Big Ideas

Lunch at Outerlands on NYE. So packed, but their bread is tasty and better than waiting for Tartine's and putting up with the tourist mob. We also stopped by the beach and saw some fishermen catching shrimp to use as bait. Apparently they hide in the sand at the shore.

Some places I visited this fall/winter that I never posted about:
Una Pizza Napoletana
Heart: not as pretentious as one would think
T-rex: perfect post-game food
Grub
Frances: still impossible to get a reservation which boggles my mind, but very easy to walk in and eat at the bar if you go before 7pm
Serpentine

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All Delighted People

I've been eating out a ridiculous amount lately, but good food with good friends is never something to complain about. Another restaurant that opened on 10-Aug was Commonwealth, brought to you by the MSF team. We decided to forgo the tasting and went a la carte, where our favorite dishes were the marrow-stuffed squid (deliciously smoky), the hen which was cooked perfectly, and the "s'more" dessert that had a punch of cardamom. The space is comfortable even if our table was too small, and the casual atmosphere definitely made the "fine dining" experience more accessible.

I also had a meal at Limon Rotisserie, a more casual offshoot of Limon on Valencia. While the interior of the space looks like your standard trendy Mission restaurant, the food was actually REALLY CHEAP. My friend and I shared a whole chicken that came with two sides, and it was more than enough food so we packed leftovers. Even better, it was only $20. For the both of us. So ridiculous! If I lived closer I would definitely make it a ritual to have dinner there followed by trivia at Shotwell's.

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Here and There

Apple galette with almond frangipane and really great homemade puff pastry (I didn't peel the apples so there would be some color - the reds are from pink ladies); chicken adobo burrito with garlic fried rice from papalote's annual mexi-pino menu mmm

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You're A Wolf

Alice and I finally tried MSF's latest venture - lunchtime burgers served out of a corner in Duc Loi supermarket. After walking past the beautiful swan squash, Kern's horchata, and bottles of Mad Housewife, we patiently awaited our fried chicken sandwich and beef burger.

Now friends, this is no Bakesale Betty fried chicken. It's difficult to tell from the photo (greasy hands) but it ended up being exactly like the fried taro balls you can find at most dim sum restaurants. Kind of furry and full of oil, this sandwich was overwhelmed by the friedness and we could barely taste the chicken. We both regretted eating our entire halves after the meat sweats began.

However, Mission Burger was more than redeemed by its true star, the burger. Different cuts of meat from Harris Ranch were ground into a very coarse and perfectly molded patty. I don't think I've ever had a burger with such a coarse grain, but perhaps it's to maintain the integrity of the meat (who knows, it's SF).* The caramelized onions had a good amount of char on them which gave a lot of flavor, but almost overpowered the meat. As a whole however, the burger was delicious and I wish I had gotten only that.

We capped off the meal with a cookies n cream cookie from Anthony's Cookies. $1 is a bit steep for a small cookie, but hey there are bills to pay.

* Their explanation: "granulation is our term for the process popularized by Heston Blumenthal, a michelin 3-star chef based in London. Blumenthal combines strands of ground meat to create a loosely grained 'meat column' (not Blumenthal's phrase), then slices the column into patties. The result is, well, a delicacy."

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Bits + Bites

Carte415: Alice, just a tad disappointed by their "gourmet sea salt chips." Grilled cheese w/ Mt. Tam a la Kathy


Liou's House: stuffed duck, winter melon soup


Lechon at Pistahan, Palabok and pork adobo = fatty goodnesssss

[not pictured] Flour+Water: good crust and pasta, but very skimpy on toppings and overall a bit unsatisfying. Very similar to Dopo, but not as good. Really great service though.

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Weekend Recap

This weekend was packed and the crazy weather led to lots of activity, some food-related and some not.

Front Porch: after years of passing by (it's right next to Mitchell's) I finally went. We avoided the 40-min wait by nabbing a seat at the bar. We got a few freebies (jalapeno cornbread, tomato "tartare" crostini) during the 20min wait for the food. Fried chicken was nice and crisp, but could've used some more seasoning. I wanted to try the shrimp and grits, but I only have one stomach and had to save room for some grasshopper pie. It was nice to finally try it, but I don't really have a desire to go back.

Mitchell's: yes, even after polishing off the fried chicken on my own, of course I had to get some grasshopper pie! The 30+ min wait was enough to digest my dinner, anyway.

Le Cheval (Oakland location): pretty standard Vietnamese food, very spacious and perfect for Cyn's post-graduation lunch despite the slow service. Yay you're a lawyer (almost)!

Sketch: <3

La Mar: finally gave the US version a try and had a great time. However, the original location in Lima is definitely better. As to be expected, in Lima the ingredients were just fresher, the prices were lower, and the service was better. Business was also a bit slow which was surprising, especially given their great location and the hot day!

MR: I'm over the club/bar scene and usually limit those visits to happy hours. However, my friend's friend was having a get-together here and it totally reminded me of Freemans Sporting Club, except it was a bar and not a clothing store. Definitely a boys club but I was also very much tempted to get my hair washed because it was so freaking hot!

B2B: omg so hot. My group of friends likes to run it, but it was really difficult with the temp pushing 90 at 8am and the severe lack of water stations! If you saw Dharma scientists, that was us! ("What's Dharma? Must be an Asian thing") LOVED the beaver dam on Fell.

Underdogs: post-b2b lunch and watched the beginning of the Rockets/Lakers game. Fish taco Nick's way is so satisfying!

OK back to 60-degree weather.

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Bandwagon (bandcart?)

Good grief this food cart thing is getting ridiculous. Street food, food carts, street vendors... whatever you want to call it... this type of food has been lacking in SF, a thought that I've mentioned before and have felt for a long time (long before MSF came around). The concept is obviously nothing new, and if you ever go to other big cities (outside of LA), you'll see non-taco-truck food vendors everywhere.

Well, it's finally happened. I'm sure the recession has a lot to do with this sudden surge (less money = people want cheaper food, people can't afford renting restaurant space, people need extra cash, etc), and maybe the whole immediacy of the twitter craze, but I think the bigger influence is MSF. I just hope this fad is about serving good food, and not just about being hip and catering to the Dolores Park scene. If only! I'm sure there will be plenty more popping up around the city, but here's the running list:

Magic Curry Kart
Creme Brulee Cart
Amuse Bouche Guy (this guy doesn't have any permits = Amuse Douche? har har that was cleverrr)
*Correction* Apparently none of these guys have permits, and there's also a spring roll guy now.

Non-cart "street food"
John's Snack and Deli: I actually ate here a few days ago*, and eater finally got word today
Kitchenette
Kasa (it's been around for awhile and actually is a restaurant, but they've been having special street food nights featuring different regions of India)

* John's Snack and Deli has been around Financial for awhile, serving up "home-cooked" Korean food for cheap, like dok boki, bibimbap, etc. After LA's Kogi cart exploded, John and wife followed suit and started making kimchi burritos and tacos. I had both (pictured above), and let's just say that it wasn't for me. I haven't tried LA's Kogi, but I'm going to assume it's better than this. Don't get me wrong, John's Snack and Deli is great, but I don't think kimchi and cheese mix very well.

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Size Matters

I haven't eaten a full meal here, but this tiny space around 16th + Valencia that is Monk's Kettle warrants a return. If it hasn't already reached capacity and you've gotten passed the stressed out bouncer, you can enjoy what they have to offer, big or small. They serve a wide range of beers, from PBR to some obscure Italian brews, $2-40 a glass. The best part is that they let you taste! For the unsophisticated beer palates, these tiny little steins can save you from committing to something that may taste like straight-up molasses. There were also these tiny little bottle things they kept hanging behind the bar that you're supposed to pound on the table three times before taking it like a shot. Looks fun, but tastes like not-sweet jager (= not fun).

One of their signature snacks is their "giant pretzel," served with a cheddar ale sauce and stone ground mustard. Piping hot and deliciously chewy, you really can't go wrong. Both condiments are great accompaniments to the rock salt covering the pretzel. Honestly, it's expensive for a pretzel ($8), but it's worth a try.

I would definitely come back to try more food and more beers. The bartenders are also very accommodating, knowledgeable, and patient. There are just so many beers to choose from which makes it hard to decide. It's also a popular joint, so I just need to make sure I can get in!

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El Tonayense, or Yet Another Outer Mission Post

It seems like I've been trekking out to the outer mission a lot lately, but it's mostly been clustered. The same day Stacy and I went to Humphry Slocombe, we spent most of our long lunch at 22nd + Harrison, the corner where El Tonayense's taco truck is parked.

They serve tiny street tacos, similar to the style of Tacos El Gordo in SD, along with some burritos, tortas, and other fare. I got a taco al pastor and a torta with carnitas (torta is pictured below), and Stacy got a taco w/ carne asada, and a carnitas burrito. The carnitas were definitely the winner - so juicy and soaked in the fatty pork drippings... it was quite heavenly. The carne asada was dry, and the al pastor was good (pictured on the right), but a bit too BBQ-ish for me. The onions, cilantro, and lime were a nice balance though.

They also had this white milky drink thing that I think Alice would've liked. It looked delicious.

This was a nice, messy lunch, but too bad it's so far from Financial. The only real destination place in that area is HS!

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Humphry Slo-what?

There's a new ice cream shop in town named after characters from BBC's Are You Being Served? - Humphry Slocombe. Since it was opened by Jake Godby, a former pastry chef at Coi, it's obvious to expect the unexpected, and their line-up already lists a ton of bold and arresting flavors. There's a really great interview of him at 7x7. I don't really know if "ice cream is the new cupcake," since it's not really a trend (although there was a huge gelato fad back in the early 2000's). Plus, most of the establishments he listed have been doing business for quite some time.

Since it's still so new, they are only offering a limited selection, but people are already starting the Mitchell's/Bi-rite/Sketch/Ici comparisons. What did I think? I really enjoyed how "daring" the flavors were. The textures differed between the flavors, but that's as to be expected when using different ingredients (see Michael Laiskonis' lastest blog post). We ended up trying practically all they had to offer that day: we sampled the balsamic caramel, "secret breakfast," blue bottle vietnamese coffee, thai chili lime sorbet, malted dulce de leche... and I think that's it.

Both Stacy and I ended up getting the combo of the first two. The balsamic caramel was really balsamic-y which was almost gross, but quite perfect. The texture was very smooth and melty, too. The "secret breakfast" was like a morning meal for adults - bourbon ice cream with candied cornflakes. While I really liked the boozey cereal flavor, the cornflakes were mostly tiny bits, with maybe one random chunk. They weren't crunchy either, as to be expected since they get soggy so easily, even if they are candied. It was still yummy though.

Will definitely return! I really appreciate their innovative flavors, and even though they might not all work, they're definitely worth trying.

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Dynamoooo

I woke up early last Saturday, and since I currently have an empty fridge without even milk for cereal, I decided to drive down to Potrero/Mission (I really don't consider this area the mission, although a lot of people do... it's very borderline) since my schedule for the day was flexible. There's been a buzz going around about Dynamo Donuts since its summer 2008 opening, and I decided to spend my morning finally checking it out. It was really the perfect day to do it, too! The city is so great when the weather is warm(er), especially on a lazy and quiet morning when there isn't any traffic. I had never actually been by it, so I was really surprised when I got there because it's really just a kiosk. A very big kiosk, much like the Blue Bottle in Hayes.

It's called "Dynamo Donut + Coffee," but it really should've been the other way around. If I had been just a passer by, I wouldn't have even guessed they were known for their fried treats since their coffee machines and such take up almost the entire counter space. Their donuts seem almost like an afterthought displayed in domed cake stands. All that aside, let's talk about the donuts.

One of their most popular flavors is a maple bacon donut, which isn't exactly a particularly new flavor combination, but I wanted to try it nonetheless. Apparently they only make those "usually Fridays or Sundays." Shouldn't they make that information available? Blah. Instead, I opted for the meyer lemon huckleberry, and the banana dulce de leche filled one. I also specifically went fairly early in the morning, too, so I could get a good, fresh selection, but the ones I ended up getting still felt cold and as if they'd been sitting for awhile. I was hoping to avoid what happened with Doughnut Plant, but I guess it didn't matter in the long run.

The dough was nice and light, not greasy. However, I really feel that "gourmet" donut shops should either fry batches to order, or throughout the day. They would really taste ten times better, and wouldn't be susceptible to the chewy-ness that starts to happen after sitting for awhile. I think they are made off-site, possibly because of lack of permits or something, and that's really a shame. As for the flavors? The dulce de leche was very nice and creamy, but only one side had the filling, while the other side had a few mashed banana pieces. Are they adding the fillings separately? Doesn't make sense to me. It was nice that the huckleberry one wasn't just about the glaze, since it had actual pieces embedded in the dough. The meyer lemon, however, did not come out.

While I appreciated their flavors, I left feeling like I had wasted my morning. I would consider returning if I was in the area and they had the maple-glazed apple bacon donut available. Otherwise, I wouldn't trek back over there unless they started making fresh batches to order.

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Mission Street Food: Take 2

My second visit to Mission Street Food was for Ryan Farr's (Orson, Fifth Floor) guest menu. If you ever take a look at his blog, it's filled with detailed photos of how-tos, mostly involving meat. Vegans, stay away!

We got there a little before 7pm and waited about 10 minutes. When we left after 8pm, there were seriously crowds outside. Ridiculous! The menu was fun - a little beef tongue, some pork rinds, some fried-ness... not very diet-friendly, but just about everything was quite tasty. No dessert - none of us were very interested in the 2 options. Plus, the food was so heavy we probably wouldn't have been able to eat it even if we tried!

Photos (courtesy of Gigi) and details of our meal after the jump!

We started off with the chicharrones, nicely fried and melt-in-your-mouth. We all pretty much agreed that the "spicy dip" didn't do it for us - tasted a little too much like Panda Express sweet and sour sauce, which really made us feel like we were eating Chinese shrimp chips. The sausage w/ the persimmon/brussel sprout salad was a bit lackluster... didn't have much flavor.

The buttermilk fried cauliflower w/ carrot aioli (not pictured) was a really great vegetarian dish. Alice thought it was too heavy, but I really liked how meaty it tasted. It was also seasoned very well. The mushroom flatbread was a table favorite, where the consensus was that the wrap was very similar to a Chinese spring onion pancake (I'm not sure how I would spell that phonetically... tsong yo bing?).

This was my first time having lengua (same with Alice and Stacy), and it was really not what I expected. The texture was a lot like normal beef, except it had a gamey/almost livery aftertaste. Not bad at all. The accompanying pork belly rice was very comfort-foody, especially with the slightly runny yolk of the fried egg tying it all together. The terrine was probably the biggest disappointment. It tasted a bit too much like the CCA's buffet of mediocre meat jellos. Was not a fan, sorry.

Overall, we had a great meal. The prices weren't as mind-boggling cheap as last time, but at $14 a person (without drinks or dessert) it ain't bad at all. Let's see what they come up with next!

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Mission-Street-Food

After weeks of waiting (Alice!), I finally made it out to this fairly new Thursday nights only pop-up restaurant, no longer a Mission Street-Food taco truck. Now Mission-Street Food, the team has been using this Chinese restaurant between 18th + 19th the last 2 Thursdays (they will be closed the rest of November). At first I was hesitant about the move away from the fun and laid back appeal of the taco truck, but the whole pop-up concept worked out just fine. The only real advantage from the customer's point of view is not having to brown-bag it. You can still BYOB, or get one of theirs for a buck.

Tan and I shared 4 of the 5 available dishes, where the one we didn't try was a vegetarian version of the smoked rice. The smoked rice had a very nice char flavor - I normally don't like smoked things, but it was also seasoned well which brought out other flavors so it wasn't just concentrated on the smoke. The coconut curry soup was my fave - very rich, lots of depth, and just really tasty.

The week's special was a rare beef and glass noodles app, served with fried lotus chips. It wasn't really what I expected - instead of the traditional thinly sliced pieces of raw beef, we got ground meat, like a steak tartare. It was OK - pretty basic. I think it needed some (or more?) acid.

The PBJ (pork belly + jicama wrap), their signature thus far, was actually disappointing for me. Maybe because there was a lot of hype around that dish so my expectations were high... but I just didn't like my pieces of meat. They were overcooked - dry and almost completely fried fat. I know pork belly is all about the fat, but it shouldn't taste like fat - it should taste like yummy pork goodness, which it didn't. I'm sure if I got better pieces of meat it would've tasted better, so it isn't just about execution.

Overall, the food was good - comfortable and in a relaxed environment. It didn't blow my mind, but this type of food isn't necessarily supposed to. And for $9? Yes, that's right. HELLZYEAH I'm going back!

P.S. Sorry for the horrible photo - it was REALLY dark in there and I don't like using flash in restaurants. That's the best one I had (soup + rice).

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El Farolito: Tastes Like Home

Not my home, but Mike's (Chula Vista, south of San Diego). I asked Mike to post about our meal here, but he said blogging was lame. Well, that makes him lame by association! Ohhhh snap! Moving on.

If you think I'm a food snob, just bring up bay area Mexican food with Mike. He is about as elitist as you can get (since he grew up next to the border, he's spent a lot of time in Mexico, eating real Mexican food. From Mexico. Made by Mexicans. Oh wait, that's not that different). However, we were in the Mission the other night after watching Call and Response at the Roxie, and I hadn't eaten dinner and wanted some tacos. With Mike's nose scrunched up and the whining commenced, we took a short walk to El Farolito since I had never been there.

Now, Mike judges a Mexican burrito/taco place by its carne asada, and to do that, he always gets the same thing: a carne asada burrito with guac, and everything else on the side (the rice and beans filler masks the taste). They forgot his, so mine was sitting pretty as we waited. Finally, with the salsa cups and marinated carrots ready, we dug in.

Apparently, the "correct" way to eat a [good] burrito is to let the juices that are dripping all over you come out from the bottom and straight into your salsa, which you pour back into the top with each bite. And how those drippings taste, according to Mike, will tell you if the carne asada is good or not. The result? "Tastes like home."

His must've been fresh off the grill because it was a lot better and juicier than mine. Mine was still tasty, but a little tough in comparison. Thus, we decided that a good Mexican restaurant is one that makes its meat to order (among other things). La Burrita, La Taqueria, and a lot of other bay area places (including El Farolito) usually grill their meat in bulk and let it sit in a hotel pan before assembly. Letting it sit out will dry it out, and you won't get those yummy meat juices. Mmm meat juices.

So yes, the bay area Mexican food scene is thus redeemed. I'm sure you can ask them to grill it fresh for you, but the person taking your order will probably hate your guts, or will think you're some HM chick/DB from the Marina* and ignore your request. Who knows? Try it and leave a comment haha.

* Sorry, I just can't help it sometimes! Tris???

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Catching Up

Here's a list of places I've gone to in the last few months but just haven't gotten around to posting about.

- Red Crane
- Beretta
- Q
- Spruce
- Fresca
- Koi palace
- Umbria
- Lobster shack
- House of Prime Rib

Brief "reviews" after the jump! (Useless yelp-style?)

Beretta: Italian in the Mission
Like SPQR, this new restaurant got a "blow job" by Michael Bauer (my old pastry chef's exact words). And just like SPQR, this Italian joint was just OK for me. I definitely enjoyed my meal there... but it was also quite forgettable. Pizzas are aiight, apps are decent, drinks are whatevs.

Q: Diner/Comfort Food in Inner Richmond
Slightly upscale diner food - add blue cheese to the burger and it's not even close to the Spotted Pig's, but it's still satisfying. Eat all the accompanying garlic fries and you'll definitely pass out. Definitely a must if you like tater tots.

Spruce: Contemporary American Fine Dining in Laurel Heights
Really upscale for the neighborhood - who would've known! Very pricey for what it was. Had the charcuterie, fries, lobster, some kind of med fish, and palmiers for dessert. Those heart-shaped cookies should NOT be on the menu. They have a side-bakery so I don't see the point in wasting a menu spot with those. We only got them because we didn't realize what they were. Doh!

Fresca: Peruvian in Lower Pac Heights (there are other locations too)
Why did I eat Peruvian right after coming back from Peru? Honestly, I didn't know until I got there. My friend invited me to join her double date (5th wheel!) and I just went in blind. I like Limon better, but honestly... it's hard for me to even think of spending $35 on a meal that would be less than $5 in Peru!

Red Crane: Japanese Asian Fusion in Cupertino
Despite its identity crisis of a location, this restaurant actually has very very good food. Although the sashimi plate (pictured to the right) looks very impressive, it isn't worth it. However, every single other dish we got was fantastic. The only drawback is the location - very Asian suburbia....

Koi palace: Dim Sum in Daly City
If you want to know where all the Chinese people eat, wake up at 9am to get here by 10am on a Saturday morning.

Umbria: Italian in SOMA
bsze wanted to bid SF adieu by going to Baron Davis's favorite restaurant. Olive Garden anyone?

Lobster shack: Seafood in North Beach
$20 sandwiches? (pictured at the top) They do leave you pretty comatose. They actually weren't very big, but they were generous with the lobster meat. I don't think I like lobster enough to justify the cost though.

House of Prime Rib: MEAT in Nob Hill
Four years ago HOPR used to be $30 total... those were they days.

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Pizzeria Delfina

3611 18th St (and Guerrero)
(415) 437-6800

Pizza/Italian in the Mission

Update 7/2/08 (Kathy): I went here again but I didn't have pizza - they had a braised octopus special that was pretty amazing. The octopus was flown in frozen from Greece and braised for a long time in a lobster broth. Flavor wise it was ok, but the texture... like chicken. Not your typical rubbery octopus!

(5/30/07)
This restaurant is a personal favorite of mine, not just because of the food but also the location. Situated between two Mission institutions, Dolores Park and Tartine , eating at this restaurant is a great way to capture the San Francisco casual dining experience.* P-Del has some set menu items but for the most part is constantly changing their fare to reflect the seasonal produce.

The pizza served here is thin crust and rustic, similar to the kind you would find in Naples. In typical Neapolitan style, cheese is a topping, NOT a bed for other ingredients to nest in (i.e. Round Table, Papa Johns, etc.). My personal favorite amongst the regulars is the Salsiccia. The toppings include, house made fennel sausage, tomato, bell peppers, onions and mozzarella. It combines savory chunks of sausage with sweet bell peppers and a slight crunch of thinly sliced onions. The Margherita doesn't offer anything unique to the palette but if you're dull or boring, the tomato, fior di latte mozzarella, basil and parmigiano combo is right up your alley. If you want to try something a little extra special, I would go for the clam pie which has cherrystones, tomato, oregano, pecorino and hot peppers.

You definitely cannot go wrong with ordering one of the specials of the day. There are usually two and always sell out quickly. A popular Prosciutto one is topped with fresh arugula before serving. A nice spicy bite complements the soft and salty cured meat. You can also try the Amatriciana, which has guanciale (dry-cured pork cheeks), caramelized onions, pecorino and hot peppers. Of course my all-time favorite (but has been met with mixed reviews from others) is the Carbonara. Like the Amatriciana, the Cabonara is also a spin-off of a popular Italian pasta dish. It starts with pancetta and leeks and is topped with two cracked eggs and then baked. When it comes to the table, the whites are firm with the yolk at a perfect runny consistency once cut into.

They have a wide selection of salads that are worth a try if you want a nice side with your pizza. Pizza condiments are served au natural, with dried oregano still on the stem, fresh red pepper flakes and grated parmesan cheese that didn't come from a green can. Feel free to ask for a bowl of sauce on the side. It's great for dipping the breadsticks that await you once seated.

This place can be a bit pricey for larger groups, but for a small group of old friends who just want to catch up, enjoy the sunny weather and maybe grab a cookie at Tartine after a light meal, this is place to be.

*San Francisco casual dining experience-- a place where SF locals congregate to eat. It is essential that the establishment be extremely small, with an actual dining capacity of 20, but with 15 additional people crammed in. The restaurant cannot take reservations, the wait must be excruciatingly long, and there must be no way of knowing how long you will be standing in line for (usually over an hour, but you are hopeful that it will be 45 minutes). Your group will not be seated until you have exhausted all conversation topics and are forced to stand around awkwardly to the point of passing out from starvation. The potential diner must also utter the phrase, "this better be worth it" at some point.

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Eye on the Pies: The Ultimate SF yuppie power lunch.

2901 Mission St
San Francisco, CA 94110

Kathy and I took a break from our job in the FIDI (that’s Financial District for those of you not in the know) to grab some pies in the Mission. I donned my North Face Fleece and converses (typical SF yuppie) and Kathy wore her tapered pants and flats (typical SF hipster) and we hopped on the BART.

Located a few blocks from the 24^th and Mission stop is Mission Pie. This place is hippie heaven. The pies are made from local ingredients by local underprivileged youth. Every piece of furniture in the establishment is made from recycled materials, including the compostable bag I was given for my to-go order.

Mission Pie offers a limited selection of pies that are sold whole or by the slice. Kathy and I tried the Pear Ginger pie and Banana Cream pie. The PG pie was excellent, light and refreshing. Kathy is usually a ginger-hater, but this pie managed to win her over. The BC pie met all the expectations of the traditional BC pie, but not worth writing home about (as opposed to the BC pie at Liberty Café…which is bomb-diggity).

We also went to a local taqueria (La Taqueria) for tacos. I was skeptical at first, as the tables were dirty but I guess that’s how they roll. Def. another place I’d go back to. They had this white milky looking drink that was cinnamon flavored, it looked delicious.*

And of course, we went to Philz coffee. My #1 favorite coffee place (#2 is Blue Bottle). I won’t go on about Philz, as I came off like a crack addict in a previous coffee review. But y’all should try it if you can!

* Please refer to the recent episode of Check Please

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Farina

3560 18th St (& Guerrero)
(415) 565-0360

Italian in the Mission

The best meal you can ever wish for when you have a canker sore :).

haha isn't that appetizing. When we went to Farina I was dying in pain and starving because I couldn't chew. I was planning to just get soup but luckily they have gnocchi with parmesan and truffle shaving and I was blown away. It was awesome. I also tried some of Kathy's chickpea soup and it was pretty good also. For dessert I got the Pearmisu and it was ok. I would definitely go back just for the gnocchi.

Pictures after the jump!

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