The Oenophile Network Wine Blog

I have been wanting to go to A16 for forever. For one reason or another, every time I had planned on going, something would come up and I couldn't make it. (Is there a Murphy's Law for restaurant reservations?)

Well, last night I finally made it over there. Like so many things (movies, books, restaurants), I was more concerned that my overextended, hyped expectations would be let down by a merely excellent dining experience. This has happened before and I'm sure it will happen again. But it didn't happen last night at A16.

It was superb.

I didn't take pictures and I didn't remember much about the wine we had, unfortunately. (I was with my in laws and didn't want to live blog it or take notes; besides, I was loving the food too much to care.)

But I do remember exactly what I ate:

Starters - For the table.
We started out by splitting the Ciccioli (house-cured) salumi and the Bianci pizza. I probably wouldn't have picked them together (and didn't), but really loved each. The salumi was a perfect example of the resurgence of house-cured salumi in the SF Bay Area. The pizza (online controversies notwithstanding) was very good with a nice spicy kick.

It went well with the glass of Emanuele Scammacca, 'Murgo Brut', Sicilia 2004 (Nerello Mascalese) we had; and, a bit later, with the Greco di Tufo too. (Sorry no additional details there.)

From there we moved on to the Sardines al beccafico with oranges, fennel and golden raisins and the Roasted beets and Full Belly Farm farro salad with roasted cipolline, mint and ricotta salata. The Sardines were terrific -- make sure you like sardines, these were huge. The beet salad was tasty too (which means, in my book, that it didn't taste like beets).

Wine
I'm sad to say, I didn't get the opportunity to see which red wine we were drinking. The sommelier was out on maternity leave (gave birth that day!), but the acting sommelier was terrific as well. We trusted her (per the recommendation of some friends) and were rewarded with a rich, floral southern Italian red. (Next time I promise to pay attention.)

Entrees - Split with my wife
I had the Beef braciole in red wine sauce, with a side of polenta. The red wine sauce was rich and full without being overdone.
My wife had the local petrale sole. It had a nice flavor, but swapping between that and the sole probably didn't do it justice.
Both were very good, although I had a preference for the braciole.

Dessert
I had the Chocolate budino tart with sea salt and extra virgin olive oil, and the table split an almond ice cream, almond crusted almond thingy. Both were really good, but I'd avoid the desserts and order an extra side if I had to do it all over again.

Service
Service was great. Non-intrusive but prompt and efficient and polite. Special accolades to Ryan (at the front + bar) and "the new girl" Ella.

A16 lived up to my expectations. My expectations were huge, so that's quite a compliment.

Had a nice Pinot Noir tonight. A bit jammy, slight oak undertones; ready to drink now.

This article's main point (that US film studios are increasingly thinking globally and acting locally by producing local versions of US films) is a bit boring. But the description of the Japanese version of "Sideways" is humorous and worth reading. Be sure to catch the parts about how comments about merlot destroyed the grape in the US, the need for the Golden Gate Bridge to appear in the Japanese version, and, most especially, the photos showing the picnic scene in both versions. Worth a read. 'Sideways' Returns, Uncorked for Japan - NYTimes.com

Although the cheese selection in the U.S. pales in comparison to those in other countries (particularly France), the artisan cheese movement has gained so much steam in the last 25 years that it is possible to create a terrific cheese course using domestic cheeses alone. The SF Chronicle has done a terrific job with its Food & Wine section in highlighting California cheeses in particular. In today's edition there's an article regarding 10 iconic California cheeses. I've tried most of them and I can confirm that these really are terrific cheeses.

My favorites from those chosen in the article include:

Cowgirl Creamery Red Hawk
Okay, so it isn't Époisses de Bourgogne, but if you let it warm up enough (key with most cheeses for proper taste and consistency) this washed rind cheese is beautiful. It is also widely available (especially in the SF Bay Area).
Tip: It is larger than it looks. Be sure you buy good cheese wrapping paper to ensure the other half keeps for a few days after you devour the first half.

Vella Dry Jack
Created by Ignacio Vella, this jack is the best you'll ever have. Period.

Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog
There's something about the way this cheese looks and tastes, with its layer of ash in the middle, brief bit of creaminess near the rind, and pleasant texture (mixed creaminess, crumbliness and soft and yummy rind). It is a memorable experience to eat, every time.

Anyway, there are a ton of other California cheeses that are terrific and an easy way to make a quick meal or an opening (or closing) course. Very little effort, a ton of results.