Foie Gras countdown...

[CarrieWas218]

Before we can't get it anymore - shall we start a list of the best places to get foie in the city?

Specifically, my BF wants a foie extravaganza this weekend. Is there a place that does any special foie gras showcase; perhaps terrine next to seared?

I haven't had foie in the city in over a year and will be interested to see where we should head!

[Robert Lauriston]

Chron reports that Txoko will be offering a free foie gras pinxto to the first 25 people in the door on Wednesdays.

http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/...

[Robert Lauriston]

Here's one way around the ban:

http://www.domainedelarhonie.com/fich...

Delivery takes about a month.

[Melanie Wong]

An amendment to the federal Farm Bill may take away states rights to regulate agriculture, e.g., banning foie gras.
http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/...

[calumin]

There's something ironic about people opposed to the nanny state relying on the Commerce Clause trumping states' rights as the means to get government off their back..

[kevin]

I concur, it is very ironic, but in this case, my tummy accepts it.

[emglow101]

We made it through prohibition. Foie Gras will continue.

[sunshine842]

didn't Chicago repeal their ban?

[mariacarmen]

they did.
http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.co...

[sunshine842]

Thanks - I thought I remembered seeing that somewhere.

Glad to know that California has things so completely under control in terms of crime and law enforcement that they can send Ponch and Larry out to make sure nobody serving goose liver.

[mariacarmen]

hah! well, it's thought that they won't be actually wasting resources and law enforcement time on this, but who knows....

[grayelf]

This may be old news but apparently Chez TJ in Mountain View is serving "complimentary" foie gras post-ban: http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/...

[estnet]

Until it runs out - which is supposed to be about now :( - at least according to another article I read where they didn't mention "replenishing".

[FoodTrippin]

Fois sliders in the Presidio last night was tasty. PETA protesters were a PITA.

[kevin]

PITA ?

[Melanie Wong]

Pain In The A$$

[bbulkow]

Apparently the protesters hit Chez TJ a few nights ago - friday - I only saw the aftermath.

[estnet]

Did they do any damage - other than signs and being obnoxious? Do you know if TJ is gong to serve until it runs out (like one news article suggested) or until they use up their current supply (as another suggested)?

[Robert Lauriston]

Isn't that the same thing?

[estnet]

Whoops sorry for the poor wording, 1 article said he would serve it until his on hand supply was finished (ran out) stating it would run out last week end, the second said he would replenish from Nevada - guess the only was to know is to call them.

[grayelf]

In the article I linked to from July 11 he says he is going to replenish PRN from Nevada, legally.

[Robert Lauriston]

"can i ask a question that has probably been asked and answered a thousand times? after 6/30, we will not be able to even have foie gras shipped to us at our private homes, for private consumption, from out-of-state producers?"

California Health & Safety Code section 25982 says, "A product may not be sold in California if it is the result of force feeding a bird for the purpose of enlarging the bird's liver beyond normal size." Any out-of-state online store that does not charge California sales tax clearly does not believe that the sale is taking place in California.

The law says nothing about importation, possession, or consumption.

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fac...

[mariacarmen]

that was my take on it. but then i wonder why Hudson Valley is saying they won't sell/ship to California.... just ultra caution, perhaps....

to be fair, i haven't personally been able to find this on their site, but a friend who orders from them (in Washington State) said they issued a statement saying they would not sell/ship to CA.

[CarrieWas218]

Here is what it says on D'Artagnan's website:

"California customers -- Please note that, as of July 1, 2012, California law prohibits the sale of foie gras within the state of California. While the law does allow for us to sell to you through our website and for you to consume the product, there may be restrictions on your ability to resell them within your own state."

I clicked through just up to the point of completing a sale and it seemed it could be ordered okay - I'm just not willing to risk $100 to see if it will work (since I have a frozen lobe in my freezer).

[estnet]

They wouldn't charge you if they didn't send it.

[Cynsa]

http://sf.eater.com/archives/2012/07/...

[maria lorraine]

Great link. Many thanks.

[calumin]

The fact that a seller doesn't charge sales tax doesn't mean the sale doesn't take place in the state.

California still requires that the buyer pay tax even in cases where the seller doesn't collect it. In that case, it's called a use tax instead of a sales tax but they are functionally equivalent.

If I'm a buyer in California and I buy the product, then that breaks the law regardless of where the seller is. That's why sellers aren't selling the product in California anymore.

From reading the law, it seems like you could make a purchase to be sent to an out-of-state address, then bring it into California as a separate event. If it weren't perishable, that would probably be the easiest way around the law.There's no law against possession.

[Robert Lauriston]

The law says nothing about buying, only selling.

If someone were trying to enforce the ban, they could argue in court that California has jurisdiction over online sellers in another state, but generally courts have found that the seller's state has jurisdiction.

But the law does not make any particular agency responsible for enforcing it and there's no funding for enforcement.

[calumin]

I agree with you that enforcement will be tricky.

If someone out-of-state wanted to sell foie gras to you, it would not be illegal for you to buy it, but it would be illegal for that provider to sell it. That's because the seller is bound to laws not only in its own state, but also to the state in which the buyer lives.

If a seller wants to actively flout the law, that's their choice. There's no legal ground for them to stand on, just the hope that nobody will bother to catch them.

They can try to add "choice of law" clauses to specify seller state jurisdiction as part of terms & conditions on a Web site, but they generally won't hold up.

[sweethooch]

In the business-to-business world, there is a concept called "incoterms," which govern when title passes from the seller to the buyer (among other things, such as who pays for transport, customs, etc.). I am simplifying, but basically it is up to negotiation between the buyer and seller as to whether the customer takes ownership at the point of shipment (when it leaves the seller's dock) or the point of destination (delivery to customer). I think if sellers state that the customer takes ownership in the seller's state, as part of their terms and conditions of sale, they would be on pretty good ground.

California cannot regulate other states' commerce.

[sunshine842]

INCOTERMS applies only to international commerce - the name is a shortened version of International Commercial Terms.

[sweethooch]

right, that's why I talked about it as a concept, not a prescription....

[Robert Lauriston]

I'm pretty sure California has no jurisdiction over my supplier in France.

[kevin]

I highly doubt that California's long-arm statute reaches France.

[bbulkow]

French laws enforced on US nationals on US soil
US laws enforced on Russian nationals on Russian soil
http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-927316.html
US law, US soil, Russian national - including extradition
http://www.forbes.com/2009/06/01/cyberbusts-security-internet-technology-security-cyberbusts.html
US law, US soil, New Zealand national, including arrest and possible extradition
http://mashable.com/2012/07/10/kim-do...

I doubt California has the pull to do similar - we have to wait until this ban goes national, under interstate commerce clause grounds.

[sunshine842]

the key is that the French company is not on US soil, and US states do not have the jurisdiction to regulate foreign companies.

[calumin]

the other suppliers mentioned in this thread are in the US where the incentives to abide by state law are higher.

if the US wants to go after foreign suppliers (e.g. as with onling gambling companies in Antigua), it can make life hard for them. they won't do that for fois gras!

[Robert Lauriston]

I'm not sure there's much incentive for retailers in other states to pay attention to the ban. I suppose it depends on whether there's a city or district attorney in the state that would want to prosecute.

[david t.]

It's been asked a million times but has been answered by few. The answer is that no one knows. But most major suppliers won't ship to CA just in case it is a violation of the law. Mirepoix and Hudson Valley won't ship it after July 1st. I asked them through email.

[nocharge]

Does this legislation apply to businesses on federal land governed by the National Park Service? Places like the Presidio Social Club, the Ahwahnee, etc?

[kevin]

If it's federal property, then I would guess no. And also federal law is the supreme law of the land, hence it would supercede state law where the two come into conflict or even if state law is entering the sphere of federal law. So basically federal preemption at it's finest hours. But did the joints you mentioned above have good chefs and/or serve foie gras to begin with ???

[mariacarmen]

i'd always heard good things about the Ahwahnee menu...

http://www.yosemitepark.com/Files/Dinner_-_Starters_05.18.pdf
http://www.yosemitepark.com/Files/Din...

hard to tell if they'd have foie on their menu tho.... that FDA consumer advisory is an odd thing to see on a menu. the Feds!

[Robert Lauriston]

Businesses on federal property are subject to California and local laws.

[chaddict]

Actually, not entirely. As someone who has worked on the Presidio for over 6 years, we are not subject to all CA laws and definitely not SF laws such as the payroll tax, sick pay, and the whole healthy SF stuff. If you ask the Trust if even sales tax applies, they simply tell you to consult your own lawyer. There was even an employment case that was dismissed with prejudice because the employer was on federal land.

[kevin]

Exactly federal property.

[...tm...]

The internet says the Presidio is exempt.
http://sfist.com/2012/07/10/presidio_...

[Robert Lauriston]

Yes, that's the same press release as on the other blog. I'm still curious about the legal reasoning and what other loopholes they might have. No raw-milk cheese, obviously, since the feds are responsible for that one.

[nocharge]

No California ABC or liquor license, apparently.
http://www.sfgate.com/food/article/Bi...

[Robert Lauriston]

Good article. If restaurants in the Presidio don't need liquor licenses, don't have to pay sales tax, and are exempt from Healthy SF, why aren't SF restauranteurs fighting to get in there?

[CarrieWas218]

Easy answer, Robert: Lack of consistent business and public transportation; the Presidio doesn't have consistent foot traffic and is, by default, a DESTINATION. Many San Franciscans don't have cars and getting into and around the Presidio is complicated without a vehicle.

There was a small plates restaurant that opened (name escapes me, something like Va da Vi?) to try and service George Lucas' business endeavors in the Presidio and it lasted a year or two, at best?

[wolfe]

Pres a Vi - CLOSED
1 Letterman Dr
Bldg D, Ste 150
San Francisco, CA 94129

[CarrieWas218]

That's it - thanks, Wolfe! (I know there was a vi or a va in there somewhere!)

[wolfe]

There is a Va de VI but it's in Walnut Creek.
http://www.va-de-vi-bistro.com/

[kevin]

see Federal Property Clause of the United States Constitution.

Wow, a constitutional issue based on chowhounding, I never thought I'd see the day.

i may have to hit up the presidio when i'm longing for foie gras again.

[chaddict]

Have you ever tried dealing with the Trust? Oy, the headaches, the politics, bureaucracy, the headaches, the incredibly high rent...

[mariacarmen]

hah - i used to work for it. bureaucratic nightmare at its finest.

[pamf]

The Indian casinos, don't have to follow California law. They allow smoking, for example. Don't know of any with a really good restaurant, but most of them have a steak house type place.

[bluex]

The Presidio Social Club announced they'll start serving foie gras on (and after) Bastille day.

http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/...

[Robert Lauriston]

Does that mean they're also exempt from California food-handling laws and don't have to be inspected by the health department? Can they serve booze after 2am?

[calumin]

it's an interesting topic. it looks like nobody has ever bothered to rule on this, because until now nobody has really tried to exploit a loophole.

I bet at the end of the day the Presidio Trust will force them to give this up. Anytime someone gets around to legislating this, they usually say that these lands need to obey state laws.

That's how alcohol rules work on military grounds. On Indian lands the Supreme Court has upheld California's right to legislate granting of alcohol permits.

It will probably take a couple months before anyone gets around to making life hard for the restaurant owner however.

[zabriskiepoint]

"I bet at the end of the day the Presidio Trust will force them to give this up."

Here's the statement from the Trust: “We are concerned that this action is inconsistent with the values that we promote in the Presidio – sustainability, respect for our environment, responsible stewardship. We will engage with the Presidio Social Club on these concerns,”

I call that beyond lame, because I don't recall the trust the Trust showing so much concern about the food served in restaurants on its land in the past. Battery farmed chicken? Factory farmed pork? Feedlot cattle? Salads from monoculture fields drenched in pesticides? Apparently there was no conflict with sustainability and respect for the environment in any of those, but Foie production is clearly devastating the planet.

[grayelf]

Hear hear!

[Cynsa]

lol - shall I hold my breath until Presidio Bowling Center serves up foie gras on the burger with the Bud bowling pin bottle?

[chefj]

Go Ray!!!

[calumin]

looks like that experiment ended rather quickly.

http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/...

although they seem to imply that if you wink a certain way and remain completely discreet, they might do something for you.

[Cynsa]

Bistro Central Parc has a lovely Foie Gras Trio appetizer $20 seared/au torchon/macaron

http://www.bistrocentralparc.com/Cent...

[david t.]

The countdown is premature. I'm beginning to think it's going to be a while before restaurants stop serving foie gras dishes.

[maria lorraine]

What makes you think so? Sightings?

Foie gras on the down-low? Law workarounds?

Served for free? Toast points -- $20 (the pate de foie gras is free)??

An off-menu item? Mention it to the waiter and it's an option??

[vulber]

one store in particular told me they would still have it, they would just be "calling it something else"

[maria lorraine]

I love it. Code words.

[Kim Cooper]

Oh no! How do you learn the code??!!?? :-)

[Melanie Wong]

Via tastingtable, here's another opportunity on June 30, 10pm, underground, final hours countdown . . .
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/38120...

[Dustin_E]

i recently tried the foie tasting menu at la folie, as well as the foie tasting menu at 5th floor. overall, i thought the level of cooking at fifth floor was a lot higher. the filet rossini at la folie wasn't better than the one at harris' -- and the one at harris' is half the price.

in particular, though, i'd highly recommend two dishes for those wanting their last bite of (legal) foie in california:

scallop and foie gras with asparagus and rosemary @ la folie
oysters covered in foie @ fifth floor

these two dishes were my favorite preparations, by a margin.

[drinkmoretang]

Two quick updates: At 4505, picked up a foie pot de creme for $15 and a pack of 3 fat foie gras boudin blanc sausages for $18. The former was more savory than sweet, very creamy, and packed with foie gras flavor. We ate it alone, with some thinly sliced baguette, and on top of brownies, and it was really excellent in all of its applications. I don't detect much (if any) foie gras flavor in the boudin blanc, but it is a rich, juicy sausage with good pork and white pepper flavor. There's not a lot of snap to the casing.

My wife and I loved the foie tasting menu at Fifth Floor. Neither of us found it overwhelmingly heavy, but it gives you lots of different ways to experience the ingredient. My favorite dishes were the oysters with a subtle foie gras bearnaise and the palate cleanser, a vanilla foie gras panna cotta with a spherical strawberry sauce. It was my first time dining here since David Bazirgan took the reins; there are a bunch of molecular gastronomy techniques used now, largely successfully on this trip. A foie gras powder was also really excellent.

One more splurge to come with La Folie, and I think I'll be foied and fine dininged out for a good while!

[mariacarmen]

my sister and i went on a foie-hop last night. We split everything all night. started at Ame and ordered the foie three ways. We loved the torchon on it's mini brioche, and also the seared with cocoa nibs, although the nibs weren't very flavorful at all. the raddichio salad with mint was wonderful if you didn't expect to taste either the duck gizzard or the foie (which we didn't). Still, we were pleased. We also ordered the chuwanmushi with uni and lobster, which was wonderful. I'd ordered a glass of sherry, and it took them awhile to realize they were out of it, but they brought me a replacement and then comped me for it! unnecessary but very much appreciated.

Next up was Prospect. Foie two ways - torchon again and seared wth balsamic. I loved both preps, but for me the torchon here edged out Ame's for creaminess and rich flavor. Prospect's seared foie was a little larger and meatier. I'd forgotten that Prospect's chef was Boulevard's Nancy Oakes. I'm not a super-fan of Boulevard, but I'd go back to Prospect (although my pour of sherry here was teensy and more expensive than the one at Ame - before the comp.)

Next we decided to go to Chez Papa 4 Mint Plaza. We'd planned on just having their appetizer portion of foie, but my evil sister convinced me to split the Foie Tasting Menu ($85). http://www.chezpaparesto.com/dinnerme...

we split: the lollipop with date puree (a little too braunschweiger-y more than a foie taste, for both of us);

the abalone and foie mousse with crispy pork jowl and purple mustard (great contrasts in textures and flavors); the foie gras torchon with coffee soil (very good); the flat iron steak with seared foie and fondant potato with foie sauce (the winner of the evening - the sauce was rich and sticky and fabulous, and the steak was cooked perfectly. and that potato! oh, the foie was great too!), and the foie pound cake (a little odd, but not entirely unsuccessful). There was a slight lag in between two of the courses, and the chef kindly sent out two champagne coupes of Cremant Rose with a quenelle of raspberry sorbet in the middle, as an apology. Again, unnecessary but refreshing and appreciated.

I think I've had enough foie for a little while... tho now i'm hearing that the ban will most likely be unenforced, so it may all have been an exercise in delicious excess.

[Debbie M]

I had the Chez Papa 5-course tasting menu on Monday. I agree the highlights were the abalone/foie mousse+/pork jowl, and the flat iron steak (pics 1 & 2). In fact, I was enjoying it so much, about 2/3 of the way through cleaning the plate,I realized, "hey, I still have a hunk of seared foie left!" Truly icing on the cake. My friend chose the duck for his main. He said it was okay, but too much cherry.

I've been on a mini foie gras run (mini as opposed to some of the Herculean efforts of others here). In late May a friend and I went to Morimoto in Napa to have what foie gras dishes they had. I had the Oyster Uni Foie Gras appetizer (pic attached because it's so beautiful). Actually, they had already updated their printed menu in preparation for July, so in the words of the waiter, it was Oyster Uni (with a secret ingredient). You could eat each component separately, or shoot the whole thing at once. Three great tastes (and great textures) that taste great together.

I also went with the same friend to the Nombe tasting menu last Thursday. My favorites there were the foie gras and English pea chawanmushi, miso-glazed walu (their online menu said that course would be escolar) with foie gras butter and dandelion. Though it sounds like others disagree I liked the foie gras ramen, though it was strange to have a beef broth. If it wasn't for the miso in the broth, it would have been more like beef noodle soup. The noodles were nicely chewy, and the foie added a rich, oily note. I also liked the dessert, which was miso ice cream with strawberries and foie snow. Unfortunately, too dark to take pictures.

I'm hoping to be able to sneak away from work long enough for lunch on Friday and try the ramen at Ame.

Even if it will pretty much be around after the ban, it has made for a fun month!

[arlenemae]

Wow, that looks really good, and reasonably priced compared to some of the other foie tasting dinners that I've seen. I like how they give you 2 different choices for 3 of the courses!

Looks like I might change my plans to go here instead on Friday night...they still have it right?

[mariacarmen]

i felt exactly the same way about the foie on the steak dish - it was delish, but almost an afterthought, because the whole dish was so great. that foie sauce was no afterthought, certainly.

your pics came out lovely. mine were mostly too dark, so i didn't post them. But here are a couple: First one from Ame, the second from Prospect.

[arlenemae]

I went to Chez Papa last Friday, and I'm wondering if anyone else had a similar experience. My husband and I both ordered the 5-course foie tasting menu with the wine pairings. We arrived 5 minutes early for an 8pm reservation, and got seated around 8:05-8:10. However we were done with dessert even before 9:30pm! This just seemed way too quick to me for a 5-course tasting menu, wish we had more time to savor each course. As it was, our second course arrived as we were still finishing our first, and a couple of times the food arrived before the wine did, so we had to sit and wait for the wine to eat our food. Everything was really good, but I think the rushed service just threw it off. Granted, it was a lot cheaper than other tasting menus like Fifth Floor or La Folie, but I still expected better service for $85+$45/pp.

At first I thought that perhaps they had a 10pm seating after us, but they asked us if we wanted coffee after we were done w/ dessert (which we did, and they didn't seem in a rush to get us the bill after that), and there were quite a few tables free by the time we left around 10pm. Overall it was a decent experience, but not as "special" as I would have expected my last foie gras dinner in a California restaurant. I wish I would have splurged on Fifth Floor instead.

[Debbie M]

That does sound like a drag, arlenemae. We certainly didn't have that problem. We had a 6:00pm reservation, and finished around 8:45-9:00. But it was a Monday; maybe on Friday they have high hopes of turning more tables (even if it doesn't work out that way). Either way, its a shame that their poor timing added a bum note to you meal.

On Friday, after work, I ran down to the bar at Ame to have the ramen. Liked it very much. Afterwards, I walked by Fifth Floor, and also wished I would have splurged. Not necessarily because of a bad experience elsewhere, but just because everybody had such good things to say about their FG dinner.

[Melanie Wong]

A postcard from the chowhounds at Paris by Mouth sent to us in California.
http://parisbymouth.com/a-photographi...

[estnet]

Very, very cool - thanks PBM and Melanie for posting.

[smatbrat]

I will be doing the dinner at Txoko tomorrow night and i can not wait. i understand they are booked!

[arlenemae]

Looks like La Folie is doing a foie gras menu this week too: http://www.lafolie.com/menu_Foie_Gras...

It's quite a bit pricier than the other ones I was looking at though.

[Melanie Wong]

Hapa Ramen is doing a pop up dinner tonight at Wing Wings. Richie Nakano has been posting photos of the foie gras terrine in progress this week.
http://haighteration.com/2012/06/hapa...

[drewskiSF]

I was at La Folie about 1.5 weeks ago and they had 5 Foie Gras dishes on their menu(s).

The first 3 items (foie soup, foie torchon, scallop & foie) on that Foie Tasting along with the dessert are on their current regular & chef's tasting menus (items from both can be chosen for the standard 3-5 course meals) along with their well known seared foie appetizer.

You could make your own 5-course foie tasting menu for $120 ($100 + $20 supplement for adding the seared foie). I don't know if they're as flexible with the Foie/Quail or Beef/Rossini dishes that are solely on the Foie tasting menu to add to a non-tasting meal.

The seared foie gras portions with the soup & scallop were generously sized. I was expecting a slice with both, but they were good sized lobes (maybe 1/3 the size of the +$20 seared appetizer?) and the piece on the scallop dwarfed the actual scallop (see 3rd pic). It was definite richness overload (in a good way). The torchon in between the two seared preps was an excellent contrast of temperature, texture, and flavors.

Even after doling out part of the foie gras portions to my dining companions, when my fourth course of duck 3-ways arrived (I did 4 savory courses), I could only take a few bites (the smoked duck tongues (in between the strips of duck breast in the 4th picture) were deliciously smokey with a gelatinous texture like chicken feet without the bones) and took the rest of the duck dish home (which was enough for a light lunch on it's own).

Obviously I'm a lightweight.

[arlenemae]

Wow, that looks great. La Folie really does not skimp on their foie gras! I would love to try their menu but it's a bit on the pricy side compared to some of the others we were looking at. I wish I could eat foie gras every day this week (and had the $$$ for it)!

[cosmogrrl]

Going there tomorrow night, I can't wait!!!

[vulber]

dropped into the lounge next door tonight and ordered the torchon. it was served with a peanut butter cookie which i intially thought was weird, but it all came together with the cherries and toasted bread. quite good. (although the cheese souffle was out of this world good).

also worth noting, you can order the restaurant's seared foie gras from the lounge a la carte for $55, which i saw several people doing. enormous portion.

[bluex]

I had "The Devil Inside" from Craftsman & Wolves last week, the foie gras/chocolate/toffee muffin. It was pretty amazing. An extremely rich and chocolately muffin, with toffee accents and foie gras in the center (google it for some pictures). The muffin would be delicious on its own, but the savory flavor and creaminess of the foie gras was a really nice complement to the chocolate and toffee and the denseness of the muffin. Super rich though, I ate it over two days. I believe it was $8.

If you're interested (and I definitely recommend foie-lovers try it), you might want to stop in early, as they appear to have been selling out before noon. I stopped by the first day that they opened and grabbed the last one at 10:30a.

[kevin]

where's crafsman and wolves for those foie muffins.

[weshoke]

It's on Valencia ( http://craftsman-wolves.com/ ). I had their pain cochon and a cocoa+carrot muffin the other day. Both were very good.

[kevin]

cochon ai lait ??? like in new orleans? wow.

[Melanie Wong]

No.

[Melanie Wong]

Note that there's a sign up that it's closing at 3pm today. About a dozen The Devil Inside cakes in the case right now.

Link to Craftsman & Wolves thread
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/852863

[Melanie Wong]

No kidding it's rich, especially the chocolate ganache core. I could only eat about one-third at a time: breakfast, afternoon snack, post-dinner. But mine had only a tiny sliver of foie gras. Here's the full slideshow for The Devil Inside, (click on “show info” for captions).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniew...

[bluex]

Interesting, I wonder if they've purposely reduced the foie gras or if it's just random. Mine looked just like this picture: http://static.dailycandy.com/resource...

[Melanie Wong]

Meant to upload this photo of The Devil Inside cross-section

[vulber]

anyone had the filet mignon rossini at harris'?

was thinkin of going this week....

[Dustin_E]

i've had it a couple times. i like it. i'd get it again.

only complaint is that the piece of foie on top sometimes isn't as big as i would like. also, i think the foie preparation is also different from most i've seen -- maybe it is poached instead of seared or something? i'm not sure.

i've also seen a guy order a porterhouse rossini before, lol.

[CarrieWas218]

Vulber - ironically, I went to Harris last evening for Rossini. At $50, it was not bad but very old school; well-prepared seared foie atop the surprisingly large filet offering and the decently-thick demi glace made for a nice evening. I paired it with an '06 Heitz Cab and replaced a potato offering with creamed spinach (a little heavy on the nutmeg).

Like others have mentioned, the frozen foie at Attelier Crenn is probably the most innovative in town and certainly my most memorable as well.

I've purchased another lobe from Fatted Calf; sliced, shrink-wrapped, and frozen for future use...

[mariacarmen]

can i ask a question that has probably been asked and answered a thousand times? after 6/30, we will not be able to even have foie gras shipped to us at our private homes, for private consumption, from out-of-state producers? I've seen opposing answers even here on CH.... Thanks.

[bluex]

According to Mirepoix (who sell foie gras online and apparently checked with their legal counsel), it will be illegal for foie gras purchased online from out of state to be shipped to a CA address, even if the billing address is in another state.

So no, we won't be able to do that, but it looks like there will be lots of other options for getting foie gras. There was a really interesting article today about the ways chefs are planning to get around the ban and how the authorities aren't that interested in enforcing it. In the article, the owner of Mirepoix says she's planning on setting up shop in Reno so that people can cross the border and buy foie gras, and she'll also have the option of having the purchased foie gras couriered to a restaurant in CA to be cooked.

http://blog.mirepoixusa.com

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012...

[bluex]

Actually, D'artagnan (another foie gras retailer, based in New York), tweeted today that it's legal for them to sell to CA.

[mariacarmen]

so... again - conflicting stories!

thanks for posting these links, tho, bluex...

[vulber]

finally went last night; enjoyed it quite a bit

[mariacarmen]

i had the foie appetizer at St. Vincent's tonight: St Anthony’s Bread, foie gras and farm egg, clothbound cheddar, vidalia onion. Yummy. Maybe a little too much bread, but a wholly satisfying dish - homey, rich, cut with a few micro-greens. $16. My first time here, everything else was good too - plus a delicious Slovenian pinot gris.

[absc]

I had this as well this week. Actually our group of 6 or so liked it so much we ordered a second plate. It was a lot of bread but very flavorful.

[absc]

I've now tried both the 4505 Meats foie boudin blanc and pot de creme. Highly recommend both.

[maria lorraine]

Any casual foie opportunities in the next nine days in the North Bay?

Something other than these glorious preps here on Inside Scoop (from all over the Bay Area)??
http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/...

Simple seared foie, foie on a burger, etc.?

[wally]

Fatted Calf is selling it as a piece of a Torchon.

[jackiecat]

John Ash and Co still has foie 3 ways on the dinner menu.

http://www.vintnersinn.com/johnash.asp

[maria lorraine]

Good leads. Thank you! Also Chowhound c.oliver recommended La Salette in Sonoma for their foie gras starter:

http://lasalette-restaurant.com/menus...

[Melanie Wong]

Here's the piece in the PD on Sonoma County chefs' preps,
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/...

Who's had the foie gras poppers at Willi's Wine Bar?

[jackiecat]

Bistro 29 in Santa Rosa also has it on the menu.

http://www.bistro29.com/

[maria lorraine]

Thanks, Melanie. The menu says "Foie Gras “Poppers”, Avocado, Honey & Soy" -- have you had them?

[Melanie Wong]

No, sorry, I have not. Considered going tonight before returning to City. But I got a seat at the bar at Cyrus instead for the torchon with a splash of Tokaji. Masterful.

[maria lorraine]

Sounds like perfection. I love foie with a stickie. Bring it on!

[Melanie Wong]

Here's my post on the foie gras appetizer at Cyrus, loved the prep cuz not too sugary.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/856428

What about Goose and Gander? With a name like that I had looked at the online menu and was disappointed to not see any foie gras. But I read a mention of foie there.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001...

[mariacarmen]

has anyone tried the Nombe or Ame foie ramen? We are thinking of doing a night of 3 stops: Ame for their foie ramen, then Nombe for theirs (for comparison), and then Humphrey Slocumb for their foie ice cream sandwich.

[Melanie Wong]

Friend had Nombe's, said it was disappointing/bad. And I read that it ended June 15. She recommended HS's ice cream sandwich.

We had Ame's. She said its much better than Nombe. Seared foie gras better than rest of the bowl. I liked the foie gras 3-ways appetizer.

[mariacarmen]

Thanks Melanie, we're just make our reservations, so this is helpful info.

[Melanie Wong]

Decided to go into more detail for Ame. Here's the post,
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/854847

Some of the restaurants are starting to get low on foie gras stocks, so you might want to have some set aside for you when you make your res.

[mariacarmen]

another good tip, thanks!

[arlenemae]

Yikes, now I'm so tempted to get this one too! My hubby would probably only let me do 2 more foie gras dinners in the next couple of weeks though. Thinking about ditching Sent Sovi and going to Ame instead this Friday. But would it be too similar to go to Ame this week and Chaya the next week?

[mariacarmen]

Ame called me back. Said they have and will have plenty of foie - YES!

[mmerino]

Don't do Ame's Foie Ramen! its not good. Save your money for some better foie dish somewhere else.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/854847

[mariacarmen]

thanks.... i saw that report, but we wanted to do Ame because it's not a tasting menu, and they also have the foie 3 ways on the app menu.... in other words, the ramen is a secondary consideration.

Melanie's review wasn't a total pan, i thought:

"We had wondered about the pairing of Hokkaido miso stock, usually on the thick and unctuous side, with the richness of foie gras. The stock turned out to be not at all heavy but quite light, delicately meaty with moderate depth and mild piquancy. Definitely in a supporting cast role here. Noodles were the thicker style, not soft, but not as firm as I prefer. Our server presented the dish, referring to the wontons as tortellini. Not wrapped like tortellini nor wonton “hats”, these were missing the twist that gives wontons their shape. The pasta for the wontons was thick and leaden, leaving no impression of “swallowing clouds”. Mustard greens offered a peppery bite, and the fresh kernels of corn were welcome crunch and bits of summer’s sweetness.

While the ramen composition was none too memorable, this bowl’s raison d'être was to show off a slice of seared foie gras. And that it did quite well. Surprising to me, I was wishing for a sweeter style of miso stock to contrast with the fatty liver. The corn helped with a boost, and the sake pairing offered up another kind of sweetness as well to make it work for me."

Our plan was, do the 2 Ame foie dishes (ramen and app) and then go to Humphrey Slocumbe for their dessert foie.

[arlenemae]

I actually decided to go to Ame this weekend instead of Sent Sovi, mainly due to their foie gras 3 ways appetizer as well. Why have just a terrine when I can have some foie in a terrine, seared, salad, AND a bowl of ramen! Will report back after we go...

[Candice]

I had Ame's foie ramen this weekend and have to say that it was completely worth it. I'm more of a torchon kind of girl and don't always love the seared foie, but I have to say that the hunk of seared foie at Ame was one of the best I have ever eaten. It's true that the broth wasn't as rich or flavorful as I would have liked and the wontons were just ok, but that sered foie was amazing.

[arlenemae]

I just had it this weekend too. I wasn't sure what to expect since the reviews were mixed, but I really enjoyed it. The broth isn't as rich as what I'm used to (since I usually like to order tonkotsu ramen), but I thought it complemented the foie well. If the broth was really rich I think it might have been overkill since the foie itself was already pretty rich (and a decent portion too). I actually really enjoyed the wontons as well.

Also got the foie gras trio appetizer. Really liked the seared piece and the torchon w/ the brioche(?) that it came with, I thought the salad was just ok though, I couldn't really taste the foie.

My hubby and I shared the appetizer, and each of us got our own ramen for the entree, it was actually a lot less than what I thought we would spend. I thought this was a good stop for one of my last foie gras dinners.

[sylphi]

Agreed. The seared foie gras was definitely the best part. I could have done without.

[j mather]

4505 Meats had a foie gras boudin blanc at the Ferry Building last week. It might be the best sausage I've ever had. I'm not sure if they will have it hot this week, but I think they still have some to take home. Probably best to check.

[Spatlese]

Picked up a package of the foie boudin this morning, and they had it as one of the hot options as well. They also had small slices of foie for sale along with the sausages and butchered meats. I'd imagine they'd be doing the same for the last gasp next weekend, but yeah, best to check ahead.

[kevin]

Foie boudin?

REally?

Where? Thanks a bunch.

[drewskiSF]

4505 Meats mentioned up-thread a few posts.

[absc]

They did tell me that they hoped to have it at all of their markets up until the ban. But, it goes fast. I've got two packs in the freezer.

[Calvinist]

Posted on another thread, so I better repost here....

Recently had the foie gras tasting menu at Fifth Floor. $120 per person. Wine pairing an additional $70. We did not do the wine paring as one of our party (a sommelier) brought wine and we mixed and matched off Amy Goldberger's list. We had a marvelous time. The staff was very acomodating of our seven person party (a couple were late due to a pet emergency). The dishes with lamb neck and squab were stand outs.

I'd never been to Fifth Floor before, but I was very happy I got to do a proper send off to foie gras.

Below is a photo spread of the meal.

http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/...

[artemis]

My DH adored the foie app he had at Prospect a few weeks ago. His favorite foie by far, much more than La Folie, which was just too much foie (something he never, ever thought he'd say).

[Ruth Lafler]

Prospect is so convenient for me I'm hoping to drop in for that in the next week or so. It was one of the most appealing to me of the dishes on a recent list.

[artemis]

I was actually blown away by our meal at Prospect. Fabulous from start to finish. Best meal I've had in years, and we eat quite well. Not sure if there's more than one foie dish, but he got the hot/cold combo app. We may have to return before the month is over so he can eat it again before it's banned.

[rubadubgdub]

We had the Txoko foie $65 4-course all foie dinner last week. The preps were on the rustic side but tasty enough. They are now offering it T - Th until the teary farewell. It was a nice fix but I could use a bit more so keep the writeups coming!
First course: foie torchon w escarole-y salad. Torchon is not how i would describe a smear of foie on a toasted baguette slice but it was tasty if a bit rustic.
Second course: foie a la plancha. A decent sized portion but not the finest foie I've eaten. I think there were a few different sized pieces.
Third course: scallop w foie sauce. We enjoyed this prep the most though the scallops were a tiny bit gritty. Sauce was subtle but enhancing.
Fourth course: foie ice cream w poached prune. They use the foie fat to make the ice cream so there was just a hint of meaty flavor. Surprisingly light and I love prunes.

[arlenemae]

I've been on a foie gras rampage the last few months...

February:
Seared foie gras with huckleberries at Parallel 37 - This was really good, but as much as I love Ron Siegel, I don't think it was as memorable as other preparations that I had in the last few months

March:
Seared foie gras, foie gras torchon, and shaved foie gras "nachos" at Alexander's Steakhouse (Cupertino) - I've been here a few times before, and as much as I love steak, I wanted to get my fill of foie and ordered all three of their foie gras dishes for dinner (yup, I'm a glutton)! The "nachos" probably had the most foie gras out of the three, I still had plenty even after sharing with my dining companions. They seem to have gone more "molecular" lately and had a really cool foie gras powder that went with the foie gras terrine.

April:
Seared foie gras with waffles and pear syrup, Libery duck with shaved foie gras - Whoever came up with "foie gras and waffles" should get a medal! It went perfectly, especially with the pear syrup, and came with both pieces of seared foie gras and a foie "butter" of sorts. I was a bit disappointed with the amount of shaved foie gras that came with the duck though, there was maybe a few paltry shavings that melted immediately on top of the hot entree.
Foie gras with espresso sauce at Keiko a Nob Hill - I thought the espresso flavor would be stronger but it was very subtle. The sauce was definitely excellent, but the portion they give is teeny tiny...there's probably only a few bites of it for $20.

May:
Frozen foie gras at Atelier Crenn - This is probably the single best preparation of foie gras I've had in my life (and I've eaten my share of foie gras), dethroning the terrine I had at the French Laundry. The texture was just unbelievable, so thin, delicate, and cold...melts in your mouth perfectly. I can make a pretty good seared foie gras at home but I don't think I can even hope to ever replicate this dish. I am so glad I got to try this dish before the ban!
Seared foie gras with cherry sauce at La Folie - I've said it before and I'll say it again, this is probably the largest piece of foie gras you can get in the city...this thing was GIGANTIC. We got it for $45 a la carte at the lounge ($10 supplement at the restaurant), but it's easily 5-6x the amount we got at Keiko a Nob Hill for $20. It is definitely large, but it is also very tasty and well-prepared, the cherry sauce that came with it was perfect.

June:
Tounedos Rossini at Bella Vista Restaurant - Not a foie gras dish per se, but I was curious because they put pate de foie gras on top of the steak instead of seared which is more common nowadays (also I had a bloomspot deal). This place is a real throwback to a few decades ago, with classics such as steak diane and cherries jubilee. The pate was a bit more liver-y than your typical terrine, I wonder if they mix it with regular liver. It still worked with the steak though I think I still prefer my steak rossini w/ seared foie gras.
Sent Sovi - Haven't been here yet, but going this friday, since I got another bloomspot deal for two 4-course dinners for $89. They have a foie gras torchon with rhubarb, watermelon, and compressed apple.

For the last week of June, I have one more dinner left! I'm planning for a full-on all-foie gras dinner, but still a little bit torn between the following:
- 5-courses at Fifth Floor for $120/pp (all of June): http://www.fifthfloorrestaurant.com/union-square-restaurant-events.php
- 7-courses at Sent Sovi for $175/pp including wine pairings (June 28-29): http://www.sentsovi.com/Menu/Foie-Gras-Menu-061212.pdf
- 3-courses at Bisou for $75/pp, but they have 3 appetizers, 4 entrees, and 2 desserts to choose from (June 28 only): http://www.bisoubistro.com/index.php?page=events
- 7 a la carte courses at Chaya Brasserie for $17-25/dish (June 18-30): http://www.thechaya.com/sanFrancisco/...

Some other restaurants are doing foie gras farewell dinner, but right now I'm leaning towards Chaya since the Asian preparations might be interesting, and my hubby and I might just order all 7 dishes (would still be cheaper than both Fifth Floor and Sent Sovi overall).

Would be so sad once the ban takes place, but I'm eating my fill for now. At least for future cravings I still have around a pound and a half of raw foie in my freezer! :)

[Robert Lauriston]

What were the foie gras "nachos'?

[arlenemae]

It was some sort of shrimp chips/crackers with avocado, citrus salsa, and foie gras shaved on top. I loved the foie gras part, but I thought the shrimp-y flavor of the chips competed with the foie. The terrine was my favorite preparation out of the three.

Here's where I got some of the info for the foie gras farewell dinners: http://blog.zagat.com/2012/06/5-more-...

[Ruth Lafler]

Maybe I missed it, but where was the foie gras with waffles?

[arlenemae]

Oh, forgot to put it in...it was at Spruce.

[mmerino]

Damn. bad ass.

[Candice]

I second that. Very impressive list.

[nickis]

I had the foie gras at Piperade last week. It was a torchon, which I don't usually enjoy as much as I do seared foie, but it was really good! Very simple, just some foie, with a little sea salt and pepper, served with crostini and some little berries.

[Melanie Wong]

Ken Frank of La Toque in the Napa Valley had this Op Ed in the LA Times today.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/daily...

How's the foie gras at his place?

[sweethooch]

Comparing/contrasting 2 foie gras dishes: I had foie in the Lounge at La Folie on Friday night and at Boulevard's bar area on Saturday night. I MUCH preferred Boulevard's dish overall.

La Folie Lounge: large seared piece (~4+ ounces) over spiced poached apple with apple consomme (Hudson Valley foie, $45).

The foie with apple was good, but very one-note -- I didn't really taste much of the "spiced" aspect -- and it was not that visually pleasing. The dish just didn't seem special in any way, except for the fact of the high-end ingredient. The foie was also more liver-y flavor than most I've had, with more sinewy bits. (Do some people consider the more liver-y taste a feature, not a bug?)

Also --the bill surprised me, considering a 3-course prix fixe menu at the restaurant is $80, with a $10 supplement for the foie. I get that there's an embedded discount for the menu, but it still seemed out of whack. It didn't help that the bill showed "foie gras app -- $35, foie supplement -- $10," which made me think there was an actual error. [I did ask, and they said because of the menu + supplement set-up, there was no way for their system to show it on one line.] To be fair, I'll repeat that it was a big portion.

Boulevard: two ways, seared (2 - 2.5 oz per the waiter) & cocoa torchon (half-dollar size x 1/4 inch); rosehip & cranberry compote, Negroni gel, candied hickory nuts, maple oat toast. (from Sonoma, $29)

This dish was fabulous, and beautiful. The rosehip/cranberry was a wonderful foil for the rich foie, loved the nuts. I was disppointed that the Negroni gel couldn't be separately identified from the compote (it was in/under it), but I assume it made up part of the wonderfully complex taste. The torchon was amazing and silky -- I mostly order seared foie, but I am going to have to explore the torchon realm if this is any indication. The only misstep was the toast pieces, which I found greasy (they were under the seared foie).

A question about foie in general -- as I noted, La Folie's foie is from the Hudson Valley (moulard) and Boulevard sources from Sonoma (muscovy) -- Boulevard's seemed more buttery and less liver-y. Can anyone tell me whether that distinction is due more to the duck type or production, or is it just due to normal variances in particular pieces of foie? Just curious, as I plan to buy and cook some at home soon. Thanks in advance for any guidance.

[SteveG]

Grade A foie is less livery and more fatty (buttery). Grade A doesn't really stand up to searing--it just melts. Grade A is best suited to torchon treatment, where all the sinewy bits are removed (which mangles it enough it is hard to sear), it is soaked, and then prepped into a very smooth luscious torchon if you are lucky. Grade B has a lower fat content and doesn't work as well for torchons.

[Wineack]

When does the ban go into effect?

[INDIANRIVERFL]

May it last no longer than the ban in Chicago.

[Robert Lauriston]

July. I imagine there will be plenty of contraband around, but presumably Sonoma Foie Gras will have to shut down.

[Paul H]

I believe I saw that Sonoma Foie Gras has announced they are moving to Oregon. The law says that traditionally produced foie gras may not be sold in California. This seems to leave open mail order of same from out of state.

Here is a link to the text of the law for anyone who is interested.

[sunshine842]

Paul, you forgot the link.

[Robert Lauriston]

"A product may not be sold in California if it is the result of force feeding a bird for the purpose of enlarging the bird's liver beyond normal size." So mail-order for personal use would seem to be exempt. And it's not illegal to eat it or give it away.

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/wai...

[HappyDadSF]

Bistro Central Parc (on the corner of Grove & Central) in the Panhandle area has an amazing Steak Rossini -- it melts in your mouth like butter. Have been to Bistro Central Parc many many times - and I've always had amazing food. Enjoy!!!

[budnball]

I had a great foie terrine at Bisou for their Xmas dinner. A healthy slab on a toasted Brioche with cherries and quince paste. Lovely simple big bird butter! I have walked past this store front for almost a year and never thought about it at all. It is high on my list now!

[kzukor]

Atelier Crenn. The most amazing foie gras dish ever.

[kevin]

where'e that???

how's the foie gras dish prepared? and are they serving it right now?

thanks.

[wolfe]

Atelier Crenn
3127 Fillmore St, San Francisco,
http://www.chow.com/restaurants/92110...
One presentation.

The foie gras was served frozen thinly at 30 Celsius. I thought this was a really creative way to present foie gras -- the creamyness of the foie gras was so wonderful.

[plaidbowtie]

30 degrees Celsius is over 90 degrees farenheight, Probably not frozen then.

[wolfe]

Take that up with Michael, picture included.
http://www.mikehuang.com/blog/2011/04...

[wally]

The degree sign seems to be font sensitive.

[plaidbowtie]

There is nothing to "take up." I can't think of anything that is frozen thinly at 30 degrees Celsius, four grad or not. Passing the buck onto a two bit blogger is confusing

[jmarek]

Perhaps he means F not C!

[wally]

It is kind of a typo. The degree sign did not appear as a superscript; it appeared as a regular character. I believe it is 3 degrees Celsius.

[sunshine842]

But 3C is still 37.4F -- not too many ice crystals, but still wayyy too cold to serve foie gras.

Average refrigerator temperature is 35-38F -- and most fridges aren't freezing much at that temperature...you're supposed to take foie gras out of the fridge well before service and serve it closer to room temperature (slightly chilled, but not cold)

[Robert Lauriston]

Mike Huang wrote "frozen thinly at 30 Celsius" on both his blog and Chowhound. Since he said "frozen," obviously he meant "30 Fahrenheit" or "3° Celsius." Atelier Crenn is the kind of modernist place that serves things at unexpected temperatures.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7762...

[sunshine842]

It's still too cold to serve.

[kevin]

Is that kind of like the preparation at Momofuku Ko in NYC, the shaved, cold foie gras???

[Paul H]

Eleven Madison Park also has a shaved frozen foie gras dish (with brioche and uni). This is a pretty standard technique for high end modern places.

[mariacarmen]

i had this on her winter menu. it is cold, but instantly warms and melts in your mouth, releasing all its flavor. it's fabulous.

[weshoke]

It's probably supposed to be _minus_ 30 Celsius (if not colder) since they're using liquid nitrogen

[Robert Lauriston]

Liquid nitrogen is around -200 C.

Some deep freezers are around -30 C (-20 F). Thin shavings warm up very quickly so it's not going to be that cold when you eat it.

[estnet]

is the foie cooked first? I found 2 recipes - one just said salt cure (not cooked) and the other was a frozen tourchon.

[artemis]

I had it last night. It was *amazing*.

[mariacarmen]

didn't you just love it?? and the rest of everything? fantastic, right?

[artemis]

totally fantastic, with two exceptions - the eucalyptus amuse, which i personally did not care for as i don't usually like eucalyptus anything, but the rest of my table loved, and the abalone/very salty sand thing, which i personally found too salty, but was somewhat my fault for not better controlling my use of the "sand." everything else was utterly spectacular and all of the dishes were incredibly beautiful.

[Robert Lauriston]

3. Foie Gras "Log" - pickled cherries, vanilla, apricot & oat. I thought it was TOO much foie gras. Wished for some veggies or crackers with it.

4. Apricot & Foie Gras - More foie gras. This was smaller w/ a slice of apricot & foam sauce.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/799025

Foie Gras Log - Foie Gras mixed with milk, frozen with liquid nitrogen and then shaved. This was presented with vanilla, oats and cherries.

Foie Gras was also presented with Grilled Apricot, and sourdough breadcrumbs which I enjoyed. The Apricot + foie gras combination was just incredible.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/794317#6670655

Foie Gras "Log" - Foie poached, frozen, then shaved into log shape. Pickled morels, kumquats, vanilla, and almond praline. I love foie so I can't be unbiased here, it was awesome.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/788743#6589457

Foie gras: a crazy miniature log with pickled morels growing out of its knotholes (and a little bit of melting vanilla snow around it...springtime!).

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7649...

[ipsedixit]

Spruce.

[dordogne]

For takeout, Fatted Calf is selling foie gras terrine with madeira and foie gras torchon with port this week.

[CarrieWas218]

Actually, Fatted Calf has had the foie gras terrine for some time. I noticed it back in October and at $35+, I opted to buy a whole lobe instead for $97 from Fatted Calf (imported from Canada).

[kevin]

Is it still possible to get real Foie Gras, imported from France???

Thanks. And how much does that usually cost? Is it three times the cost of domestic foie gras?

Once a chef, told me it cost about $350 for a whole lobe from France. Any truth to that? This is going back about five years.

[Robert Lauriston]

It's a lot harder to find French foie gras than it was a few years ago, I think mostly because the domestic and Canadian products are of excellent quality and much cheaper. You might call Gourmet Corner.

Polarica's whole lobes are all duck from Sonoma or New York. They list a Rougie goose terrine as from France, but most of the Rougie stuff I find is from Canada.

It's possible to order directly from France, but that would be canned, not whole lobes.

-----
Polarica
105 Quint St, San Francisco, CA

The Gourmet Corner
873 N San Mateo Drive, San Mateo, CA 94401

[Melanie Wong]

A couple weeks ago Gourmet Corner sent out a newsletter that it had raw, frozen foie gras from France, as well as tinned.

[Ericruo]

Maybe there's hope, I read about this man who creates just a few (a thousand) goose livers annually in Spain. His company is called La Pateria de Sousa. He does not use the gavage method, he talks to the geese. There have been stories in the New York Times and elsewhere about him. He was trying to raise funds to help him continue, it didn't look like it was going that well. He seems a really nice guy and his products, from all accounts are terrific. The restaurants and consumers here that would otherwise have to give up on foie gras might be able to do something since his methods don't involve the specific objections to gavage feeding. http://www.lapateria.eu/home.html

[Robert Lauriston]

Gordon Ramsay did a comparison on "The F Word" and preferred the conventional product.

Somebody should open a shop just over the border in Nevada.

[sunshine842]

there was a Ted talk about Sr. Sousa -- it's not just talking to the geese, it's letting them roam wild and gorge themselves on the figs from his fig orchard. It's 18 minutes long, but it's pretty interesting stuff. (Basically, they do the gavage themselves...)

[Robert Lauriston]

Yeah, Sousa doesn't have to talk to the geese to get them to gorge themselves, that's instinct. Gavage (force-feeding) just exaggerates the natural cycle. Geese have no gag reflex so it doesn't bother them the way watching videos of it bothers some humans. Sousa can't come close to meeting demand.

[soupçon]

Whether by force or persuasion, intentionally inducing a grossly diseased organ in a creature for one's own gratification cannot be considered humane.

[Robert Lauriston]

I've been to French goose farms, the birds are perfectly healthy and running around all day having their idea of a good time, much better off than the average American chicken. Their livers aren't diseased, just storing more fat than they would be naturally.

[kevin]

Exactly. "Much better off than the average American chicken" and yet PETA and others are up in arms over foie gras rahter than other matters.

????

[soupçon]

Foodies and foie gras are like Republicans and climate change. Anecdotal evidence trumps scientific research http://goo.gl/1Myt1

[maria lorraine]

I saw the incredible Dan Barber tell the foie gras story of Souza at the food "TED" or Taste3.
The cool thing is that the salt and pepper in the foie gras are not added but come
from the plants (one with salinity, one with pepper) on the property.

This is a fascinating talk:
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_barber_s_surprising_foie_gras_parable.html

Here is Dan Barber again telling the story on This American Life:
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio...

[nicedragonboy]

I guess this is too late, but I believe Alexander's Steakhouse does a hot and cold prep of foie gras.

[CarrieWas218]

As a quick follow-up from last weekend, we ended up at Jardiniere after the Frederica von Stade concert at Herbst. Regrettably, the only seared foie they had was on the tasting menu and the kitchen/chef was not willing to serve just that course.

We opted instead for the terrine which is always lovely.

Then the really sad part... We also ordered the leek soup to share as well as the scallops to share, anticipating sharing the dessert tasting. The concert ended about 9:45 so we were seated and had ordered by 10:00 p.m., being served the foie rather promptly. Moments into the serving, our waiter came over and indicated the chef wanted to shut down the savory side of the kitchen and did we think we would be wanting anything else from the menu. We advised that the three shared courses and the dessert would be sufficient.

A half-hour later, we were still waiting for our following two courses and could not get the eye of our waiter or a bus person. When the soup and scallops did come out, they arrived together and were not split for sharing, as we had requested. By 11:00 we simply cancelled the dessert order as it was too late and the restaurant was mostly empty at that point anyway.

Good food, but HUGE misstep in service timing and attention by staff. We left very, very disappointed.

[mr_morcilla]

Searing is a very bad way to prepare foie gras. It ruins the buttery texture, which is half the experience.
I have to agree with the other contributors: La Folie. Caveat: I have never spent less than $150/person there (Very worth it!), but you may be able to just order a FG dish.

[Robert Lauriston]

I've had great seared foie gras. If you're having multiple preparations in one meal, searing brings out another aspect.

[Kim Cooper]

Our favorite is 231 Ellsworth in San Mateo, who often, but not always, have "foie gras three ways" on the menu.

[Bigos]

Guess it's a matter of personal preference. Given a choice I always order it seared. My most memorable one to this day is foie gras served in Masa's when Julian Serrano ruled the kitchen.

[Paul H]

For the next six months you can buy some foie gras and play with it yourself. As Thomas Keller says, it's like Play Dough, and great fun; plus, it tastes a lot better than Play Dough. My favorite supplier is Polarica.

[RWCFoodie]

It has been a couple of years, but the most decadent and largest serving of foie I've ever had was at Incanto...

[grayelf]

IIRC it was you Carrie whose post inspired me to go to Naked Lunch seeking their foie gras sandwich. Alas they were sold out the day we were there but thought I'd mention it in case you wanted to extend your foie spree to the lunch hour.

[CarrieWas218]

Thanks, GreyElf!

The joke with the BF is that he recently came into a chunk-o-change and promised foie when he did. I've said all along that I am happy with a burger and a malt and the compromise might be a foie burger... I thought about the Rossini burger at Keller's, but I know they've had fairly mediocre reviews.

[Cynsa]

Many years ago, I made my own foie burger at The Richmond by ordering the Seared Sonoma foie gras (starter) adding it to the House Ground Burger (entree) and I was delighted. It is certainly possible.
http://therichmondsf.com/therichmonds...

[nocharge]

I've had Keller's Rossini burger and I would say that there are much better ways to spend $60 on foie gras. Foie gras dishes a la carte at La Folie's lounge, as suggested in the other thread, would probably count as one such way.

[bbulkow]

Village Pub in woodside, ca, about half way down the peninsula. The burger is on the bar menu (they will serve at the table), and you can ask for either fois gras or truffle as an add-on. It's not on menu, but it's common. And --- it's really good.

[dordogne]

Txoko (adjacent to Naked Lunch--same ownership?) has foie gras a la plancha and foie gras ice cream (!) on current menu.

[tjinsf]

Had the foie gras a la plancha this weekend at Txoko and it was quite good although the portion was on the small side which was fine for me as it's so rich.

Also had the foie gras chawan at Morimoto Napa this weekend which I really enjoyed but some might find too sweet.

[dordogne]

Try Oliveto and Gourmet & More (tiny new shop,141 Gough St btw Page & Oak in Hayes Vallley, with a dazzling assortment of French cheese, condiments, great selection from local Fabrique Delices). Gourmet & More had foie gras last week-end.

[SteveG]

Fresh? Canned terrine? Cold-packed terrine/mousse/pate?

[Robert Lauriston]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/814785

[CarrieWas218]

I appreciate the link, Robert - but it is a pretty short thread that is already two months old.

I'm hoping for a more current discussion that is city-based.

[Robert Lauriston]

Not much has changed in two months.

I'd put La Folie on the list for sure, Passot has a way with foie gras.

[SteveG]

Truth. It was the only good part of an otherwise horribly off the mark meal at La Folie where we had the full tasting menu. I know others have had much better experiences, but if they made good foie gras on the night we went, they should make great foie gras on any other night too.