Some Stuff I Ate In San Francisco (Abridged Version)

Spanish Style Heritage Beef Meatballs at Pena Pachamama

Pena Pachamama was a choice I made my first night in San Francisco after arriving late. I was smitten by the idea of having Bolivian Food along with a floor show of latin music by the Restaurant's House Band, Sukay. I chose three small dishes: the meatballs pictured here, some well fried yucca, and some gummy and tough chicken billed as "crispy chicken"

The verdict: Food was nothing special. The service was horrific. Sukay's latin performance was fantastic despite the fact that I learned that I paid an $11 cover charge to hear them only when I received my bill. I'd go back for drinks and Sukay again. But not dinner.

Pena Pachamama
1630 Powell Street
in North Beach
415-646-0018


Fresh Figs and and Aged Capricious Goat Cheese From the Ferry Farmer's Market


Heritage Steak Sandwich from the Ferry Farmer's Market

The Ferry Farmers Market offers a wealth of places to eat and drink on Saturdays when Farmers and Food Vendors from all around come to sell their goods.

The fruits sold there are just fantastic. You could spend the whole morning gorging yourself on samples of Caifornia Pears, Peaches, Plums and Nectarines.

I picked up a handful of wonderfully fresh figs and some local aged goat cheese that were paired together as an afternoon snack.

The steak Sandwich produced by a nameless stall in the back of the market consisted of grilled grass fed organic beef, sliced and served on a grill toasted roll with chopped onions and horseradish cream. It made for a mighty tasty breakfast.

Ferry Building and Saturday Farmer's Market
Market at The Embarcadero


Crab Louie at the Ferry Market

One afternoon, I found myself near the ferry terminal and made lunch from stall to stall. I picked up a quarter pound of wild crab meat from San Francisco Seafood and a nice chewy roll from Acme Bread. The crab was mixed with sauce Louis and an excellent lunch was had for under $8.

San Francisco Seafood and Acme Bread
Ferry Marketplace
Market at Embarcadero


Fried Chicken at Nellies

One of the great finds of my trip came at the suggestion of the Bay Area Chowhounds: Nellie's Soul Food in Oakland. Nellie's makes some of the most insanley good fried chicken that this southern boy has ever eaten in his life. Crispy and savory with just a hint of cayenne that hits you at the back of your throat. The great food, coupled with the friendly folks who run the place, make it a don't miss for your trip to the Bay Area.

Nellie's Soul Food
1155 W. 3rd
Oakland, CA
510-625-1350



Saturday afternoon brought an opportunity to try the Salt and Pepper Crab at R&G Lounge. The serving of crab is just huge and you have to work for your dinner cracking the deep fried shells open.

R&G is also known for its dirt cheap ans tasty rice plate lunches. Hopefully, next trip, I'll get to try them.

R&G Lounge
631 Kearny Street
San Francisco, CA
415-982-7877


Roast Pork Banh Mi From Saigon Sandwich


Mieng Come from sai Jai Thai

Next time that I go to the Bay Area, I intend to devote a day or two to exploring the chow opportunities in the Tenderloin. From Original Joe's, San Francisco's version of Sabatino's, which has obviously see the neighborhood turn many directyions in its 50+ years to lots of interesting Thai, Indian and Vietnamese options. I just didn't have time to try them all.

Some places that stood out were Sai Jai Thai, Saigon Sandwiches, and Original Joes.

Sai Jai Thai had an interesting menu of both Americanized and authentic Thai dishes. One of my favorites was their Meing Come (pictured above), a one bite salad consisting of lime wedges, dried shrimp, toasted coconut, peanuts and ginger served on laloop leaves. Quite tasty.

Saigon Sandwiches stood out on two fronts: First, it's Banh Mi were so incredibly cheap :$2.50 to $2.75. Second, the bread was so good. It just reconfirms my belief that Chicago is not a good fresh bread town.


Double Double Animal Style at In N Out

I can't visit California without visiting In N Out Burger. The evil geniuses who run that company made the decision to put their only San Francisco Store a block away from Fisherman's Wharf. The result? Incredible waits for food, table hoarding tourists, and one regular customer who thinks less of In N Out for it. The burger was excellent as always.

In N Out Burger
In the Purgatory Known as Fisherman's Wharf
333 Jefferson
San Francisco


Assorted Truffles from XOX Truffle


Chocolate Dipped Figs from Scharffen Berger

Finally, I leave you with dessert. I subscribe to David Rosengarten's Rosengarten Report by mail every other month. For several years, he has raved about XOX Truffles and for good reason.

These aren't big golf ball sized truffles like you find in fancy department stores. They are tiny little morsels of chocolatey goodness. The caramel truffle with its caramel ganache enrobed in chocolate fondant is particularly good.

XOX Truffles
754 Columbus Avenue
(between Filbert & Greenwich)
San Francisco, CA 94133
415.421.4814

Nice pictures, Will.

Welcome to the Dark Side.

E.M.

First in a couple of long overdue reports. And sorry that it comes as market season in general is winding down. This definitely makes me yearn for produce that the grown is not bearing currently.

This seemed as good a place as any to talk about the Ferry Building Farmer's Market. My visit to SF was in early August, which certainly brought a bounty of goodies. One of the things I noticed most was the juxtaposition of fruits and veggies that do not live and play together in these midwestern zones. Strawberries should not be cohabiting with peppers; favas and tomatoes are barely kissing cousins.

Yet in temperate California, all this is possible. This was a market of plenty. Stone fruit galore, English peas that made me wish my hotel had a stove and Asian pears that tasted right* without too much skin. I confessed to a strawberry vendor that our season had been over for months. He told me theirs lasts from April to early October.

Sure, I have heard that this market was yuppified. But I'll take yuppies and their markets if they are like this. Scores of stands with oodles of choices. One stall featured dozens of peaches and nectarines and an elaborate tasting station fitted with plastic dividers to figure out which ones you like. I asked the vendor which nectarine she thought was especially hard to find or which one was tastiest - she shrugged and just told me to try until I liked something.

There is an indoor section as well with an Acme bread outpost and other fine food vendors. Sure the day was overcast and the view of the Bay Bridge was less than stunning, but sitting cross-legged on a concrete stump balancing my plate of huevos ranchero with perfectly poached eggs, toothsome bubbling black beans, slices of avocado as fresh as the day was young all over hecho a mano tortillas - well, it was sunny enough for me.

I wish I had had more than an hour or so. And a kitchen.

*I find that none of the Asian pears I can get around here taste like the ones I had in Japan. The Korean market Faberge-wrapped pears come closest, but not quite. The skins are to think and bitter and the interior doesn't get the right kind of sweet to my taste.

Greens


Favas


Eggs


Sprouts n' Such


Stone Fruit


Peas o' Plenty


Peppers


Cranberry Beans


Tomatoes


Almost Breakfast


Breakfast




Bread


Cheese

gastro gnome-

Fabulous photos. The Ferry Building and the farmer's market there remain highlights of my last trip to San Francisco.

-The GP

I agree - and I've enjoyed the other gg posts and their fabulous pictures that you've posted recently. Beautiful! Thank you!

Great photos! My friends who live in San Diego send me pictures like this, makes me envious.