We went to Le Diner a San Francisco.  Was fun.  Probably nowhere close to the fun the real Diner En Blanc is but fun.  Was freaking cold though and that kinda blew.  Here are shitty pics.  We sucked and brought candles and the wind blew them out so no real lights for us!  So I guess it was cold and windy and dark.  

Kinda ambitious doing a 6 course menu with no real stove =/

but I had my torch!!! and I used it for almost everything.  toasting some sesame seeds on the shrimp lollis.

butter poached shrimp lollis with aoili, ankimo lollis with a ponzu gelee, home smoked salmon and cream cheese lollis, duck liver mouse ball lollis coated in nuts.

second course was foie gras served two ways.  Here I am searing the pieces.  

Turned out great with the torch!  Didnt take a pic of the plate.  It was too dark and we forgot.

shitty pics with flash.  mini lobster roll seved with mini potato chips made from assorted small potatoes.  

searing the steak!

and smoking it in a plastic bag with my smoke gun.  I love this picture look at aminas big ole bottom lip.

served ugly.  I couldnt see anything!!! it was cold and windy out!!!

and the final dish was ochazuke.  Brilliant ending to a cold night.  We held the broth in thermoses and they stayed nice and hot for hours!!!  Everyone agreed this was the best dish of the night.

Then fatty us went to Chotto to get out of the wind and ate a small bowl of ramen.

Had the Doc over for dinner. the other night  Sharon and Sheila had a girls night out so they left us to babysit Khai.  I had to feed him dinner.  Started with an assortment of cheeses and some home made pretzel bread crostini.

some seared foie gras.  The pics always  make it look burned.  Hmmm maybe Im searing these way too hot.  I dont know.  Sigh it still tastes faboo!!

home made lamb sausage patty with veggies

salmon over lentils topped with frisee salad.  salmon was overcooked. 

I sous vide it and used the wrong temperature. =( 

Then we had a crap ton of beer and I put Dr. Tran to bed around 10pm.

Making the kimchee dumplings at home.  Mom made them sooo tasty. 

I need to figure out how to make them as good.  Ill need taste testing help from the sisters.

Started off by mixing ground pork, kimchee, cellophane noodles, tofu, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, green onions, soy sauce, and sesame oil.  Phew that seems like a lot of ingredients!  

Mush it all by hand until smooth.

fry up some of the filling and taste test.  Adjust seasonings!!!

these gyoza wrappers were gross-a too thin, too small, too wimpy!!! 

next  time I get big ol honkin korean wrappers.

so fill the wrap, shmear some egg wash on one side and fold over.

I made way too much filling.  I probably made enough to make ten trays.  After three trays I had had enough and froze the rest of the filling for next time.

boil and serve in a good korean beef broth.  Yummmmmmm.  Hi Mom!!!

and some random stuff... bought Amina some new earrings.  These are made by Cindy's sister who runs Upper Metal Class.  Buy a pair!!!

and a new place to hangout after work Mission Rock Resort (used to be kellys mission rock cafe) near Aminas building.  Dollar oysters and happy hour beer.  f yeah!!!

Drew and Suz have us over for dinner!!! YESS!!!!  Start off with some brussel sprout chips.  Soo tasty.

some fried shishito peppers mmmm....

some fried halloumi cheese.  My god this was the first time I had this and I am hooked.

some merguez

served with lentils and bread crumbs.  This was deliciouso

and for the main braised beef.  Was soooo tender and delicious.  Thanks Suz and Drew!!!

 

and some random pics.  My funny niece hamming it up after she put on lipstick.  

Notice its all around her lips too hahah!!  too cute

opened the door to a room at work and scared myself for a few seconds.

How you should put your shirts away!

 It was late at night... I was tipsy and there was ground beef in the fridge.  I made this in 10 minutes and we finished it within 4.  Faster than getting fast food and so much more tasty

roasting peppers.  was so colorful I had to take a picture!

bought a 7lb pork butt and ended up making some sort of SouthEast Asian noodle soup with it.

to my surprise it was pretty good.  Amina had two bowls!!!

some pork sausage and kale we had the other night.

We went to La Folie again the other weekend.  took a picture of our mains but nothing else for some reason.

was pretty good.  Rabbit above, duck below.  

I was too full so I took the leftovers home... and then to work HA!!!!

HAHAH!!!

 

and even the duck!!! after I added a leftover piece of lamb

 

our most favorite sushi place in SF-  OYAJI

Start off with BEER!

Have some sashimi.  Hideki has the freshest fish in SF.  I swear to Alvis.

Fried sand eels again mmmm

amaebi

fried heads

shiro- pig intestine- ask for it crispy!

tobiko

chicken karaage

shochu!!!

snapper??

some of the best ramen in SF.  Dont believe me?  TRY IT!

uni dessert!

theres a new japanese dessert shop that opened up next door.  
Thats one of the cute employees delivering cake... 
and thats Hideki-San the Oyaji (perverted old man)