Eugene P.'s Profile
Date
I've hit this place four times already, and in spite of the inescapable hype, I've really taken to it. There appear to be a few early wrinkles to be ironed out -- the cheese roll I had was a bit dry, and the jalapeno-cheese loaf I got a few days ago was undercooked -- but on other visits I've had nothing but winners in the cherry corn scone, currant scone, and shortbread. The olive bread was an unexpected delight; it was rockin' some moist, flavor-bursting olives that really elevated the loaf of bread into a standalone treat.
3431 19th St
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 550-8627
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 550-8627
Hog & Rocks
Categories:
Seafood,
American (New)
Neighborhood: Mission
I've managed to hit Hog & Rocks a handful of times now -- for both dinner and brunch -- and this place is definitely worth checking out.
I've had some good luck with the dinner menu -- the cast iron octopus and the chicken wing confit are both memorable -- and the brunch here has yet to disappoint. The BLT, made with lamb belly, is hearty, balanced, and amazing. Our server recommended it to me, hinting that the sandwich is overlooked by most, and I'm glad I followed his sound counsel. The goetta Florentine is rich and savory in the way you want when groggy late into a weekend morn. A good friend lavished, with superlative praise, the patty melt, which is also available at dinner. The corned beef tongue hash and the Toad in the Hole sandwich -- featuring Broadbent ham and a farm egg with mornay sauce -- are both solid.
What's an arbitrary measure of a bar's cocktail program? Whether it features drinks made from egg whites. And the bar at Hog & Rocks offers three, all of which are pretty darn good. Fans of artisanal cocktails will likely find sumthin to enjoy here. Boom.
I've had some good luck with the dinner menu -- the cast iron octopus and the chicken wing confit are both memorable -- and the brunch here has yet to disappoint. The BLT, made with lamb belly, is hearty, balanced, and amazing. Our server recommended it to me, hinting that the sandwich is overlooked by most, and I'm glad I followed his sound counsel. The goetta Florentine is rich and savory in the way you want when groggy late into a weekend morn. A good friend lavished, with superlative praise, the patty melt, which is also available at dinner. The corned beef tongue hash and the Toad in the Hole sandwich -- featuring Broadbent ham and a farm egg with mornay sauce -- are both solid.
What's an arbitrary measure of a bar's cocktail program? Whether it features drinks made from egg whites. And the bar at Hog & Rocks offers three, all of which are pretty darn good. Fans of artisanal cocktails will likely find sumthin to enjoy here. Boom.
101 2nd St
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 567-0415
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 567-0415
Carte415 - CLOSED
Categories:
American (New),
Food Stands
Neighborhood: SOMA
I've gone to Carte 415 for the past couple weeks now, and in my estimation, it'd be hard not to be a fan after a careful survey of the menu items.
The charcuterie sandwich with salumi from Boccalone, the three-cheese sandwich featuring Cowgirl Creamery cheeses, grilled rapini, and tomato confit, and the forest mushroom sandwich with fromage blanc and thyme are solid cold sandwich options. (The shrimp salad sandwich I was okay with.) The standouts for me, however, have been the incredibly refreshing gazpacho made from Early Girl tomatoes and the recently introduced hot menu items: a beef brisket sandwich with horseradish creme fraiche and arugula and a Berkshire pulled pork sandwich with spicy corn and Carolina barbecue sauce. The hot sandwiches are assembled on demand in front of you so by the time you bite in, the liquid of the braised meats is only beginning to moisten the freshly carved artisanal bread in which they are nestled. Nice.
Normally I don't order drinks with meals -- I'm fine with water most of the time -- but I can't resist the fresh Meyer lemonade with mint. It's hard to elaborate without seeming pedantic; it tastes exactly how you'd expect lemonade made from the mildly tart, mildly sweet Meyer lemon to taste like when mixed with whole mint leaves.
I just ate a substantial lunch, but you know what sounds great to me right now? An Early Girl gazpacho and a Meyer lemonade from Carte 415. Yeah. Believe it, Buster Brown. I've got a case of the yums.
The charcuterie sandwich with salumi from Boccalone, the three-cheese sandwich featuring Cowgirl Creamery cheeses, grilled rapini, and tomato confit, and the forest mushroom sandwich with fromage blanc and thyme are solid cold sandwich options. (The shrimp salad sandwich I was okay with.) The standouts for me, however, have been the incredibly refreshing gazpacho made from Early Girl tomatoes and the recently introduced hot menu items: a beef brisket sandwich with horseradish creme fraiche and arugula and a Berkshire pulled pork sandwich with spicy corn and Carolina barbecue sauce. The hot sandwiches are assembled on demand in front of you so by the time you bite in, the liquid of the braised meats is only beginning to moisten the freshly carved artisanal bread in which they are nestled. Nice.
Normally I don't order drinks with meals -- I'm fine with water most of the time -- but I can't resist the fresh Meyer lemonade with mint. It's hard to elaborate without seeming pedantic; it tastes exactly how you'd expect lemonade made from the mildly tart, mildly sweet Meyer lemon to taste like when mixed with whole mint leaves.
I just ate a substantial lunch, but you know what sounds great to me right now? An Early Girl gazpacho and a Meyer lemonade from Carte 415. Yeah. Believe it, Buster Brown. I've got a case of the yums.
Broken Record does not mess around. It's not some watering hole that happens to serve food. This bar takes its kitchen seriously.
I ordered a crispy fried oyster sandwich with spicy aioli and cabbage on a baguette that was hard to put down. A friend let me taste his beef brisket sandwich, and it was ridiculously tender and succulent. Absolutely ridiculous -- it's hard to overstate this point. The roasted brussels sprouts, which came nicely charred on the outside, were on the salty side of tasty, while the chicharrones (from 4505 Meats) were perfectly spiced as always.
And with reasonably priced cocktails, laid-back patrons, friendly staff, plenty of seating, and ample street parking, it's definitely worth the small trek to check this place out.
I ordered a crispy fried oyster sandwich with spicy aioli and cabbage on a baguette that was hard to put down. A friend let me taste his beef brisket sandwich, and it was ridiculously tender and succulent. Absolutely ridiculous -- it's hard to overstate this point. The roasted brussels sprouts, which came nicely charred on the outside, were on the salty side of tasty, while the chicharrones (from 4505 Meats) were perfectly spiced as always.
And with reasonably priced cocktails, laid-back patrons, friendly staff, plenty of seating, and ample street parking, it's definitely worth the small trek to check this place out.
I had a very nice lunch here a couple days ago: a lobster roll sandwich, served on a baguette sliced only along one edge so that it resembled a pocket bread into which the lobster filling could securely rest. The filling was just right; it wasn't heavy, and it wasn't chilled to the point where you couldn't appreciate its flavor. I swapped out my fries for onion rings, which were thick and battered in what seemed to be a light tempura. Although the batter was a little plain by my standards, the onion rings were expertly fried, both moist on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside.
The artisanal cocktails sounded intriguing -- gin, basil, and watermelon together could be bizarre, or they could be AMAZING -- and I was extremely tempted by the raw bar menu of oysters, clams with chorizo, and Maine lobster claw. They also have a happy hour from 3-6pm during which their drinks are half off where pints are a cool $3 and cocktails are a reasonable $5. (I noticed that they had three or four featured cheeses on their cheese menu, but I neglected to take note of what they were.)
I'll definitely try to go back for lunch or dinner the next time I'm in town.
The artisanal cocktails sounded intriguing -- gin, basil, and watermelon together could be bizarre, or they could be AMAZING -- and I was extremely tempted by the raw bar menu of oysters, clams with chorizo, and Maine lobster claw. They also have a happy hour from 3-6pm during which their drinks are half off where pints are a cool $3 and cocktails are a reasonable $5. (I noticed that they had three or four featured cheeses on their cheese menu, but I neglected to take note of what they were.)
I'll definitely try to go back for lunch or dinner the next time I'm in town.
360 Ritch St
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 777-2777
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 777-2777
Farmerbrown's Little Skillet
Category:
Soul Food
Neighborhood: SOMA
Really delicious fried chicken -- and a great deal at $6.50 for the 2-piece chicken lunch box which comes with a flaky angel biscuit and a side dish of your choosing.
I went on a Tuesday after 1pm, and there was a healthy crowd, but the service was fast and friendly. There is no official seating in this alleyway, but there is an elevated curb to sit on as well as a dozen or so milk crates available for customer use. Folks were friendly and low-key -- it was quite nice.
It's a bit out of the ways, yes, but I think it was worth the ten-minute bus ride from northern SoMa. Their daily specials are available via Twitter http://twitter.com/Lit... so you can check them out before making the trek down.
I'm looking forward to going back soon to try their po' boys, and word on the street is that the BLT salad is an unexpectedly delicious choice.
I went on a Tuesday after 1pm, and there was a healthy crowd, but the service was fast and friendly. There is no official seating in this alleyway, but there is an elevated curb to sit on as well as a dozen or so milk crates available for customer use. Folks were friendly and low-key -- it was quite nice.
It's a bit out of the ways, yes, but I think it was worth the ten-minute bus ride from northern SoMa. Their daily specials are available via Twitter http://twitter.com/Lit... so you can check them out before making the trek down.
I'm looking forward to going back soon to try their po' boys, and word on the street is that the BLT salad is an unexpectedly delicious choice.
I celebrated the old birthday here recently, and it was a great time.
Here's a familiar trade-off. You go to a bar where you feel comfortable, but the only drink the bartender knows how to serve well is a pint of beer. Or you go to a place that has got quality bartenders, but then you're hemorrhaging cash and dealing with a pretentious clientele.
Bloodhound gives you the best of both worlds. Dylan, the bartender and co-owner, mixes up some great drinks, but they don't cost you an arm and a leg, and no one expects you to be dressed to the nines to get past the door. The hunting lodge aesthetic seems to say, "If you're just a fella tryin' to do a thing, then yeah, come on in, brochacho." It's a dive bar that's not at all a dive bar.
One thing to be aware of: when I was here last Saturday, I saw multiple waves of different sorts of people come in over the course of the evening. The character of the clientele here has not yet been irrevocably defined, and I'm hopeful that the patrons on the whole remain unpretentious and laid back as time goes on. So if you're not a douchebag, please come on by -- let's not lose yet another cool, relaxed place to the d-bag element.
Here's a familiar trade-off. You go to a bar where you feel comfortable, but the only drink the bartender knows how to serve well is a pint of beer. Or you go to a place that has got quality bartenders, but then you're hemorrhaging cash and dealing with a pretentious clientele.
Bloodhound gives you the best of both worlds. Dylan, the bartender and co-owner, mixes up some great drinks, but they don't cost you an arm and a leg, and no one expects you to be dressed to the nines to get past the door. The hunting lodge aesthetic seems to say, "If you're just a fella tryin' to do a thing, then yeah, come on in, brochacho." It's a dive bar that's not at all a dive bar.
One thing to be aware of: when I was here last Saturday, I saw multiple waves of different sorts of people come in over the course of the evening. The character of the clientele here has not yet been irrevocably defined, and I'm hopeful that the patrons on the whole remain unpretentious and laid back as time goes on. So if you're not a douchebag, please come on by -- let's not lose yet another cool, relaxed place to the d-bag element.
451 9th St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 437-2877
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 437-2877
Cups And Cakes Bakery
Category:
Bakeries
Neighborhood: SOMA
Are you a dum-dum like me when it comes to planning parties? I just celebrated a birthday, and at the last minute I thought it might be nice to provide some kind of snack or dessert for my guests. The problem was that the evening's schedule wouldn't allow me to pick anything up en route to the bar or to drop anything off beforehand. Thank goodness for Cups & Cakes. With about a day's notice, Jennifer was able to prepare my order and deliver it, no problem. The cupcakes were a hit -- apparently even the most stone-hearted of men enjoy a tasty bite-size cupcake -- particularly the Grasshoppers, the chocolate cupcakes with mint frosting topped with a Junior Mint. Look, I'm just some dude, but do yourself a favor in the popularity and goodwill departments, and order some Cups & Cakes cupcakes for your friends, you big dummy.
16 Mint Plz
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 543-5100
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 543-5100
54 Mint - Vineria Ristorante
Category:
Italian
Neighborhood: SOMA
Really wonderful dining experience. The interior has a rustic feel with modern touches; the cozy dining area features dark-stained wooden tables with exposed brick walls where you can gaze at the cured meats hanging from the ceiling, while the wine bar has a white marble top that goes nicely with the line of ivory pleather-and-chrome low-back stools. The ambiance, like the food, is at once homey and elegant.
I had the porchetta, a pork belly stuffed with some kind of herb filling, that was succulent, delicate, and ambrosial, and it came with immaculately smooth (rosemary?) mashed potatoes. My friend had the branzino al sale, a whole sea bass covered under a thick blanket of coarse salt, slow-baked, and deftly deboned at the table. It looked absolutely amazing, and reportedly it was as delicious as it looked. Many of the entrees were priced quite incredibly within the $14-20 range with very few outliers. After we finished, just about every person on staff individually thanked us and bid us farewell as we made our way out, adding a warm, personal coda to the meal.
I'm looking forward to going back to try the homemade pastas as well as the house salumi. I'm also hopeful that when the weather warms up, the restaurant will utilize the patio area they have available out front. 54 Mint is definitely worth checking out.
I had the porchetta, a pork belly stuffed with some kind of herb filling, that was succulent, delicate, and ambrosial, and it came with immaculately smooth (rosemary?) mashed potatoes. My friend had the branzino al sale, a whole sea bass covered under a thick blanket of coarse salt, slow-baked, and deftly deboned at the table. It looked absolutely amazing, and reportedly it was as delicious as it looked. Many of the entrees were priced quite incredibly within the $14-20 range with very few outliers. After we finished, just about every person on staff individually thanked us and bid us farewell as we made our way out, adding a warm, personal coda to the meal.
I'm looking forward to going back to try the homemade pastas as well as the house salumi. I'm also hopeful that when the weather warms up, the restaurant will utilize the patio area they have available out front. 54 Mint is definitely worth checking out.
37 New Montgomery St
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 284-9960
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 284-9960
The Sentinel
Category:
Sandwiches
Neighborhood: SOMA
The Sentinel has gone from my preferred lunch spot to my daily lunch spot. Unlike a lot of lunch places, the Sentinel changes its menu seasonally, and the new winter menu really distinguishes itself from the typical sandwich and soup fare. The winter soups -- ones I might not usually think to order such as pumpkin or parsnip or today's excellent winter vegetable puree withe gruyere -- have consistently been great. The swiss chard sandwich is an unique and perhaps unexpected delight; everyone in my office -- mostly dudes, mostly meat-eaters -- loves it and orders it regularly over the heartier corned beef sandwich and deviled ham sandwich, both of which are delicious in their own right.
The daily specials are posted every weekday on the website -- why doesn't everybody do this? -- and the folks at the Sentinel accept phone orders in advance. The Sentinel has found a way to offer convenience without sacrificing quality.
The Sentinel is the tops!
The daily specials are posted every weekday on the website -- why doesn't everybody do this? -- and the folks at the Sentinel accept phone orders in advance. The Sentinel has found a way to offer convenience without sacrificing quality.
The Sentinel is the tops!
1 Previous Review:
-
6/10/2008
I've been hitting this place every other day or so since it opened a couple weeks ago, and I'm both happy and sad that its clientele has grown considerably in just a few weeks.
To the impatient I'd say that seeing a line out the door should not dissuade you. First, all it takes is two or three people for the queue to jut outside -- the place is not much more than a counter -- and second, the chef, whom you can plainly see working away in front of you, is the picture of efficiency, keeping the turnaround time surprisingly short.
In the morning your choices are limited to pastries and coffee, and I can definitely recommend the homemade blueberry muffin, which isn't too sweet and features fresh blueberries that burst delightfully in your mouth with each bite.
After 11:30 (I believe), lunch service begins with a menu that changes daily. I've had the pork tenderloin sandwich on ciabatta with gruyere and grilled pearl onions as well as the smoked salmon on the soft seeded roll with shaved fennel, watercress, and horseradish aioli. Both are exceptional. The soups change daily as well, and the only one I've tried is the chilled pea soup with basil, which took some getting used to, but I found it refreshing and ended up enjoying it quite a bit.
The Sentinel has become my preferred lunch spot in the neighborhood, handily outperforming some quality competitors in the area.
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Review votes:
119 Useful, 37 Funny, and 82 Cool
Location
San Francisco, CA
Yelping SinceApril 2005