Bubbles ‘n’ Brunch by the Bay YEE @ McCormick & Kuleto’s

Was i frustrated at the lack of tables and/​or table space? Yes. But whaddya gonna do when you get a bunch of Unilocalers at a free event, right?
This was the perfect way to spend a nice sunny afternoon. The view of the bay made this event that much more perfect. And i enjoyed that the tables of food were all delicious and stocked. Prime rib, crepes, eggs benedict, and fruits… YUMM. Sundaes and mimosas? Yes… Please. While they obviously dont go hand-​in-​hand, both separately were nice treats. The chilled crab was pretty good too, fresher than i was expecting. Good times w/​good friends.
Thanks to Rugg and Jessica for yet another fantastic event.

This is a bit late, but better late than never, right? So, BnB is one of my fav Elite events to date. Awwyah! I heart bubbles, especially the tiny ones in the wine, as they make me feel happy, and make me feel fine! LOL! No amount of jet lag could keep me away from this event. I may have been in Big Island mode (recently returning from Kona), but was so happy to attend such a digalicious event.
The sun was shining. It was a gorgeous Saturday in the city. McCormick & Kuleto’s provided wonderful views of the bay. What more can you ask for? Well, it’s a Unilocal elite event, so there’s going to be great food and wonderful company with my Unilocaler pals. After standing in a short line inside the restaurant (felt like we were a bit of a disturbance to the regular non-​Yelper patrons), I was graciously welcomed by the lovely Jessica T.
So much yummy food, from the oysters, crab legs, eggs benedict, crepes, prime rib. Since I had already eaten lunch, I nibbled on a few things, but my priority was the Ghirardelli Ice Cream. There was no line, and a very generous scoop of velvety vanilla ice cream was placed in a cup, with so many wonderful toppings to choose from (fruit, chocolate, sprinkles, whipped cream etc). Oh Mylanta! Finished that in no time flat, as I wanted to imbibe (of course)!!
I had to get my tiny bubbles fix, with the champagne! There were other beverage offerings that included wine and other spirits!
It was lovely to see and catch up with Unilocalers, especially those whom I hadn’t seen in quite some time. It was just the start of a Unilocalerrific and ‘Yeehaw’day.
This was a lovely, quaint event, with wonderful and accommodating service by McCormick and Kuleto’s, as well as vendors like Dee Vine wines. I can’t remember an event where there was still so much food to consume. My +1 said it was the best elite event that she’s ever been to!
Many thanks to Ruggy and Jessica for another fun fab event! Can’t wait for the next one!
Mahalo and Cheers!

I hadn’t been to an Elite event in a while, and I forgot how extravagant they can be. This brunch was over the top, with all you can eat crab, oysters, and smoked prime rib. Not to mention the crêpe station, eggs benedict, deviled eggs, salad and ice cream station.
Of course, a YEE is not complete without fabulous bubbly and a proper Bloody Mary bar.
Need I say more? Ok, we got cedar planks for bbqing fish, and a gift certificate to come back. There.

Brunching and imbibing are two things I like to do.
And I do it well.
Given the chance to combine both pleasures in one spot, replete with views of the bay on a sunny day, I would be insane to miss this event.
I’m happy to reconnect with familiar faces and meet new ones as well. The staff at McCormick & Kuleto’s did a tremendous job of shucking oysters, cracking crab legs, carving prime rib and making orange crepes with Grand Marnier on the spot. Do I even need to mention the ice cream station?!? courtesy of Ghirardelli Ice Cream in the heart of Ghirardelli square no less!
The staff was well prepared to handle our crowd, the food NEVER ran out, in fact, we had a lot leftover. That almost never happens at a Unilocal event! If people were too busy chatting to get in line for food, there were servers going around with bruschetta and cheese filled phyllo puffs. Dee Vine wines kept us giggly! thank you for your divine wines!
Thanks to the dynamic duo, Ruggy and Jessica, for this fabulous brunch. I grabbed a couple of Unilocalsticks — my lips missed these guys a lot! (can you tell I haven’t been to an event in a looong time?) On our way out, we were also given a $ 10.40 coupon off on your next meal here and cedar plank with a salmon recipe attached. Thanks Unilocal for this incredible event, life is good again =)

Showing up on time, Henry L. and I were able to grab a nice table which was then quickly full with CeCe C., Carol L, Christine L., Steve, and many more.
We had an amazing time. The view, the service (they brought more chairs when we asked), the drinks, and most of all, the delicious food and NEVER ending oysters and crab legs.
I ate way too much… oysters, crab, an egg benedict, a deliciously made fennel, asparagus, rasberry and spinach salad, some cold cuts, a nice piece of medium rare prime rib, some crêpe Suzette, and a scoop of ice cream.
The hospitality, the food, the view, the vibe — it all sold me. I can’t wait to go back to McCormick & Kuleto’s.
Amazing, amazing job Jessica and Ruggy! Great afternoon spent with AWESOME Unilocalers.

My ONLY complaint about this event is that I really wanted to stay longer but had to leave and change into super preppy attire in order to catch the 3:24 PM Kentucky Derby race time… Otherwise, the event was perfect!
Megan and I started with amazing $ 3 bloody mary’s– I ordered the Bloody Caesar extra spicy and the bartender included a bunch of jalapenos to make it just right! As I was telling anyone who’d listen at the event, the bloody mary was spicy but not painful and woke me up so well!
Then, I got into line for the veggie crab benedict and enjoyed munching on brucetta, pastries filled with brie and pear, and deviled eggs being passed while I waited. Megan also tried the roast beef and sundaes and then it was time to hit up the fish booth.
The whole event, I looked on in awe at the INCREDIBLY, sunny view of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge. The company was great too with very fun Unilocalers and the crab and oysters were SO fresh and yummy!
I would have loved to win the raffles for gift certificates and other prizes but everyone left with a $ 10 gift certificate for McCormick & Kuleto’s and I love my new Unilocal keychain too! It looks like they have great happy hour options where I’d love to use my certificate if I could ever make it back to the city from work in time…

Glad there was a time limit to keep me from trying everything at this event, or I surely would have overindulged, hah! A good-​times it was, and per usual got to see long-​time, recently-​met and many new Unilocal friends.
— The eggs benedict (
) was my favorite item and I don’t even eat eggs benedict.
— No Tabasco, no problem… the fresh oysters (
) were fantastic!
— Two peach crepes with Grand Marnier, and Ghirardelli vanilla bean ice cream (
) were a nice combo, yep!
— The prime rib (
) was divine.
— Didn’t try the salads (
) since was too busy trying other foods.
— Wood plank for grilling party favors (
). ;)
— What a great venue, with great views. I plan to return even if there was no gift certificate party favors (
). ;)
Thanks Unilocal,McCormick & Kuleto’s, Ruggy & Jessica! This was one of the best YEEs that I’ve been to!

My first Unilocal Event for 2010 and I was not disappointed! Double high fives to Ruggy and Jessica for making this another great party! I was definitely surprised by how much food there was — crab legs, oysters, prime rib, eggs benedict, crepes, ice cream, deviled eggs. man! I left stuffed with a nice buzz. I cannot wait to try out my new cedar plank!
Thanks guys! Cant wait for the next YEE! :D

For my 299^th review, I’s like to say I love you Unilocal.Seriously one of my favorite YEE to date. Lucky me, McCormick & Kuleto’s is one of my favorite restaurants in the city for seafood, I felt like everything was just perfect.
Fresh cracked crab, freshly shucked raw oysters, truly Dee Vine wines and bubbly, sweet peach crepes, eggsellent bennies, mouth watering roast beef and spicy Bloody Mary’s. Truly indulgent, we were all spoiled.
I learned how to shuck an oyster and spent a lot of time at the Seafood Bar (surprise). I had a spicy bloody mary with jalapenos which was less spicy than the original which had an ample amount of kick to it.
As usual, I had a fun time making a few new friends and talking to some of my favorite Unilocalers. I loved the cedar BBQ plank giveaway from McCormick & Kuleto’s, thank you for such a classy, fun event. Thank you to Ruggy and Jessica for another great YEE! I LOVED it.

Another Unilocal event success, but this time @McCormick & Kuleto’s for brunch. My gal pals and I were truly excited. THANK YOU Unilocal… Lots of BIG highlights @this event!
Line to get in: Awesome!!! Where else are you served w/​champagne and wine while you wait? Wow!
Location: Absolutely stunning views of SF bay. Beautiful. Breathtaking.
Ambiance: Nice to have an event sponsored @a fancy restaurant w/​class. Since the event was private, the room was blocked entirely for Unilocal folks. Sweeet!
Service: Super friendly people~ waiters, servers, AND the awesome vendors. The guys @ Dee Vine wines remembered that I liked the sweetest of their Riesling. Thoughtful! One of the servers walking around w/​appetizer bites brought back a tray of deviled eggs when my friend simply asked if there were any left. Very nice!
Food: suuuuuuuuper selection of delectable goodies. I loved the stations galore: cracked crab, fresh oysters, riesling and champagne bubblies, prime rib & salmon, egg omelet & egg benedicts, sweet crepes flambay w/​Grand Marnier & oranges, variety of fresh fruits, & Ghirardelli vanilla ice cream. Wait! Did I miss anything? Oh wait, I did. The trays of bruschetta and chunky tomatoes, garlic, & onions, devilled eggs with a hint of truffle oil (rich, but definitely a wonderful treat), and the brie-​stuffed pastries. Woah, see what I meant by suuuuuper selection?!
Lil note: This is event #3 for me… and all have been wonderful. It’s great meeting new & old Unilocalers alike. I love bringing my plus one’s so they see how awesome Unilocal is & how their members are rewarded for their efforts. Plus One’s= New Unilocal Recruits!!!
Bottom line: Thank you to Ruggy, cutie-​pie Jessica (loved the dress), McCormick & Kuleto’s, Dee Vine Wines, and my fellow Unilocalers for making it such an awesome brunch out!

Man, these events just get awesomer and awesomer! Five solid stars!
I knew it was going to be a good day when I was waiting in line and a waiter came up to me and offered me a glass of bubbly. YES!
It only got better from there! As all the Unilocalers have noted, the food was amazing and plentiful — eggs benedict, meats, oysters, salad, grilled vegetables, crepes, bruschetta, deviled eggs, ice cream, and much more. Delicious and satisfying. I had several… err…ok ok fine, MANY glasses of bubbly and wine. Afternoon buzz FTW! Muchos gracias to Dee Vine Wines for the libations!
The organization was also very clean and well-​done. Lines moved quickly, the McCormick & Kuleto’s staff was amazing, there was plenty of room to eat and walk around. Great setup.
And the view, oh man… GORGEOUS. Those ocean front windows, the Bay, the weather… couldn’t have asked for a better venue or day to hold this event. I caught myself at several instances staring out of those windows at the Bay, completely mesmerized. I don’t often get a chance to come out to these touristy parts and am glad this venue was chosen. Spectacular.
I had an awesome time eating, drinking, and the best part: catching up and chilling with my favoritest of Unilocalers and also meeting several new people.
Thank you once again, Ruggy and Jessica. You guys are fabulous, this event was top-​notch, and I hope y’all know what a great job you’re doing at bringing together this community. Loves it!

Gratitude.
Gratitude is a good word for the way I feel about my first elite event. Everything was fabulous. Thank you everybody who was involved in the planning of this event.
Out of all the treats that were offered, I must say that one particular dish stood out among all the others… the white truffle oil deviled eggs nearly threw me into a state of paralysis (the drinks finished the job though).
I was thrilled to meet some of my pseudo-​celebrity (to me) Unilocal friends as well!

I’m pretty new to the Elite scene, but this was by far the best event that I’ve attended. I’ve been to McCormick & Kuleto’s once before (I’m familiar with McCormick & Schmick’s in Phx where I’m originally from as well as Spenger’s in Berkeley) so I knew the atmosphere & food were going to be topnotch from the start.
Everything that I tried was fantastic! I loved the oyster & crab station (and was informed by the oyster shucker that it is a myth that oysters are an aphrodisiac… oh well ;)). I also loved the prime rib station and particularly the different sauces that were accompanying the meat. I tried the tarragon sauce, which was excellent! The egg Benedict rocked as did the spinach Benedict (is that what it was called?). It also seemed like every time I turned around there was a tray of bruchetta or deviled eggs in front of me. Not that I minded! I had several of each and they were both delicious! You can never go wrong with Ghiradelli ice cream as well!
For the alcohol, I tried two kinds of Riesling’s and really liked both. I’m not much of a «wine taster,» don’t get me wrong I drink the stuff like it’s water, but I’m usually not too interested in the details. However, the guy serving the wine at the event was excellent and I appreciated his descriptions. The champagne I tried was great as well! I’m not a Bloody Mary drinker, but my guest said the «Beefy Bouillon» was quite good!
The staff at McCormick & Kuleto’s was extremely attentive and nice, and the atmosphere was breathtaking! I knew that Spenger’s in Berkeley had an excellent happy hour menu, but I didn’t know McCormick’s had the same one! I’ll be back for that!!!
Thanks again Jessica & Ruggy.

Excellent Unilocal event this afternoon, per usual ;)
First of all, I was BLOWN AWAY by the views! This will now be my «go-​to» restaurant for when friends/​family from out of town insist on going to Fisherman’s Wharf (I’m not a fan of crowds, nor tourists, so you can imagine my thoughts on this part of town). But alas, not only is their view magnificent, but it is also in the less rowdy/​obnoxious part of the Wharf (i.e. away from Pier 39), and it overlooks Aquatic Park.
Next, I was very happy with the service! An abundance of appetizers (deviled eggs, bruschetta, brie) was passed around ubiquitously, refilled rapidly, and pleasantly served. I only experienced the eggs benedict (didn’t wait in line for the roast beef or ice cream — got caught up talking with friends), and while my poached egg was a little too poached, hey, it’s hard to cook that many poached eggs at one time. I give them a pass. And this brunch was certainly way more pleasant than what I would’ve cooked for myself at home!
The bloody maries were superb! Love that they had so many options (I liked the Spicy Hangover and the Classic).
I didn’t take the time to sample the wine/​champagne (wasn’t really in the mood).
And overall, the venue and organization of this event was FANTASTIC! Thank you Jessica, Ruggy & Unilocal :)

One of the best.
**Thank you, thank you, thank you Ruggy and Jessica. Brunch is soooo my favorite meal of the day, and what an epic brunch this was**
Vegetarian eggs benedict topped with parmesan cheese and portabella mushrooms on the side… A splendid savory start to the afternoon.
We carried on socializing with mouths full and plates in hand. P. S. It was beyond refreshing to see my Unilocalers during the day, as sober as I’ve ever seen Unilocal peeps ;)
I had to conclude the afternoon on a sweet note. **Crepes with Grand Marnier with Ghiradhelli ice cream… a ménage à trois to end all ménages à trois.** Oh yes.
The perks didn’t end there! Never ending champagne and champagne and champagne. A beautiful afternoon. Thank you Unilocal,thank you McCormick & Kuletos, thank you Dee Vine Wines, and thank you Ting for letting this elite be your +1 once again :)

Unilocal, McCormick & Kuleto’s, and Dee Vine Wines certainly delivered on their promise of freshly cracked crab, oysters, a carving station, Eggs Benedicts, and bubbles. On top of that, a gorgeous view of the bay and an ice cream sundae station [Hot fudge included = AWESOME] — what a great way to enjoy a few hours of our weekend!
The crew at McCormick & Kuleto’s was outstanding and ready to take on the daunting task of hosting this event. They worked their butts off keeping the food coming, and as we piled up the plates and glassware on tables and window sills, they worked equally hard clearing them out.
I think the longest lines formed around the Bloody Mary [only $ 3!] station and the Eggs Benedicts station when they needed refilling, but everything else was easily accessible. The crab cracking and oyster shucking continued even when the lines had died down, so you could run by and grab a few extra bites on your way out too.
It was a fun time, and I look forward to checking out their happy hour. Some of the specials are hard to pass up.
Plus, it wouldn’t be an event in tourist country without a souvenir to take home — cedar planks for grilling salmon on! Awesome. Thanks, Unilocal

Thank you San Francisco especially on a gorgeous day like today. It’s so easy to forget where you live but when you stare out at those floor to ceiling windows at McCormick & Kuleto’s and see that fantastic bay, you realize just how lucky you really are.
I also felt really lucky that I got to attend this YEE and to share it with a friend who just moved here. SF welcomes you with much love.
Thanks to Jessica and Ruggy for coordinating the event. Thanks to the wonderful folks at McCormick & Kuleto’s for the fantastic food. That puff pastry with brie was to die for and the carving station was fantastic. Thanks also for the cedar plank. That will come in very useful for the next cookout. Thank you Dee Vee wines for the sparkling rieslings. They went very well with the seafood! And it was just great to see so many friendly and familiar faces — Ting, Adam, Vivian, and Simone… great catching up with y’all.
Yet another slam dunk YEE affair and I can’t wait for what’s next.

4 hrs later… and STILL major food coma! -.- zzZZZ
It was such a gorgeous day to enjoy a full brunch at McCormick with fun Unilocalers! Everything was soooooo delicious!!! HUGE thank you’s Ruggy and Jessica for a fantastic event!!! We had 2 big rooms for just us Unilocalers! Great view overlooking the marina! There was a seafood station, carving station, eggs station, wine station, crêpe station, and ice cream sundae station!!! O_​O Can you say WOW?
I ate A LOT! O_​O And I ate before the event at the Tanguito food truck too! O_​O Oh boy!
Plate 1: a few crab legs and yummy oysters
Plate 2: nice medium rare cut of prime rib, roasted veggies, mixed greens with berries, eggs benedict, crêpe with oranges, lots of melons and berries
Plate 3: another plate of crab legs and oysters :)
Plate 4: another plate of fruits with a scoop of ghiradelli vanilla ice cream and lots of whip cream!
Plate 5: a small plate of the salted salmon and a cup of ice cream!
Hor d’oureves: bruschetta, and phyllo dough with brie inside (so good!)… and darn I missed those deviled eggs =\
And then, I had about 2 more scoops of ice cream after that at the ice cream sundae station! ahaha Enjoyed the Riesling and Sparkling Pinot Noir! There was soooo much food and lots still left after the event. I wished I had another stomach! :D
Hellos to: Bobby L., Peter L., Wilhelm Y., David B., Carol L., Cindy N. and Henry, Steve and Christine, Julie K. and Kevin N., Anna D., Gill C., Diana M., Eric G., Jason G., and all the hungry Unilocalers! :D
YEE #14 and counting for 2010! :D

I guess it gets awfully redundant to say how great the Unilocal Elite events are, but I think Ruggy and Jessica once again prove how consistency is not the hobgoblin of small minds. Rather, it’s the hallmark of just how well organized and generous each and every one of these events have been. When I get chosen to attend one, I get up from my rocker, turn off my hearing aid, do a happy dance, fall down when I get dizzy, and press the button on my Life Alert to get help since I feel perceptively older than my fellow online reviewers with each passing year.
Screw it. Accompanied by my friend Maggie, it was a knockout fountain-​of-​youth gathering filled with oysters and crab legs, eggs benedict and roasted vegetables, prime rib and some bubbly from Dee Vine wines, crepes and soft serve ice cream. Oh yes… and Unilocalers, lots and lots of Unilocalers, mostly new faces to me since I am one of the CroMagnon-​era Unilocalers that used chisels and tablets to write my reviews. I was surprised McCormick & Kuleto’s was the chosen locale since it is such an un-​hip, Mother’s-Dayish place to congregate.
As it turned out, it was ideal with the picture-​perfect weather allowing us panoramic views. It was not only an ideal way to spend a Saturday afternoon, but I was also able to share my experience taping «Check Please! Bay Area» this week with the foodie friends who could really share in my excitement. Watch for my episode in September!

I only wish I hadn’t had such a huge breakfast.
Thank you Ruggy and Jessica and the fabulous staff at McCormick & Kuleto’s for an amazing Unilocal Elite Event. First there was the Brunch. I came in expecting a few tasty bites but did not expect it to be more like an all-​you-​can-​eat feast. For the record, I had the fresh cracked Dungeness crab legs, carved to order prime rib (
), baked salmon (
), crepes flambé in Grand Marnier, crispy filo dough wedges filled with Brie, a deviled egg, fresh fruit and an ice cream sundae from the build it yourself sundae bar. My eyes focused in on some of the other offerings, but my stomach just told me to stop.
Then there was the Bubbles. I rarely consume alcohol during daytime hours, but I’m not complaining! Two glasses of bubbly from the friendly folks at Dee Vine Wines followed by a cold beer (Thanks Jason G!) and lemon drop shots with Jason G, Vicky L and her + 1 «J» kept me happy for the rest of the afternoon.
As with all YEE’s it was great to see Unilocal friends previously met, meet Unilocal friends never before met and meet potentially new Unilocal friends. It was a great event on a great day in a great city! Thanks Unilocal