Favorite Finds: Infatuation

Restaurant recommendations are tough, but there's one company, The Infatuation, that has become my absolute favorite app and website for finding new places to eat.

The Infatuation started in 2009 by two friends who found themselves being the constant source of restaurant recommendations for their friends, so they decided to build a website to help everyone find the perfect date place, the perfect place to take parents, a lazy brunch spot, etc.

Why I love The Infatuation: it's unpretentious and fun. They'll be honest and tell you that a trendy place has horrible food. You might find yourself laughing when reading one of their reviews. The Infatuation understands that food is meant to be fun and playful, and their tone and style resonate with any food lover. You'll get reviews on the restaurant as a whole, plus specific dishes, so you know what to order (and what to avoid!).

Who writes the reviews? The writers are exactly like you and me, and they don't receive any special treatment. Locals in Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York,  and San Francisco cover restaurants for them, and they feature recommendations from public personalities like Product Hunt and James Freeman (founder of Blue Bottle).

Reviews on the site and app range from La Taqueria, a well-known and cheap Mexican spot, to Zuni, a high-end SF classic. Whatever the occasion, you'll find a perfect restaurant thanks to The Infatuation. They make it really easy to find restaurants by various categories like "Girls' Night Out", "Outdoor/Patio Situation", and "Cheap Eats".

Check them out here for more! 

Friday!

Have a great Friday everyone. I'm crossing my fingers that this warm weather streak continues through the weekend, so I can spend some time outside hiking and enjoying the sunshine. We're also in the midst of planning a trip to Kauai, so if you have any recommendations, please send them our way! Three close friends are coming over on Sunday to tell us their favorite places (and to enjoy a champagne brunch). 

Food safety tips for back-to-school season! 

Write an essay, win a restaurant.

Top Bay Area restaurants opening this fall.  

Eco-friendly chocolate chip cookies! 

A day in the life of Bon Appetit's Best New Restaurant in America. 

Loving these kitchen storage containers--they'd be perfect for small candies or other treats. 

Saw this blush and it looks so dewy and perfectly end of summer pink--love!

Start-up food businesses making it big. 

Make some cold brew coffee this weekend. 

Hot and Sour Soba Noodle Salad

I've been keeping this soba noodle salad recipe a secret for a while now. I discovered it in via the New York Times back in March, and I quickly made these soba noodles my go-to dinner meal. I'm sorry for keeping such a delicious, easy, and healthy recipe a secret from you!

This recipe combines two of my favorite Asian flavors into one: gingery peanut sauce and hot and sour soup. My dad is famous for his peanut sauce recipe, which is always requested when my sister returns home from school. My family and I love hot and sour soup, and I still add a ton of vinegar into my soup because I'm convinced the soup is never sour enough. Clearly, any soba noodle recipe that combines the two is going to be a hit in my book. 

Z hates soba noodles (another article of proof that I must really love him, because who doesn't like soba noodles?), so I put this recipe into heavy rotation when Z was out of town. Since we rarely eat tofu when Z is home (surprise, surprise, he also doesn't like tofu), I used this as my opportunity to marinate some firm tofu in a gingery, garlic peanut paste, and added it on top.

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat, and they have a strong nutty flavor. While they are typically not gluten free, you can sometimes find 100% buckwheat noodles which would be gluten free! 

Hot and Sour Soba Noodle Salad

Recipe via the NYTimes

Note: my version calls for a double amount of garlicky peanut paste that I use to marinate the tofu. Cut the paste in half if only making the noodles. 

Paste for Sauce:

4 tablespoons peanut butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce

4 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2-4 teaspoons red pepper oil (start with 2, and add more to taste)

Pinch of cayenne

2 large garlic cloves, minced

4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

Salt

Fresh ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons sesame oil

4 servings of tofu (drained and pressed to remove water)

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth

1/2 pound Japanese buckwheat noodles

1 cup diced cucumbers

For the paste: Heat the peanut butter for 10 to 15 seconds in a microwave. Combine with soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper oil, cayenne, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper. Whisk together, and then whisk in sesame oil. 

Spread half of the mixture evenly over tofu, and place in fridge. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to an hour. 

Using remaining paste, whisk in canola oil and broth. Set aside. 

Bring large pot of water to boil, and then add the noodles. When water comes back to a boil, add a cup of cold water to the pot. Allow the water to come back to a boil, and then add another cup of cold water. Have water come to a boil again, and add a third cup of water. When the water comes to a boil, the noodles are done. 

Drain the noodles and toss immediately with the dressing. Add remaining ingredients, including tofu, and toss again. Serve immediately. 

FRI-YAY!

Delicious cheese plate with summer fruits

Hope you all are having a great start to your weekend. Z's family is in town, so we have a lot planned! This week has felt rather hectic at work though, so I'm hoping for some R&R as well. To get you to the weekend, here are a few things for you...

John Oliver's piece on food waste is a must see.

Nutella egg creams? Such a great idea.

...And frozen hot chocolate.

The coffee you should be ordering.

Such a cute video.

I've been using my cast iron skillet a lot. If you don't have one, you should buy one!

A glimpse into my other work.

Lots of foodie fun this weekend in the Bay thanks to Eat Drink SF. See all the events here!

Words of wisdom.

What to do with Wine Hostess Gifts

Today marks a day of sharing new content on entertaining. I am by no means a perfect host, but after multiple dinner parties and house guests, I am slowly learning tips and tricks to make things easier. I want to share these tips with all of you!

You host a few friends for dinner. You make a mean pot of meat sauce, pasta, a green salad, and a fruit crisp. Friends start to trickle in, and your BFF from work brings white wine. Now comes the age-old dilemma...do you serve the white wine, even though it doesn't go with your sauce, or do you keep it for later?

Here's how I handle the situation:

If the wine is perfectly chilled and the friend seems very eager to drink it: 

Go ahead and serve it! You can serve your friend's wine AND a wine that better matches your food. Let your guests choose their own adventure. In cases when a champagne comes perfectly chilled or it's a really intense and fancy wine that the guest seems excited about, it's a clear indicator the friend was hoping you'd open it up and share!

If the wine isn't chilled and doesn't work for your meal:

In these situations, I label the wine with the name of the person who brought it. I stole the idea to do this from Ina Garten. Then, the next time I have them over, I can make sure to serve that wine. For example, at my birthday party, two of my friends brought by special bottles--one a nice champagne, the other a bourbon-barrel cider. Now, when I invite these friends over again, I can plan a meal specifically around the wine they brought, and I can serve the wine and enjoy it with them. 

Such a brilliant idea, right? I love anything that encourages more dinner parties and time with friends. I can't wait to have Karl, Merissa, and Haynes over again for dinner!