Customer Reviews

Cook, Eat, Cha Cha Cha: Festive New World Recipes

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book contains the recipes for some of your favorite dishes fron CHA CHA CHA on Haight street in San Francisco. It would make a great basis for a tapas party! While nothing can beat the real thing, this book does a great job of giving you a headstart on creating your own home version of CHA CHA CHA. However, while these recipes are awesome, most are not for the novice cook. They work best for individual who have experience with the unique caribbean ingredients and experience with the cooking technigues (quick sauteeing with cream!)Overall...I would say that 1/3 of the recipes can be made by anyone...1/3 with a little experience and 1/3 by the dedicated gourment.

I, too, live a few blocks away from Cha Cha Cha but can no longer stomach the crowds waiting for a table (not to mention the couple of pitchers of Sangria you'll go through on empty said stomach as you wait the average 45 minute wait. Even on Sundays). Given that lengthy diatribe, all can now understand why getting the book as a gift was a blessing.

The pictures are beautiful and some of the dishes turn out quite nice. But I will no longer try to make my favorite dish at the restaurant: Cajun Shrimp. I don't know what was lost in the translation but if you follow the recipe in the book (and yes, I used SWEET paprika, not hot), you turn out Shrimp O' Fire. It's almost inedible. It's not even good spicy hot, it's just kind of gnarly. So I'm somewhat disappointed in this book. And it makes me leery of trying to make everything.

Also, the cookbook is inconsistent on informing you how long certain things will take to cook down or reduce, and a dish that looks to take about 20 minutes to make can take over an hour.

Basically, this is one cookbook that's worth it for the pictures and memories of actually eating at the restaurant. If you want anything more from this tome, I wish you luck.

I previously lived in San Francisco and one of my favorite things to do was eat at CHA CHA CHA's. So, when I moved back to Southern California I missed this fantastic restaurant. I was very excited to find this book and I immediately tried to create some of my favorite dishes. BUT, I found it very difficult to replicate the dishes as most of the ingredients were not in my kitchen and when I went to the store to purchase them, some of them were very hard to find. Also, the lists of ingredients are very long! And finally, the dishes are not that easy to prepare. I realize that I am not an expert in the kitchen, but I do know how to follow directions and I did struggle quite a bit.

So, now when I miss that wonderful food I either look at the pictures in the book and try and remember how it tastes OR I get on a United Shuttle flight and go for the real thing. Nothing can compare to having glass after glass of sangria while I sit back and have the food served to me by someone who really knows how the food should be made!

I moved away from SF last year and am quite happy to get a taste of Cha Cha Cha through this cookbook! No, it's not a perfect substitute for the restaurant, but with a little practice the recipes aren't difficult. And the sangria recipe is the best I've ever tasted!

Cha Cha Cha is one of my favorite San Francisco restaurants, so I was excited to find this cookbook and even more pleased to find that the recipes are very well written and easy to prepare. The results are fabulous - just like the food from the restaurant! Very interesting history of the food and everything you need to know to recreate the Cha Cha Cha experience at home.

When I lived in Northern CA, I visited this restaurant in SF and loved it. The atmosphere, the sangria, the food. I bought this book as a special memory of my time there. The recipes were great but some of food items were very exotic and not easily found in a place outside of city.

I used to love going to Cha Cha Cha Restaurant, until me and some friends got thrown out of the bar for complaining about the service/policies of the establishment. By principal, I will never patron the restaurant ever again. Now the recipes in this book are a huge disappointment for anyone who tries actually making the recipes, which is why I believe tthat most of the good reviews written for this book, are by reviewers who've eaten at the restaurant and love keeping their cookbook copy on the coffee table, rather than the kitchen. My advice- leave it on the coffee table, by all means. This is a vanity cookbook, and is only good for the pictures.

It's with great pleasure then, that I share with reviewers - the real recipe for Cajun Skillet Shrimp. How dare they force people who spent their hard earned cash on a cookbook, to go through all of the trouble of preparing these imposter recipes. So here is the recipe. Mix 1/2 cup of plain yogurt (Mountainhigh is good brand) with 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream in a small bowl, and stir to blend. You will need some Deggi chilipowder (Deggi Mirch chilipowder by MDH is good brand), usually sold in a small 3.5 oz box at any good Indian grocer. This is what gives that spicy flavour and beautiful orange color to the dish. Also you will need about a dozen or more medium shrimp (or sized to your liking) partially peeled and deveined with shell left on tail for ease of grabbing. Using a large wok, add about a tablespoon of vegetable oil; just enough to coat the inside of the wok. Turn on wok to high heat. Once wok is hot and smoking slightly, tilt wok to coat pan one more and pour off any standing (or residual) oil. Pour yogurt/whipping cream mixture into the middle of the wok, continue stiring while allowing to boil and thicken for a couple minutes. Now add measured teaspoons of the Deggi chiipowder, one at a time, while stiring. Add one teaspoon at a time while boiling, until you get the desired bright orange color, about 2 or 3 teaspoons. You can turn down the heat a bit now and throw in your shrimp and cook until shrimp is opaque and cooked through, keep stiring. You can also add about a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper. When shrimp is finished cooking, remove from heat. Serve as appetizer in bowls with shrimp and the sauce. Use some fresh or toasted baguette to soak up the delicious sauce, while enjoying the flavorful shrimp. Enjoy.

I love this restaurant, the cookbook is a little dated compared to their current menu, but still a great cookbook.

I got this item on "Christmas Eve", JUST before Christmas!

I cannot believe any seller would ship "media rate"... media rate="if there is room to shove it in, else leave it for another day".

Send it 1st Class, or let buyer know!

I live a couple of blocks from the restaurant, but the place is so popular I rarely go anymore. I picked up the book on a whim for a gift, and I liked it so much I've got to buy another one to give away!

Within you'll find easy to follow recipes for small plates with a Cuban flair and an exciting layout with luscious photos. There is a nice narrative about the practice of santeria and interesting stories about the history of the restaurant and the recipes. At the back are musical suggestions for adding the festive touch to your dinner.

The recipes must be authentic, since there's an abundance of sherry and cream. My favorites in the restaurant are the plantains and black beans and the mushrooms. So far I've only made the sangria from the book. Was it good! My party lasted until it was all gone, and everyone made me promise to make it again.