Sachiko and I joined two new friends, Ikuko and Miyako in San Francisco's Finanical District for a dreams-do-come-true dinner at Unicorn. The restaurant has the perfect moniker since it is hard to find the essence of legends very often at eating establishments. Unicorn is 'Pan Asian Cuisine', yet it has definite fingerprints of Vietnamese flavors.
Tuna Cheviche with Green Mango, Lotus Rootlets and Basil-Nuoc Nam Salsa
The Tuna Cheviche was a wonderful blend of fruit, fresh raw tuna and exotic lotus rootlets, topped with jalapeno peppers. We all enjoyed a taste of it.
New Zealand Green Lip Mussels in Coconut Wasabi Bisque
We all ooohed and ahhhed over the green lip mussels and the smooth bisque it sat in. I would definitely order this one again.
Albino Rolls (Dungeness crab meat and scallop) - Ponzu Sauce
The Albino Rolls were a taste treat with Dungeness crab meat and scallop tucked inside rice wrappers and deep fried.
Cubed Filet Mignon with Blue Lake Green Beans (Niman Ranch)
I did the heavy partaking of the Blue Lake Green Beans which accompanied tender cubes of Filet Mignon.
Butter Fish in Banana Leaf with Light Soy Brine
We all enjoyed the subtle flavors of the Butter Fish in Banana Leaf, which was infused with coconut milk and other herbs. It was very tender, flaky and delicious.
Spicy Mango Tofu and Chinese Eggplant
This tofu dish was an unusual blend of Chinese eggplant, mango and fried tofu cubes. It went quite well with the jasmine rice that was served.
Edamame
We women were having such a good time, and sipping our wine slowly, so ordered some more food to keep the good times going. This edamame appetizer was warm and salted appropriately.
Rice Paper Wraps with Hot Water
Our vermicelli dish first came with rice paper and hot water.
Our vermicelli dish first came with rice paper and hot water.
Steamed Vermicelli with Rice Paper Wrap (Chicken)
Then followed by the stuffing of fresh vegetables and chicken over the steamed vermicelli. The vermicelli was thoughtfully pre-cut so that it was easy to portion in the wraps we dipped in the hot water to soften. This was a fun dish to share with friends, and tasted fresh!
Then followed by the stuffing of fresh vegetables and chicken over the steamed vermicelli. The vermicelli was thoughtfully pre-cut so that it was easy to portion in the wraps we dipped in the hot water to soften. This was a fun dish to share with friends, and tasted fresh!
Ciao Bella Golden Plum Ice Cream and Ginger Pear poached in Port with Cinnamon-Passion Fruit Sorbet
The finale was a scoop of Ciao Bella Golden Plum Ice Cream and a Ginger Pear poached in Port with some Cinnamon-Passion Fruit sorbet surrounding it. We took a leisurely three hours and three bottles of lovely wine to travel through the meal laughing together. The venue was beautifully decorated with glass art and the service was impeccable. Unicorn is highly recommendable from many aspects!
3 comments:
Holy Cow, that was a major feast! I love the humble edamame, don't you? In Hawaii, we call them Squeeze Beans.
Yes, it was! We were very slow and savored everything! We were lucky to come at a time when there weren't major crowds so we could easily talk too.
What a delicious treat - a feast for the mouth and the eyes. I'm putting that restaurant name on my list for "special places to dine" when I have friends visit or when I actually sell one of my paintings and have a reason to celebrate!
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