Check, Please! Bay Area's Pledge Special episode profiles and reviews these three Bay Area restaurants:
View photo gallery (flickr.com)
1) Alamo Square Seafood Grill: | restaurant information |
2) Kokkari Estiatorio: | restaurant information |
3) Nob Hill Café: | restaurant information |
My name is Leslie Sbrocco and I’m the host of Check, Please! Bay Area. After each episode I’ll serve up a behind-the-scenes look at what went on during filming, including the wine we were sipping…
It was great to have our first studio audience of KQED members during the pledge show. We set up chairs on the studio floor and had such fun interacting with the crowd.
The three KQED guest personalities offered unique perspectives when it came to dining out. Belva, though petite in stature, is commanding on screen. She was calm and reassuring. Spencer was a bit harried when he first sat down to tape since he was finishing up a story on New Orleans. We had to unplug his microphone to go fix the story copy, then he raced back to the set. He quickly got in the groove, though. Duc was charming yet brutally honest. He had a bad experience at Spencer’s pick, Kokkari Estiatorio, but was willing to give it another try. To return the favor, Duc’s pick of Alamo Square Seafood Grill, was not Spencer’s favorite. All three of them seemed to enjoy Belva’s recommendation, Nob Hill Café, and agreed the trick to getting parking by the restaurant is to go early.
Name: Nguyen Qui Duc
Occupation: Host of KQED FM’s "Pacific Time"
Favorite Restaurant: Alamo Square Seafood Grill (restaurant info)
Name: Spencer Michels
Occupation: Correspondent for "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer"
Favorite Restaurant: Kokkari Estiatorio (restaurant info)
Name: Belva Davis
Occupation: Host of KQED’S "This Week in Northern California"
Favorite Restaurant: Nob Hill Café (restaurant info)
At the end of the taping, I got to lead a wine tasting for the audience. We poured Bonterra wines paired with delicious appetizers and desserts. Wish we could do that every show!
Wine of the Week:
2003 Palivou Vineyards, Agiorgitiko, Nemea Valley, Greece $18
Agiorgitiko (pronounced ah-your-ee-teeko) is a Greek red wine you’ll embrace. Supple and smooth with dark berry flavors and chocolaty aromas, it’s a sexy wine. Instead of a hearty Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon, give this wine a try next time you’re grilling steak.
Sponsor Wine of the Week:
2004 Jekel Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Monterey County, California $17
Pinot Noir is known for its silky texture and elegance and this wine captures the grape’s signature characteristics. Vibrant notes of red cherry and strawberry are complemented by a touch of spice. Serve alongside salmon, roast turkey, or pork loin in a mushroom sauce.