Foodie Chap With Executive Chef Casey Thompson Of Aveline
KCBS radio "Foodie Chap" and KPIX 5 television "Eye On The Bay" host Liam Mayclem introduces us to the culinary stars behind the food and wine loved by so many in the Bay Area.
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A Texas native, Casey Thompson brings a wealth of experience to Aveline. Casey began her career under the tutelage of Chef Dean Fearing, at The Mansion on Turtle Creek – after which she opened Shinsei, one of Dallas' hottest restaurants and went on to compete on Bravo's Top Chef.
Casey spent years living in Napa, learning about food and wine pairings and developing relationships with local farms, artisans and purveyors, bringing thoughtful locality to her "New Californian" cooking style.
The bounty and beauty of the Bay Area coupled with the driven chefs and smart diners made this a place I had to settle Casey told me.
Her restaurant Aveline is a tribute to her two Grandmothers, one from Texas and the other from France. You will see evidence of things learned from both Grandmothers on the menu. This is Chef Casey's culinary stage reflecting her most personal story; from the menu to the plate, the staff to the decor. From the bar The European Bar more masculine to Aveline a touch more feminine both spaces are places anyone will feel comfortable hanging out and again each reflect the vision and personality of Chef Casey, the roll up her sleeves tom-boy Texan and the feminine Chef with refined French family roots.
To dine at Aveline is a treat indeed. Across from the Clift Hotel on Geary in the heart of San Francisco's theatre district it's a great spot to hit before a night out or indeed wonderful for a date night or gathering of friends. When making a reservation come early and have a cocktail first. Adam Wilson is behind the killer cocktail list offering classics and modern crafted libations.
There were so many dishes to love at my recent visit to Aveline. The crab macaroons in a box are the Can't take off the menu item. The trio of avocado included avocado ice cream – a playful dish that worked on so many levels. You must order desert as they were a highlight of our meal, the 4 spoons in a big bowl of leftover chocolate was yum yum yum.
Casey shared her Amberjack and cherry blossoms with Banana puree recipe. It's art on a plate, a dish that is beautiful and healthy.
See Chef Casey in person at Aveline – yes treat yourself to dinner there and also see her at Eat Drink SF from August 1-3 at Fort Mason, San Francisco.
Cheers!
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(credit: Foodie Chap/Liam Mayclem)
Amberjack
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 ounces, sashimi grade amberjack, sliced thinly
2î piece daikon radish, shaved thinly
1 green banana, chopped into pieces
2 T smoked olive oil
1 T lime juice
kosher salt
2 T dried sweet banana, roughly chopped
zest of 1/2 lime
kosher salt
Hawaiian pink salt
Black limes
Smoked ham, frozen
For The Daikon:
Thinly slice the daikon and soak in ice water. Remove and drain on paper towels.
For The Banana Puree:
In a blender, add the banana, smoked oil and the lime. Blend the puree until smooth. Season with salt. Remove the banana and place into a container until ready to use. Do not do in advance.
Lime Salt:
On a cutting board, use your knife to chop the zest and the lime together. Set aside.
For The Black Limes:
In a pot of salted water, blanch the limes. Remove onto a tray to cool. Place the limes in full sun for 2 weeks.
To Plate:
Spoon some of the banana puree onto the plate. Place slicesof the amberjack and pile on the daikon. Grate the black limes onto the fish. Squeeze lime juice onto the fish.Season with salt. Garnish with the chopped dried banana. Grate the frozen ham onto the daikon with a micro zester.
Enjoy!
For more information, visit avelinesf.com.
