Discovering San Francisco

[Carolyn Tillie]

Thanks Hzrt8w! I actually feel a bit guilty in my lack of knowledge on these cuisines... You are right that about the Penang Curry and I'll have to look into Mai's!

A little solo dining last evening found me at Ino Sushi inside Japantown (this is the smaller side, near the Miyako hotel -- not the larger mall-walking side). Ino is a very small, innocuous establishment that not unlike Kiss, only seats about 15 people and is run by one chef, Ino-san. An amazing array of seafood, the variety of which was truly astounding, I simply asked for his version of an omakase, not wanting to have to make any decisions.

Part of what sets Ino apart is that if one is seated at the counter, one is not presented with a serving platter for the nigiri offerings, ginger, and wasabi. There is a small, 6" ledge between the bar where the patrons sit and the showcase. Upon that ledge, Ino-san places your ginger but no wasabi unless you ask. I had heard rumours he was heavy-handed with his wasabi use so I didn't bother asking, nor was I particularly bothered or overwhelmed by the wasabi that was used.

My Omakase consisted of the following:

Flounder, albacore

Toro

Hamachi

Ankimo

This is where I stopped taking notes, but what I think I was served:

Albacore

Then there were two fishes that sounded like

Haba

Kohaba

This was a great sushi experience. Everything was incredibly fresh and bountiful. And, with a small bottle of Ozeki sake, came to $44.00. Will definitely return!

[melkor]

Ino is very good. The last two fish you had were most likely kohada (shad) and saba (mackerel) - both are oily silver-skinned fish like aji. Part of what makes me prefer Takara next door is that the deep-fried bones from the shiny fish are served following the nigiri. Takara also has hon wasabi at the sushi bar (Ino uses powdered) and for my taste, Ino uses too much wasabi in his nigiri.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Ino is very good.  The last two fish you had were most likely kohada (shad) and saba (mackerel) - both are oily silver-skinned fish like aji.  Part of what makes me prefer Takara next door is that the deep-fried bones from the shiny fish are served following the nigiri.  Takara also has hon wasabi at the sushi bar (Ino uses powdered) and for my taste, Ino uses too much wasabi in his nigiri.

←

Thank you! Yes, that makes perfect sense as both were silver-skinned. I was a bit saddened that Ino uses powdered wasabi. I was given some fresh wasabi from one of the Japantown store owners (he had it flown in from Tokyo) and feel completely jaded.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Another business meal out brought us to Espetus churrascaria restaurant last evening. BTW, the Portuguese-speaking inamorato informed me it is pronounced Esh-peee-toos and means 'the spirits.'

Having eaten at a number of churrascarias in Brazil, he informed me that Espetus is only mediocre. Having only eaten at a very small churrascaria in old town Torrance in SoCal, I thought Espetus was pretty good.

The buffet includes a number of salad items but also a wide variety of sides including fejoida, red beans, olives, salsas, hard-boiled eggs, and cheeses. The meats that are presented on the skewers are fairly extensive; chicken, parmesan-coated pork, five different cuts of beef (sirloin, filet, ribs, etc.), linguica, prawns, and chicken hearts (I had to ask for these as I knew they existed but I didn't really see them offered to others sitting around us). The offering of grilled pineapple was also different for me and quite refreshing.

We had started our evening with glasses of caipirinha and Kevin ordered a really great Argentine malbec blend for dinner. We finished the evening with a Tres Leches cake and a chocolate mousse, both were perfectly adequate but hardly inspiring.

At $35 per person, one has to be REALLY hungry to get your money's worth, but for a die-hard carnivore, it is an experience that shouldn't be missed.

[alanamoana]

$35/person isn't bad. does that include dessert?

in new york, the churrascarias (plataforma, etc.) charge about $50/person just for the salad bar and meat.

[Carolyn Tillie]

$35/person isn't bad.  does that include dessert?

in new york, the churrascarias (plataforma, etc.) charge about $50/person just for the salad bar and meat.

←

The $35 did not include dessert -- dinner for four with two cocktails, two desserts, and a fairly decent bottle of wine cost about $230.

[fiftydollars]

Ino uses too much wasabi in his nigiri.

←

Yes! I agree! Ino uses way too much wasabi in his nigiri. I was there last week and the wasabi really caught me by surprise. I probably had not noticed this before because I usually stick to sashimi, but that day I was looking for some rice. The worst part was that just as I moved into the nigiri I ran out of beer, so all I had to quench the wasabi was hot tea.

Anyway, Ino is still pretty good.

[Carolyn Tillie]

An extensively long day out started at the bar at the W [181 Third Street, San Francisco, 94103 - (415) 777-5300] -- just nibbling their chicken liver mousse was quite appetizing. They serve it with very thin, crispy toasts and topped with slivered cornichons and pickled shallots. I have had a pizza here before at the bar and always enjoy their offerings, thinking I should come back to the hotel. The first of a long-day of Gimlets and Sidecars...

Then a stop at Murphy's [217 Kearny Street, San Francisco, CA 94108]. The bartender didn't know how to make a Sidecar and their Gimlets are VERY tart. We had stopped in here before as well and enjoyed their fish-and-chips, but not serving anything other than fried bar food prevented me from wanting to further that adventure.

Another bar-hop found us at Azul [1 Tillman pl, San Francisco, 94108 - (415) 362-9750] which is located in an alley and always intrigued me. It is next door to a small bistro named Zaza and while the bar does not serve food, apparently Azul gets take-out from Zaza. I stopped in and chatted with the chef and lamented that it didn't open for another hour or so as my appetite was building. Oh yeah, just martinis at Azul as it was now happy-hour...

Wandering around the corner and hunger building, we stopped in at Campton Place. Still too early to dine at the restaurant, I was satisfied with their torchon of foie gras from the bar menu -- served with large, brioche toast, a heavily-salted pile of micro-greens, and housemade quince paste. Coupled with my Green Tea Pear Martini, it was perfect. Business prevailed necessitated a hurried decampment.

The sun setting and the wind kicking up, hot food was needed. We hopped on one of the antique streetcars and headed towards the Castro, an area I need to explore more extensively. A local reference directed us to 2223 [2223 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94114 (415) 431-0692] and our final stop. A great Sidecar and great Gimlet and even better food. I ordered a simple flank steak with a sherry sauce which was accompanied by sauteed spinach and portobello mushrooms and a mushroom bread pudding. Kevin ordered an appetizer but served well as a main course, fried calamari served atop greens. What propelled this dish was their version of cocktail and tartare sauce, with a Moroccan flair spiced with cumin and coriander. Also, the calimari were perfectly fried with not a speck of grease and incredibly tender. To put it simply, while essentially comfort food, we were bowled over with the quality of the meal. In chatting with the bartender, he was pleased with our compliments as it was the chef's night off so the kitchen was performing more than admirably. But more importantly, heartily suggesting we return for what is apparently known in the neighborhood as a most remarkable Sunday brunch. In handing us the menu and seeing homemade corned beef hash, we will definitely be going back -- hopefully this very weekend.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Playing pool around the city is an on-going challenge, most tables being decades-old, bar-sized tables in otherwise dark and dingy bars with little or questionable food. Jillian's Billiards is a place we have tried to go to on numerous occasions -- once the entire pool hall was booked for a private party, on a Friday evening, a $20 cover-charge and a two-hour wait for a table easily disuaded. Third times the charm when we walked in early last evening as multiple tables were available.

Jillian's is quite large inside, seemingly attracting more diners than billiard aficionados based on the amount of seating that existed. There is a huge bar and a DJ station which makes me believe that Friday-night, $20 cover charge is for a large, 20-something party scene which does not interest me whatsoever.

The billiard room, however, is quite charming. Ten tables, regulation size, under good lights has a number of things going for it. For starters, these are tables that are sold by the hour ($8.00 to $15.00 depending on time and day) instead of the bar tables which require the constant feeding of quarters for each game. The other advantage is the existence of food. Not great food, mind you, but sustenance nonetheless.

We tried an "Italian pizza" with sausage, mushroom, and kalamata olives -- quite good when it arrived as the dough was thin and crisp and the more-than-abundant cheese (always a good thing), very melty and gooey. A teriyaka salmon kabob starter was just okay, but satisfying to have something more original that other standard bar food offerings. The rest of their menu seems quite mundane; salads, burgers, pasta, and ribs. There are a few promising offerings including mussels cooked three different ways which I am sure I'll be trying in the future. Undoubtedly we'll will be returning to Jillian's simply to have access to a regulation-sized table in such a nice setting. This is prime real estate so I don't really mind the prices considering the atmosphere. I'll simply be going during non-prime time hours and ordering beer instead of premium drinks.

[shellfishfiend]

Carolyn,

As we were planning our recent vacation to San Francisco, I found your posts to be very helpful.

We just got back from our vacation to San Francisco and I must tell you how lucky you are to live in a city with such great food.

I read all of the threads about food in the area before we left and found some really great suggestions.

My "find" for the week was Sakana on Post St. Now, you must keep in mind that where I live, there is not a lot of competition when it comes to sushi restaurants. However, I found the service and the food at Sakana to be outstanding and I ate there on more than one occasion during the trip.

Sanraku, where we ate the first night in town, had good food but I found the atmosphere to be less relaxing than what I typically expect from a sushi restaurant.

We loved San Francisco and are already planning to return in a year or two.

Edited September 20, 2006 by shellfishfiend (log)

[Carolyn Tillie]

Thanks, Shellfishfriend! Never curious if anyone reads my silly rants or not...

~~~

It is always with fear and dread that I anticipate visitors -- will they want to go to the tourist traps or be happy with mediocre chain restaurants?

Last week proved delightful with the visit of a dear friend and Nevada-based journalist. Being an art collector, "J" and I had great fun catching lunch in between perusing galleries.

Our first day started wanting to see the local art scene in Sausalito but, having over an hour wait before the next ferry, we decided to head towards Pier 39 for a cocktail and bite. Eagle Cafe <415.433.3689> was the closest and most inviting with its open, white walls. Saddling into picnic benches overlooking the water, three of us shared oysters on the half shell, crab cakes, and a crab salad. All offerings were as expected; adequate and filling, but hardly ground-breaking -- although "J" greatly enjoyed the simplicity of an abundance of crab served on a chilled bowl of ice with cocktail sauce. As an art note, she was very disappointed that the 20-30 art galleries which used to fill Sausalito are mostly gone and very little decent original art was found; we were entirely done in about an hour-and-a-half with nary a purchase.

The second day proved much more lucrative; food-wise and art-wise. Staying close to Union Square, we started with lunch at the Rotunda Restaurant in Neiman-Marcus. <150 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94108; (415) 362-4777> Stunningly located under the gorgeous leaded glass dome, the menu is expensive. The meal starts with a demitasse of chicken consomme. Then there is the arrival of the monster popover.

If nothing else, go for a popover. I will definitely be returning - if only to have a popover; crisp and perfectly brown over the entire exterior; eggy, light, and ethereal on the interior. I had the Ahi Niçoise which is hardly a salad as much as a composition of browned fingerling potatoes, haricot verts, sliced fresh baby tomatoes, redolent olives, and a seared ahi steak. Almost too rich, I was quite full when not even half done (of course, my popover was gone so that may have something to do with it!). Art-wise, the galleries along Geary were the choice for the day; Weinstein mostly along with Lutece. Found a number of items worth considering, but the work of Charles Becker stands out for me. The website does no justice to the luminous quality of this work.

Day Three started with something different for both of us; a rather touristy bus tour: San Francisco Movie Tours. Being an avid movie fan who cannot be beat when it comes to obscure trivia, I was extremely impressed with the format and presentation -- while driving around in a large van, an improv actor shows clips from movies at various locations while pointing out the actual locations and also providing inside, little-known info about the movie and/or location. For 3 1/2 hours, I was enthralled and excited to see places like where Jimmy Stewart jumped after Kim Novak in Vertigo, or where Jeff Bridges stood on a building edge in Fearless, or the house from Mrs. Doubtfire. In all, they showed several hundred clips from over 60 movies. We stopped several times to wander around so the 3 1/2 hours went by very quickly.

Starting and ending at Union Square (and seeing scenes from The Conversation), we headed towards Maiden Lane for some al fresco dining at Mocca <175 Maiden Lane, San Francisco , CA 94108; (415) 956-1188> It was a surprisingly warm day which beckoned sunshine on one's face and made me crave their various vegetable offerings; putting together a platter of grilled eggplant, asparagus, olives, mozzarella, and a few croutons with spicy tomato compote, a glass of chilled white wine brought it all together perfectly. However, all that at a $25 price tag was a bit hard to swallow. Their tri-tip sandwich is quite famous and a share bite showed why - a rare interior with that much-desired, brown crusty edges on fresh bread is quite satisfying. "J" a tortellini salad with grilled shrimp that was also quite good. A great location and good food, it is simply hard to get past their exorbitant prices.

~~~

Lastly, I have to report a separate shopping adventure taken over the weekend with Ms. Spieler to the East Bay... After a stops at the Bargain Bank, The Spanish Table, and The Cheeseboard Collective, we were horribly stuck in post-football game traffic when we stumbled on the recently-opened and much-touted Ici Ice Cream store <2948 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705> opened by Chez Panisse alum Mary Canales. We tasted and shared the Chocolate (okay, but hardly awe-inspiring), Cinnamon (delicate and subtle), Black Mission Fig (rather mediocre and "green" tasting as though there were fig stems ground into the ice cream), Huckleberry (lovely and pungent), and Rum Raisin (the clear winner and favorite!).

[Carolyn Tillie]

The culmination of Fleet Week festivities had the Blue Angels making amazing aerial displays over a perfectly clear city - and wandering about, we stumbled across an otherwise long-lost Thai restaurant. Kevin had eaten at Jitlanda a year ago, but couldn't remember its exact location <1826 Buchanan St - between Sutter & Bush - San Francisco, 415-292-9027> as it is off a side street outside of Japantown. Now that we have found it, I doubt I'll ever go back to Neecha.

Small and intimate, Jitlada can sit around 40 people. With great, attentive service, we started with two specials; soft-shell crab and ginger shrimp rolls. This was one of the best soft-shell crabs I've had, served with some sweet & spicy sauce, sliced bell peppers, and sweet pickles. The ginger shrimp rolls were stunning - filled with cellophane noodles, large shrimp, and redolent with fresh ginger, I could have made a dinner with just these.

We added a larb gai as an entree and was only disappointed by the lack of a fish sauce to accompany this offering. I'll add that it was a bit too spicy for my weak palate. Our other entree was an Imperial Curry, served in a small hot pot and filled with large shrimp, eggplant, bell peppers, green beans, and fresh basil. It was also on the spicy side, but so fresh and well-prepared.

Chef Pai spent time touring the tables and ensuring that all her guests were happy. It was a pleasure to meet her and I look forward to going back (other reviews rave about a pumpkin curry that I am now dying to try).

[Carolyn Tillie]

Another weekend visitor gave me lots of new explorations and recommendations.

M arrived Friday evening, anxious for some local jazz. We headed straight to The Fillmore for a great concert by Porcupine Tree, as well as stopping in at Rassela's Jazz Club [1534 Fillmore St., San Francisco, CA 94115, 415-346-8696], the new Sheba Piano Lounge [1419 Fillmore St San Francisco, CA 94115, 415-440-7414], and The Boom Boom Room [1601 Fillmore, San Francisco, CA 94115]. I understand The Fillmore serves food, but I have never bothered. It is quite simply the perfect venue for great music with the best accoustics in the city. Rassela's has GREAT music with two spots for music, a back room which I always find to be too brightly lit, and a more intimate location within the restaurant, in front of a fire place for smaller trios. On Friday, a fabulous Zydeco band was performing in the back, but if food AND jazz are your desires, you can sit in the front when they have performers there. Sheba's has nothing other than a baby grand piano and great atmosphere going for them. We had already noshed and wasn't hungry for either their bar or full menu. The Boom Boom room has no food and -- honestly -- lately their music group selections have been going downhill. Less jazz and more mediocre modern rock that is not well-mixed or performed.

Not having a complete jazz fix, we headed to Biscuit and Blues [401 Mason St., San Francisco, 415-292-2583]. I had been before and enjoyed it immensely, but never realized there was an upstairs club along with the downstairs venue. I am guessing the downstairs venue is for large bands and full food service. By the time we arrived, only the upstairs bar was hopping which was great for a song and a dance or two. M was craving a pastrami sandwich and a Crusade was born. Surprisingly, none of the local late-night establishments in that neighborhood could satisfy but fortunately, Tommy's Joynt [1101 Geary, San Francisco, CA 94109, 415-775-4216] is open until 2:00 a.m. I had not been that impressed during my previous visits, but somehow -- after that much alcohol and loud music -- their endless pickle supplies and meat-redolent sandwiches certainly hit the spot. M and K had pastramis while I opted for a corned beef on rye with Swiss. The meat is thickly cut in chunks and the only thing that would have made it better, would have been if the bread could have been warmed or toasted. Still tasted great, though.

Saturday afternoon found us shooting pool at our favorite billiard hall, Jillian's [101 4th Street, Suite 170, San Francisco, CA 94103, 415.369.6100]. Food-wise we sated our lunch appetite with a chicken quesadilla that was exactly what one would expect for bar food - mediocre. But with a more-than-friendly staff and fabulous tables, I'll deal with it and not expect too much.

We headed to North Beach as M is Italian and craving pasta, we were fortunate to be able to slip into Rose Pistola [532 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133, 415-399-0499] as a front table four-top had failed to show up for their reservation (it was otherwise an hour-and-a-half wait!). We started with a bruschetta of grilled pear (the menu said peach), prosciutto, truffle oil, and crescenza cheese. K had gnocchi wtih tomato gorgonzola and thyme. The gnocchi were perfectly light and fluffy with none of that tell-tale gumminess which can occur. The hint of gorgonzola was also perfect, as I feared it would over power. M chose a penne with veal bolognese and the amount of veal almost overwhelmed the penne, but not quite. With the two boys ordering entree-sized portions of pasta and I wanting to save room for dessert, I ordered a smaller portion of my dinner, a lamb ravioli with black truffle essence. How I wished I had ordered a full portion, but was grateful when the desserts arrived; a butterscotch pot de creme with cranberries topped with a pumpkin mousse was served with a glass of Nocino and a buttermilk panna cotta served with wine-poached pears and small meringue cookies. Service was exceptional and while I had heard rumours that the restaurant had slipped over the years, I found it just as enjoyable as the first time I ate there, several years ago.

After dinner, more jazz was needed but instead of hitting the number of clubs in North Beach, M wanted to go to one of his old haunts, Lou's Pier 47 [300 Jefferson St. Fisherman's Wharf San Francisco, 415.771.LOUS]. The restaurant is downstairs and was closing when we arrived but a strong-lunged 8-piece band was at the bar upstairs. An "older crowd" (40- and 50-somethings) seemed the norm as the band blared. I'm sorry I didn't get their name - I would definitely have hunted them down for a future listen. A block or so away, an Irish Coffee was enjoyed at the historically famous Buena Vista [ 2765 Hyde St (@ Beach), San Francisco, CA 94109, 415-474-5044]. One would not think that something so simple as an Irish Coffee would vary from bar to bar, but here it is shear perfection and watching them line up 50 or 100 glasses at a time is quite a treat.

A little more jazz, a stunning view, and a great martini were next enjoyed at The Top Of The Mark [One Nob Hill, (999 California St.), San Francisco, CA 94108, 415.616.6916]. Surprisingly, they started making last call requests shortly after we arrived at 12:30 and we were scooted out by 1:00 a.m. Heading back to our neighborhood, M expressed some hunger and fortunately, Won Mee BBQ [1545 Fillmore St., San Francisco, CA 94115, 415-441-3906] stays open until 4:00-ish. For the table, we shared Bi-Bim-Bab (beef with rice, vegetables, and a fried egg), Goon-Man-Du (gyoza), and Gal-Bee (short ribs). A nice end to a fun evening.

Usually being one that cooks large breakfasts, we got K out of the kitchen for a change and headed to Sheba's which K had noticed served a Sunday brunch. Not to-die-for by any stretch, a decent egg combo with spinach, bell peppers, and mushrooms was served with spicy fried potato squares and sliced fruit. Both K and M opted for spicier renditions that included Ethiopian spices that I did not try. The true gem of the restaurant was its Sunday-morning piano player. Over Mimosas and Bloody Marys, breakfast was more than thoroughly enjoyed to Gary's performance of Cole Porter and Gershwin standards performed with tremendous feeling and grace. There is a place I will definitely be looking forward to returning to - if only for the piano music!

Getting M back to Oakland airport on Sunday evening meant utilizing my favorite new resource City Car Share, where, instead of making, a car payment, an insurance payment, and a parking space payment, I can have the use of a vehicle for a few short hours for very little money -- something quite fabulous for the urbanite San Franciscan who usually relies on taxis... Knowing that we'd have a bit more freedom and time for his return trip, I booked us reservations at Oliveto [5655 College Ave., Oakland, CA, 94618, 510-547-5356], where I had been wanting to eat for some time. For the table, I ordered a starter of Baked Farm Egg with Braised Chard and Bottarga. The egg was runny and perfect as it coated the greens with flavors heightened by the bottarga. Pappardelle with Hoffman Farm Hen was also shared by the table and was surprisingly gamey. Entrees all around included charcoal-grilled Watson Farm lamb chops with Sardinian-style lamb sausage and lentils, a spit-roasted and stuffed Jones Farm rabbit wrapped in pancetta, and a Niman ranch flank steak stuffed with Spanish-style chorizo, green olives, with "gypsy" [sic] peppers, and eggs, topped with light potato squares. The lamb chops were hardly traditional in that I was expecting large, meaty offerings while these were shockingly thin with very little meat - although the sausage was exceptional. The flank steak seemed a bit overwrought as well with too many competing flavors and a pointless boiled egg in the center. The rabbit was extremely tender but a tad over salted for my tastes. Also, the rabbit dish was topped with miniature carrots which were all over-cooked to the point of being mushy and sloppy. For dessert, we shared an apple tarte with a glass of Calvados, requested a slightly-warmed glass of Armagnac, and some Vin Santo and biscotti. To our surprise, we had to ask for a hot cup of water to warm the Armagnac as it arrived cold. The apple tart was also on the mushy side and very unexciting, compared to the desserts I had the night before at Rose Pistola. Interesting for me to compare the two -- with Oliveto's cache, I was shockingly disappointed and feel that Rose Pistola out-shown Oliveto in quality and quantity of food, over-all service, and the price for what-you-get-ratio.

But what a great weekend!

Edited October 16, 2006 by Carolyn Tillie (log)

[Carolyn Tillie]

I've been a bit remiss in cataloguing some of my latest SF finds -- too many to catch up with but I thought I would offer a few highlights...

A late evening after returning a U-Haul truck found me in a questionable neighborhood which, delightfully, had me stumble into a neighborhood where Big Nate's Barbeque is situated [1665 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA 94103, (415) 861-4242]. I had read Marlena Spieler's ditty on Big Nate's and was, of course, intrigued. Good BBQ is hard to find and while I had a few complaints, it will do in a pinch. Their pork ribs are quite tasty, but I found the Memphis Pork just okay (who wants hunks of pork when pulled, stringy pork is preferred?). The potato salad and cole slaw is equally forgettable as are their cold corn biscuits. On the upside, the collard greens are perfectly tangy. I actually prefer and miss Coyote Sam's in Fairfield.

A meeting with a programmer was held at Dosa [995 Valencia (@ 21st Street), San Francisco, CA 94110, (415) 642 3672]. The programmer, friends of the owner, never let me see the menu and ordered freely so I can only guess what I beheld as we scarfed down amazing goodies... The dosa are amazingly thin and fresh and all I recall was a bounty of fresh vegetables, some chickpeas, and some very spicy lamb. Silly me - I was more in business mode than eating mode so I will definitely have to go back.

A craving for Italian sent me up Fillmore to Vivande, [2125 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94115, (415) 346-4430]. This is my backyard (literally) and I am ashamed it took me this long to eat here. K had the Fettuccine con Salsiccia with their house-made fennel-scented Sicilian sausage and I ordered the Fettuccine alla Carbonara. I have never had fettuccine this light and ethereal, rolled paper thin. We shared some Vin Santo and biscotti and took home an apple tart and a Torta Zabaglione made with almond meringue, zabaglione cream, chocolate, and toasted almonds (both enjoyed for breakfast). I'll be hard-pressed to bother with North Beach for Italian now.

Within Japantown, I've had sushi at Fuku [1581 Webster St., San Francisco, CA 94115, (415) 346-3030] which was excellent, if not a tad expensive (just a few nigiri before a movie one evening). Also, Maruya, take-out sushi [1904 Fillmore Street, San Francisco , CA 94115, (415) 921-2929] is one I won't bother with again (note: isn't very clean...)

Edited November 9, 2006 by Carolyn Tillie (log)

[Carolyn Tillie]

Had an amazing time at Coi which is in its own separate thread...

In short - go there!

[Carolyn Tillie]

The signing of a very large contract was reason to celebrate earlier this week. Not wanting to go to the Ferry Plaza in a cocktail dress for Champagne, we instead headed to The Bubble Lounge.

A 1995 Pol Roger Winston Churchill was paired with osetra caviar and blini and a dozen oysters on the half-shell. The exterior is extremely warm and inviting; thick, comfy red velveteen couches and chairs, tall, dark wood shelves showcasing the variety of Champagnes, and a more than gracious staff. They don't list their menu online, but it consists mainly of small plates with a few sandwiches which is perfect for the exceptionally wide variety of sparkling wine that is offered in both bottles and as tastes.

A very respectful listing of cheeses can be plated with either "savory" or "sweet" accompaniments. For dessert, I chose a variety of three which was plated with a dark raisin walnut bread, fig jam, walnuts, and dried cranberries. This was enjoyed with a glass of Louis XIII for K and a glass of Iniskillin for me.

An expensive, but perfect evening.

[Swicks]

The signing of a very large contract was reason to celebrate earlier this week. Not wanting to go to the Ferry Plaza in a cocktail dress for Champagne, we instead headed to The Bubble Lounge.

A 1995 Pol Roger Winston Churchill was paired with osetra caviar and blini and a dozen oysters on the half-shell. The exterior is extremely warm and inviting; thick, comfy red velveteen couches and chairs, tall, dark wood shelves showcasing the variety of Champagnes, and a more than gracious staff. They don't list their menu online, but it consists mainly of small plates with a few sandwiches which is perfect for the exceptionally wide variety of sparkling wine that is offered in both bottles and as tastes.

A very respectful listing of cheeses can be plated with either "savory" or "sweet" accompaniments. For dessert, I chose a variety of three which was plated with a dark raisin walnut bread, fig jam, walnuts, and dried cranberries. This was enjoyed with a glass of Louis XIII for K and a glass of Iniskillin for me.

An expensive, but perfect evening.

←

ahhhh, the bubble lounge, I have a very fond memory from there, its a great spot. That night a longtime friendship turned into a night of passion after a few too many glasses of champagne....she is still a close friend to this day.

I have never eaten there, I will have to try it if I go back, great spot though.

Congrats on your contract!

Edited December 12, 2006 by Swicks (log)

[Carolyn Tillie]

Trying to catch up on the holiday dining...

Across the street (caddy-corner) from our favorite pool hall, Jillians, is Annabelle's [68 Fourth Street (between Market & Mission), San Francisco, 415.777.1200]. Not being terribly hungry, K and I shared two raw appetizers, the Prather ranch grass fed raw beef round tartare with organic ranch egg, grilled scallions, white truffle oil, parmesan & grilled bread and trio of tartare; day boat scallop & toasted almond, blue fin tuna & black olive, clam toasted garlic. Both were fabulous and they have a great by-the-glass wine list.

Being terribly disappointed one evening when all of Jillian's pool tables were booked, we were re-directed around the corner to The Thirty Bear, [661 Howard St., San Francisco, 415.974.0905], a fabulous brew-pub which specializes in Spanish tapas. With two bar-sized pool tables upstairs, we had both privacy and great food and beer. Running through a taster sample of their brews, I was surprised to be most happy with the Golden Vanilla, although their seasonal Porter came in a close second. We shared two small plates; Congrejo Toastado, warm crab & Manchego cheese dip toasted on sourdough bread with mixed green salad and Gambas al Ajillo, sautéed prawns with garlic & chili flakes. The prawns were excellent except a little heavy with the chili flakes for my taste. The crab cheese toast is downright decadent. We were also given a stack of great bread to eat wi th their tapenade, which can be ordered for take-out. I will look forward to shooting more pool there for while the tables are not regulation-size (like Jillian's), the "bar food" is far more appetizing.

For a pre-Christmas celebration, we met B&P at Ton Kiang [5821 Geary, between 22nd & 23rd, San Francisco, 415.752.4440]. Paying more attention to the company than the food, I especially recall enjoying the shrimp-stuffed mushrooms, garlic greens, and pork dumplings. There was tons more and while I still think Koi Palace is a bit better but, not necessarily wanting to head to Daly City, this is a great back-up being right on the 38 bus line.

Another pre-Christmas celebration was spent with J at Ame [689 Mission Street, San Francisco, 415.284.4040], a place I had been dying to try since it opened. I opted for the 5-course tasting menu with wine pairings but, so as to not disturb the pace of the meal, J and I decided to order four appetizers to be served simultaneously. I started with a four-way sashimi platter that was much more than hunks of raw fish; each were composed and accompanied by rare and unusual ingredients such as the sashimi of sea bream “Kombu-Jime” with Japanese cucumber, bonito flakes and ume plum vinaigrette. Mine was served with a sake whose name I should have written down. J's first dish was tuna “Kibbe” with zatar flatbread and sumac. It was the tuna that was standout and better eaten with a fork as the flatbread was on the chewy side. The next course for me was stated as a mussel saffron soup with red kuri squash and caramelized onions although it was more of a thick squash soup garnished with mussels. Very nice and rich but hard to compare with J getting the “Chawan Mushi” with Maine lobster, nameko mushrooms and mitsuba sauce. The chawanmushi was exquisite. J's next course was gnocchi served with a poached egg and garnished with a brunoise of squash, all served tableside with fresh white truffled shaved atop. Interestingly, we were both raptured by the smell of the truffle and the taste of the squash while the gnocchi itself did little to carry the dish and the flavor of the truffle practically diminished upon eating. My next course was a grilled white fish (not remembering which) served in a lovely ginger broth with two large ravioli of mushrooms and more mushrooms and greens in the broth. Interesting that the broth and the vegetables were more interesting than the protein component. My 'entree' portion was a small roasted quail served with cipollini onions, greens, and more of the gnocchi. Getting full, only a bite or two of this was taken, knowing I would be eating it for breakfast the next day... J's last savory course was Kurobuta pork ribs served with roasted carrots, cauliflower, and fresh microgreens. This was my least-favorite dish as the ribs were fried and unexciting. J liked them more than I did. Being too full for two desserts, we shared my fifth course, Okinawa donuts with a small coffee shake. It is hard not to love fried dough in any form and these were a perfect finish to a great meal. Lovely to know this is also just around the corner from Jillians so it may not be hard to talk K into just sitting at the sushi bar for a course or two.

New Year's Eve dinner was spent at Top of the Mark [One Nob Hill, (999 California St.), San Francisco 415.616.6916], mostly as we had good friends who were visiting who wanted something over-the-top. A fish mousse amuse was brought out in martini glasses and certainly whet the appetite. The first course was a trio of foie gras, a brulee'd mousse, a small croquette, and a one-inch piece of seared foie all served with baby mache lettuce with red shizo and a black truffle vinaigrette, accompanied with a Riesling Auslese sorbet. Clearly the winner of the evening. The next course was a creamy lobster cappuccino with thyme-ginger foam and Osetra caviar. The lobster cappuccino was quite nice, although almost too rich but the caviar wasted on "foam" that was hard and chewy. The main course was a Kobe beef and veal tenderloin with a port jus, sauteed porcini, fava beans, and brioche dumpling. Interesting that someone must have complained about a lack of a fish course for as an afterthought, a piece of seared halibut was also added to the plate. Very odd. Dessert service were plated bittersweet chocolate and orange "treasure box" with a Champagne mousse "sparkler." Basically chocolate walls held the mousse and a white chocolate cylinder held the Champagne mousse. All were topped with decorate chocolate clocks and Champagne bottles a bit on the cheesy side.

The morning after New Year's took K and I up Fillmore, looking for some breakfast. While we had cocktailed often enough, I had never bothered to eat at The Elite Cafe [2049 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, 4 1 5 . 6 7 E L I T E (673-5483)]. I don't go out for breakfast very often but this was worth a return visit. I ordered corned beef hash with poached eggs and bechemel and the only disappointment was that the potatoes were not part of the hash, but large roasted versions on the side. The has contained more carrots and celery than I'm accostomed to but it still all tasted wonderful. K had a Cajun version made with brisket but his was served sans potatoes and in a cast-iron skillet. A side of donut holes and a few mimosas made for a rather expensive, but much-needed morning-after meal...

Now that it is January and DAT is getting started, I am looking forward to trying new restaurants that were previously off-radar.

Edited January 2, 2007 by Carolyn Tillie (log)

[Carolyn Tillie]

Taking advantage of DAT, K and I joined J&M last evening at the Westfield Center's newly opened LarkCreek Steakhouse [Westfield® San Francisco Centre, 845 Market Street, 4th Floor, Ste 402, San Francisco, 415.593.4100]. $31.95 for three courses, the DAT offering is quite a decent deal. Two starter choices between an arugula salad with crumbled blue cheese (too little, IMHO), sliced grapes, a small brunoise of quince paste, all tossed with a vinaigrette and a perfectly divine classic onion soup with crouton and gruyere gratin (the clear favorite). A side of buttermilk biscuits was also ordered and quickly gobbled up. Served with a tangy cranberry jam and Andouille sausage butter, it was hard to save room for the entrees.

The entree choice was either a 6 oz. filet mignon served with twice-baked mashed potato, some sauteed red onions and fresh greens, and choice of sauce or grilled sole atop mashed potatoes with capers, raisins, and muscat grapes. M, being a bit hungrier than the rest of us, ordered a 9 oz. filet and a side of their mashed potatoes which arrives in charlotte pan, topped with crispy onions. To his credit, when the waiter wanted to take away his plate and a single teaspoon of mashed potatoes was left, he insisted on cleaning his plate! Two of us had the 6 oz. filet and the sauces we got to taste included the garlic butter (too mild), Maytag blue, and bearnaise -- for me, all the sauces were a bit too thick and pasty and the bearnaise needed considerably more tarragon. I like my sauces to be sauce, not something easily cut with a knife. Also, one steak was ordered rare and other medium rare but it was hard to discern a difference between the two. I had the sole which was nicely grilled but a bit too prevalent with sweets in the raisins and grapes. Mashed potato-wise, I never really cared for mashed potatoes with fish and didn't bother eating any (I should have offered mine to M!). The capers were the micro-version, being smaller than Israeli couscous and offered a nice piquant tang.

We shared the two desserts; a Napolean of chocolate cake with chocolate mousse served with a very rich, house-made vanilla ice cream and a blood orange cheesecake that was outstanding.

The wine list is full of hard-to-find artisinal producers and we greatly enjoyed a 2004 Copain Eagleranch Syrah.

In general, seeing $30+ entrees a la carte, I doubt I would be inclined to return, but for DAT, this was a great bargain and very well enjoyed by all.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Two interesting food stories, one in SF and another in... okay, not San Francisco but San Jose.

J mentioned the concept of Shanghai soup dumplings and is quite fanatical about them. I had never heard of them and through some great guidance and tutelage, I ventured forth to Shanghai Dumpling King [3319 Balboa Street, between 34th & 35th Avenues, San Francisco, 415.387.2088]. I tried my first xiao long bao, a pork dumpling that when you bite into it, explodes with soup as well as meat. I am now a complete convert. I not only tried the pork variety but, as it is currently crab season, a rarely-offered pork and crab version. Ten of each -- count 'em 10! -- dumplings for $4.95! What a deal! Also, on the wall are some pictures of delicate white dumplings that look like peaches. Well that was too intriguing for words so they were ordered as well. Steamed with sweet red bean paste inside, the perfect warm finish to a great meal!

The San Jose finding is just plain serendipitous. Heading down to the municipal airport for a flying lesson, on the corner of Capital Expressway and Story Road lies a true whole-in-the wall dive; a brick wall spray-painted with "Beauty & BBQ" as two small stores inhabit a dilapidated building, a beauty-supply store and an otherwise seedy barbecue joint which hosts a large barrel smoker outside the front door. Driving past at 9:30 in the morning, it was the smoke that caught my attention and I knew that was where I was having lunch. Several hours later, I returned to Texas Smokehouse BBQ [1091 S. Capital Avenue, San Jose, 408.926.2829] and almost cried with joy at finding such stupendous Q. Ordering significantly more than was possible to eat in one sitting (but loving left-overs), we tried the tri-tip sandwich, pork ribs, fried catfish, and two sides, the yams and collard greens. For me, the measure of a good Q is not only the sauce, but also the sides. To be overjoyed that fried catfish and red snapper were offered is an understatement. This was perfectly fried catfish as well with the best ratio of cornmeal breading needed. The Q-sauce was spicy and piquant without burning too much but having those ribs delivered straight from the outside smoker was practically awe-inspiring. I was particularly impressed with the collard greens which were sturdy and well-studded with bits of pork. My yams were broken up and smaller than preferred, but still tasty. There are only three tables and they are the formica kind found in kitchens, circa 1950. It is decidedly tiny, not remotely fancy, and almost dingy. But it was perfect barbecue served by a large staff of dredlock-bedecked folks who displayed great amounts of conviviality and jocularity. Eating some for breakfast this morning and I couldn't be happier...

[hzrt8w]

J mentioned the concept of Shanghai soup dumplings and is quite fanatical about them. I had never heard of them and  through some great guidance and tutelage, I ventured forth to Shanghai Dumpling King [3319 Balboa Street, between 34th & 35th Avenues, San Francisco, 415.387.2088].

←

I have posted pictures of 5 dishes I ate at Shanghai Dumpling King (old name Shanghai Dumpling Shop) in here:

Chinese Food Picture Album, Chinese dishes offered in restaurants

The food at Shanghai Dumpling King is very good indeed. I especially like the Lion Head Meatballs, Xiaolongbao and Smoke Fish.

... if only that I live in San Francisco...

Edited January 12, 2007 by hzrt8w (log)

[Carolyn Tillie]

Thank you so much for the pics! I was terribly curious about the Lions Head Meatballs and will definitely get them next time -- they look amazing!

[Carolyn Tillie]

Some recent visits around town:

Chez Nous [1911 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, 94115 - 415.441.8044]

I have been making a concerted effort to eat at all the restaurants within walking distance of my dwelling (no small feat considering Japantown alone presents 20+ Japanese restaurants).

On a busy, warm Sunday afternoon, seeing many other Fillmore brunch-serving restaurants quite packed, I was pleased to see two seats available at the back bar of the restaurant, overlooking the small cooking area. Immediately served was a miniature wreath of kalamata olive bread which we paired with some Kir Royales. Craving sushi, I ordered a tuna tartare which was studded with Meyer lemon rind and elegantly topped with a flower of avocado. Drizzled on the side was a spicy, creamy wasabi sauce, fried won ton crisps, and a handful of endamame.

Another starter was a bruschetta of prosciutto. Not very inventive, but tasting good; two slices of sourdough bread spread with cream cheese, topped with ample slivers of prosciutto and served with balsamic-tossed greens.

Borek is the Turkish name for phyllo triangles of spinach and cheese. Two or these were large, well-stuffed, and quite fabulous.

The surprise dish on the menu was a tagine of pork (yes, rather unorthodox) - classic tagine flavors with dates, olives, and freshly sliced orange segments with fork-tender pork. This was my favorite.

So enamored with the dishes, we ordered a few to go for dinner that night; winter roasted vegetables with pecan gremolata that was a little too laden with brussels sprouts for my enjoyment and lavender-roasted lamb chops served with a dozen or so garbanzo beans. While waiting for our to-go orders, I sampled a rich chocolate pot de creme served with an almond cookie and paired with a 20-year tawny port.

What I saw coming out of the kitchen that I am anxious to go back and try include mussels, a weekend-only souffle, frittes served with a harissa aioli, and a handful of other things. Surprisingly, they also have cannele as a dessert but it looked decidedly undercooked (not that dark, beautiful burnt exterior) which they serve with creme anglaise and caramel. Also on the weekend was an ample French toast with Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and a drizzle of honey, the plating of which was quite inviting.

Can't believe it took me over a year to stop here... I think there are only three restaurants left on Fillmore itself I have yet to try but when I'm dining solo, this will be an easy choice for the quality and small plate offering. It also thrills me that there is somewhere within walking distance that I can get decent Middle Eastern flavors; the one thing I thought my neighborhood lacked. (Now I am just missing a decent Indian restaurant!)

Memphis Minnie's[576 Haight Street, San Francisco, 94117 - 415.865.PORK]

Stumbled on this place en route to the Under One Roof sale several weeks ago. We ordered two sandwiches; beef brisket and pulled pork. Both are served dry with their variety of sauces available for self-dressing on the table. The offering included a vinegar sauce, a "Stupid Hot" habanero sauce, a mustard sauce, and a classic sweet BBQ sauce.

On the whole, while the meat was decent enough (although slightly dry), I was not Wowed by any of the sauces, finding the classic BBQ almost Oriental for some reason. The sides, on the other hand, were pretty fabulous; collard greens that were hefty and vinegary, chunked yams, and an interesting cole slaw with large slices of bell pepper and more.

The restaurant itself is part of the attraction with a long banquet of tables and chairs with red checkered cloths, ample paper towels, fun t-shirts on the walls from competitors, and tons of pig paraphernalia. They also played great music. Doubtful I'll go back based on the sauce alone, but they do seem to have other things going for them including a fried catfish dish and several weekly specials so who knows...

Juyusa [1560 Fillmore St @ Geary, San Francisco, 94115]

This is a new Korean restaurant that has opened in the old location of A Taste of Thai. They have only been open two weeks and I think it will take time for them to get any sort of a following (if they ever do). We ordered a handful of appetizers the Korean names for which I did not get; fried chicken with a side of dressed salad, small fried yam balls served with the same lemony salad dressing, and very odd platter of grilled sausages. This is not a classic Korean BBQ and I believe they are trying for the more "upscale" appeal but are not quite getting there. The owner's wife is often the hostess/waitress but speaks little English. The clientelle is mostly Korean as this neighborhood (including "Japantown") is getting more Korean restaurants than Japanese ones. Not necessarily a bad thing, but nothing that is knocking my socks off.

Sushi Ino

I've been here before and many have complained about the excessive use of wasabi. A quick stop in on Saturday evening showed for some restraint in that area which surprised me. I am trying to narrow down which is the best sushi restaurant within walking distance and Ino might be it. Kiss is fabulous but since I can't always get a seat there for last-minute ventures, it is now a toss-up between Ino and Fuku. Ino has the advantage of consistently offering Ankimo. On Saturday, some additions to the menu included a Japanese bottle-nose fish (Japanese name unknown) and a shrimp-like fish I should have asked the name of. I say shrimp-like as it looked and was shaped somewhat like a shrimp, except that it was less "flared" and the tail was entirely edible. Very odd and quite good.

Lastly, a return visit to Neiman Marcus' Rotunda [150 Stockton Street, San Francisco, 94108 - 415.362.4777] restaurant for lunch is still proving to be one of the nicer, albeit expensive, Union Square spots. They provided a cauliflower soup that was exceptional. My companion ordered some frittes which were served in in the classic wrought-iron cone with butcher paper which we both enjoyed. I also ordered a duck salad with arugula, roasted beets, and lentils. It would have been 100% perfect had the duck been slightly rare. As it was, grey-colored cold duck ends up being rather unappetizing so only the vegetables were really enjoyed. Of course just going for a popover is always an option for me.

Edited February 26, 2007 by Carolyn Tillie (log)

[Carolyn Tillie]

Inside the W Hotel [181 Third Street·San Francisco, 94103, 415.777.5300] is their restaurant XYZ. The menu at XYZ is fairly limited; half-a-dozen appetizers and an equal amount of entrees. However, for entrees, half of those are fish courses and the remainder include one each chicken, beef, and lamb. Interesting considering the bulk of their 600-count wine list are Cabs which barely accompany the bulk of their menu.

Also showcased was their "Citrus Menu" - a prix fixe of four courses for $55 with wine pairings for an extra $28. Since most of the menu included heavy fruit components anyway, having the tasting menu was an easy way to get the bad wine taste out of my mouth, having just come from a mediocre wine tasting.

The meal started with an amuse of seared cold scallop served atop brioche, Picholine olive tapenade, and a sliver of fresh crab. Not a bad start as the olive tapenade was not too overwhelming and there was just enough crab to push that taste through. I think, however, I would have preferred the scallop freshly seared and warm instead of cold.

The first course was ahi tartare served with grilled toasts, and "tangerine with yogurt citrus frisee." Well, for a "citrus" menu, this was not starting off well. The ahi tartare was decent enough -- if not on a bit on the spicy side, but the tangerine component was nothing more than two sections served on the frisee; hardly an integral flavor to the ahi but a mere garnish. This dish was served with 2006 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand and was quite nice. While dining on the whole meal, I noticed another appetizer which would have seemingly been a better choice for such a tasting menu, oysters on the half-shell served with cara cara orange and citrus mignonette. Very surprised THAT was not part of the tasting menu as this ahi dish just didn't work.

Next was foie gras with kumquat marmalade, brioche, and duck jus served with a 1999 Welshriesling Weissburgunder, Heidi Schrock, Beerenauslese from Austria. The initial reaction to a bite of all this was "way too sweet." The duck jus was just too syrupy with sweetness. The kumquat marmalade was actually slices of kumquats so I'm not sure where the marmalade came in except maybe as a sweetener in the duck jus. The foie gras was adequately prepared and worked well with the wine, once the sweet factor settled down. It is really hard to ruin foie gras...

The third course, entree really, was lamb t-bone with gnocchi, broccoli rabe, topped with a Meyer lemon gremolata all served with a 2005 Brick House Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley. This dish, again, had an initial flavor of too much sweetness but tamed down considerably into the second bite. The 2"-round lamb t-bones were perfectly prepared and I like the greens and sauce they were served with. The gnocchi addition seemed to be added only as a carb and to carry the sauce.

The dessert course served was poppy seed-crusted crepes topped with blood orange segments and a scoop of yogurt sorbet accompanied with a 2005 La Spinetta "Bricco Quaglia" Moscato d'Asti from Italy. This was a rather nice finish in that it was not too sweet and not too heavy (considering how sweet the rest of the dinner was). The crepe itself had obviously been made several hours before and the existence of poppy seeds seemed pointless, but the yogurt sorbet was a pleasant bitter taste against the sweetness of the blood orange sauce.

So I am essentially glad I went to the restaurant, but will definitely stick with the bar menu which I have found to be far superior. The downside of the restaurant -- besides the limited menu -- is the barage of industrial house music that is far too reminiscent of that which I have been subjected to in Panamanian strip clubs with a steady thump-thump-thump pervading one's senses. The waiters are extremely attentive and pleasant and the setting is quite nice. It just misses the mark on too many points. Bauer gives this place three stars but I'm hard pressed to give them much more than two.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Yesterday was a busy day...

A business associate was in town for a conference and, drawing to the end of his visit, we opted for breakfast at The Grand Cafe in the Hotel Monaco. [501 Geary Street, San Francisco, 94102, 415.292.0101] I rave about this place often because K and I stop in frequently in the front portion -- the Petite Cafe -- for oysters and champagne. Another business associate told me they had the best Eggs Benedict he had ever tasted so I was encouraged. Also, I adore the Nouveau atmosphere so my hopes were high.

And then they were dashed. On a Thursday morning, with barely four or five other tables occupied, after ten minutes of waiting, we had to ask the maitre'd to find us a waiter just to get us some juice and coffee. I was poured coffee before I could be told I wanted tea and sufficing with the coffee, poured in cream which was obviously turned and curdled. Another ten minutes we finally got an order taken for food (and some tea with fresh dairy). I ordered the House Cured Salmon and Caviar Tartine with radish, watercress, and egg. At $12, it was very, very good -- the best dish of the meal. K ordered my back-up plan, Duck Confit Hash; two Yukon Gold potato cakes with poached eggs and Bearnaise sauce. I could visibly SEE a shred or two of duck meat within the potato cakes, but only barely and the taste was undiscernable. Shame, really -- nothing more than grilled mashed potatoe cakes with the eggs and sauce. To their credit, however, the bearnaise was quite tarragony, which I appreciate. Our guest ordered an omelet that had mushrooms and other stuff in it. He seemed happy (or at least was hungry) and I didn't taste. Rumor has it that the restaurant has very recently brought on a new chef and I can only hope that he/she makes some changes soon. It is a gorgeous venue with so much potential. The lack of attentive waitstaff was sad as we usually get fabulous service up in the front area.

Almost immediately after breakfast (thankfully, I only had a bite or two bites of each dish), I wandered over a few blocks to meet J at Canteen [817 Sutter St (Cross Street: Jones Street), San Francisco, 94109, 415.928.8870] which had been moved to the top of my must-try list after Andy Lynes and Ludja reminded me of it. I ordered a half-bottle of 2005 Sancerre to share and am sorry I didn't write down the producer. J and I shared a salad of arugula dressed in a pomegranate vinaigrette and topped with Carmody cheese. A perfect beginning. She ordered a salmon sandwich which was filled with caramelized onions and a creamy cheese. Being slightly salmoned-out from breakfast, I only had a few bites, but did help myself to the house-made potato chips which accompanied her sandwich. The sandwich slightly messy and there was no problem cleaning that plate. I ordered grilled sea bass served on wilted spinach and artichoke hearts. This was heavenly; perfectly grilled fish with a hint of pinkness inside and both this dish and the salmon sandwich were well-paired with the Sancerre. Discussing dessert, we decided to head out and try the much-lauded Bi-Rite ice cream when our waitress informed us there was one ginger flan left over from the previous evening and would we be interested... Of course we would! Topped with jujubes of persimmon and a light vanilla mousseline, this was ginger at its finest. Not too rich or heavy but just perfect.

Being the weaklings that we are, after some art gallery perusing we decided to head out for ice cream anyway. Bi-Rite [3692 18th Street, San Francisco, 94110, 415.626.5600] is in a part of San Francisco that I rarely get to as it is "on the other side of the freeway." I now see I have to get out more often. We opted for four flavors to share; my bowl contained Brown Butter Pecan and Coffee Toffee while J's bowl had Ginger and Salted Caramel. Initially, neither of us were very impressed with the pecan but it began to grow on us. The coffee was rich and not too sweet but the existence of toffee seemed pointless; they weren't huge or really an integral part of the ice cream. I still liked it though. The ginger was just light enough to be refreshing and not overwhelming and the clear favorite was the salted caramel.

Another new discovery for me in that neighborhood was Tartine Bakery [600 Guerrero Street @ 18th San Francisco, 94110, 415.487.2600] which is often part of the Mecca-like lists of places to in San Francisco here and other sites. Feeling a bit guilty about my gluttonous afternoon, I brought home a slice of French bread pizza that had been topped with what looked like prosciutto only cut thicker, sun-dried tomatoes, and a soft cheese that kept the bread moist. I never tasted it, but K raved, curious what the soft cheese was which was so rich. I also brought home a Valrhona-glazed eclair which was very enjoyable except that the chocolate was a bit too much for me -- I prefer the flavor of the pastry cream and pate a choux over the chocolate itself. I also brought home an as-yet-untasted croissant which I probably should have bitten into immediately to judge. Now, day old, I won't rate. But I WILL head back and look forward to trying lots more in that neighborhood.