Category: Food

Foodies all over the Bay Area have complained frequently that you can’t get several seemingly simple dishes around here. They would include:

A good, authentic pastrami/corned beef sandwich

A great thin crust, New York-style pizza (many say it’s the water)

Pinkberry (though I’m not sure it’s worth the hype since I’ve never tried it)

Good BBQ (Memphis, Texas, South Carolina, OR Kansas City style)

Sure there are BBQ joints in the Bay Area, but not many are worth returning to or authentic. My husband has tried a few around here (he’s from Kansas City and lived in Memphis for many years), some foodie friends have tried a few, and I’ve only tried a couple.  But none of us have been impressed with any of them.

I have to add Memphis Minnie’s in San Francisco to that unfortunate list.

My husband and I took some friends of ours who moved here from Texas. Needless to say, they were dying for some good southern BBQ. And…we didn’t find it here.

We ordered an array of ribs, pulled pork, and brisket to try, along with a big basket of fries. When we were debating what to order, we had some enthusiastic regulars suggest several items highly. It seemed promising at first…but things went south from there.

There were three different kinds of sauces at the table. We tried all three before getting our food and we should have ran after that. One was way too sweet, the other too watery, and another that just tasted strange. We weren’t impressed.

And things didn’t change after we got our food. Though the quality of meat was good all around, the flavor was all wrong. My husband commented that he didn’t understand why one of the sauces was supposedly “South Carolina” based, the ribs were “Texas-style,” but the joint was called “Memphis Minnie’s.” And that basically summed up our experience. It was a mess of flavors and strange, unusual taste combinations.  Overall, it was very poorly executed.  And parking in the Haight was no picnic either.

But the worst part was having that awful MSG dry mouth for the rest of the night after our meal. The only highlight was the surprisingly friendly service. At least they have that going for them.

Avoid this place at all costs. If you’re really desperate for something, try the local chain Armadillo Willy’s. Even their BBQ is more authentic than Minnie’s.

Memphis Minnie’s – 576 Haight St., S.F. – 415.864.PORK

Courtesy of www.chowrestaurant.com

It was good to return to one of my favorite restaurants, Park Chow in San Francisco. I used to go there all the time, but since moving out of that area, I haven’t been in a while.

The best time to visit this place is definitely during the colder months. The wood floors, casual decor and service, and roaring fireplace always makes for a mountain lodge kind of feel. And the menu with Spaghetti and Meatballs, Fusilli Pasta w/Chicken, Roasted Chicken & Mashed Potatoes, and Pot Roast always makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. They’re so yummy.

The biggest pain, though, is the battle for street parking in this area. That and the wait during peak times. But I digress…

I love how affordable this place is. Especially for the quality of food they serve. I’ve always loved all the dishes I mentioned, but this time, I decided to try the Petrale Sole Fish Sandwich (the sandwich of the day). It was seasoned very well and dressed with some mango salsa and fresh guacamole on a soft toasted bun. It was fresh and delicious. The fish was cooked perfectly moist and wasn’t breaded, which was a nice change.

It came with a wonderful hearty minestrone. But in place of the pasta they used croutons, which I wasn’t crazy about. Regardless, the soup had depth from a stock/soup base that had some good meaty flavor.

I had a spiced apple cider with my meal, which only added to the homey feeling of the place. And I usually end with a slice of their organic apple pie (which is truly my favorite apple pie in SF), but there was no room left in this tummy. It was lunch, afterall. A little restraint was in order. 🙂

Park Chow – 1240 9th Ave (btwn. Irving & Lincoln) – SF – 415.665-9912

J. and I have passed Jack Falstaff restaurant on numerous occasions after leaving nearby Jeremy’s Department Store in San Francisco (a favorite of ours for obvious bargain shopping reasons). But I’ve never felt compelled to eat there because from the outside, the space looks so large and cavernous, which can be too industrial and intimidating. No warmth.

So imagine my surprise when we walked in and were greeted with low ceilings, soft lighting, luxurious suede mint green walls, rich redwood accents and clean crisp white linens. The space was at once clean, warm, and modern. I loved it already. And the genuinely friendly host was a big plus as well.

We took advantage of the prix fixe lunch and started with a Potato and Leek Soup. We inquired about whether is was a cream based soup or mostly thickened with pureed potato and the waiter confirmed it was the latter. Good thing because that’s what we were hoping for.

The soup was amazingly light, smooth, and flavorful with the brightness of the leeks coming through. And the light drizzle of quality olive oil and chives gave it character, acting not just as garnish. For such a common soup, the flavors really came alive and impressed us.

Next up was the Fried Chicken Breast with Braised Cabbage and Barley. What an interesting combo! Now, you know my love of all things fried, and J. and I have had fried chicken at Town Hall and 900 Grayson, which we love. But this version at Jack Falstaff’s was totally different and another delightful surprise. The batter on the chicken was crispy and flavorful and the breast meat was cooked nicely. And the drizzle of gravy over the dish was the perfect complement, with its sweet soy sauce flavor. It was the perfect light complement to what can be a heavy dish. And the braised cabbage and barley rounded everything out, making the dish feel wholesome and earthy. It was delicious and balanced.

Dessert was the weakest part of the meal, though it wasn’t by any means terrible. Our Cinnamon Sugar Donuts with Creme Anglaise and Raspberries had spent just a touch too long in the fryer. The outside was browner than I’d like, giving them a slightly burnt flavor. But the cinnamon sugar was lovely and at least the donuts weren’t dried out.

The portions are perfect here: not too small, not too large. We were comfortably full and satisfied, especially since all our plates were so well orchestrated. Service was surprisingly unpretentious, warm, and friendly. They refilled our water regularly but took a little time to clear our plates. No matter. It was the perfect afternoon for us to chat and linger over a long and delicious lunch in the city.

Jack Falstaff – 598 Second St. @ Brannan – San Francisco – 415.836.9239

I LOVE THIN CRUST PIZZA! And my lactose intolerance wasn’t enough to stop me and J. in our quest for an expertly prepared thin crust Neapolitan-style pizza.

Regulars to Pizzeria Delfina know the waits can be long. Fortunately, we were there by 12:10, and I snagged their last two top inside the restaurant.

Their menu is small, but everything we had was exceptionally fresh and expertly prepared. We decided on the Spicy Cauliflower antipasti to start and it was delicious. The capers were the perfect foil for the roasted cauliflower’s nutty flavor. Nice and tangy. And there was just a hint of spice that came from the few bright red slivers of chili pepper.

J. ordered the Salsiccia Pizza, which included slivers of red onion and fresh fennel sausage. The sausage was wonderfully fresh and mild with just a touch of spice and depth from the fennel.

And that crust!!! Words can’t explain that fabulously wonderful crust! It’s not cracker thin so that it snaps. That’s a whole different kind of thin crust pizza. This one was perfectly thin, but still with a touch of doughy bite. It was perfectly crisp on the bottom so that when you bit into it, you could hear the crispness. It was heaven!  No two thin crust pizzas are created equal, and this one was exceptional.

I chose the Margherita which had buffalo mozzarella, a mild tomato sauce, and a disappointing two–count ’em, two–basil leaves. The cheese and sauce were obviously fresh and exceptional in quality, but almost too simple and lacking a bit of oomph. But that crust was again, the star of this pie. It made a good pie, truly memorable.

The place is tiny with only a handful of tables and a few counter stools. If you’re willing to take advantage of the sidewalk tables, they do have heat lamps. Everything is very basic so decor and atmosphere aren’t what you’re here for.

It does get loud though with everyone waiting for a table during peak times and the incredibly loud pumping music. Still, the staff are friendly and don’t rush you even when the line is out the door. Something J. and I can appreciate.

There was no room for any dessert on this trip, but we did seem to find some once we walked over to Bi-Rite Creamery just down the street.

Totally worth my lactose intolerance’s consequences.

Pizzeria Delfina – 3611 18th St., S.F. – 415.437.6800