The Best by the Bay:
The San Francisco Restaurant Show

The first-ever San Francisco Restaurant Show 2003—companion to the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo in Los Angeles—drew restaurant managers, chefs, purchasing agents, dealers, suppliers, and others in the industry to meet with leading vendors. Held at the new Moscone West Center, over 4000 professionals tasted the finest food and wines and learned about new recipes and techniques from some of Northern California’s finest chefs.

We joined them and found ourselves quickly drawn to the Wine Garden area where a number of exciting wines and grape spirits were being showcased. One of our favorites: Grgich Hills Cellar’s new estate-grown Fumé Blanc. With its soft and seductive undertones of citrus, melon, and fig derived from the Musque clone of the Sauvignon Blanc grape, it’s a worthy new sibling for Grgich Hills’ fabulous, award-winning Chardonnay.

And a perfect complement to fruit and cheese at the end of a meal, is Grgich Hills Violetta Late Harvest dessert wine. Made from botyris-kissed 2000 vintage Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Riesling grapes, it’s sweet and rich, yet delicate and well-balanced with hints of peach and citrus flavors. For dessert, we would pair it with any stone fruit such as apricots, nectarines or juicy white peaches, or even pineapple or strawberries, along with some crunchy biscotti. For an amazing first course, we would serve a small aperitif glass of Violetta with seared foie gras.

A surprise tasting, led by Copia’s Director of Wines, Burke Owens, included a range of Brachetto d’ Acqui sparkling and still wines from the Piedmont region of Italy. These beautiful, light ruby- to dusky rose wines range in effervescence from barely so to bubbly, and taste lightly of strawberries and roses. They have only 5% alcohol and just enough spritz for an elegant aperitif or dessert wine. Introduced to the U.S. just two years ago, this very special wine should soon be in distribution nationwide.

We happily sipped our way among various wine and grappa booths, then joined Robin Kelley O’Connor of the Bordeaux Wine Bureau for a succinctly comprehensive seminar on the classifications and characteristics of Bordeaux wines from various regions. (More on this in a later feature.)

Back in the Garden again, Classick Grappa to our (by now well-sated) palates, at first came across as rocket fuel. On closer examination, with more swirling and sniffing and tiny, air-drawn sips (there is an art to this tasting, and you soon learn to actually swallow as little as possible in order to remain cognizant of the purpose at hand), we were able to discern fine differences between the various styles and grapes’ essence. Classick Grappa is produced from grapes from the Napa Valley’s finest vineyards. For some truly heart-warming spirits, enjoy, as in Italy, a small glass after dessert and coffee—preferably just before turning in. You’ll be rocket-propelled to relaxation.

While concentrating our efforts to master the fruits of the Wine Garden, frequent applause erupted nearby as show-stopping ace bartenders competed in mixing skills: juggling bottles, swooping pours, and flipping cocktail shakers while swirling potent potables into delicate glasses at just the right moment. Such amazing hand-eye coordination was downright sobering. The winner of the accuracy and speed rounds of this ShowTenders® Bartending Competition was Ed Hibert from Coconut Willies in San Diego, CA. The winner of the showmanship round was Danny Rossi.

Other highlights: a new power whisk made by Robot Coupe for restaurants and commercial kitchens. Chefs love its portability and power and find it easy to use, whether with mixing soups and sauces on stovetop or with whipping other mixtures in pots or bowls below level.

At left, John Deamos, Western Sales Manager for Robot Coupe USA, Inc. and some of the newest whisks and blixer-mixers.

A selection of California Vegetable Specialties’ delectable fresh red and white endive and edigia caught our eye. Delicious with just a dollop of creamed goat cheese, these carefully cultivated offshoots of chicory are shipped across country to the finest stores and restaurants. Their combination of sweet and bitter and crisp elevates a salad beyond compare.

Another fine product line we discovered anew was Monin’s Gourmet Flavorings. Their wide range of natural flavors—bottles lined up in a palette of every bright color—now even includes five organic flavors (caramel, chocolate, hazelnut, raspberry, and vanilla), as well as new white chocolate and dark chocolate flavorings. There’s a new mint flavoring especially for making Mojitos, and it’s delicious on its own, with just a splash of soda. The new Monin O’Free® line combines natural flavors with a blend of sugar free/calorie free Splenda and Eridex. They make great calorie-free additions for low-carb enjoyment, and come in raspberry, vanilla, hazelnut, caramel, chocolate, Irish cream, and amaretto flavors. Be sure to check out Monin’s website for hundreds of wonderful food and drink recipes.

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