Sherman's Food Adventures: Cockscomb

Cockscomb

Dining at restaurants located mainly in Fremont and one in Dublin generally does not give a good overview of the best Bay Area eats.  However, we were visiting family and it wasn't as if we were all going to drive an hour into San Francisco for food.  Things were about to change though as we were moving into the Marriott Marquis for 4 nights.  This way, we were near better restaurants or at the very least, more choice.  After checking in, we made our way down 4th over to Cockscomb (of Chris Cosentino fame).  I've been to his now closed Incanto in Hayes Valley, so I was curious what was in store for his newer spot.

We started things off with the Charcuterie Platter consisting of chicken liver pate, pork and pistachio terrine, prosciutto, gherkins, pickled onions and grainy mustard with toasted bread.  As simple as this appeared, we dusted this off quickly because it was delicious.  We enjoyed that the pate and terrine were lightly seasoned where we could still taste the natural flavors.  The sprinkle of fleur de sel helped with the seasoning.  The thick-sliced prosciutto was appealingly chewy and salty.  Toasted up crunchy and nutty, the bread was an excellent compliment to the platter.  We also got the Deviled Eggs topped with crispy chicken skin.  These were a nice little bite with a smooth yolk filling that was Earthy and only slightly spicy with the chili on top.

For our mains, I went for the Italian Dip featuring a meatball patty and provolone sandwiched in between a loaf of bread.  It was cut in half and plated in Mama Cosentino's famous marinara sauce.  I really liked the sauce since it was bright, tart and flavorful.  It went well with the succulent and well-spiced patty and soft bread.  This was definitely a nice take on a meatball sandwich.  My son went for the Grilled Cheese sporting country ham with a fried duck egg and honey drizzled on top.  The ample amount of taleggio cheese was melty and the ham provided a good saltiness which was counterbalanced by the honey.  He ended up dipping his sandwich in the duck yolk which made things even more rich.

Viv opted for the "Ham" Burger made with 6-day brined pork which was juicy and flavorful (with natural meat taste).  I thought the pickles made the burger as it provided a tangy crunch which brought things to life.  Add in sweet caramelized grilled onions and creamy gruyere cheese, this was one decadent sammie.  On the side were crispy house potatoes fried in beef tallow and accompanied by a killer lemon, horseradish & smoked ailoi.  It was tart with plenty of punch.  As a side, we got the Duck Fat Cauliflower which was seared aggressively on the flat top.  As such, it was smoky and full of caramelization as well as activation of the duck fat.  There was a noted spice from the chili and plenty of armoatics from the garlic.  The mint added a certain brightness.

Lastly, we got the fried Pig's Ears with herbs and lime.  These were only slightly crispy since they were sliced up pretty thick.  Hence, the fatty and gelatinous texture of the pig's ear were still there.  The basil and mint announced themselves while the squeeze of lime brightened up what was heavy snack.  Now if you thought we finished all this food, you give us way too much credit!  Even though we didn't finish, it was tempting since the food was on point and sufficiently interesting.  Pricing was fair IMO and the service was solid.

The Good:
- Great service
- Solid eats
- Fair pricing

The Bad:
- Food is not light, but that's why it was good too!

1 comments:

tony said...

"Cockscomb"...lol...what an odd name for a restaurant. Sounds like something you might find on the shelf in a sex toy shop. :)

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