample the two wines and was surprised with how affordable at 15.99 a bottle considering their luxurious taste. When I initially arrived to the restaurant, I was greeted with a Sangria made with the Truvée Chardonnay and I am happy to share the recipe of it that will be perfect for your summer get-togethers!

Truvée San Francisco Sangria (Serves 12)
Mix:

1 750 ml bottle of Truvée Chardonnay6 oz. bottle Ketel One Citroen6 oz. elderflower liqueur6 oz. Stellina di Notte Prosecco

Garnish:RaspberriesPeaches

Food
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A Taste of Agreeno at Pathos

Posted on April 22, 2015by Brandy Saldana

Last month I was invited to a culinary event at Pathos Organic Greek Kitchen in Berkeley to try out some expertly prepared mezes paired with wines and to see a culinary demonstration by celebrity chef/author Diane Kochillas. This demonstration was intended to highlight a new and healthy risotto by a Greek brand named Agreeno that is coming to the states soon. Pathos has been on my list of restaurants to try ever since it opened in Berkeley, and I was excited to get a taste of it here during this event. Here are some photos Armando and I took from the event and a glimpse of some of the food and wine I got to try.

One of my favorite appetizers were these pieces of grilled octopus. I also loved how fresh everything tasted. It has definitely convinced me that I need to make a reservation for dinner soon.

I also had a chance to meet Diane Kochilas. She presented her own cookbook as part of her presentation and we tried two different dishes using the Agreeno rice. As I mentioned earlier, Agreeno rice will be making its way stateside soon and I am pretty excited about it. The samples we had were very tasty and it sounds like it is pretty easy to cook. The best is that the rice is cultivated in Greece by Farmers responsibly. Ethically grown food is always good, but it was also cool to learn that they develop a unique flavor by being grown near the Mediterranean Ocean.

What are your thoughts on Greek cuisine? I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions so I have a better idea of what to order when I visit Pathos for dinner!