Candice L.'s Profile

Hmm, rating HRD is difficult b/c I'm a rather healthy eater, but I appreciated several aspects of my visit. First up, easy street parking with meters right out front. Second of all, the people that work here are so, so very warm and friendly, shockingly so, and excited to share their menu with you. Also, I was digging the old school diner vibe with the communal counter.

I ordered a spicy Korean pork breakfast burrito, a Chinese breakfast burrito, and a Korean spicy pork breakfast cheeseburger to go to take in to share with my labmates. When asked to describe what I had brought to them a few phrases came to mind, such as, "bad in all the right ways like Ike's", "hangover food", and "holy Jesus, the burger has a beef patty, cheese, bacon, hash browns, spicy Korean pork, and a fried egg!" I found myself going back to the Korean breakfast burrito the most and was also fond of the extra hot sauce the guy had packed for me.

There are some new menu items on offer and the HRD crew will be happy to give you a rundown of them. HRD is pretty much the polar opposite of Plow's pure, perfectly sourced ingredients perched high on a hilltop. HRD is more real, the ingredients aren't pedigreed, but the flavors are unique and crave-able, and you can't help but love the service.

For a year and a half, I have been hearing my Potrero friends rave about Plow. Actually, I've been hearing raves about Plow from friends, the blogs, and pretty much anybody who had been and weathered the wait for their tasty breakfasts. Truth be told, I am not enamored with Mission Beach Cafe or Boogaloos and didn't think that breakfast at Plow would wow me.

The breakfast wowed me.

We started with a corn and millet muffin, freshly baked and still warm from the oven. The muffin was crumbly and a bit hard to eat but the crust on the muffin top was crunchy and the millet added crispy bits to the slightly sweet corn muffin. Seriously though, all muffins should be eaten fresh and warm from the oven.

Next up were a la carte orders of an almond pancake (gluten-free!) and a pumpkin pancake. The pumpkin pancake was fine, similar to what I make at home, but the almond pancake was really interesting. I didn't believe it was actually gluten-free at first b/c the texture was so spot on and it wasn't heavily almond flavored. I dislike marzipan, so I was quite pleased at the neutral flavor profile of the pancake. We asked the server and she informed us that it was made with almond, oat, and coconut flour. An excellent option for the g-f people out there.

The soft scrambled eggs were the turning point for me, where I switched from liking Plow to loving Plow. Of course we've all read about the proper way to slowly scramble eggs, slow and over low heat a la Julia Child or Jacques Pepin, and I thought I had it right before. I was wrong. These eggs were so, so silky. Not runny, but perfectly silky, highlighted by fava greens, chanterelles, and goat cheese. The much lauded crispy potatoes and some levain toast (well buttered with butter you could actually taste) were also there. I don't even like eggs and I kept going back to them, passing over the crispy fried potatoes!

We also tried the Chinese Breakfast whose name manages to simultaneously bring to mind my family and Humphry Slocombe's Secret Breakfast. Anyway, of course you can't go wrong with gingery braised pork shoulder over rice, but the soft scrambled eggs are really where it's at.

All the ingredients used were obviously quality; seasoning levels and ingredient ratios were also well balanced. Loved the clean yet rustic vibe of the naturally sunny dining room. Also loved our server who understood that we were there to sample some different dishes vs eating at a traditional pace. She brought things out at a comfortable rate and was there to answer questions as needed. I can't imagine this perfect vision of what breakfast at Plow is ruined by the hoards on weekends so I guess I'll just save it for an occasional 7am weekday treat.

I've been back to Dell'Uva a few times and have always had great service. I'm typically there for the evening wine drinking bit and not brunch though.

I recently stopped into Knead Patisserie b/c I had a Heard About deal for a free pastry. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Knead now has its own counter and bakeshop in the back of Local Mission Eatery. It's grown up since my last visit, right when Local opened.

The woman at the counter was friendly and patient as I asked about all the pastries. I selected a morning bun as my free treat, taking it to go to share with a friend who was double parked. We scarfed it down noting the outside of the bun was good, perhaps nearly as good as Tartine's famed version. When we got to the inside of the morning bun where the bites were a combination of soft and gooey with a bit of caramelized sugar crunch, it was perfect.

It was so good in fact, that my pastry companion properly parked the car and decided to go inside to buy the lemon ricotta pop tart I had spied on my initial foray. The pop tart was refreshingly not too sweet and we deemed it a high class version of the 4 for $1 Home Run pies that I we used to eat from the corner store as kids.

I love the convenience of Knead Patisserie too, no dealing with the epically horrible parking and lines at Tartine. Brunch looked quite pleasant at Local too, I'll be back for further investigation.

My go-to place in town for half sour pickles (fresh cucumbers in a salt brine w/ herbs, delicious), fresh kraut, and every type of sausage, smoked and otherwise, known to man. Love it when they have the sample platters of the various meats on the counter for you to try as you peruse the meats. I also like the selection of farmer's cheeses, chicken liver pate and eggplant dishes at the deli counter, and the cryovac-ed smoked chicken thighs near the pre-packed sausages, they're a great addition to cassoulet and stews. Check the use by date on the packaged products as they can be past their prime.

Parking is difficult at best along that stretch of Geary but not so bad on the side streets.

I purchased a yelp deal for Diva Nail Lounge. I was headed out on a 2 week tropical vacation and wanted a pedicure that would hold up to constant abuse from sand and snorkeling. I opted for the Shellac pedi and was extremely skeptical that it would hold up for the duration of the trip. I thought about opting for a light color but was talked into a sparkly red color by the male technician.

I had cut professional pedicures out of my budget for the last 5 or so years and I am completely converted by the Shellac pedi. I'm going on 4 weeks now and am finally getting a few chips but they are only noticeable upon close inspection. It's true that I will have to return to the salon to have them remove the polish but it's held up amazingly well and is still very glossy looking. Another perk of the Shellac pedi, is that once it's set by the UV light, it's completely dry. As in you can put on socks and boots to leave the salon.

I was also pleased with the service and cleanliness at Diva Nail Lounge. I was offered complimentary sparkling wine (yes please!) and appreciated that they don't use spa chairs b/c of sanitary issues. All of the tools were disposable or sanitized and the salon was spacious and relaxing. My technician did a great job (not too rough or ticklish) and made sure that my nails were shaped to my liking.

I've been told that the Americinn is the best game in town. Basic but clean rooms, free wifi, soft pillows (a plus for me), and free continental breakfast.  I actually took full advantage of the complimentary tea and coffee stand in the lobby for my morning and evening tea. There's an indoor pool and a gym nearby but not on-site (bummer). There's also no restaurant or bar to speak of, but there are some close by.

Rooms are relatively spacious. Mine lacked a closet but had a rod, hangers, and two luggage stands. Furnishing and artwork are no frills but at least they have duvets instead of polyester bedspreads. Complimentary toiletries include generic shampoo, conditioner, soap, and a make-up removal towelette packet. The blow dryer is one of those wussy mini wall-mount deals, I'm not a fan. Always love a mini-fridge and microwave, especially with no food and beverage on-site. There are some vending machines off the lobby if you're desperate though.

Rooms have double layer windows (you can open both inner and outer windows) to keep things quiet. I did hear hallway noise but Marshall is pretty quite in general, so it wasn't an issue. Front desk staff was polite and there were oatmeal cookies at check-in.

Chotto is one of the latest San Francisco restaurants to join the izakaya trend. In Japanese, Chotto is an informal way of saying "a little" which relates well to their menu of small plates. Izakaya menus are tailored to encourage one to imbibe. Think lots of grilled skewers, fried items, tart pickles, and plates for sharing with your dining and drinking companions. The interior of Chotto is industrial Japan by way of California with lots of rough wood and white tiled walls.

I opted for the yuzu cocktail to get in the izakaya spirit, which combined sake, yuzu juice, prosecco, and honey. It was tart and refreshing and I've been seeking out anything with yuzu in it since it's a relatively new ingredient stateside. Chotto has a raw bar with expanded sushi options on the weekend. The hamachi sashimi special was just ok, but I think Chotto excels more with their grilled and cooked dishes. Tsukemono, house-pickled vegetables, vary according to what is available to the kitchen and are a nice nibble while you look over the menu. Kara-age is a great benchmark item for izakayas, and the ginger and soy marinated, fried chicken thighs are juicy and crisp. A squeeze of the accompanying lemon wedge helps brighten the dish so it doesn't feel too heavy.

We also tried the gyutan or domestic Kobe beef tongue. While the tongue was tender, I couldn't detect any of the charcoal grill flavor or shichimi chili pepper. I had to order it though to see if a pampered Kobe-style beef tongue was more marbled that a conventional beef tongue (no detectable difference). Okonomiyaki in Japan comes with all different types of ingredients, but are generally savory pancakes stuffed with meat or seafood, cabbage, green onions, and drizzled with lots of Kewpie mayo and okonomiyaki sauce and topped with bonito flakes. The Chotto version sports double-decker pancakes stuffed with shrimp, ramen noodles, pork, cabbage, and is topped with lots of sauce and mayo. A knife and some kind of serving utensil would help make this easier to eat and I'm a life long chopstick user. It's definitely indulgent and a dish to share.

We finished up by splitting a bowl of the spicy karamiso tonkotsu ramen. The broth is made in-house by slowly simmering pork and chicken bones. The chef then makes his own miso and adds it the broth. There is unmistakably a lot of umami going on in the bowl, it almost has a Parmesan cheese flavor. The pork belly adds a substantial oomph to the dish so you won't leave hungry.

Service was fine but not up to the personalized experience one gets at Ippuku. It was missing a little bit of that Japanese graciousness and hospitality. I would go back to check out the happy hour if I was in the neighborhood.

La Espiga De Oro (Golden Ear of Corn) is truly a neighborhood gem and dangerously close to my house. There are a few key points of interest at L.E.d.O.

One cannot and should not leave without ordering a Guatemalan tamale. This is no mortal tamale. Instead, you get a rather hefty sized packet of the silkiest masa you have ever encountered enclosing an entire braised chicken drumstick, all wrapped up in a banana leaf. The masa is amazing, so creamy and savory; these are addictive.

One also cannot and should not leave without purchasing a bag of chicharrones by the lb. The owner explained to me that they don't just fry pork skin, they use actual long, thick strips of meaty pork belly for their chicharrones. Although they are amazing chopped up and put into burritos and tacos, I like to serve pieces of them for an indulgent pre-dinner bite.

The owner also explained that not only does L.E.d.O. make their own masa and tortillas, but they also grind the corn to make their own flour. The tortillas are good, but my favorite are the bags of house-made tortilla chips, so good! These are not thin and wispy chips, they are rather substantial and will stand up to all salsas and dips.

The pupusas are freshly made and also quite good.

Other than a few small tables and a few counter seats, there's not a lot in the way of ambiance or seating.

I was so, so very excited when Heart opened up last year. Finally, a decent wine bar within walking distance of my house and one with plenty of space! Although Heart gets crowded, you can usually snag at least one seat at one of the spacious reclaimed wood tables.

Yes, they serve in mason jars and no, it doesn't bother me. If I was springing for something spendy, I would request the real stemware they keep for such occasions. By the glass prices span the range, but most bottle prices are ridiculously affordable at Heart. This is both a blessing and a curse as it occasionally encourages one to overindulge.

The staff is fine, I've yet to receive anything other than service befitting for the casual environment.