Ferry Building – Virgo in Wonderland

Taylor’s Refresher in St. Helena has been a Wine Country staple for years. It’s THE place to grab a stellar burger and shake, and more recently, their San Francisco location in the Ferry Building, as well.

Recently, they changed their name to “Gott’s Roadside Tray Gourmet.” Doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Fortunately, the food hasn’t changed.

I visited the Ferry Building location for some greasy goodness and a side of fries. For whatever reason, I wasn’t in the mood for a cheeseburger. These days, I consider the In N Out Double Double the standard, so nothing’s been living up to it. Why disappoint myself?

I went for the Wisconsin Sourdough Burger, which had BBQ sauce, sauteed mushrooms, Wisconsin cheddar and bacon, all on toasty sourdough. No way I could pass that up! I decided to go for broke and add to that an order of Garlic Fries, too. Mmmmm, Garlic Fries…

And they didn’t disappoint! They were thin and perfectly crispy. And I love when they pile on the garlic and herbs. This was a total winner.

And the burger? Fortunately, it was no slouch either. I’m not usually a fan of bacon, but I left it on there. The combination of all those elements was total overkill but oh so good. I am a sucker for a burger on sourdough, and add to that mushrooms? I was in greasy, toasty, heart attack heaven.

My only complaint is that it’s a tad bit pricer than most casual burger joints. Again, I think I’m spoiled by the value that In N Out delivers. Other than that, if you’re in the city and are craving a casual burger on a nice warm day/night, you could do a LOT worse.

Yes, yes, another trip to the San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace. I know many of you may recall my endless affection for this foodie destination, but I can’t help it. I don’t get to go as often as I like, but when I do, I visit both my faves as well as manage to find new items to swoon over.

So on this trip, I was determined to try a DIFFERENT porchetta sandwich. One that WASN’T Roli Roti’s (gasp)! I’ve heard much chatter about the pork sammie at Il Cane Rosso, and that it was just as good (which I find impossible).

First, yes it is VERY good. The crunchy fresh French bread and the pickled cabbage gave a wonderful flavor and texture contrast to the moist, well-seasoned, obviously fresh and quality pork. It seemed to have been cooked for hours with a variety of herbs that I don’t even have in my pantry. Delicious, indeed. BUT, it’s still second place to Roli Roti’s.

Second, the family and I headed to Miette to give their macaroons a shot. I’ve tried many macaroons here and there around the Bay Area, and none have impressed me much, especially since I have a ridiculous standard to live up to having had them in Paris.

To my surprise, they weren’t bad at all! Many may disagree, but for me, it came down to the texture of the cookie, itself. Yes, I love the flavor infusions of the macaroons I had in Paris, but the chewy center of the two cookies and the crisp outer shell are what always impressed me most. Miette delivered on this. And it had that light yet distinct almond flavor. I agree with many that the fillings are a bit too sweet and lack any delicate essence, but the texture and flavor of the cookie, itself, made it a winner for me. (By the way, the grapefruit was not a good choice, but I’d go for the pistachio again in a heartbeat.)

And no trip to the Ferry Building would be complete without a trip to Delica. Their Japanese deli fare is so delicious and prepared so well. The ingredients are so damn fresh and tasty. I always get the potato croquette (still the best one I’ve ever had) and this time I got the fried shrimp cake. Oh…my…gawd. I’ve always had great affection for all things fried, and these two snacks certainly fit the bill. Just order them if you ever go. You won’t be sorry.

So I add more items to my “must haves” list for next time. This list, by the way, is getting too big.

Tag: Ferry Building

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