Thursday was a basic travel day. In to MSP a snack before boarding then off to SF. Quick Uber to the hotel to check in and then bed. Well not quite, it was still kind of early and we found a local GS warrior watering hole just up the street where we watched the 4th quarter. Crazy cast of characters live in SF and right now they all root for Golden State.
Friday was conference all day but we did manage dinner at Coqueta. This is a great little Spainish restaurant down by the Embacadero.
Our view from the bar.
Meat and Cheese tray.
Paella with razor clams. Amazing
Grilled Octopus. Crazy good
Dessert. Chocolate mousse, chocolate brownie. Maybe the best dessert ever.
After dinner, Ryan and I walked back to the hotel. San Fransisco is like New York's weird younger brother who experiment with too many drugs in college and now wears mismatched socks all the time and sun glass inside. We had a whole crew of neon clad rollerblades swarm around us like bees on the way back to the hotel. Two homeless gentleman were arguing about the political short comings of our time.
The bay bridge at night on our walk back to the hotel
The clock tower at the Embarcadero
Now Ryan and I had to get to bed early because while I was at the conference, Ryan had found a 5k race to run across the Golden Gate Bridge. The only issue was the race started at 6 AM. Again, this race started at 6 AM. That's early and probably not very warm.
Ryan and I meet in the lobby at around 5:15 not knowing how big or small this race was. We thought if would probably be a 15 minute Uber ride. Sure enough 5:30, we are a Golden Gate Park and by 5:35 we are registered and have our shirts. The race was to support suicide prevention the only thing that was odd is we appeared to be the only people at this race that were not Irish.
We spent the next 30 minutes milling around trying to determine the best Uber pick up sport and checking out the park. We also had to keep moving cause it was cold.
The Golden Gate Bridge from various spots before the race. The photos really don't do the morning or the bridge justice. I was incredibly beautiful.
Thank god the race was small maybe no more then 300 Irish and their dogs plus Ryan and I. We all had to run along the walking path on the side of the bridge if there were more runners, it would have gotten crowded fast.
Ryan and I during the race.
Running on the bridge
Black and White art house pictures of the towers
Sunrise over Alcatraz and the bay
The Golden Gate Bridge in the morning
After the race several participants asked which Irish bar we were drinking at last night to end up here in the morning. I have never run a race with that many gingers. At the end we waited for Irish coffee while listening to Van Morrison. A little before 6:45 we were back in Uber. I was back at the conference before 8 AM.
The conference ended at around 2. This gave Ryan and I a chance to explore SF. We rode a cable car to the Embarcadero. We walked along the bay and then headed up to Coit Tower. Unfortunately, we could not go to the top but the Tower itself was beautiful as were the views of the city. Coit sits on top of Telegraph hill so the views are spectacular especially on a day like we had.
Our cable car stop in B&W
Coit Tower and a statue of Christopher Columbus
The Coit Tower in B&W.
Hydroelectric power and energy
Farming and agriculture. Harvesting Oranges
Arts and Entertainment
The ocean sailing and trade.
These are the Art Deco piece on the walls inside of the Coit Tower depicting the different aspects of California's economy.
After a brief rest Ryan and I head for dinner at Benu. A modern sushi restaurant owned by chef Corey Lee. It is sublimely understated and elegant. Corey Lee was the James Beard Foundation winner 2017 for best chef west. The other thing that I found incredible cool as I research Benu and Chef Corey Lee is that his Instagram account has over 1500 followers and not one picture.
We enjoyed the tasting menu and drink pairings. The combination of science, art and imagination that goes into a meal like this is simply amazing to me.
I tried to record these as best possible. I cannot verify 100% accuracy so if Chef Lee finds my blog, I want to apologize now for any inaccuracies with regard to my meal. The overarching theme should be this is the most amazing meal I have ever had
Let's get started!!!!!!
This empty place setting was an invitation to adventure.
1000 year old quail egg, ginger cabbage broth with French cream.
Tuna Marrow
Oyster, pork belly, kimchi
Squid around Korean blood sausage
Jellyfish wrapped around shrimp
Chard abalone. Mousse from abalone liver with roe
Shark fin. Dungeness crab, egg white, black truffle
Spotted grain bread. Orange blossom honey butter infused with ginsing
Fioe gras xiao long bao
Seasonal caviar hand-pressed with sesame oil (center)
Sea urchin marinated in fermented crab sauce (top left)
Frog's legs velvet in green garlic broth
Fried river eel, Lilly bulb, pepper leaf, rose wine
Spring Bamboo shoots, Conpoy, Water Chestnuts
Steamed bread roll with black truffle butter.
Amazing!!
Barbecued quail
Sea of Okhotsk Cucumber stuffed with Lobster. This was my favoring dish. There is an amazing rehydration protocol that must be performed to make this edible.
Beef Rib Steak with assorted condiments
Omija with olive oil
Acorn and Chocolate
Each dish was paired by the Sommelier with wine, sour beer or sake. The sour beer from Belgium was incredible with our meal. ROADENBACH BEER is now my vision quest. The sommelier was literally like would this guy leave me alone. I questioned him about becoming a sommelier, where the wines were from, why they chose these wines, how did they pick a sour beer, did he see the movie SOMA.
Best meal of my life. Great food, service and conversation. After this it was home for an early flight home. Not bad for 2 1/2 days in SF. Maybe I will take my wife if she plays her cards right.
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