Foodie Chap Brings a Little Bit of NOLA With Chef Adam Rosenblum
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - Where can you find the best Cajun & Creole cuisine in San Francisco? My keen nose led me to the best spot and I want to introduce you to the chef at the helm. Meet Adam Rosenblum, the culinary brains behind the food at Alba Ray's, as well as his other restaurants Causwellsand Popsons Burgers.
Before striking out on his own, Adam was sous chef at San Francisco's beloved Flour + Water. He has cooked across the country in Arkansas, New Jersey, Maryland, and in New Orleans alongside James Beard award winning chef Donald Link at Herbsaint.
To eat at Alba Ray's on Mission Street in San Francisco's Mission District is to eat at your cajan Aunties house where soul food is served with warm hospitality and killer cocktails. From the moment you walk in the door at Alba Ray's good vibes and the comforting waft of NOLA cuisine fills the air. Chef Adam's heart & soul is here and you can taste it in every single dish.
So many dishes to choose from and all evoke memories of trips to the Big Easy. You have to order the staples: Gumbo, the Jambalaya, Shrimp and Grits. But onward to my favorites: The Creole shrimp with "sop up bread" is as good as it gets. The grilled rabbit sausage with creamy grits hops all over your palate: herbaceous, salty, spicy - as it should be. Do not leave your NOLA food vacation without a sweet ending and heavenly bowl of beignets served with salted caramel. Ooh and then there's the house made pralines.....well I just died and went to heaven.
Like every NOLA restaurant, there is a knockout bar serving killer cocktails that perfectly compliment every item on the Alba Ray's menu. Chef's favorite and mine too the classic NOLA drink "Sazerac" - it warms your belly and puts hairs on your chest simultaneously.
Enjoy a warm hug of NOLA cuisine with all the fixins and some California lovin' by eating at Alba Ray's. Book a booth or table either for dinner, seven nights a week or for the recently launched weekend brunch. Brunch Beignets & Bloody Mary's are the order of the day.
Meet Chef Adam at Eat Drink SF this Thursday, August 24th through Sunday the 27th. He will be serving up a taste of Alba Ray's. I will be there too hosting the Saturday night shenanigans. See you there.
Enjoy my chat with a soulful Chef conducted over a Sazerac and a warm pan of Chicken and Pork Jambalaya (the recipe below). They serve it tabkeside from a sizzling pan. The cuisine at Alba Ray's really is as good and soulful as anything Auntie ever made. I cannot wait to return for another hearty Cajun hug.
"Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler"
Cheers, Liam!
Alba Ray's Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya
4 servings
Ingredients:
- 3 Tbsp pure olive oil
- ½ cup white or yellow onion, diced
- ¼ cup celery, diced
- ¼ cup green bell pepper, diced
- 2 Tbsp garlic, sliced
- 2 each bay leaves
- 1 ½ tsp dry oregano
- ½ tsp dry thyme
- 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, diced 1/2"
- ½ lb smoked sausage, diced (Alba Ray's uses its house made andouille)
- 1 1/3 cup long grain white rice (Alba Ray's uses popcorn rice)
- 2 ½ cup sodium free chicken broth
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 400F
- Heat oil in large cast iron pan
- Add onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic; cook until tender over medium heat
- Add spices, chicken, and sausage; cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Add rice and chicken stock; bring to a simmer
- Cover and bake in oven for 25 minutes (adjust based on your oven's efficiency)
- Remove cover and cook for additional 7 minutes
Enjoy!
For more information, visit:
Alba Ray's
2293 Mission Street at 19th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 872-9409
albarays.com
