Oceanic Dinners Start Tomorrow, Tuesday

Oceanic Dinners Begin Tomorrow, Tuesday June 19-22

HERE ARE HIGHLIGHTS AND ADDITIONS TO OUR OCEANIC MENU:
Tartlet of raw mahogany clams, buttermilk sauce, and sweet cicely, topped with compressed watermelon

CRUDO of bigeye tuna (Hawaii, troll), pickled Chanterelle mushrooms, Bing cherries, basil pesto, and fried egg yolk

CHITARRA pasta with sand dabs, squash blossoms, and lemon verbena

RISOTTO with crayfish, pine nuts, Perigord truffles, and chervil

Charcoal-grilled, pancetta-wrapped sardines with wilted radicchio and artichokecaponata

Brioche-crusted monkfish with Porcini mushroom crema, haricots verts, and lobster bordelaise

Charcoal-grilled squid stuffed with Tuscan sausage; sauce Livornese, parsnip crema, and black olives

Pan-fried abalone, guanciale-potato torta, and trout roe spumante

PREP OF HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF FISH AND SHELLFISH IS NO JOKE:

    

Reserve Online or Call 510.547.5356

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Philadelphia Fish House Rum Punch – Oceanic Series 2018

Philadelphia Fish House Rum Punch for the Oceanic Dinners 2018, June 19-22

Philadelphia Fish House Punch, recipe dating back to 1732, will be offered as an aperitif to our Oceanic Dinners.

Concocted with house-made oleo saccharum, assorted rums, brandy, crème de poire, lemon (i.e. mostly rums with sugar infused citrus oil and pear liqueur) – $6/glass

And, if the idea of a classic Provencale bouillabaisse on next week’s menu isn’t exciting enough for you, we’re bring out a 1990 Bandol, Domaine Tempier Cabassaou. We’ve had it stashed away and it will finally be available each night by the glass. This wine has always had a strong and earthy nose, certainly well matched for a flavorful bouillabaisse.

Below is the preliminary menu, offered á la carte:

Reserve Online or Call 510.547.5356

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The Preliminary Menu – Oceanic Series 2018

Preliminary Menu

Oceanic Dinners 2018, June 19-22

 

Oceanic Dinners are a huge event for us: lots of planning, preordering, curing, smoking, prep and then next week a massive filleting. Chef Jonah and Sous Brian present us with an entirely new menu—stunning.

Below is the preliminary menu, there will be some additions. Have a good time, and make reservations now.

All items offered á la carte.

 

Reserve Online or Call 510.547.5356

2018-06-12T14:24:03+00:00 June 12th, 2018|Coming up..., Events, This Just In, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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Oceanic Dinners, June 19-22 – Coming right along

Oceanic Dinners, June 19-22  —Coming right along

Maggie’s notes from the meeting

Step 1:  Planning Meeting with Tom Worthington of Monterey Fish, Chef Jonah, Sous Chef Brian

We met with fish supplier Tom Worthington last week and were given his best estimate of what will be available for our June 19-22 dinners. These are the fish the chefs can begin to plan the menu around. All fish in these dinners are from healthy, sustainable fisheries. Here’s the list:

Available:
-whole petrale
-sole
-good sand dabs
-sea bass
-local halibut—good availability, long-line
-Sierra and Boston mackerel
-razor clams
-scallops, possibly in their shells
-local anchovies “good to go”
-soft-shell and Dungeness crab
-Rhode Island eel
-Spanish cod tripe
-farm-raised abalone and trout
-monkfish (Marshall Islands)
-mussels
-sea robins
-octopus
-oysters
-sea urchin

Possible, Tom will work on it:
-bonita, but probably too early
-coon-striped shrimp possible
-geoduck clams possible
-limited king salmon

Not available:
-shellfish aren’t at their most plentiful this time of year
-albacore and yellowfin tuna
-spot shrimp

A little of the conversation: Tom loves Chef Jonah’s braised Spanish cod tripe, but says Jonah, “Nobody orders it.” (Sometimes exotic items on the Oceanic Dinners menu bring out a certain faintheartedness in some diners.) Tom also loves sea robin in bouillabaisse. King salmon are limited, “after 200 years of our being bad to them,” says Tom. The season opens on the first day of our event, so we can prepare them on the third day should we choose. Jonah likes to prepare eel, which will be in season from Rhode Island. Sous Chef Brian was thinking along the lines of sea urchin tart with crème fraîche and caviar, potato-wrapped oysters Rockefeller, and chilled crab soup.

We’ll report on the menu’s progress, and which fish make the cut.

Reserve Online or Call 510.547.5356

2018-06-01T17:28:20+00:00 June 1st, 2018|Coming up..., Events, This Just In, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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2018 Oceanic Dinners Announced: June 19th to 22nd

2018 Oceanic Dinners Announced:

June 19th to 22nd

We’ve been doing these Oceanic Dinners for a while (17 years). They’ve always taken place in summertime, usually June. We try to be as seasonal as we can, and June is the time when the greatest variety of fish and sea creatures from around the world are at their peak. Fish, and particularly these dinners are exceptions to our long time focus on food from local farms and producers. The best, sustainably managed fisheries frequently don’t have local markets for their catches, and we’ve felt the kind of fishing they do needs to be supported and kept healthy. Tom Worthington of Monterey Fish Market goes into overdrive to find the best fish for Chef Jonah and Sous Brian to “play with.” These are many people’s favorite dinners and we’ve always been proud of them.

We’ll be reporting periodically on how the menu takes shape, but we do book up and it might be wise to reserve now to get the time and date that you want.

 

Reserve Online or Call 510.547.5356

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The Oceanic Dinners 2017 Have Begun !

Tuesday June 27 through Friday June 30
Reserve online or call 510.547.5356

Our annual Oceanic Dinner series began last night, and the whole menu is just exceptional — a treasure chest of delicious things. Chef Jonah and the team have truly outdone themselves. Here is the completed menu.

Crudi (raw)
CRUDO of bigeye tuna (Hawaii, troll) with hazelnut milk, harissa verde, and pickled apple
Lightly torched king salmon (Monterey Bay, troll) with white peaches, green almonds, and Jalapeño pepper
CARPACCIO of house-smoked swordfish (Southern California, long line) with Sicilian pine nut salsa, new potatoes, and mint

Antipasti
Cold   Salad of Little Gem lettuces with bagna cauda, marinated
white anchovies (San Francisco Bay, purse seine), and Parmesan cheese
Salad of Dungeness crab (Half Moon Bay, trap) with braised kombu, yuzu-melon vinaigrette, and baby fennel
Savory CANNOLI of king salmon (Monterey Bay, troll) with mascarpone, salmon roe, and lemon verbena
Sardines (incidental catch from Monterey Bay, purse seine) in saor with Chanterelle mushrooms, marinated pole beans, and thyme
Salad of new potatoes, tuna (Hawaii, troll) ‘nduja, and mussels (Prince Edward Ilsand, farmed) with pickled ramp aïoli, green garlic, and mint
Soup:  ajo blanco–white gazpacho of almonds and garlic with
pickled mackerel (Boston, trap) and spring onions
Warm   Crochetta of baccalà (Spain, hook and line) and fried grass shrimp (San francisco Bay, skim net) with Calabrian chili aïoli, candied Meyer lemon, and basil
BRASATO of cod tripe (Spain, hook and line) and Cannellini beans with artichoke and hot pepper

Pastas
PARISIAN GNOCCHI with smoked trout (Idaho, farmed) and its roe, kefir, dill, and arugula pesto
ACQUERELLO CARNAROLI RISOTTO with squid ink, razor clams (Cape Cod, hand dug), and ricotta salata
LINGUINE with Dungeness crab (Half Moon Bay, trap), Meyer lemon, and Genovese basil
TORTELLI of lobster (Maine, trap) with Brentwood corn, mascarpone, and fines herbes
SPAGHETTI with sea urchin (Alaska, diver) carbonara
ORECHIETTE with sand dabs (Half Moon Bay, Scottish seine), garlic, Sicilian chili, and fennel pollen

Secondi
Fig leaf-grilled petrale sole (Ft. Bragg, trawl) with Costata Romanesco squash crema, Brent-wood corn, and squash blossom spumante
Olive-oil poached Alaskan sand halibut (long line) with Japanese eggplant purée, haricots verts, and cherry tomatoes
Charcoal-grilled octopus (Spain, trap) with black-eyed peas, peperonata, and salmoriglio
CIOPPINO of rock cod (Ft. Bragg, hook and line), clams (Washington, farmed), mussels (PEI, farmed), and squid (Monterey, purse seine) with saffron aïoli and grilled crostino
Charcoal-grilled California white sea bass (San Pedro, hook and line) alla livornese with roast fennel and Bianco di Maggio onions
Charcoal grilled lobster (Maine, trap) and chicken SAUSAGE with celeriac crema, golden Romano beans, and salsa verde

 Dessert (featured)
Geléefish: crème fraîche panna cotta with apricot-orange gelée, meringue sea creatures, and dried seaweed

The menu is offered à la carte.
We hope you’ll join us.

Reserve Online or Call 510.547.5356

2017-09-12T15:46:27+00:00 June 28th, 2017|Coming up..., Events, This Just In, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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The Menu for Oceanic Dinners 2017 Takes Form

Pacific Razor Clams
Image courtesy of Tom Collins

Tuesday June 27 through Friday June 30
Reserve early online or call 510.547.5356

Below is Chef Jonah’s menu for Oceanic Dinners, nearly completed. A few items will of course, at the last minute, be replaced by some unanticipated catch. And then with this week’s preliminary preparations of the dishes, some changes will ensue, as new ideas are incorporated.

Crudi (raw)
Crudo of bigeye tuna with hazelnut milk, harissa verde, and pickled apple
Lightly torched king salmon with white peaches and jalapeño
Crudo of charred bonito with Santa Rosa plums, malted wheat berries,
green coriander, and bottarga
Carpaccio of house-smoked swordfish with Sicilian pine nut salsa, new
potatoes, and mint

Antipasti
Salad of Dungeness crab with braised kombu, yuzu-melon vinaigrette,
and baby fennel
Local sand dab in saor with Chanterelle mushrooms
Crochetta of baccalà with Calabrian chili aïoli
Savory cannoli of king salmon with mascarpone, salmon roe, and lemon
verbena
Brasato of cod tripe and Cannellini beans with artichoke and hot pepper
Soup:  ajo blanco–white gazpacho of almonds and garlic with pickled mackerel
and spring onions

Pastas
Parisian gnocchi with smoked trout and its roe, kefir, dill, and arugula pesto
Acquerello Carnaroli risotto with squid ink, razor clams, and ricotta salata
Linguine with Dungeness crab, Meyer lemon, and Genovese basil
Tortelli of lobster with Brentwood corn, mascarpone, and fines herbes
Spaghetti alla carbonara with sea urchin

Secondi
Fig leaf-grilled petrale sole with Costata Romanesco squash crema, Brent-
wood corn, and squash blossom spumante
Olive-oil poached Alaskan halibut with Japanese eggplant purée
Charcoal-grilled octopus with black-eyed peas, peperonata, and salmoriglio
Cioppino of local fish and shellfish with saffron aïoli and grilled crostino
Charcoal-grilled pancetta-wrapped sardines alla livornese with roast fennel
and Bianco di Maggio onions

Without the assistance and support of Tom Worthington of Monterey Fish Market, a sea-based event as ambitious as this one would be impossible. Founded nearly 40 years ago by Paul Johnson, Monterey Fish’s decades of experience and unyielding commitment to sustainable fishermen enable it to source fresh, sustainably caught fish from great distances as well as locally. As the people who talk both to fishermen and chefs daily, Monterey Fish has also acquired enormous collective knowledge
on cooking fish.

So thanks to Tom and the team at Monterey Fish, Oliveto’s Chef Jonah Rhodehamel can source this incredible variety of seafood and gather any information he needs, to put together the above, nearly completed, menu. They’re the reason why, on June 27, the most amazingly fresh, beautiful fish available will be delivered, glistening, to our back door.

Tom Worthington
Image courtesy of SF Weekly

Reserve Online or Call 510.547.5356

2017-09-12T15:46:27+00:00 June 21st, 2017|Coming up..., Events, This Just In, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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To Whet Your Appetite… A Few Menu Items For Oceanic Dinners, 2017

Atlantic bonito, Sarda sarda

Tuesday June 27 through Friday June 30
reserve early online or call 510.547.5356

The Menu is still in the planning stages, but here are a few items that will be among Chef Jonah’s offerings.

Antipasti
Crudo of charred bonito with Santa Rosa plums, malted wheat berries,
green coriander, and bottarga
Savory cannoli of king salmon with mascarpone, salmon roe, and
lemon verbena
Carpaccio of house-smoked swordfish with Sicilian pine nut salsa, new
potatoes, and mint
Brasato of cod tripe and Cannellini beans with artichoke and hot pepper

Pastas
Fungo with smoked shad, English peas, and mint crema
Spaghetti alla carbonara with sea urchin

Secondi
Cioppino
Charcoal-grilled pancetta-wrapped sardines alla livornese with roast
fennel and Bianco di Maggio onions

reserve online or call 510.547.5356

2017-09-12T15:46:28+00:00 June 14th, 2017|Coming up..., Events, This Just In, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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Oceanic Dinners 2017 – Sand Dabs!

Oliveto’s Oceanic Dinners 2017
Scores of Different Fish, Crustaceans, and Mollusks

…Including Sand Dabs!

Tuesday June 27 through Friday June 30
reserve early online or call 510.547.5356

For 136 Years Jack’s on Sacramento St. served sand dabs to San Franciscans who loved the delicate flavor of this little, local flatfish. Fifty years ago (gasp), my father took me there as a special treat, and that’s when I had my first taste of what is now my favorite fish.

Capt. Steve Fitz of the Mr. Morgan (below) out of Pillar Pt. Harbor promises sand dabs for our oceanic dinners. His catchment method, the Scottish seine, and the sand dab’s behavior of schooling as a single species, make by-catch minimal and leave the sandy ocean bottom relatively undisturbed.

As for the bones—the reason ichthyoanginaphobics* don’t cook this delicious fish at home—removing them from an 8 ounce fish is all about expertise in preparing the fish for cooking. We’ve got that covered.

*people who are afraid of choking on a fishbone

– Maggie Klein

reserve online or call 510.547.5356

2017-09-12T15:46:28+00:00 June 7th, 2017|Coming up..., Events, This Just In, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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Oceanic Dinners 2017

Oceanic Dinners 2017:
Oliveto’s Yearly Culinary Sea Fever

Tuesday June 27 through Friday June 30
reserve early online or call 510.547.5356

Last week, the initial meeting between Tom Worthington of SF-based Monterey Fish Market and Chef Jonah and Sous Chefs Antoine and Brian took place in our dining room.

In under an hour Tom described much of what the chefs needed to know about the sustainably caught or harvested fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and so on that will be available to them at the end of June so they can start to plan their menu.

Jonah et al. change our menu often, so our dishes never lose their freshness. But these dinners will give them the chance to use scores of exceptional fish, the best available in the world, and create something uniquely special and exciting for our diners as well as satisfying and fulfilling for themselves.

Here is the preliminary (understandably incomplete—the oceans are unpredictable) list from which they’ll build a menu:

Anchovies
Alaskan halibut
Octopus (local and Spanish)
Albacore (possibly)
Stripers
Lingcod
Crab
Bonito
Tuna
Shellfish—mussels, Manila clams, razors (and more, probably)
Uni (possibly)
Black sea bass
Scallop
Mackerel, Sierra and Boston
Coon-stripe shrimp
Abalone (little guys)
Shad roe—Connecticut R. or Columbia R.
Sand dabs (possibly)
Monkfish and livers
Swordfish
Eels–possible
King salmon
Tuna blood line
Grass shrimp
Spot shrimp
Caviar

We’ll send updates (and factoids) to keep you informed about Oceanic Dinners 2017 as the event takes form.

reserve online or call 510.547.5356

We request a credit card to hold your reservation.

2017-09-12T15:46:28+00:00 June 1st, 2017|Coming up..., Events, This Just In, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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