Robin

Uni, uni, uni, uni rocking everywhere

Scallionpancake Travels:  
San Francisco, California, is a favorite travel destination of ours. Jason frequently has conferences and work events in San Fran, and, naturally, I tag along. Robin is located in super-hip Hayes Valley, which is filled with many great restaurants and boutique shops. 

San Francisco is a great place for fresh sushi and quality Japanese cuisine, as it is home to a large population of Japanese-Americans. Also, many tourists visit Chinatown, as it is right in the heart of the Financial District, but Japantown is hip, super clean, and worthy of your time on your next visit. In fact, Japantown is totally walkable from Hayes Valley & Robin. Insider tip: check out Benkyodo in Japantown for an amazing selection of mochi and manju in a cozy cafe setting.  

Check out my manju

Background: 
Chef Adam Tortosa opened Robin in July 2017 on Gough Street in Hayes Valley, San Francisco. Chef Tortosa previously worked in several well-known restaurants, including Kiwami and Ink in Los Angeles, and Akiko's and 1760 in San Francisco. Robin's concept is innovative in that there is no menu with prices, and no set tasting menu, either. Diners can give their waiter a price point from $79 up to $179 per person, and the sushi chefs will devise a unique menu based on that price, as well as diners' specific preferences. Our waiter asked what types of fish we prefer, and if we were fans of uni. We were assured that even if we weren't fans of uni, that the chef would prepare it in such a way as to make us converts. You may have heard our thoughts on the pod previously about uni, but suffice to say, we fall firmly in the camp of "not fans," but we said we would try at least one uni dish to stretch ourselves. Also, the waiters will let you keep your options open and decide as you go how much sushi you are up to eating. Below is everything we enjoyed--we left perfectly full with this amount of food.

Although they ship in seafood from Japan & Chile, Robin serves as much as local fish as possible. Our waiter explained that there is so much great fish off of the coast of San Francisco that so few chefs utilize, and that Tortosa takes advantage of that proximity whenever possible. 

Eat This: 

Cured local cod

Wrapped in seaweed, served with traditional Mexican-style ceviche with pistachios, pomegranate, lime juice, and microgreens

Assorted Nigiri

Including steelhead trout with peach (middle)

Wagyu tartare

On a toasted nori chip topped with uni and Asian pear

Assorted Nigiri

Closest: Yellowtail, middle: New Zealand King Salmon with tomato confit and whipped tofu, back: Golden Eye Snapper

Toro Tartare

Assorted Nigiri

Sesame noodles with black truffles

With black truffles

Assorted Nigiri

Onsen jidori egg

With shiitake soy sauce, ikura, and wasabi

Smoked caviar nigiri

With potato chip and grilled ramp aioli

Dessert: 
This guy below was good (not great), but we both agreed we wouldn't have hated one more dessert course! This dish was made using sake lees, which is the solid byproduct left over after sake ferments. Pretty cool!

Sake lees custard

with pomegranate and pistachio

Drink: 
Robin offers beer, wine, and sake. We enjoyed sake, and they had an awesome selection of (cold only) sakes. 

Atmosphere: 
The decor was lovely, and Jason particularly enjoyed the modern vibe, like the coral and black backsplash on the sushi bar and the metallic wall. Stand-outs included dishes (and chopstick holders!) made by a local potter, and the bathroom floor, which had tiled inlaid with pennies! Too cool. Oh--and the bathroom had an essential oil diffuser. Can you tell I really liked the bathroom?

That sushi bar, tho/image courtesy of Eater SF

Hayes Valley Hospitality: 
Our waiter was awesome about checking in to check our fullness level and to see if we were enjoying everything. We really loved the pacing of this meal--the courses came out quickly (but not rushed), so that we were done with this meal in under two hours. We were relieved, as we were not in the mood for an extra long tasting on this particular night. 

Frankie's Notes: 
We wanted to bring home the cool pottery chopstick holder, but we reined in our kleptomaniacal tendencies; Uni will never be something that Scalliopancake craves, but Robin made us like it more than we ever have before; Frankie's favorite essential oil scent is cheddar cheese; We always need at least two desserts to feel emotionally fulfilled. 

Rating: 

5 out of 5 plus one Michigan Pug

 

Maido

Maido in Lima, Peru

Background: 
Maido is owned by Mitsuharu  "Micha" Tsumura and is currently number eight on the "World's Fifty Best Restaurants" list, which is published by the British magazine Restaurant. The list is updated each year, and also includes rankings by region in addition to the main list. The rankings themselves are based on a composite score from previous year's chefs and restauranteurs, as well as restaurant critics. Maido is currently ranked eighth in the world ranking and number two for top Latin American restaurants. You can read more about Maido and other restaurants on the list here. 

Main dining room ropes hanging down. When viewed from above, the ropes form the Japanese flag

Tsumura is a native Peruvian Nikkei who studied in Japan for a while before returning to Lima to open Maido, his first restaurant. Nikkei is a term that refers to Japanese emigrants, and Tsumura's menu reflects both parts of his background--his Japanese roots and his Peruvian upbringing. Tsumura is essentially a prodigy--he is easily among the youngest chefs on the top fifty list, and it's so cool that he has achieved so much success with Maido. 

Checking things out as we wait outside--eagerly early for our reservation

money money money money...MONEY

Eat This: 
The meal started with an assortment of "snacks" before leading to the larger courses. The first course of fine dining is so often my favorite, as I feel the chefs really try to wow with the early dishes, and the tiny bites pack so much flavor. Maido was no exception! 

Snacks

Seaweed tempura

sweet potato cream, squid fermented in beetroot, lime gel

Sushi rice cracker, avocado, trout belly, ponzu gel

Aji negro chawanmushi

Two of our favorite bites from the whole meal

We were instructed to eat the two bites and then drink the custard. This was a top course for both of us. Every little bite and sip was perfection. 

Poda Cebiche

Sarandaja cream, mackeral, shallots, limo pepper, chulpi corn, nikkei leche de tigre

We only had fancy ceviche like this during our trip--we ran out of time for a good old fashioned hole-in-the-wall place, but can't say we are mad about it. The ceviche at Maido was mouthwatering in its tangy savoriness.

Dim Sum

Squid and sea snail cau cau, camotillo cream, crispy white quinoa

The fifty best restaurants list notes this course as a standout dish on the Maido menu. Can't say we disagree! So many textures from the pureed fish, the squid and snail dumpling, and the crispy quinoa.

Choripan

Steamed bread, fish and octopus sausage, pickled vegetables, Japanese mustard, native potatoes

Other than dessert, this was my favorite dish! The Japanese mustard made this little fish hot dog taste like a classic ballpark dog--only about 52 million times better, obviously.

Nigiri

Catch of the day

Basically this was the best nigiri we have ever tasted.

The money shot (in food blogger terminology...not in other worlds)

Why the fish is so fresh: this is two blocks from the restaurant. Lima is so pretty!

Lapas Cebiche

Chullpi corn, lapas, avocado, aji Amarillo leche de tigre

This dish was steaming from the liquid nitrogen corn--yummy and fun to eat!

Liquid nitrogen corn!

Catacaos de Camarones

Green rice tamale, sautéed river prawns, creole sauce, chupe reduction

The chewy mochi tamale was perfect with the rich broth. Look at that tiny bouquet of veggies on the right!

Cassava Soba

Cassava soba, tenkatsu, vongole dashi

For this dish, you were instructed to eat the noodles and then drink the dashi. So savory and delicious. Lots of umami happening here.

Soup made from clam broth

Noodles made from cassava root!

Sudado

Catch of the day, sudado reduction, seaweed

The broth was poured in table-side. Loved this one!

Beef Short Rib 50 Hours

Camotillo potato cream, crispy rice, cushuro, purple corn chowder, black garlic

Yes, this meat was really cooked for fifty hours. It just fell apart when you put your fork in it. This was Jason's favorite course!

Sea Urchin Rice

Chiclayo rice, Atico sea urchins, avocado cream, wan yi, baby corn

This tasted like a risotto and all of the different textures played so well together.

Whew! There you have it! We were so full and happy. But wait--don't forget dessert!

Whew! There you have it! We were so full and happy. But wait--don't forget dessert!

Dessert: 

Reef

Tofu cheesecake ice cream, bread sand, sweet potato, appel with wakame, camu camu, taperiba, and burgundy grape tapiocas, soy milk

This was a game changer. We especially loved the crispy cocoa decoration and all of the textures. Taperiba is a Peruvian fruit--all of the fruits in Peru are ridiculously fresh and tasty, and I wish we could get all of them in the states!

Mussel

Granadilla with mandarin sorbet, mucilage foam, cacao nibs, lucuma ice ceam, raspberries

That's a little chocolate shell made to look like a cacao pod, filled with the lucuma ice cream! Wow. Lucuma is another Peruvian fruit. You can usually find it in the states in powdered form. The desserts at Maido were the best of all three restaurants from our trip that were on the top fifty list. We are still thinking about them!

The prettiest, tastiest dessert of the whole trip.

Drink: 
The signature drink of Peru is the Pisco Sour, and they are everywhere. This was our first meal of the trip, so we enjoyed our first Pisco at Maido! It definitely spoiled us for other Pisco Sours on our trip, because it was excellent. Pisco is a brandy liquor that is fermented from grapes. To the pisco, they add fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, egg whites, and bitters. It is stronnggg and super tasty--not too sweet. 

Day drinking = vacation staple

Jason enjoyed a cold-pressed juice--fresh juices are so prevalent in Peru! 

Muy fresco

Atmosphere: 
The vibe at Maido was so exciting--there was not any music playing, but the constant buzz from the kitchen and sushi bar provided its own soundtrack. We sat at the sushi bar, which is something we love to do--we got to see a lot of action. We watched one of the chefs plate maybe 50 of the egg nigiri dish--it was such a delicate process to keep the yolk from breaking. Whenever any new party enters the restaurant, all of the chefs and serves yell "Maido"--which means "welcome" in Japanese. We had constant smiles on our faces throughout our dining experience. The overall mood was elegant but not at all stuffy. 

Chefs hard at work

Close up of my view. Hi, wavy cat!!

Ropes hanging down into the dining room, viewed from above

Japanese Peruvian Hospitality: 
The staff could not have been more gracious and lovely. They provided the sort of top notch service you except in a restaurant of this caliber. 

Also, they were nice enough to let us behind the sushi bar at the end of the meal for a group shot. And guess what else? The man himself, owner Tsumura, happened to be in the restaurant during our lunch and came by to say hello! We felt so hashtag blessed, guys. 

GEEKING OUT

The Lovers Statue in El Parque del Amor, or The Love Park

Really exciting art near Maido. Can I keep him?!

Frankie's Notes: 
Frankie really wishes he could have been here for this meal, but he can't take long flights due to his dislike of airplane food; This was one of two tasting menus we ate in one day; We really do not recommend that the average person eat such a staggering amount of rich food in a twelve hour period; We, however, are professional eaters--your mileage may vary/try this at your own risk; We also ate some street meat and street fruits on this trip against doctor recommendation; Our bacterial biome is very rich and hardy now; MAIDO!

Rating: 5 out of 5 + two Michigan Pugs

 

Ollie's Bites: Date Night in Charlotte

Image courtesy SiliconHills

Hello, Loyal Scallionpancake Readers! 

Welcome to a new series on the blog--Ollie's Bites. All of the articles featured here are also featured on the super cool travel website Localeur, for which Scallionpancake recently started writing. You should download the Localeur app posthaste, and use it to get insider recommendations from locals whenever you travel to a new place. Localeur is in tons of cities around the world and is growing daily. It's a damn fine concept, as getting recommendations from trusted locals is a hallmark of meaningful travel, in our humble opinion. Even though many of our readers are local, we like to think our recommendations are good for Charlotte natives or those just passing through. We hope you enjoy!

Here's the first installment--Date Night in Charlotte: 

Growler’s Pourhouse

Image courtesy of QC Exclusive

Start your night out at this NoDa neighborhood bar, which is a super chill spot for hipsters and mere mortals alike to grab a drink before dinner. In addition to a wide range of local craft beers and cocktails, you would be remiss if you didn’t order a round of oyster shots to get your night started on the right note. Feeling hangry while you wait for dinner? Never fear--there’s complimentary popcorn for you to nosh on.

Stick those babies in a shot glass and drink up!//image courtesy of Charlotte Five

Haberdish

Before heading to Growler’s, definitely put your name on the waitlist for this super popular southern eatery. Use the Nowait app, if you would rather avoid the half-block schlep. Can’t miss items include the mac and cheese (don’t you dare neglect to add the spicy chicken skin on top) and the sweet potato dumplings. Colleen Hughes is the master mixologist behind the cocktails here, and the quality and creativity of her drink menu has rightfully earned her a fair amount of local fame. Thus, you should have a drink. Heck, maybe have two. There’s not a bad one in the bunch, guaranteed.

Popbar

Us Charlotteans are beyond excited to get our first location of this New York gem. Do you like gelato? Obviously. Would you like it even better on a stick? Of course you would. The options for customization are endless--you can get your pop dipped (full dip, half dip, or a drizzle) in white, milk, or dark chocolate, and then covered with as many toppings as your heart desires. Don’t despair if there’s a line out the door--it moves fast, promise!

The Comedy Zone

HAHAHAHAH//image courtesy of The Comedy Zone

After walking the previous three spots, it’s time to take a quick drive just one neighborhood over for some entertainment. The Comedy Zone is open seven days a week, and they pull pretty big names; I’ve seen Bob Saget and Margaret Cho here, and both were magical. Is the offering an open mic on the night you’re in town? Well, congratulations--you’ve just hit the jackpot. Charlotte has some awesome local comedic talent, but it is a truth universally acknowledged that awkward stand up is sometimes even more delightful than quality stand up.

8.2.0

Image courtesy of d3 Studio

Just a short walk away from The Comedy Zone, you will find this funky little joint that’s just right for a nightcap and some fun to keep your energy up into the wee hours. Highlights include the karaoke room, arcade games, or the sorta-secret speakeasy library (hint: push the bookshelf!). I highly recommend a boba cocktail and some french fries (with all the dipping sauces) for a late-night snack.  

Soul Gastrolounge

Background: 
Soul Gastrolounge is the crowning jewel of Plaza Midwood. Soul is owned by Lesa & Andy Kastanas, who also own The Diamond. What makes Soul so special, other than their creative cocktails, unique tapas, and a peacock on the wall? Well, it just so happens that Soul is the spot of Scallionpancake's first date. We started with pork belly watermelon tacos and ended with a kiss in the CVS parking lot (and then, ya know, a wedding)--so Soul holds a special place in our hearts. What makes Soul worth waiting two-plus hours for on a Saturday night? Check it out!

Check out that huge peacock!//image courtesy of Charlotte Magazine

Eat This: 

Serrano ham & Manchego on toast

Soul is a tapas joint, so we always get a lil' bit of everything. Our favorite menu items are often the specials, and we never neglect to order the sushi roll of the day. Soul's most notable dish is the Asian Glazed Pork Belly Taco, which is a perfectly cooked cube of pork belly with a piece of watermelon, rolled up in a flour tortilla. We don't often order this, but it's definitely a dish you should give a try on your first visit. 

Roll of the day

roll of the day

Another day, another roll

roll of the day

We love the roll of the day...can you tell?

salmon nigiri

Pan con tomate

Shrimp ceviche

In coconut milk and lime, with plantain chips

Asian Glazed pork belly taco

Image courtesy of Yelp

hummus of the day

Miso

Ahi tuna skewers

With sesame and soy drizzle

chimichurri beef skewers

With chimichurri sauce

grilled caesar

Garlic-oil romaine, toasted sourdough crouton

Vanna White sushi hands

Dessert:
Soul offers rotating dessert specials, and they are always awesome. On one of our earliest visits, we had a fig hand pie that I am still thinking about!

guinness chocolate cupcake

Sometimes, though, we head on over to Jason's favorite place of all time--Fu Man Chu Cupcakes. 

Jason's mothership//image courtesy of Charlotte Agenda

Drinks: 
Soul's cocktail menu is, on its own, a reason to visit the restaurant and brave the crowds. The menu changes seasonally, and I always want to try literally every option they offer. I often leave Soul a little on the tipsy side just for this reason. 

Take shots/drank

Tiki Taboo

Atmosphere: 
Soul is the ideal spot for a date--it's romantically lit, and loud enough to cover any weird silences. Also, the people watching is almost as central to the experience as the food. We often run into people we know at Soul, and, this is one of many reasons why you should sit at the bar. The bar is going to be your best bet for eating and imbibing relatively quickly, and, as one of the buds we ran into at Soul pointed out--sitting at the bar offers a glimpse into the changing vibe of Soul throughout the night. Hint--it gets younger and rowdier as the night goes on. Not that Javon can stick around for much of this portion of the night, as we usually turn into pumpkins around 10:00 when we come home, have tea and watch The History Channel. 

Oh--and fun fact! The billboard currently up just around the corner from Soul by artist Scott Partridge is a replica (with slight variations) of the print that we commissioned for our wedding. It's pretty surreal to see what's above your bed also on a billboard. The one above our bed has little versions of us and the two pugs though, duh. 

Above our bed--check out us and the pugs, bottom left!

And on a billboard, sans pugs

Javon's First Date Hospitality: 
The service is great--all of our servers have been able to navigate the chaos of how busy they can get and the close quarters of the tables to ensure that we always have a special dining experience here. 

Frankie's Notes: 
Kissing in the CVS parking lot is classy as hell, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise; So is kissing on the first date, when the feeling is right; We have Scallionpancake stickers all over the Plaza now--check us out!; Sometimes, after dining in P.M. we like to head over to Common Market so that we may be stared at judgmentally by hipsters; I love the Goldfish at the Common Market, because the serving is solid, even when they are a little stale; Jason is the one who stole the letters out of the Comida sign--shh, don't tell; Just kidding it was Ollie; Just kidding x2, don't prosecute us. 

Rating:  5 out of 5

 

Baku

Background: 
Baku, which originally opened in 2013, went under new ownership in late 2016. New owners Birdie Yang and Janine Lu also own Yama Asian Fusion in SouthPark and Yama Izakaya in Plaza Midwood. Scallionpancake came here on a media night to try some offerings from the new chef (who was formerly at Bistro la Bon), and then we came back again with our bestest friend Lorin (AKA Hamiltoe) for a more detailed look at their menu. 

On media night, we met their fabulous PR manager Bruce Hensley, who also manages restaurant week in Charlotte. Did you know that the bi -yearly restaurant week results in an 8.2 million dollar economic impact for the city? Holy food service, Batman! Bruce was great, and he gave us lots of cool insider info, like that owner Yang is a Level Two Sake Sommelier, and that the fish Baku uses in their sushi is flown in daily from New York and Hawaii (original origin: Japan). I also learned that Bruce's daughter is getting married soon at the Foundation for the Carolinas, which is where Scallionpancake tied the knot! So, we obviously chatted wedding details for most of the night. 

Here are some shots of the interior of the restaurant...

So mood lighting. Much hip.

Makin' the soosh

Eat This: 
There is not a thing I tried on the menu that I wouldn't recommend, but here are some favorites...

Calamari

Look at the sauce it was so good omg

Wagyu Beef Tartare with house made potato chips

Wagyu Beef Tartare with housemade potato chips

Spicy Hamachi Rice Crispy Treat

Lil' bites of heaven

Enoki Mushrooms

For health

Kurobuta Pork Belly Skewer

For fun

Assortment of sushi rolls

Mostly salmon and a little bit of tuna for the J man

Dessert: 
The desserts at Baku are all made in house (more on that below), and we loved both that we tried. 

Beignets

'Nawlins flare

Chocolate Lava Cake

Basic B dessert tho

Drink: 
Baku's sake collection is beyond impressive--they have the most extensive collection in the state with 75-80 different varieties on their menu permanently, and then they also offer 10-15 rotating sakes on special. They even offer a bottle that is 1K! Yeah, save that one for an *extra* special night (like, maybe when you win the lottery). We enjoyed some budget friendly cold sake, and it was light and refreshing for summer. 

When liquor is prettier than you

Presentation is everything

Atmosphere: 
Baku is a great date night spot, as it is romantically lit and feels a little fancy, but not so much so that you feel the need to get dressed to the nines. It works perfectly as a mid-week spot to catch up with your spouse and do something a little more elevated than a usual weeknight dinner. 

We would sit outside, but Jason hates bugs and weather

Asian Fusion Hospitality: 
The service we received was impeccable, and not just on media night. It was just as solid when we returned for a repeat visit. Our waiter checked in on us frequently and had a great sense of humor. 

Modern vibes

Lorin calls this look "resort chic"

Frankie's Notes: 
Restaurant week is like Christmas in January/July for Charlotteans; You can get tipsy on Natty Light, or you can get tipsy on a 1K bottle of sake--this is America, guys, and the choice is yours; That is, if you believe that the American Dream still exists; Not trying to get heavy, just questioning the possibility of social mobility in 2017 and the disappearing middle class; On a lighter note, Jason has a physical inability to not order pork belly when he sees it on a menu; Hamiltoe requested to take the above sheep home, and was brutally rebuffed; I casually questioned whether the chocolate lava cake was made in house prior to ordering it, and while I was in the bathroom Jason and Lorin told on me to the waiter and said that I vocalized my doubt re: the origin of the cake and shamed me; I don't know why I go out with them at all; Just kidding, they are my favorites!

Rating: 4 out of 5

Disclaimer: One of the meals above was provided free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are our own, and we were not compensated for this review.

 

Yamazaru

Still getting used to taking blog pictures without feeling like a creeper 

Background: 
Yamazaru opened in March of 2017 in the ever-booming South End neighborhood of Charlotte. The location could not be more perfect, as it's right next to Sycamore and within walking distance of tons of breweries that have limited menu options, or even just the occasional food truck. Yamazaru is owned by the sushi gods behind Ru Sans [read our review on what we consider the best sushi in Charlotte], so naturally we went in with high expectations. 

However, we tend to make the mistake of going to a new spot too soon, and making rash judgments when they are still figuring out their service groove, and this visit was no exception. We visited Yamazaru on a Friday night in late April with Jason's brother, Adam, and his awesome girlfriend Emily. Despite some service snafus, we had a great time due to the awesome company and banging sushi. Check it out...

Stop looking at me, swan

Eat This: 
Here we have your basic Japanese restaurant Americanized house salad with ginger dressing. It was alright. I actually prefer the crappy iceberg lettuce to this fancier stuff. #whitetrashtendencies

Nutrients & such

Yamazaru Roll
Crab salad, avocado, tuna, baked eel, and scallops

Green Dragon, Tamago Nigiri, Angry Spider, and Salmon Avocado Rolls

Dessert: 
We did not eat any desserts at Yamazaru, but we for sure went to Golden Cow Creamery after, which is conveniently just down the road!

Clearly not the ice cream from our visit that evening (hence the sunlight), but what can we say? We go here a lot. 

Drink: 
We shared some cold, unfiltered, sparkling sake! It was good, but I think it had the alcohol content of fruit juice. Yawn. On a Friday night I just don't want to feel feelings anymore, okay alcohol? 

Atmosphere: 
Yamazaru is super compact, as obviously real estate is at a premium in South End. Much like Ru Sans, it's a little difficult to navigate where to stand while you are waiting for your table. This is no big deal in nice weather, but of course when it's cold and/or rainy it means everyone is huddled awkwardly by the host stand. It was nice weather when we went, but we still huddled awkwardly by the host stand because we were hungry, and you know, out of sight out of mind, etc. 

Oh! Yamazaru means "monkey" in Japanese, and we enjoyed the hidden monkeys splashed around the decor!

Ohx2--look for the booth that is one-sided and faces a wall. Look for it, but try not to be sat in it. Especially if you're with a co-worker or something. Awk sauce nation. 

I don't know where to stand/Hi, Adam and Emily! 

South End Hospitality: 
Ughhh, we had terrible service on our first visit, unfortunately. Everyone was polite, but the servers seemed like they were still dealing with the madness of how busy they were. Our host sat three parties ahead of us who came in after us, and, once we were sat, we waited at our table for about 20 minutes without being greeted. I would definitely chalk this up to them working out the kinks of opening up a new restaurant. I am sure it will get better!

Frankie's Notes: 
Jason and Emily are super chill in the face of slow service--Adam and I? Not so much; I have lots of white trash tendencies, like enjoying Dave & Buster's on occasion; If the host can feel you breathing on them, you'll be eating faster--that's just simple restaurant math; South End is so hip with its painted magic carpets and brewery yoga classes; No seriously, take how often you think Jason and I go out to eat for dessert in the average week and multiply it by four to get an accurate count. 

Rating: 3 out of 5