So let’s get this out of the way right now: Zarzuela is the best mother f’ing Tapas in ‘Frisco. Word. And no, I may not be a tapas bitch as much as I am a pizza or taco bitch, but tapas is right up there.

Yeah, yeah I can hear ya now: “But VdV, yada yada in The Mission is soo good”…“How can you say that? Blah blah in the Sunset rocks my world”…Shut Your Paella holes and just listen to me for once. What? Did I just hear you say “Cha Cha Cha” is the best? Get over here so I can give that noggin’ of yours a good knuckle scrubber.

So we came here Saturday night with our friend Candida. She had given the other J a generous gift cert from this place, so we were there to cash in. And I guess I’m conflicted. She gave us the $$, but we decided to take her. So whom really took whom? Hmm. Worth pondering. Don’t worry – at a future date.

Anyhoo, we used to come here LOTS, like in 2001-2004 B.V. (Before VdV for you slowskis). So this wasn’t our first rodeo, bitches. I mean, like I (is that mixing prepositions or something, ‘Our’ and ‘I’?) KNOW this place, love it’s food and am hooked.

As always, the same cool people are still working here. After years and years. That’s the sign of a healthy establishment. Or forced slavery. I dunno. But if these people are slaves, they’re puttin’ on a good act ‘cuz they seem genuinely happy.

So, we had the obligatory 45 minute or so wait, which if you consider a Saturday night isn’t too shaggy. I mean shabby. Sorry. And while we waited, kittens? Yes! Sangria. By the carafe. Bam. Seriously, you’re not really waiting if you’re imbibing on some killer Sangria, no?

So here we go: Back to that killer Sangria. First off, sorry but I can’t remember the prices and for all that I love love love this spot GET A GODDAMN WEBSITE WOULD YA?! So I can reference and remember WTF I ate and not having to guess the prices, OK? Anyhoo, the Sangria is awesome. No, I do not know for sure what they put in it, but I suspect some pretty cheap red wine, apples, and random fruit but some righteous brandy. Just the correct ratio, my kittens. The brandy gives some nice warmth and caramel tastes to go with the fruit. Bingo!

So, what’d we use that sangria to wash down? A virtual cornucopia of tasty tapas. Read on:

First, an order of Patatas Bravas ($4.25), these guys do them right. The spuds are just crisp enough on the outside, with tender tot potato meat on the inside with a very nice, slightly spicy tomato sauce on top. Next, the Cazuela De Queso De Cabra ($6.75), which is Goat Cheese in Tomato Sauce. The tanginess of the creamy goat cheese along with the sauciness of the tomato sauce. What more can I say?! It’s good! It’s fresh, a nice blend of flavors and served with bread. Then, we had the Gambas Ajillo ($6.95), Shrimp sauteed in Garlic & Olive Oil. This puppy comes in a mini skillet, and is just good clean fun. The shrimp are sizzling (or is it screaming in agony?) in the hot garlicky oil, and the combo rocks it.

Next! The Champinones Plancha ($5.25), Mushrooms Grilled with Garlic, Serrano Ham and Olive Oil. Yee haw! $5.25?! R U Kidding Me? I mean, look at these prices, it’s like a fire sale. And the ‘shrooms were, as with everything else, damn good. Again, simplicity is the key here, with nice paper-thin slices of ham.

And not last, and not least, the Croquetas De Jamon Y Pollo ($5.25), Chicken & Ham Croquettes. They should mention there’s also Queso in these puppies. We are semi Croquetas bitches, and it pisses me off to no end when they disappoint. Some places serve ‘em kinda wimpy, not crisp enough. But Z does it right, again. This is almost getting boring! Anyhoo, these are nice and crisp, tender on the inside with just enough cheese, but not enough to hide the taste of the meat. Bravo!

OK, now. Last AND least. We also had the Paella a La Valenciana ($15), Seafood, Chicken & Veggie Paella. Maybe I’m just paella-hater, but I’ve
had lots of it and I’ve never had my world rocked. Hey, the Mussels
were good, but other than that, I’d skip it. But consider the source;)

Unfortunately the Padron Peppers ($5.50) were outta season, but if you’re here when they’re here, get them. They aren’t ‘pepper’ hot, if ya get my drift, lightly grilled and served hot with lots of sea salt. A very good appy. Make sure everyone at the table’s in on it though, or there’s no make-out session after.

Bottom line, kittens? Just like the top line. Zarzuela is the best tapas in SF. I mean Frisco.

Hours:
Tue-Thus 5:30p-10p
Fri-Sat 5:30p-10:30p

Zarzuela Restaurant
2000 Hyde Street (@ Union)
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 346-0800

So we were desperately seeking a place to duck into during a recent torrential monsoon (I guess that’s about the only kind of monsoon…) in Georgetown. Something like 3″ of rain in 24 hours. Yeah yeah, we’re those wussies from SF who whine if it gets below 65 degrees or rains for more than 15 minutes. Nice to meet ya!

It was Saturday night in G-town so even with the rain, or maybe because of it, it was super quiet on the streets but almost impossible to get a seat inside anywhere. So we dodged into this cute little Tapas place, and put our names in for what looked to be a long wait. Bodega was packed, people. This place is narrow, with a bar on the right side that seats about 14-16 people. Or 8-10 fat asses (that’s approximately 1.6-1.75 fat asses to one normal ass, if you wondered about the conversion rate). There are small 2-top tables down the left side, then the space eventually opens up a bit in the back after the bar ends, and is pretty decent sized. Still feels cozy though. And they definitely had a good vibe going, a nice attractive crowd, everybody having fun and hunkerin’ in the bunker away from the crappy weather.

We caught the bartender’s attention, I can’t remember her name but she definitely appeared a tad bit frustrated by having to pour so many drinks. Waaahhh! Drinks = tips, woman. Or she just despises precipitation. We didn’t ask. We figured we’d save our precious breath to order a couple Sangrias. Which we did. It was about that time that we spied it…yes, a couple at the BAR just reviewing their bill and ready to sign and split. Better than dine and dash. Jackpot! So like a Rottweiler drooling over a raw steak, we positioned ourselves strategically to pounce when the time was right. And at that point entered the time-honored, silent dance of  ‘Bar Seat Tango’ (AKA: ‘That seat’s mine bitch, get back’). Yes there were other contestants lurking around. But not really. Seriously. Not true competition, let’s just leave it at that. VdV are true pros. We crouched, we pounced, I think the other J hissed at a pathetic competitor or two, and we scored two beloved bar seats. And knocked about 30-45 minutes off our wait to boot. Bonus!

So moral to that story? Don’t F with VdV, bitches!  Woo Hoo! Anyway, the food, you ask? Well, like I mentioned previously, Bodega is a Spanish Tapas place. I did say that, right? So, small plates, people. They have a very nice menu that ranges from the traditional/typical tapas to some more on the creative side of life. And all reasonably priced as well! Hey those Hoya punks might not get Daddy’s trust fund check in time, so might need some relief. Anyways. we got into it and ordered a slew. Here it goes!

Pan con Tomate y Jamón Serrano ($8),  translation of which is Tomato Bread with Jamón Serrano. “Tomato bread, you say?” “Yes, I dare say.” “No you mustn’t.” “Yes I must.” “OK I’m gonna knock you out if you keep this up.” “You ignorant beast!” OK, enough. Sorry about that. Hey, what stupid fool doesn’t like ham on toast? This stupid fool does. Next, we savored the Pimientos del Piquillo a la Plancha ($7), which are Seared Piquillo Peppers with Sea Salt. This is a nice basic appy in most Tapas joints and these guys did it up right. The peppers mellow a lot after being seared, and these were tender yet still a teensy bit of crunch left to them. And the big chunks of sea salt balance the heat of the peppers perfectly. I mean, nothing to get weak in the knees about, but still damn good. Feel me?

Round 3? Champiñones al Ajillo ($7), Sautéed Button Mushrooms with Garlic. Yeah I know, we’re being pretty basic. Got a problem with that? I didn’t think so. These were pretty so-so. I dunno, the ‘shrooms were just a little wimpy soft and too garlicky. Next! Fancy this name: Vieras a la Plancha con Salsa Cremosa de  Alcaparras y Salteado de Habitas Tiernas ($11). Say what? That dish uses every f’ing letter in the alphabet! What is it, really? Basically Seared Scallops in a caper Sauce with Fava Beans. Here’s where they got us – we both love seared scallops, those dirty little scavengers of the sea, I love Fava (or just loving saying the word ‘Fava’ over and over until the other J is tempted to hit me square in the face with a dinner plate), and the other J loves capers. No not like Scooby Doo capers, the salty little veggie. Or is it a legume, more specifically? Who knows, and WTF cares. TMI. Anyway, we dig this meal! The creamy caper sauce was surprisingly subtle, not too caper-ish or salty and the fava beans made a nice little bed of love that it all rested on. Awww.

OK, more. Damn we are pigs! Gonna cut to the chase here, kittens, my fingers (at least the two I use to type) are getting fatigued. We wrapped it up with two go-to dishes, the Croquetas de Pollo ($8), AKA Chicken Croquettes and the Patatas Bravas ($6), AKA IYNATYRAI (as in, If You Need A Translation You Are An Imbicile). These two dishes are staples for any Tapas joint, and in some ways the litmus test whether a Tapas place rocks or sucks. Both dishes were ‘pretty good’. Not great, but tasty ‘cuz unless you really screw them up they’ll taste dandy. The croquettes were good, the filling could have been a little more flavorful, but still good. The Patatas (OK, imbecile, Potatoes), were perfectly crisp and tender, we woulda liked a little more of that spicy tasty Aoili with them though.

The Sangria? I’m not really a Sangria bitch. Unless it sucks, for some reason I’m fairly happy. And this Sangria passed the test. I’m sure I’ve had better, but it definitely did the trick. That said, as opposed to other places we only had 2 rounds before switching to vino. Or was it Vodka?

VdV Rating: 3

Hours:
Sat – Sun: 11a – 3:00p
Mon – Fri: 11:30a – 3:00p
Sun – Thu: 3:00p – 11:00p
Fri – Sat: 3:00p – 12:00a

Bodega
3116 M St NW (between N 31st St & N Wisconsin Ave)
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 333-4733

Yes, another business meal, another blog post. That’s how we roll over here at VdV. The secret to happiness is mixing pleasure with biz any time possible.

So, ZuZu is located right in the historic downtown area of Napa. It’s a cute place, and has a rustic and authentic Argentinian feel about it. With nice lighting, weathered tin ceiling tiles, sandstone plaster walls and some interesting wooden artwork on the walls, they walk the line between casual and classy. The result is a very comfortable spot to have a biz meeting, date, or hanging with friends type of place to grab some small plates.

Bonus! They have a nice recycled pine bar that seats around 10 and is a great spot to hang out and chat up some folks. If you’re into that, of course.

They serve up a good regional menu, but I was shocked and horrified…ok, just bummed…that they did not have Croquettas on the menu. Come on guys!

So I started with the Ceviche ($10), a nice mix of fresh Halibut, lime, and peppers. Yummy for the tummy. Next was the Corn Chowder ($8) – it tasted cream based but it wasn’t. Very sweet and tasty, but the only real spice was some spring onions. Coulda used some ‘heat with the sweet’ as my man Bobby Flay would say.  Next, the server highly recommended the Vegetarian Quesadilla ($9) (I don’t think I look vegetarian), which I took a gamble on. Very good actually, for being meatless. I like my ‘dillas with meat! But this one, with melted Manchego cheese, onion, fresh lettuce all in a delicate yet crunchy flour shell hit the spot. I finished every bite. And to wrap it all up, the Niman Ranch Flat Iron Steak with Jalepeño Chimichurri ($11). Bada bing. Served very simply on a small white plate, with 6 generous slices of rare steak, EVOO and excellently spiced chimichurri. No steak knife needed. This baby took the prize! Yay meat!

What’d I wash it down with? Sangria, suckas! They make a fresh batch each day and it’s pretty good. Yes I have had better but no complaints at all. They also have a pretty extensive vino list, lots of wine by the glass and some interesting beers too.

This place won a Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants award for both 2003 and 2004 from the SF Chronicle. Yeah I know… what have you done for me lately. Damn you’re a tough crowd. Anyhoo, definitely check out ZuZu if you’re in the area. It’s a great lunch spot and good for dinner too if you’re looking for small plates and a nice, relaxed atmosphere.

VdV Rating: 3.5

Hours:
Mon-Thus 11:30a-10p
Fri 11:30a-11p
Sat 4p-11p
Sun 4p-10p

Zuzu
829 Main Street (betw. 2nd & 3rd)
Napa, CA
(707) 224-8555

There’s so many tapas spots popping up these days it’s a chore separating the playas from the posers. That’s what we’re here for, people! So chalk one up for Boqueria – this place rocks. Great space, good scene, seriously good food at decent prices. Righteous!

This place is everything a Spanish tapas place should be. A little cramped, the room is a narrow (duh, it’s New York) minimalist-designed space with a long, white marble bar on the right side, some tables down the left and some additional tables and a little more room in the back section. They have a sliding chalkboard behind the bar with daily specials. I dunno, just that the sliding board was a cool touch.

This place gets pretty shoulder-to-shoulder so we grabbed a couple sangrias while we waited for a table. Super nice bartender – Emily – served us pronto, and the sangria was ‘good’ but not made in the traditional sense. Looks like they pre-make the wine and then throw in a little fruit when they serve it. Cheaters! But hey, it didn’t stop us from ordering a couple more (ok, 6) when we stole 2 seats at the bar and started diggin’ into the tapas. First though we had to deal with a group of 3 d-bags (actually 2 d-bags and 1 d-hag…d-hag is our new word for a female d-bag. Spread it!) who tried to shove us out of our seats. After a little jousting we put them in their place and got down to business.

We started with some basic tapas, all priced reasonably between $6-10 – Patatas Bravas topped with salsa and garlic aioli. Spuds, salsa and garlic. How can you go wrong? We didn’t, tho I would have liked a little more salsa on the patatas. The Pimientos de Patron, blistered peppers with sea salt, were tasty as well, and a good sized portion. Then we moved on to the Croquetas Cremosas – 3 croqs, 1 each of mushroom, salted cod and suckling pig. I’d read somewhere the croquetas here were bland, but that person must have been on crack. These were all prepared well and not coated with too much breading. And I mean, if they can make salted cod (-piece, for some juvenile reason I can never resist the urge to say ‘cod piece’ when the opportunity arises) taste good, then bravo amigos. The Pintxos Morunos, seared lamb marinated in lemon and cumin with salsa verde, were a a little disappointing. Heavy hand on the ‘ole salt shaker for these puppies, and the ‘salsa verde’ was a no-show.

We didn’t try the Paella (what kind of reviewers are we?!) as I simply wasn’t in the mood. So there. I hear it’s kinda over priced for whatcha get. But they have a good cheese and meat selection all priced at $5 a pop.

VdV Ratings (out of 10): 4

Hours:
Sun-Sat 12p-12a (Fri-Sat until 2a)

Boqueria
53 West 19th St. (betw 5th & 6th)
New York, NY
(212) 255.4160
2nd location: 171 Spring Street (SoHo)

It’s also the place you CANNOT WALK down during Bastille Day. You know that celebration the French have where they party for independence. Nothing like a good festival where the French get sloshed, eat crepes and fall all over each other. It’s a beautiful thang.

Back to B44, which has nothing to do with French food by the way, it’s all about Paella which is freakin’ amazing – 9 different kinds to be clear. Close your eyes and your sittin’ on Las Ramblas in Barthelona sluggin’ down some fresh sangria. One thing? You won’t find tapas here, full plates of good stuff.

The skirt steak salad? Superb. I don’t do the squid, the octopus, or the sardines, but if that’s your thing we hear this is the place. Like fresh fish? Get ANY of it here, it’s awesome! One more thing, the vino, great list of Spanish wines if you like em’ tempranillos… mmmmm.

The tables? In traditional Euro fashion RIGHT on top of each other. Oh the conversations you hear! We heard one couple talkin’ about some things they shouldn’t have. Hey! Lower your voice if you’re gonna talk about the hot monkey love you had the night before, please people, we’re eating!

Also on Belden Alley, Voda, Café Bastille, Tiramisu, Plouf.

B44
44 Belden Place
San Francisco, CA 94104
415-986-6287

It’s tough to make specific recos since the menu prolly won’t be the same when you go, but some of the recent standouts were: Five Spice Pork Belly Pot stickers (almost always offered), Crab Tacos, Pulled BBQ Duck on a corn and cheddar number, Skillet Roasted Shrimp with chiles and lime, Moroccan Lamb Chops, Stir-fired Green Beans with Almonds & Goat Cheese (see, we do eat our veggies!:)

So you get it, there is a ton of great food here and if you like to sample you will love it. Solid wine list too, representin’ the local scene as well as France, Spain, Italy, Aussie, etc etc. Cool thing, just as with the small plates you can get small tastes of wine too – 2oz, 5oz, 1/2 and full bottles. Rock on!

Located in northern Santa Rosa on Old Redwood Highway. They are closed on Tuesday (Tuesday??)

Willi’s Wine Bar
4404 Old Redwood Highway
Santa Rosa, CA
707.526.3096

This place is on Russian Hill, and the parking sucks. Typically a 20-30 minute wait for a table, but you can grab a pitcher of Sangria and the time flies by. If you do have to wait, equally as sucky is the weather on Russian Hill, so bring a jacket!

You can also wait at the tiny wine bar across Union St. on the same side of Hyde.

Zarzuela Tapas
2000 Hyde St
San Francisco, 94109
415-346-0800