Realistically, Bay Area food critics can’t eat at every restaurant in Silicon Valley or San Francisco, but they can spot rising stars and established icons.
And that’s exactly what Trevor Felch has done in “City Eats: San Francisco,” a collection of 50 insightful and sometimes nostalgic recipes, plus tidbits dished out by luminaries like former Chez Panisse chef Joyce Goldstein, herself a prolific cookbook author, and longtime San Francisco Chronicle food critic Michael Bauer.
“We San Francisco-area writers are expected to know the food scene in every Bay Area city in great detail,” says Felch. “But of course, it’s impossible to really know huge places like Napa Valley, Oakland and San Jose if you live an hour away.”
Felch has a reason to visit the South Bay, as he has family there. His grandparents retired to Los Gatos and his parents live in Los Altos Hills, where they have a vineyard with Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah. Family trips in Los Gatos have taken them to Lexington House, Oak & Rye and the Bywater. When his grandparents lived in The Terraces, his grandfather liked to go into town to eat at Los Gatos Brewing Company, a place Felch still enjoys visiting.
Felch says his goal in compiling the book was to provide an overview of San Francisco’s rich culinary history and showcase the best restaurants in each of the city’s many neighborhoods. He also includes a list of the best restaurants in the South Bay and Peninsula, as well as the best scenic spots in San Francisco to eat, the best wine and cocktail bars to eat at, and the best bakeries and patisseries.
“This couldn’t be checklist journalism,” says Felch. “I wanted to make sure that every neighborhood in San Francisco was well represented.”
The book is a who’s who of San Francisco’s culinary history, with tributes to Stars’ Jeremiah Tower, Michael Mina, Chronicle columnist Herb Caen and Boulevard’s Nancy Oakes. Reverential mentions go to Sam’s Grill, open since 1867, and Zuni Café, an icon since 1979.
Getting recipes from restaurant greats was no easy task. “At the Swan Oyster Depot, I had to wait in line to get in, and when I asked for the recipe for Dungeness Crab Louie, I ended up getting notes on an envelope,” Felch recalls.
These instructions say that the crabs should first be thrown alive into boiling water and that you should grab them by the rear end because they are vicious.
Felch also includes the original Joe’s recipe for Louie dressing flavored with horseradish.
Other recipes are more elaborate, such as the 38 North pistachio-crusted duck breast from Mark Sullivan of Spruce and the puff pastry-crusted sole from Estatiatoro Ornos, which operates in the former Aqua and Michael Mina space.
However, Uncle Mikey’s Chicken Alla Cacciatora from Café Zoetrope is absolutely doable, especially since it requires one and a half bottles of red wine.
The book reveals the secret of Tadich Grill’s sand dabs and oysters Rockefeller, as well as Tyler Florence’s recipe for steak tartare (he likes Tabasco) and Tony Gemignani’s pizza dough. Chef interviews include David Barzelay of Lazy Bear and True Laurel, and chef/owner Craig Stoll of Delfina.
Felch took the Peking Duck recipe from Beijing-born Chef Han of Z&Y, who has served this signature dish to dignitaries including Chinese presidents, and translated it into a dish you can make at home.
“City Eats: San Francisco” is available on Amazon.
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