Mostly budget dining in San Francisco

[grayelf]

At the urging of two eGullet veterans (one from SF, one from Vancouver), I'm daring to post my journal from our recently completed and most enjoyable trip to San Francisco. Sorry there are no pix but my dining partner would flee if I whipped out the digicam, so you're stuck with just my purple prose. Be warned there's a fair bit of touristic folderol mingled with the food descriptions but there's still lotsa talk about snacking .

We arrived late Thursday night and checked in to the Vintage Court at Bush and Powell. Refreshed after a good night's sleep, we headed two blocks down to Cafe de la presse, our fave hangout from the last trip in 2003 (when it was largely deserted because of being French -- remember "freedom fries"?). It was busy but they fit us in for a quick repast of croissant and La Colombe coffee before we headed down to the Embarcadero and foodie heaven at the Ferry Building. What a great galleria of gastronomie! I made a beeline for Cow Girl Creamery as it had been featured on Martha Stewart the day before (I caught part of the piece while packing and didn't realize they were based in SF so it was a welcome surprise).

We investigated more cool food stores, then decided it was time for another snack at Lulu Petite who had quiche on offer. It was almost like a custard, very light and tasty. We ate outside with pelicans swooping and sun shining, watching the ferries head off to various points and admiring the Bay Bridge. After reading up on the spectacular building and its heritage, we returned to the Union Square area for a bit of shopping and to work up an appetite as our eventual destination was Larkin Express for lunch (452 Larkin btwn Golden Gate and Turk M-F 10-4). We opted to go to Larkin Express over the much-vaunted Burma Superstar as it was a) closer and b) less likely to have a lineup. We ordered a pork curry (which came with 2 sides -- we chose rice and "sourleaf", which was a bit like beet greens but tangier), coconut soup and tea salad. The curry was delicious, not too spicy but flavourful, the coconut soup like a mellow version of tom ka gai with noodles and the tea salad was wicked good. It contains young tea leaves, nuts, crunchy yellow peas and a tart but complex dressing. As there are no Burmese restos in Van that I know of, I have nothing to compare to but we both loved it, especially the salad. And it was ridiculously cheap (under $20 for the lot with leftovers). The space is utilitarian at best but the staff were friendly and helpful. We spent the rest of the afternoon doing some more shopping and ambling around the Financial District where some buildings that predate the 1906 quake and fire still survive.

After a quick restorative at the hotel, it was time to head over to Jitlada (1826 Buchanan btwn Sutter and Bush) where we had a 7:30 reso -- thanks for the tip, Carrie. This was a good thing as it was very busy. We met my brother-in-law there (he lives in the Mission) which was also excellent as a) we haven’t seen him in a while and b) we could order more food! We decided to go for Chef Pai’s specialties and ordered the shrimp ginger rolls, the wonton-like appetizer, the mango salad, the special noodles with black bean, the sea bass and the pumpkin curry with chicken. They were all excellent, with the standouts being the mango salad, noodles and the sea bass. I am somewhat wary of “fusion” approaches but the chef here knows how to mix in different ingredients to complement the more traditional Thai elements and make it all sing. Case in point: dried cranberries in the mango salad. Sounds whacky, tastes awesome. The one thing that didn't quite measure up was the pumpkin in the curry which was cut too big for my taste and was a bit mealy. Our bill came to about $90 including a couple of beers so Jitlada was also great value. We strolled up and down nearby Fillmore Street to end a great day.

Saturday started with a too-optimistic walk over to Dottie’s where the lineup at 8:30 am was already 15 strong. We abandoned that idea and instead went back to the Ferry Building to check out the Farmer’s Market. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as there were many stalls offering breakfast. I settled on one at the far corner (Bay Bridge side) that had chilaquiles. Let me say that chilaquiles are one of my favourite things to eat and they are hard to come by in Vancouver –- as indeed good Mexican food is in general. I braved the line up and the chilly winds to get me some and dang they were delicioso, tortillas still crunchy despite their bathrobe of tomatillo sauce, crema and queso, beans full of flavour, loads of fresh avocado and well scrambled eggs, all for $10. I only wish I had noted the name of the operation for future reference. Meanwhile, Jonathan had tackled the coffee line at Peet’s and we rendez-voused to munch before exploring further. The idea of a centralized farmer’s market is excellent (ours are neighbourhood based and I think that waters them down). If I lived here I would come every Saturday, and I would probably skip work to come on Tuesday too.

We were getting a bit cold (the weather was the opposite of Friday, cloudy and threatening rain) so we decided to hop on the streetcar and go to Fisherman’s Wharf and back to warm up using our handy dandy Muni passes – we discovered these last time and they are truly wonderful. You can go two blocks if your dogs are barking, and you can ride the cable cars or dingers as we call them endlessly if you’re so inclined. SF is the only place I’ve been where riding public transit can be fun because of the mode of transport itself. We then hied ourselves back to the hotel for a clothing change (weather worsening) and to Union Square to meet up with Jay, our guide for a walking tour of Pacific Heights. This was really well done and quite diverting despite the onset of a persistent Scotch mist of rain. Being from Vancouver, we had umbrellas. We had not spent much time in this area and it was most illuminating, as we have an interest in heritage houses (ours is a 1908 Craftsman bungalow and my brother’s is an 1899 Queen Anne). The highlight was an incredible white mansion that appeared to be made of stone but was actually redwood and predated the 1906 debacle.

We finished our tour just in time for lunch at the Gourmet Carousel (1559 Franklin St at Pine). By this time it was raining in earnest so some rib sticking Chinese was in order. We had the deluxe wonton soup which was massive and tasty, the salt and pepper prawns and the potstickers (crunchy goodness) based on recommendations from SF Bargain Bites. The prawns were a bit disappointing as peeling them removed the salt and pepper coating (which I should have known) but they were more than saved by the excellent chili sauce that is served in tiny bowls and is delicious. Once again, we couldn’t finish it all and we got change from a twenty.

Thus fortified, we decided to return to Fillmore Street to check out the boutiques and such we had seen on Friday night’s walk. I would recommend this area for strolling and shopping in a relaxed and “mature” retail setting. We didn’t buy a lot but it felt like a place I would go if I lived here (lots of great looking restos and cafes too). I did indulge in a Moomintroll mug which will only mean something to you if you are a fan of Tove Jansson; I had never seen Moomin-related gear anywhere and was quite tickled. We proceeded to the Hayes Valley, where we had heard there was a great Art Deco antiques store on Market. It was brilliant, with excellent stock, particularly lighting. I’ve not seen such a fine selection from this era before. By this time we were getting pretty soggy from the continuing rain and decided it was time to head back to the hotel for a rest and to dry out.

The aforementioned brother-in-law was having a party in honour of our visit that evening, so we decided to indulge in some tacos beforehand. We undergrounded to the 16th street station and checked out a few spots I had sussed. Being a bit unclear on how far apart the 16th and 24th stations are (and rapidly deciding the walk over on a Saturday night was a bit dodgy for our taste), we limited our search to the immediate ’hood and settled on Pancho Villa (on 16th near Mission). A couple of al pastor and fish tacos each later (both excellent and very filling), we headed to the party and stayed up far too late.

Sunday was a sleep in day, with a bit of shopping close by the hotel, notably a store called karikter on Pine near Stockton for more Moomin ware and lots of other cool stuff. By the time we met up with the brother-in-law it was nearly noon but the weather had returned to gorgeous sun so we decided to walk the Golden Gate Bridge. Matthew drove us there through the Presidio where we stopped at a war memorial to have our Remembrance Day moment (we do that a day earlier in Canada). The bridge is truly a marvel, and being there with two engineers, well, suffice to say many photos were snapped. There was also an anti-war protest on the bridge which seemed very San Francisco.

We admired the views and the armies of jellyfish floating by and then headed back into town in search of sustenance. After an abortive trip to the Marina (resto closed on Sundays, my bad for not checking), we headed to the Lower Haight with thoughts of checking out the Niman Ranch beef burgs at the Metro Caffe (247 Fillmore at Haight) but when we got there we decided that we wanted breakfast for lunch instead and so went around the corner to Kate’s. As by this time it was after 2 there was no lineup at this unofficial Lower Haight brunch HQ and we settled in for a post-party carbo and grease fest. We all went for the classic eggs and meat option but I added an order each of hush puppies and grits. Overall a very comforting feed, nothing out of the ordinary but tasty (with the exception of the biscuit which although housemade was heavy, undercooked and served COLD ).

Next stop was the Upper Haight after a quintessentially SF hunt for parking to investigate this famous nabe. We had not been before and found it most diverting, although I would say we are a bit past the target demographic for shopping here. On the way back to the car, we stopped in to Say Cheese for a quick drool and then headed back to the Mission to drop off the car and pit stop at Matthew’s house. As he lives very near a great shopping strip on Valencia we wandered down there and went into Paxton Coute (mix of gardening, housewares and taxidermy) and a pirate store run by David Eggers as a “front” for a writers’ workshop which was one of the most whimsical stores I’ve ever been in. It was time for a coffee break so we went to a local café called Ritual (on Valencia near 24th station) that serves excellent joe in a funky but chic environment and managed to score a window seat for a bit of people watching. The café society in SF is worthy of study and this is a good place to do it.

After a bit of caffeinated relaxation (is that an oxymoron?) we caught the underground back to our hotel to change and then headed out to Colibri Mexican Bistro (438 Geary btwn Taylor and Mason). Our 8 pm reso found us entering a cosy if overheated (why are indoor spaces in SF often so warm?) slightly postmodern take on a classic Mexican restaurant. Arches and wrought iron with dark wood booths but somehow not as cheesy as it sounds. The menu was similar: regional tapas with some unusual dishes not regularly seen outside Mexico, given a bit of a spin. The guide book I got this recommendation from said “unpretentious, delicious and atypical” and I would agree with one exception. The tortilla soup has gone downhill since that review, or they were having an off night soupwise, as it was bland, too sweet and kinda Campbell’s Tomato-y. Not inedible but not stellar. The other items we sampled were all winners: tamales with mole, chicken with mole (both good according to BIL Matthew who is a big mole fan, which I am not), chiles rellenos with a delightful cheese and veggie stuffing, three sopes with beef, chicken and again a delicious mixed veg topping, and carnitas (chunks of slow cooked pork whose rather rustic appearance belied a serious yummy factor). Service was attentive and informed, and extra tortillas and limes were brought without complaint or charge. The tab was about $90 with a beer and we were too full to contemplate dessert. We walked Matthew to the underground then took a streetcar up to the California line and the dinger home.

Monday morning was reserved for a full brekky at Café de la presse (352 Grant at Bush). I had the eggs benedict which were parfait and J had the eggs a la meurette which is poached eggs in red wine sauce with mushrooms and lardons. Both come with delicious pan-fried spuds and of course we had café Colombe, this time au lait. I have heard complaints about the prices here but our egg dishes were worth every penny of $13 and $12 respectively. The space is also beautiful, even better since its 2005 refurbishing by a group of French seafood restaurateurs. A word to the wise: like many other famous brunch options in SF, you need to get here way early on a weekend to have a hope of eating without waiting in line. Even on a Monday it was pretty full by the time we arrived at 9 am, and when we went by on Sunday there was a serious lineup at 11 am.

We hadn’t had quite enough retail exercise yet so headed down to Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s with a quick stop in Maiden Lane to look at a gallery designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. We were a bit overwhammed by the sheer volume of stuff and decided to head down Market to the Palace Hotel. We admired the opulent and OTT architecture and then continued on to the California line and another dinger trip, this time over to North Beach. We had been referred to a specialty print shop at 1435 Grant called Schein and Schein, whose owner graciously opened up just for us. After some browsing through old architectural and mechanical prints, it was time for more Mexican, this time at an eGullet recommended taqueria nearby called El Zorro (308 Columbus Avenue). We ordered five tacos (pastor, pork in green sauce, beef and chicken asado and fish). They were all excellent although there was a spice in the fish one that I didn’t fancy so J finished that one off while I got another pork in green sauce to make up the shortfall. The salsa bar had only three offerings but they were all housemade and delicious. The staff apparently appreciated my somewhat sad attempts at Spanish enough to offer a free basket of chips to convey some more of the great salsas stomachward and we were happy campers.

We finished off our final afternoon meandering about North Beach (with a requisite stop in an Italian bakery for Sicilian pastries) and a walk back through Chinatown along Stockton and Grant. Then it was off to SFO for another delayed but otherwise uneventful flight.

[moosnsqrl]

I settled on one at the far corner (Bay Bridge side) that had chilaquiles. Let me say that chilaquiles are one of my favourite things to eat and they are hard to come by in Vancouver –- as indeed good Mexican food is in general. I braved the line up and the chilly winds to get me some and dang they were delicioso, tortillas still crunchy despite their bathrobe of tomatillo sauce, crema and queso, beans full of flavour, loads of fresh avocado and well scrambled eggs, all for $10.

I love those chilaquiles, too. I'm sure there are more authentic to be had, but those had served me well on many a blustry morning at the Ferry Plaza. I just tried to look for the name, assuming it would be on the FP website, but it's not. Hmmm. I guess you have to pay to be linked to that - surprising considering what the rent must be on the space. Oh well.

Sounds like you had a great trip!

[grayelf]

Thanks for slogging through my offering, and for posting a reply We really did have a great time, despite missing out on all the marquee restos that SF is teeming with. I read somewhere else on eGullet where someone said they'd rather go to 6 moderately priced restaurants than have one $400 meal (no matter how fantastic the service etc) and I guess I'm kinda in that camp too.

Ah, authenticity, the great bugbear. I have had chilaquiles all over Mexico, and cooked them myself, with various sauces (and always for breakfast). These ones were not baked, not day-old and had avoc on them (not "authentic") but they were delicous and had my fave the tomatillo sauce with crema and queso fresco. So to me, the authenticity was in the flavours.

I settled on one at the far corner (Bay Bridge side) that had chilaquiles. Let me say that chilaquiles are one of my favourite things to eat and they are hard to come by in Vancouver –- as indeed good Mexican food is in general. I braved the line up and the chilly winds to get me some and dang they were delicioso, tortillas still crunchy despite their bathrobe of tomatillo sauce, crema and queso, beans full of flavour, loads of fresh avocado and well scrambled eggs, all for $10.

I love those chilaquiles, too. I'm sure there are more authentic to be had, but those had served me well on many a blustry morning at the Ferry Plaza. I just tried to look for the name, assuming it would be on the FP website, but it's not. Hmmm. I guess you have to pay to be linked to that - surprising considering what the rent must be on the space. Oh well.

Sounds like you had a great trip!

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[grayelf]

Was wandering through some older SF posts and came across this thread which had an old photo of a menu with the chilaquiles that I recognized. The place is called Primavera's.