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| WHAT'S
NEW Jeff Hollinger, Olivia Wu, Carol Ness |
Wednesday, October 23, 2002
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A FAMILY INTERPRETS VIETNAMESE FOODTwo veterans of Northern California Vietnamese restaurants opened Tamarine Restaurant in Palo Alto last week. Anne Le, co-proprietor, and Tammy Huynh, executive chef and co-proprietor, continue a family collaboration begun with the opening of the highly successful Vung Tau restaurants in San Jose and Milpitas. While the Vung Tau restaurants serve traditional Vietnamese food using local ingredients, Tamarine takes a more contemporary, interpretive slant, reflecting the culture of the second generation of the two restaurant families. The menu consists of dishes such as Ha Long Bay soup, crab wontons afloat in a delicate spring-green, creamy broth perfumed with lemongrass; and a chile- lime aubergine vegetable mix. For starters, the wild tea leaf tuna consists of small-diced ahi sashimi with lime, ginger, peanuts and roasted coconut wrapped in a heart-shaped tea leaf. A salad of Angus beef spotlights thin beef slices rolled around grilled onions. Scallop curry features kabocha, banana and zucchini squashes, and showcases the Southeast Asian palette of flavors. Rice comes a la carte in six choices, five of which are ÔÔinfused'' and presented in a banana leaf parcel. A contemporary look sets the tone for the restaurant, located on the quieter end of University Avenue. Dark, glossy wood defines the large bar area; the dining room features gray and earth tones. Intense and dramatic colors of tropical flowers stand out, as do pieces of art by contemporary Vietnamese and Southeast Asian artists. Proceeds from the art sales go toward an orphanage in Vietnam. Le holds a degree in East Asian history from Santa Clara University, and returns to the family fold as an expert in marketing. She manages the front of the house and develops recipes with Huynh. Huynh, who holds a doctorate in pharmacy and operated two Vung Tau restaurants in Milpitas, picked up classical Vietnamese cooking skills working at the elbow of her mother, Chac Do. Tamarine Restaurant, 546 University Ave., Palo Alto; (650) 325-8500. Dinner nightly. Starters, $6-$8; soups, salads and noodles $10-$12; entrees $17-$21; desserts $5-$6.50. - Olivia Wu MARKET WATCHIt's spudmania Pining for pomegranates? Your time has come. For the next few weeks, they're as red, sweet and juicy as they get. California's apples and pears are tailing off, but fine Jonagolds and Bartletts are coming down from Washington state. In the vegetable bins, new crop potatoes of all varieties are in, and prices are tumbling on Yukon Golds and Yellow Finns. A leafy tip: California arugula loves fall, and cooler weather is bringing out its best flavors and prices. - Carol Ness DISCOVERIESFarming for freedom For $25 a week, you can get a box of organic vegetables, herbs and flowers fresh from the San Francisco jail's garden - and you can help poor families get their vegetables, too. The garden project's new CSA (Community Supported Agriculture program) is modeled on the ones from outlying organic farms that drop weekly boxes of goodies all around the Bay Area. Inmates and ex-prisoners grow corn and spinach, tomatoes and beets, as well as dozens of other kinds of vegetables on 12 acres outside the jail in San Bruno. Last year they delivered 20 tons of produce to hungry families in San Francisco. The CSA started in July, to help cover a garden budget gap. Some people are buying boxes and donating them directly to needy families, program director Cathrine Sneed says. A recent box had leafy kale, bright mustard greens, chard and winter squash. To sign up or for more information, go to http://www.gardenproject.org/ or call (415) 243-8558. - C.N. THUMBS UPNew addiction Who would think that toffees from a big, mail-order house would start an office-wide addiction? That's what happened with the Swiss Colony's toffee. The Food staff tried to hide the milk chocolate-covered, almond-laced, crunchy toffee from colleagues. But every day, toffee junkies met for their fix. With the toffees long since gone, support groups are being arranged. Swiss Colony Butter Toffees, $11.25-$45.95, are available through the catalog. Call (800) 804-5188 or visit http://www.theswisscolony.com/. - Jeff Hollinger |
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