"Where-To-Wednesday" Adventures: July 2012

Having lived in LA, I’m quite familiar with the feeling. You dress the part, you stand in line, you start mentally deciding exactly what drink you’ll start with as you balance your weight on your left, then right, foot to equally give your poor feet a rest in these ridiculously tall stilettos. And just when you think you’ve had it and begin to realize that this “exclusive new place” is so exclusive that no one is actually in there yet, and this line is the facade of the century…. you turn to leave and then it happens: the red, velvet rope is pulled back, and in and you and your little heels go. Weee! With a wave of nostalgia accompanied by an imaginary red rope, I stepped through the door of Nopa and took a good look around. Finally, I’m here! Just like old times…except the line has been replaced by a long-awaited reservation (2 weeks people), and the chance of being roofied has been drastically reduced. Cheers to that, and to Lindsey for putting this latest adventure of Where-To-Wednesday together on June 20^th that myself, Elizabeth, Chelsea, Jocelyn, Tara, Becky, Melissa, and newbie Natasha enjoyed. So…did Nopa live up to the hype, or did it fizzle like yesterday’s biggest new thing? Read on fellow foodies, to check Nopa’s star status on the 0/10 scale.

Ambiance 8: I noticed on their website, Nopa informs you of their convenience to accept reservations up to one month in advance. In actuality, this is less of a convenience, however, and more of a…rule. So when we were able to snag resos for our rather large group – it was a huge win and sigh of relief. The flip side… the only opening was at 6pm. With most of San Francisco still at work, when we arrived it was a very welcoming experience – the hostess was ready and waiting for us, the chef actually knew one of the girls in our party and welcomed her with open arms (literally!), we found a spot at the bar, and there was a nice buzz of chatter amongst the otherwise open restaurant. We were seated rather quickly as we had the full attention of the hostess, and from our upstairs table I took advantage of the open area to snap photos of the place for y’all to enjoy. And good thing I did because in thirty minutes time, the place went from quiet and low key to hoppin’ from every angle. It’s very open and inviting, with big windows that allow light to pour into the entire restaurant. A very lively place, this restaurant was built in a loft-style fashion with the second floor overlooking the bustling bar area, open kitchen and patrons dining and laughing below you. The open set-up creates an invitation to gather with friends around the bar or around a table, and reverberates a feeling of excitement and energy. It’s almost impossible not to have a good time here. Unless you’re looking at your bill with wine drinker’s remorse…but we’ll get to that later.

Wine 9: With this unseasonably warm weather we're having, what's a girl to do but drink it up? Literally, that is. With the weather being what it was and - did I mention we were on the second level, hanging out with all the kitchen heat - yes, you guessed it - white wine...and make it snappy. We started out with the Vacheron Savignon Blanch 2010 Sancerre. It was a crispy dry wine, with a bit more of a tart than overly sweet taste. We quickly moved on to the Albert Mann "Cuvee Albert" Riesling 2009 Alsace, which was a touch more sweet (although not overtly), but very smooth and crisp at the same time - giving it a smooth introduction, and fading with a hint of effervesence. The latter paired much better with the food...and without the tang of the Sancerre adjacent to it, this one was a winner in my book.

Food 7: Pins and needles!! I know, we're getting to the main event. And although you'll have to read through each dish to get the full scoop, I will say this - the annoyance of the fake line and overly roided up bouncer you have to pass through to finally get to the good stuff you came for (what is this, Koi?)....may seem suspiciously familiar as you read our progression from apps to main. Think I spoiled it all? Kim K's on her way...you ain't seen nothing yet.

- Strawberries With Yogurt and Sea Salt: We must have been sat in VIP, because no sooner did we sit down than these magical little numbers appeared! The sweet taste of the yogurt and tart berry, paired with sea salt created a delicious taste combination. Delightful!

- Warm Goat Cheese, Arugula, Crostini and Strawberries: The name of the dish doesn't leave much to the imagination, does it? It was a simple dish - very clean combination. The flavors were safe...like coloring inside the lines. Not a very robust flavor within here. This dish could have used more of a risk. Like Sunset Strip at 2am.

- Marinated Cucumbers, Pickled Beets, Garlic Croutons and Feta: Very similar to the latter in terms of the clean, safe consistency. The presentation was more of a salad than just an array of veggies – which was a plus, served with a light spring mix and oil. There was a nice consistency of contrasting flavors – with the pickled beets, crunchiness of the cucumber, the sour tart from the olives, the sharp tang of the feta and the mild flavor of the spring mix tying it together.

- Little Fried Fish and Romesco: Yes...just as the name hints at - these were little, crispy fried fish. Okay at best, nothing ground breaking here. A little salty, as you would expect...a little disappointing. I would complain that there were small portions but....we didn't exactly need any more.

- Red Little Gem Lettuces, Blueberries, Almonds and Pantaleo: This simple (did you see that coming??!!) mixture did create a nice combination of textures and flavors - with the salty pantaleo, mixed with the sweet blueberries and crunchy almonds. Great idea of a salad to recreate at home very easily. But alas (sigh) bo-ring.

- Housemade Blood Sausage: Sometimes I think dishes have fancy schmancy names to take up room on the menu. So "sausage" wouldn't suffice where "housemade blood sausage" would be much more impressive. I now understand that that's, in fact, wrong. There is a difference between those two. A huge one in fact. Note to self: a menu is not a boring novel...do not skim and skip words that look too long to think about. A blood sausage is not only made differently than a regular sausage (spoiler alert: blood sausage is made by mixing the meat with actual blood, giving it its dark color. It's so obvious, it's actually surprising. Yet, not as surprising as when it arrives at your table. Hello unwelcome guest). It also tastes much differently than regular sausage. No, it doesn't really have a metallic taste as you might think, it was just much more bland..and watery. Although now I know that wasn't water... Learning is fun!

- Flatbread: I don't know if it's because this was the next dish I had after the Blood Sausage but...it was bloody good! That was a joke...this dish is blood-free. I do feel as though I should address that given the history here. It was definitely a welcomed dish - a little heartier than the rest we had had thus far, and had a nice consistency of crispy flatbread, juicy bacon, soft creamy crescenza and sweet nectarines.

- White Sea Bass: Okay. Now we’re getting somewhere. It feels like a celebrity just entered this hot spot. Welcome Sea Bass…you little number you. The sea bass was a refreshing welcome, literally. It was an extremely fresh dish with delicious flavor combinations and a perfect mix of consistency, all served up in a warm broth that enveloped the fish. The delicate fresh sea bass was complimented well with the more solid consistency of the chick peas, and the spicy kick of the rouille sauce served on top. Well done.

- Rotisserie Herbed Chicken: Even after all of the food we had already eaten up to this point, I think I probably could have wolfed this puppy down alone. Okay – I KNOW I could have. This was absolutely delicious and my favorite dish of the night…well, tied with the porkchop. Spoiler alert. The chicken was succulent and juicy, with delicious sweet herbs tucked in between the skin and meat – giving it an addicting flavor that I, for one, could not get enough of! Served with a side of veggies consisting of rapini and carrots, topped with sweet raisins, tart capers and smooth, creamy mezzo secco that fills your mouth with sweet and spice wrapped into one.

- Pork Chop: Hello second favorite. This is truly a must order. The pork chop was tender, juicy giving off a hint of cherry, from the cherry olive tapenade topping it. Roasted spring onions and scarlett runner bean seed gave some heartier substance to the dish and a nice contrast from the cherry taste. A deep smoky flavor ran deep in this dish and added to the depth and warmth – creating a delicious flavor combination. Is your mouth watering yet? Just wait for the pictures below…

- Steak: At first bite, I was a little disappointed. I know – “steak,” “disappointed,” how can these two words possibly exist in the same sentence outside the context of “I was extremely disappointed they ran out of steak.” But…the truth is I was. I took an end piece and it was very well-done. Well-done as in…over-cooked. Not: blue-ribbon, trophy-worthy, well-done. An optimist…I took another piece from middle and….winner, winner, steak dinner. Delicious. It’s a disappointment it wasn’t cooked consistently the whole way through, but the middle was very good. It had a hint of salt and pepper, was full of flavor and immersed in the same type of smoky flavor we tasted with the pork chop.

- Housemade Pappardelle: This delicate, homemade pasta was topped with a rich Bolognese sauce inclusive of English peas and parmesan. Delicious! Can you ever go wrong with homemade? (The answer to that is ‘no,’ by the way).

- Moroccan Vegetable Ragine: I do know that this was topped with almonds and a lemon yogurt. What I don’t know is how it tasted because we ran out....like Katie on Tom Cruise. Snap!

- Grilled Broccoli: Seems boring enough, right? WRONG. How do I make MY broccoli this delicious? I’ll tell you. It had a lemon zest to it, along with spicy pepper flakes and…here’s the kicker: breadcrumbs! Who’d a’thunk it? Yes, breadcrumbs you interesting stranger you. What a nice surprise? The breadcrumbs added a crunch to the broccoli and altogether the ingredients provided the perfect combination to a winning dish, that would have otherwise been a boring side. Love when that happens!

- Sauteed Greens and Roasted Cauliflower: Cooked well – which isn’t always easy for spinach. Not too soft, not too crunchy – it was done just perfectly. Overall though, the dish was not very exciting. My reco? Skip.

- Summer Squash: Here’s another simple side that with the help of an ingredient, really surprises and impresses. The squash was fresh on its own, however, served with fresh peas and a minty, herbed yogurt – it was beyond refreshing and created a very nice surprise to the side dish. This was a great dish to have towards the end of the meal to balance your palate….and get ready for our favorite part: dessert!!!! Am I five years old?? YES.

Which leads me to….yes, our favorite part of the meal. So excited were we that we ordered not one, not two, but ALL of the desserts. We really are just five years old. But wasn’t being five great?? We’ll stay here at five, thank you very much.

- Sodaipillas: Mmmm. Dough pouches tossed in sugar and spice and all that’s nice, with a cardamom honey butter for dipping. Delicious.

- Strawberry and Yogurt Semifreddo: Creamy yogurt that just must be icecream because it’s so buttery and creamy, with little strawberries packed inside and strawberry sauce drizzled on top and gathered under the slice. Pistachios added a nice crunch to the dish.

- Trio of Sorbets and Ice Cream: A boring approach to dessert…ice cream? But I must say, the flavors were very original and surprising. We tasted lavender, raspberry and even basil! Served with sugar cookies it was a unique approach to the an overdone dessert.

- Chocolate Pot de Crème: Served in a little glass jar (how cute are WE??) this chocolate custard was topped with an espresso cream, and served with a little hazelnut biscotti. Delicious.

- Cherry Frangipane Tart: Served warm, this tart was filled with delicious berries and frangipane, giving it a warm, almond taste. Resting on a bed of noyaux crème, it was a heavenly combination.

- Poppyseed and Cornmeal Shortcake: An interesting take on shortcake…I’m not sure I prefer it to the more traditional shortcake, but…the poppyseed cornmeal gave it a hearty taste and an interesting contrast to the buttermilk ice cream and berries.

So you see, a lot of variance here between the courses. I waited until you read through all of it to spill our individual grades on each (thanks for the waiting cue, Adele) so here they are - Apps: 5 (ouch, sorry Nopa), Entrees: 9, Dessert: 9.

Price 7: By now you know that dining out in San Francisco isn’t cheap. You’ve probably also used your critical thinking skills to deduce that dining out in San Francisco whilst enjoying your meal with wine…also, not cheap. This we have come to understand. With multiple bottles enjoyed during dinner with our large party, the cost adds up but we are typically dealing with bottles averaging around $30. Dinner at Nopa, however, we began to see that the selection of $30 bottles was a bit slim. And that, coupled with the recommendations from our waitress set us off in the $50 range (the Riesling was $42 and the Sauv Blanc was $55. Yikes). Hello compounded bill. Recommendation to Nopa – let’s get some better options for affordable wine on the menu so I don’t need to order a glass of wine just to get through the agony when the bill comes.

Noise Level 7: I should preface this by saying I am assuming you'll be dining at a normal time...and not during the early bird special when you'll hear crickets here around 6. When Nopa is in it's happy place, the restaurant is jamming with people, laughs, background noise, and that wonderful sounds of martinis being shaken. It's a very lively place - read: good for big groups, not romantic dates. Unless you don't mind accompanying your yells across the table with hand-written notes to each other. Aww, how romantic. Or a nod to 8th grade. Your pick.

Service 8: I really appreciate it when a server just finds the happy medium between being a table stalker and a missing person. It is a true art form that is just taken for granted. Our server was great – she was there when we needed her, not when we didn’t, and she welcomed us with those fabulous little strawberries. Thumbs up.

All About The Area: Located in the area “North of the Panhandle,” cleverly named Nopa is nestled in a bustling neighborhood in and of itself, not far from quaint and charming Hayes Valley neighborhood and close by those beautiful painted ladies in Alamo Square. All just a minute or two in a cab ride. Nopa itself is on the always-busy street Divisadero, not far from the Independent (dinner and a show – done and done) with lots of shops and restaurants along the way. And with Nopa’s own sister restaurant just a few streets away, you can tell they knew a good area when they found one. And now you’ve got one more reason to try this area – happy adventures, all.

Overall Grade: 7.6