Ubuntu - Napa

".....a bounty of local biodynamically gardened produce handled with care and skill by talented artisans and chefs providing an unparallel experience connecting our customers to the bounty of the earth."

 - Ubuntu Statement

I've sprouted gossamer wings and care nothing more for this carnal world.

These are my sentiments as I nibble on flora and fauna at Ubuntu in Napa. For a fleeting moment, the thought of transitioning into a vegetarian cross my mind. This says alot coming from someone who is known to be repulsed by greens and especially salads. I could never find enjoyment in filling my bowels with a hodgepodge of cold lettuce and tomatoes doused with yet another astringent dressing. Alas, Ubuntu has changed the face of salad.

the garden snake; leaves, flowers, roots, soil……

Is it a salad? A bouquet? Or a bountiful of mother nature's offering?

curried macadamia nuts

cracked potato, horseradish, crème fraiche, pickled quail eggs

                                                                     farm egg slowly poached, stewd chick peas

That short lived notion of converting to veganism has left me, as the last pellet of chick pea is consumed. And my celestial wings have also disintegrated into nothingness, leaving me with earthly, awkard extremeties. At least there is the consolation of knowing that in our hazy habitat of smog and smoke, there's an alternative to colonic irrigation for purifying and detoxing our polluted bodies.

http://www.ubuntunapa.com/

Swan Oyster Depot - San Francisco

I'm about to wax poetic about the best seafood joint, EVER.

There's a quintessential hashery to every city. Los Angeles has its Langer's, The Oinkster, and for the hip and trendy; Father's Office. As for San Francisco, nothing comes closer to archetypal SF than Swan Oyster Depot. Established in the early 1900's, it started as a horse drawn carriage serving fresh seafood to the masses. It has since grown into a crowded bar of 19 wobbly wooden stools, rust stained walls littered with paraphernalia of all decades. The vintage cash register and cash only policy adds to its rustic charm.



I've lost count of my visits to Swan, but this time it's a bit different. No longer a tourist, but a local, I revel in the exchange between Erik and I -- curious about the different species of mollusks like a toddler in a candy shop. Erik, having been in the family business of shucking oysters for a while, knows his mollusks. But after much probing he divulges, "they look like boogers" and wrinkles his nose as he shucks them at the speed of clipping toe nails. Bivalves aren't the only flying fragments - tunas the size of my thighs are projected through the air like footballs.

Erik

Bluepoints are still my favorite, less briny than Miyagis and milder than Kumamotos. I said it once and I'll say it again - these alien-ish creatures are God's answer to unadulterated, primordial, sexy food.

After encountering a near death experience with clams, I adhere strictly to Swan Oyster Depot clams only. Their cherrystones are crisp, sweet and tastes of an unravaged pristine ocean, which we seem to lack nowadays.

Finishing off with their renowned Louie Salad, I think to myself, "Life is good."

Swan Oyster Depot

1517 Polk St

San Francisco, CA 94109

(415) 673-1101

Ludobites 5.0

I've held off on this post for a while. Mixed feelings and ambivalence seem to have stunted my judgment on  Ludo's recent endeavor, version 5.0

Yes, I've grown more fond of him as seeing him with quirky expressions and  his  accented English adds to his charm. But Ludo's dishes aren't as "moan-ish" compared to previous versions. No doubt the poached egg with chorizo is nothing short of dreamy and the foi gras cupcake is whimsical.

Poached Egg, Potato Mousseline, Chorizo bits

Foi Gras Cheese Cupcake

Goat Cheese Soup

Grilled Octopus

Matcha Green Tea Almond Cake

Caramel Souffle

Like most things in life, sequels just don't make the cut. The Terminator, Pirates of the Caribbean, started loosing its pizzazz after 2..3...  And Ludo's not to blame, really. He's a one-man team churning out creations with fury. But eventually the engines going to slow and burn out. Although I truly hope the Ludobites saga continues. And here's Ludo praying as well..