Where-To-Wednesday Adventure #19: Terzo

It was bound to happen at some point. The months spent in preparation of avoiding the Marina at all costs abruptly came to a halt. When Terzo was announced as our first Marina W2W adventure, I calmly prepared myself for the worst. I imagined hair flips knocking me in the face like Tyson, Lulu lemon and American Apparel mash-ups strategically arranged in a way that screamed, "I spent hours to look like I didn’t" (don’t even try to fool me), and college campus hats still paying tribute to the “best four – er, was it five years – of my life that I am still hell bent on living out.”  My cringe face was ready. But the biggest let down: I didn’t even get to use it! And so, at the latest W2W adventure on September 19th selected by Natasha and attended by myself, Chelsea, Melissa, Bree and Elizabeth – we all were reminded of the age-old lesson: don’t judge a book by its cover. Read on to see how the rest of our story unfolded…and how we rated it on the 0/10 scale. That’s right…we won’t judge the book’s cover, but you can bet your ass we’ll rate each chapter. This is for you, friends. Yes, you are welcome. In the first chapter, we cover ambiance – enjoy.

Ambiance 8.5: Terzo gives a comfortable nod to a modern atmosphere. A contemporary feel is accentuated through big mirrors creating an illusion of a much larger space, leather seats to rest your back, and lightbulbs that hang from the ceiling in lieu of traditional track lighting. However, coupled with warm rays of candlelight that spill across each table, exposed brick throughout and endless rows of wine bottles that seem to envelope the whole restaurant in a drunk hug, it creates a sense of comfortable warmth for you to bask in as you enjoy your meal. And of course, try some of the wine. After all, it’s not just there to look pretty. Speaking of….

Wine 8:  I’m well aware of my track record, where I fail to remember to take notes on the red because I’m too self-absorbed in the white wine I’m drinking. And if you’re a red wine drinker, you’re probably used to rolling your eyes as you skip this section. Alas, my friends, the book cover wasn’t the only lesson I learned at this W2W…I actually remembered to take notes on the red wine too. Cue the big sigh of relief. I know, I’m learning. First off, the white. We started with the 2010 Smoke Screen Chardonnay. The nose put me off a bit (it smelled a bit yeasty), but still fresh from my learning, I decided not to judge, and down the hatch it went. Another success: I liked it! Creamy with hints of apricot and peach, and a bit of depth from very faint touches of oak and vanilla. Needless to say, we finished off the bottle pretty fast and moved on to the red, which was a 2011 Bovio Barbera D’alba. Unlike the Chardonnay…the nose of the Barbera was intoxicatingly good – like buttery popcorn – delicious! The wine itself was smooth, velvety and medium bodied with hints of blackberry. Overall…two wines, two winners in this chapter. Pulitzer anyone?

Food 9: If you’re coming here with a group, you’ve come to the right place. The menu is mainly filled with small, shareable plates  - -perfect for any large party. Enter: the W2W crew. Yes, we’ll take it all.

-          Heirloom Tomato Panzanella:  Delicious bread salad packed with crispy cucumbers, ripe red tomatoes, red onions, fennel, olives, and topped with feta. As if that weren’t enough, the homemade herb breadcrumbs hidden throughout were an added zesty bonus to this fresh dish. Yum!

-          Humus: Served with warm, house-made pita bread topped with spices (primarily oregano), it was a dish that was comforting without being too heavy…but, in my humble opinion, lacked in taste. Skip.

-          Fresh Fig Bruschetta: Holy figgitty fig! What seems like it will be a normal run of the mill bruschetta, actually ended up being one of my favorite dishes of the night.  The figs are so full of flavor and overall, the dish has a rich, complex taste – it’s a must-order. Thick slices of bread are lightly toasted, with a generous spread of warm, rich ricotta cheese. Chunky figs are placed atop the mixture, filling every inch of room on the bread, and sprinkled with fresh basil. Just a light drizzle of sweet balsamic vinaigrette rounds out the dish, giving it the finishing touch that makes this “small plate” one that I would easily order for my main dish. No shares. Sharing was not a lesson learned today. Phew.

-          Tomato Braised Pork Meatballs: “Now Dat’s A Meat-a-ball-a!” I imagine I would have cried out, had my mouth not otherwise been stuffed full of said meatball. The meatballs were full of flavor, rich and juicy – topped with grated reggiano cheese and sitting atop a bed of fried, crispy, polenta croutons. Delicious!

-          Free Range Chicken Spiedini: Not your average chicken skewers here… Thick pieces of chicken were sandwiched together along with large onion slices and thick cubes of bread. Juicy and a bit on the spicy side, every piece of food on the skewer was packed with flavor, stemming from a mix of the cilantro and spicy chiles….all cooked to perfection.

-          Spaghetti:  Zesty and flavorful, mixed with house cured tesa (think Pancetta), broccoli di Ciccio, and tomatoes bathed in a sweet marinara sauce and topped with Reggiano cheese. Heads up – though this is listed under the “large plates” it’s not exactly about to give the small plates a run for their money. It’s a rather small amount – and although shareable, there just enough for a little bit for everyone. If you’re big spaghetti fan…order two.

-          Roasted Green Zucchini: Mixed with Tahini to give the zucchini some depth and small pieces of rich ricotta salata for complexity, the zucchini had both a refreshing zing to it and a bit of spice….and all that’s nice.

-          Roasted Wild Coho Salmon: Succulent and full of flavor, the salmon rested between a bed of lentils, juicy baby tomatoes, and spinach – creating a wonderful combination of textures and flavors within the dish.

Dessert: Well, we didn’t order the amount of dishes we typically do, and it’s a good thing we didn’t – because each dish was pretty substantial and left us comfortably full at the end of the meal. Enter: dessert. Upon the recommendation from our server, of some of the ‘must-have’ desserts, we sucked it up and pushed forward. That’s right, it’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it…

-          Lemon Pot de Crème: This looked like it was going to be, quite literally, a heavy pot of cream. It looked rich, it looked intimidating…I was afraid. But alas, looks can be deceiving (why does this sound so familiar…? Yes, we are full of lessons today), and it was actually very light. The lemon cream was delicious, and topped with light and airy whipped cream, with an equally light almond cookie resting on top of the dish. A nice combination of flavors that eases you into the dessert world. Okay…what’s next!?

-          Organic Peach Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream: One scoop from this dish, and you’ll be looking around for a cozy blanket and fire to nestle up to. I know it sounds cheesy to say, but this dish just tastes like home. The warm, juicy peaches are surrounded by crunchy, sweet pecans and sugary, crispy oats, and topped with a small scoop of refreshing vanilla ice cream on top. It’s a cozy, comforting dish and a perfect way to end the evening.

-          Flourless Chocolate Cake: Nix that last sentence. How could we possibly end the evening without chocolate??? Fear not, the chocolate is here. And oh, is it worth waiting until the end for. Rich and delicious with every bite, the espresso whipped cream accompanying it was a perfect touch in adding a cool, light consistency to the dish.

Service 10: He got us. He just did. And under our wing we took him – into our comments, our stories and even our own little private jokes. Oh Ron…a BFF necklace is certainly in order here. With great service, outstanding recommendations, patience with our group, multiple tastes on wine (come on, it’s hard to choose with a big group of girls)…he was already riding strong around a 9/10. But throughout the night, with more stories and jokes that were told….we liked him more and more, and a final solid 10 was achieved. Cheers Ron!

Price 7.5: Oye vey. We went back and forth on this one for quite a bit. The total bill was $83….one of our more/most expensive W2W nights out. We only had 3 bottles of wine and 8 dishes plus dessert. To me, that’s expensive. BUT a few things to take into account: 1) we’re in the Marina. So I guess if you’re paying $8.99 for fro-yo down the street…you’ve got to create some sort of price distinction between dinner and fake ice-cream.  2) The dishes are meant to be shared. However, with just 3 (don’t even get me started on 3 pieces on a dish) or 4 pieces that come on a “shared” dish, I think they’re expecting groups of ants to dine here. Of course with our group, we had to up the ante with how many pieces we needed per dish – i.e. 6-8. So, I think the hidden cost to add a few more to just about every dish, quickly added up our bill. If you need us, we’ll be washing dishes in the back….

Noise Level 10: I should add a question mark to that statement – noise level: 10? We dined here the week of a big conference in SOMA, and as such, not many people were having dinner outside of SOMA. For us, that meant a very quiet dining experience at Terzo where we could all easily hear each other, because frankly, sans about 3 other tables – we were the only ones in there. However, a few people from our group have been to Terzo before on a “normal night” and said it was quite different, remembering a very loud dining experience. So, if you are going here, and it’s a “normal night” as far as you know it to be: proceed with caution.

All About The Area: It’s the Marina, people. If you read the first paragraph, you know where I stand on this. Terzo is definitely a hidden gem in the Marina and as far as I can tell, doesn’t ring true to the stereotypical things you see in other restaurants/bars in the area. But alas, IT IS THE MARINA. You either love it, or you hate it. Pick a side.

Overall Grade: 8.8

 

Ambiance - view from the front of the restaurant

The back of the restaurant...can you tell there is only one section being sat?

The delicious vino....calling to us from the wall.

The RED! 2011 Bovio Barbera D'Alba

The WHITE! 2010 Smoke Screen Chardonnay

Heirloom Tomato Panzanella

Humus

Fresh Fig Bruschetta

Tomato Braised Pork Meatballs

Free Range Chicken Spiedini

Spaghetti

Roasted Green Zucchini

Roasted Wild Coho Salmon

Lemon Pot de Creme

Organic Peach Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Where-To-Wednesday Adventure #18: Skool

Think back. What do you remember about getting Detention in school? Perhaps two hours of a snooze-fest, requiring reading, or worse yet: memorization.... *Shudder* Well this August, just like all the kiddies in the neighborhood, Where-To-Wednesday took a trip back down memory lane and went to "Skool", and boy were we in for a surprise. At a place that boasts an outdoor lunchroom and celebrates detention with a happy hour cocktail list, I beg the question: where was this Skool when I was growing up? At this latest Where-To-Wednesday adventure picked by Elizabeth – me, Becky, Melissa, Neva, Lindsey, Chelsea and the newbie Anna got checked off the attendance sheet and were in for an after-Skool lesson. So...how did our trip back to Skool fair? Read on to find out how WE graded Skool (don't you wish we could have done the same growing up) on the 0/10 report card.

Ambiance 9: The atmosphere in here is a mainly modern theme with a touch of comfort that brings an overall coziness to every aspect of the restaurant. Chairs and benches built of wood and a touch of steel, are adorned with pillows scattered across various seats to enhance the comfort. The tables these chairs are pulled up to, are full of sleek, straight edges yet are alive with radiance from the gentle, warm track lighting above, shining upon them. Large, square, symmetrical windows up front, give the glow of natural light from the outside - providing a comforting backdrop as you see the twinkle from light strands adorning the outside area, take over as the sunlight fades to darkness. The open, airy kitchen is set apart only by blocks of wood, separated every few feet in a vertical pattern. And as you bask in this ambiance before you, and catch the detention hall specials listed on the chalkboard in the bar area, it's not too hard to see why this place calls to so many different kinds of people - - and how they all find their way through a maze of one-way alleys and desolate streets to get here...but we’ll get to that when we talk about the area. For now...relax and soak in the ambiance....it's time for detention. 

Wine 9.5: You know the drill. The long lists of wine that get scoured over, only to end up still ordering at random....no idea what sort of wine you are in for. Good surprise, bad surprise....flip a coin. Not at Skool. Even though detention sounds so good it seems impossible to go wrong here, they take the chance of any bad surprises right out of the picture, with...wait for it...tastes. I'm amazed at how simple this is, and how little I find it being offered. Not only were we given a taste of the wine we were thinking of ordering, but with so many girls...we've got many unique ideas of what "tastes" good. We noticed that there were more white wines to choose from, but not as many red - very likely because Skool specializes in fish, which would lend itself a little nicer to white wine. But alas, taste both we will. So...many and multiple tastes we were given, and happy we became. So happy that when the category of "price" comes up later, we'll have come full circle - but I'll get to that in a bit. We ordered both a white and a red...us being equal opportunity winos and all.  The white was a Georges Deboeuf Chardonnay from France, which translated to a delicate, crisp chardonnay without the heaviness of oak. Which normally for me - the more oak, the better - but at a dinner setting, it's nice to have a light wine that pairs well with almost any dish. Per usual, my attentiveness to the wine I wasn't drinking (the red) lacked tremendously, and even though I know it was good....I forgot to take notes. Failure on my part. Sorry girls. Heading to detention....tehehe.

Food 8.5: With a focus on fish and flair for the Japanese style, Skool presented a different style of food than we are used to going to. We were about to get "skooled" on a cuisine that put us out of our element. Get it???? I know bad joke, BUT, you may need some vocab definitions with these dishes. Ahem, we'll begin.....

 - Fried Baby Eryngii: See? I told you. Unless you're a little fungi farmer you're probably scratching your head here. Or thinking we're chomping down on babies. Just like I would be without my handy, dandy notes. Definition: Mushrooms! (I can hear your sigh of relief). Coated with a fried goodness that held a faint resemblance to funnel cake (um...yes please), these farm little mushroom fries were a treat. They had a hint of fennel mixed with a kick of lemon and a spicy miso aioli for dipping. 

 - Shishito Pepper: Here's a little dish I like to call Pepper Roulette. Sprinkled with kelp salt and dried bonito flakes, these seemingly innocent peppers were not all equal. Most were neutral enough with a crisp crunch that gave way to a familiar pepper taste, but some....some made me think that this dish should be renamed “SHIT SHIT THAT’S HOT” pepper. It literally felt like a fire had started in your mouth. An unstoppable force of a fire. And at a table filled with all types of drinks...milk was not one of them. And so, bleary eyed with tears and unable to talk, we cursed ourselves for thinking we could outpace the heat of the pepper. Heed: proceed with caution.  

 - Kobu-Jime: What's that? You need another glance at the notecards? Thought so. Definition: Snapper. And good thing you know, because you're not going to want to miss this dish. Extremely fresh, the delicate snapper was topped with Japanese cucumber giving a slight crunch, and sprinkled with delicate yet lightly crunchy wasabi infused tobiko (fish eggs). The combination of textures and consistencies, with the freshness of the dish, make this a must-have.

 - Crab Bon Bons: These dungeness crab balls were a bit doughy, topped with an herb aioli that kicked in a heightened taste. Meh. I’ll take the 1980’s chocolate version instead.

 - Shime-Saba Tataki: Is it time to break out those Cliffs Notes already? Yep... Welcome to the Mackerel! Our waitress explained as we ordered it, that you either love or hate Mackerel. Not ones to turn down an experiment, we, of course, ordered it. It arrived, topped with a pickled ginger, sour cream mustard with a lone slice of peach atop and a sprig of Rosemary beside it. Try as they might, the Rosemary, peach and mustard combined...were no match for the fish. The creamy mustard was the strongest and a nice effort to cover up the Mackerel which, to me, tasted like the most pungent tuna I had ever had. Bad...bad surprise. Skip. I am still yearning for a stick of spearmint gum.

 - Four Cheese Flat Bread: By Jove...I think you've got this one. With rather delicate, light dishes up to this point, the flat bread was a welcomed, heartier plate. Topped with fresh tomatoes, arugula, pancetta, and ooey gooey blue cheese with a touch of goat cheese, the flat bread was quite frankly, delicious. With a slight crisp with each crunch combined with the various textures and tastes of the toppings, this was a warm, welcoming delight with every bite.

 - Mizore Age: *flip of the notecard*.....Eggplant! Albeit a side dish, this must have taken a cue from the last dish, because it also was heartier than the prior plates. Fried to perfection and resting in a sea of juices, it is topped with snow shaven Daikon radish - giving it a kick. Another perfect combination of textures and consistencies makes this one a winner.

 - Skinny Fries: Now I'm speaking your language. And let's face it...in any language, are fries ever bad? These are no exception. There's something about skinny fries that makes you eat even more of them, easily tricked by their small stature. And with a yummy, quickly-addicting miso aioli to dip them in...good luck stopping.

 - Squid Ink Spaghettina: I've only ordered a dish with squid ink once. I know, so inexperienced. But when it came, my dish with jet black. Not exactly screaming to be eaten. So when this dish came up as a potential choice, I squirmed in my seat. Really? We wanted to do this? Yes, I was told. Yes, we did. And you know....I'm glad we did because it was definitely the learning experience for me. Yes..."Skool" done gone taught me a lesson. The dish arrived as an extremely appetizing bowl o' fun, with no "ink" black reminders that had haunted me for so long. The noodles themselves are perfectly al dente...although not that exciting. The real treat seems to be everything else in that little bowl. Served in a sea of lemon grass dashi-broth, were Monterey squid and shrimp mixed with red curry, garlic tomato compote, seaweed butter and mushrooms...this one packs a flavor punch.

 - Rock Risotto: In a word: amazing. Arriving with a thick, creamy and rich risotto topped with two deliciously seared scallops - this, my friend, was a good surprise. A very good surprise. The risotto was packed with rock shrimp and asparagus, which gave a more complex consistency to the dish. Heads up - there are only two scallops here so... do yourself a favor and order another round!

 - Alaskan Halibut: So fresh you'll swear Skool is hiding fishing rods in the back. The halibut is delicious, as is the polenta cake accompanying it, served dripping with creamy burrata. The combination of the smooth halibut mixed with the gritty polenta made a very nice, complex combination of textures - and with rich flavor consistencies, this one deserved a gold star.

 - Polenta Salmon: I think we're catching on to their polenta + fish trick.... But the combination is so good, I'll fall for it again tomorrow. This time the fish was encrusted in polenta (points for creativity here) served with a crisp, rich strip of bacon on top. Surf and turf if you will? I will.

 - Steak Ichibo: I think there may be some unwritten rule about not ordering steak at a seafood restaurant. Well folks, it's time to write that one down. The steak was forgettable  - - not very flavorful in taste at all...but shame on us for ordering meat at a restaurant with a symbol of a fish in its name. Hint: We. Do. Fish. At least it was served with a side of polenta.... wait, where did I see that before?

Dessert: Once we hit our limit of seafood at this "seafood restaurant" we did not stop there. We ordered the steak. And once that was down the hatch and the regular menu was done, do you think we stopped there? Rhetorical. Of course we didn't. Our dessert side was empty. Bring it on. Polenta cake! Or am I just toying with you.... read on and find out. I will say this, the dessert was damn good and my notes were pathetic due to the fact that I was stuffing my face as fast as my little hands could get that fork to my mouth, so you'll have to excuse my lack of details here. I'm going more off of memory since "delic" in my notes...will simply not do.

- Blue Cheese Cake: It looks dainty...but don't let that fool you. This small dish makes up for it's size ten times over, with the richness of its flavor. Its rich and creamy, and served with a sprig of Rosemary that gives the dish a sweet depth. Succulent honeycomb and almonds wait on the sidelines - perfect combinations to swoop up with your spoon, that pair perfectly with the cheesecake.

 - Lavender Panna Cotta: My notes read: "tastes like a spa. In a good way." Ah yes...that must be the lavender that so quickly escaped me when the wine clouded my pin-pointing skills. Spa it is. And spa you will like. Light yet creamy, with hints of lavender it's a refreshing way to end the meal.

 - Cardamom Chocolate Cake: Light panna cotta? Thumbs up. Light flourless chocolate cake? Why? Why would you do such a thing? That’s what the panna cotta is for! Pack this cake with hundred dollar bills because chocolate cake should be rich! It should make you sit back in your seat and rub your tummy, as you eat that last bite and simultaneously claim you shouldn’t have. That’s what chocolate is for, people.  So, in my humble opinion...this could have been a little more rich. Did I mention that? Adorned with mint leaves and orange confit, it gave the cake very unique yet complementary flavor combinations that worked well.

- Ice Cream: The daily flavors were Kahlua with mint, and Blackberry with Cabernet...both were delicious and creamy. Don't let the boring "ice cream" title on the menu fool you. Delicious!

Service 10: It seems that our last restaurant experience beckoned help from the gods of restaurant karma. And oh, were we blessed. Words like “please” and thank you” were thrown out with a smile, along with fantastic recos of dishes that I would have been otherwise left scratching my head and slowly mispronouncing…all the while wondering just what the hell I was ordering. But alas, Heather set us straight with her recos on apps and mains…which led to a crowd pleasing dinner. And when the wine arrived, my faith in wine courtesy was restored as she poured a taste before actually filling the glasses. What a concept. Presidio Social Club…I hope you’re taking notes. The service was impeccable and at times even felt like a friend was helping us out. So much so that we even extended an invite to her to join us at our next where to Wednesday. How often do you leave a restaurant with a full stomach AND a new friend? Rock on, Skool.  Another bonus? The manager even came out to say hello to us and thank us for coming. Love the service here!

Price 7: Oh wine. You do it to us every time...and yet we keep coming back to you. For a total of $86 per person, wine being the obvious main culprit here, it was on the more expensive side. That's not to say that the dishes and wine themselves weren't priced good individually...just that ordering each like they’re going out of style, put us at the $86 mark. Step aside banks, it’s W2W’s time for a bailout. At least we give the people a review they can use. Not just checking fees. Damn those banks.

Noise Level 9: It's a very open atmosphere in a small space, yet the acoustics are pretty darn good! Well..at least at our little table off to the side from everyone else. Okay...I'm realizing this part of the review may only apply to the corner table in the back by the bar. So...if you get that table...two thumbs up. Even with eight loud noisy girls talking at once, we could all still hear each other and conversation was always flowing. Just like home room. Oh memories.

All About The Area: I can't even really say for certain what area this is. I think it's SOMA...but not the cool/trendy SOMA area...more of the "am I on the right street? Where are you taking me?" part of SOMA. Oh hell, we could have even been in Mexico. I don't know. It was a long drive. I will say this - plan in advance because there no cab drivers hanging out by the corner of "you're lost" and "where the hell is this" to conveniently take you home. Call ahead, drive or...bring a compass. Or never leave. I did tell you they have an outdoor patio...just saying. Hold on to those good surprises, people.  

Overall Grade: 8.8

The outside area...do you spot the outside seating too??

Where were these cocktails back when we were in detention?

Ambiance...now you see what I mean.

Our vino!

Fried Baby Eryngii

Shishito Pepper (pronouced: SHIT SHIT THAT'S HOT!)

Kobu-Jime

Crab Bon Bons

Shime-Saba Tataki

Four Cheese Flat Bread

Mizore Age

Skinny Fries

Squid Ink Spaghettina

Rock Risotto

Alaskan Halibut

Polenta Salmon

Steak Ichibo

Blue Cheese Cake

Lavender Panna Cotta

Cardamom Chocolate Cake

Ice Cream - Kahlua with mint and Blackberry with Cabernet

Where-To-Wednesday Adventure #17: Presidio Social Club

When I was in school, my favorite days were the ones when we had field trips. You know those days – you’re “learning” AND you get to take a trip to a cool place that isn’t called school? Score! Best. Days. Ever. (Only second to those special days in my Spanish class some years later, that we would come to call “culture days” - - which were really just movie days. Not just Spanish movies….any movies. Because “culture” is everywhere, right?) There is something about actually physically leaving the norm and transporting yourself somewhere else, that makes the day special. You might actually “learn” (gasp) without the reality of having to read about it in a physical book. And let’s face it, the authors of those “social studies” books really didn’t play up the suspense of actual history events in the way it could have. Especially with all those vocab words getting in the way. Please. People, tell me a story. So when we had the chance to dine at a restaurant that originally served as a military barracks in 1903 (ahem – field trip!), I was ecstatic! And the bonus? Inspired by the location’s history, the team that designed thePresidio Social Club did so in an effort to evoke the mood of a 1940s officers’ club. On an adventure that felt like it transported us to the San Diego Top Gun academy (Where are we? Oh wait, I’m still wearing a parka. Sigh), off to the end of that elusive 7th mile of San Francisco we went to conquer the Presidio. Many thanks to Tara for planning this fabulous field trip of a Where-To-Wednesday on July 25th that myself, Becky, Melissa, Chelsea, Jocelyn, Lindsey, Natasha and newbie Sarah enjoyed. So….did Presidio Social Club put us “at ease” or remind us that our childhood fieldtrips are only magical at the age of 5? Read on…you vicarious armchair field-tripper you, to see how Presidio tipped the 0/10 scale.

Ambiance 9: Aside from no serenades taking place with or without the tunes of “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling,” the ambiance here was still pretty reflective of an officers’ club (or more accurately – for my lack of ever stepping foot inside an officers’ club – what I would envision an officer’s club looking like). Sans the man with the mullet costume sticking out his back pocket (yes, this happened…stay tuned for the photo of evidence), the place held an air of class about it. With predominantly clean, white paneled walls and beams, amidst a sea of dark wood tables and booths, the place exuded a laid back yet upscale feel. Stylish retro ceiling fans and strategically placed palms throughout the restaurant gave a nod to the past, and if that wasn’t enough – the white paneled side entry porch and the red retro drum set at the entrance paying tribute to the original building 563…should do the trick. So far field trip…you far outweigh that boring social studies book. Gold star.

Wine 9: Sometimes, with all of the amazing food on the menu, the wine selection actually seems to be the most daunting of the tasks. Perhaps that’s because we typically order the entire menu of food and only a few bottles of wine…leaving the remaining hundreds of bottles still on the menu, untried and unconquered by us. So when we select a wine…it better be good, damnit! When we were handed the wine menu at Presidio Social Club, I could feel my inner wino in me relax. With just a limited list of pretty good wines that I could actually pronounce without a question mark at the end of my order, we felt confident in the available wines and did in fact like what we ordered. We went with the Trefethen 2010 Chardonnay, which was more floral than oaky, with a minerality that lended itself to pair very well with the food. We also had a red…but I’m apparently a very selfish wine drinker and don’t give a hoot about what other wine (roll of eyes, flip of hair) anyone else is drinking. Or I’m distracted. Whatever.  Let’s talk food.

Food 8: Predominately comfort food, I heard a lot of raves amongst our group. Who doesn’t love grilled cheese?? Spoiler alert… But I mean, most of us adults aren’t chomping on grilled cheese sandwiches on a daily basis, so when we do have it, it’s a freaking treat. And how do we treat our treats? With the respect that these comforting treats deserve. There are varying degrees of good though, and sometimes the fact is - that what you’re eating is more impressive than how good it is. I’ve had varying degrees of chocolate cake goodness in my days, but I have never, I repeat never, taken a bite of a chocolate cake that wasn’t out of this world and said outloud – not the best cake I’ve ever had – I’m not eating this. Come on, it’s chocolate cake for crying out loud. Be it “the best” or “meh”…it’s still chocolate cake. And chocolate cake I will eat. Okay…I’ve said my peace. You be the judge.

-          Marinated Beets & Ricotta: a very simple yet refreshing dish filled with beautiful yellow beets and topped with ricotta cheese all in a light olive oil and topped with a hint of pepper. A nice start to the meal.

-          PSC Gruyere Cheese Toasts with tomato fondue: seriously? Cut the shit – this is GRILLED CHEESE, people! With a boring name like “cheese toasts” it’s a miracle we even ordered this at all, but I’m glad our overzealous stomachs commanded it. It wasn’t the BEST grilled cheese I ever had, but like I said – it’s grilled cheese. Grilled cheese rocks! And..kind of reminds me of field trips I went on as a kid. Oh memories. They come with four small pieces (yes, even cut the way you liked when you were a child) of gruyere grilled cheese and topped with parsley, with a small mug of warm tomato soup to dip in. I’d recommend a few orders….and changing the name away from “toast.” Bleh.

-          Pan Roasted Mussels: I actually didn’t try any of these, so I can’t comment on how good they were, but I will say that the presentation looked very appetizing. There seemed to be a fair amount of mussels in the dish (close to ten), in a cioppino broth topped with chopped fennel, heirloom tomatoes and bread pieces for dipping.

-          Deviled Eggs: Great presentation – and even topped with small, crispy pieces of ham that created a nice surprise to the dish. It was very flavorful with a nice combination of textures. I will say this though – 3 deviled eggs? Why 3? Does anyone ever really eat with a party of 3 people? 2 – yes. 4 – sure. But 3? Come on. Put another egg on the dish and call it day. Yeesh.

-          Island Style Tuna Poke with Kennebec chips: I’m not sure what island they’re referring to in the style this dish reflects, but I don’t think I ever want to go there. The tuna was rather tasteless outside of the ginger you couldn’t help but notice, and it was warm. Warm. I don’t like my raw seafood “warm.” That’s just asking for a fight on the island – tuna vs. my stomach. I’ll pass. And you should too. Grade: D-. Saved from an F solely by the chips. 

-          Smoked Trout: Don’t be fooled by the boring name of the dish on the menu “smoked fish plate.” Lord somebody hire these people a marketing team. This dish was absolutely delicious! The smoky flavor created a rich taste which was a perfect finish to the light consistency of the trout.  It was served topped with peppered, sliced hard boiled eggs which kind of left me scratching my head. Not the perfect combo there…but the other toppings lent themselves very well to the dish. Vibrant yellow and fresh beets were a perfect fit with the smoky trout, while tiny pieces of garlic accentuated the rich depth to the dish and jalapeno slices created a spicy kick that left a lasting impression of the dish in your mouth.

-          Chilled Corn Soup: This was sent over compliments of the chef. Aww, pretty nice of him – too bad it was also pretty blah. Can you return a dish that’s sent over for free? I’m beginning to think he had a ton of leftover corn with no ideas as to what to do with it and little time to prepare. Light bulb = cold water + corn. Well that also equals fail. Apparently I was too busy on field trips to bother doing my math homework. Although a refreshing break between dishes, I think that was more because it was chilled…and watery. So it was kind of like a glass of water, with corn in it. Skip. Unless it’s free. Then just send it back. I dare you. I double dog dare you. And then tell me what happens. Pins and needles over here.

-          Sweet Creamed Corn: Yep, there it is. The dish where all the corn was supposed to go. Perhaps not many people had ordered it that night. Well, their loss because it pretty freaking phenomenal. Quite the contrast from the pretend corn dish we had just slurped down, this one was warm, creamy and buttery – an absolute delight, and even topped with cheese. Winner winner, corn dinner.

-          Macaroni and Cheese: Here we go – another comfort food. Did I mention it was chilly outside? Because I feel that that is a key piece of information as to why everyone loved this comfort food so much. Me? Maybe I’ve been in San Francisco too long that the cold weather has just become the norm and the sun is the element I am more surprised by. Either way – this dish was good – not AMAZING, but good. And I know, Mac and Cheese has, over the years, become the surprise special on the menu that visitors seem to scoff at at first. Mac and Cheese? Like the blue box? You’ve got to be kidding me. And then they taste. That’s when the magic happens. Here…I saw no such thing. No fireworks. No David Copperfield shit. None of that. Just some warm macaroni noodles with cheese, herbed breadcrumbs and parsely. Good but…don’t write that letter home just yet.

-          Pork Porterhouse Chop: *crains head* is there a wood burning oven back there? This pork chop is phenomenal and bursting with flavor. It’s juicy, delicious and smoky – making you savor every bite of its goodness. It’s even served with a side of baked beans, whose rich taste and opposite texture create a nice combination of flavors. Gold star #2 of the night!

-          Mint Smashed Peas: I imagine this dish as one of those things where the chef is making normal peas in the kitchen, and someone comes along and just screws it all up. They’ve a pile of mint leaves in their hand and are telling the chef a story using hand gestures, and just when they get to the part of the story when something big happens, they slam their hands (with the mint) down onto the counter for good measure – to illustrate the drama of the story. But little did they know those little innocent peas were there. They are now smushed with mint leaves and ruined. Or…are they? I feel good about my make-believe story of how the peas were born. It must have been all those hours of talking on the bus rides back from field trips. It just must have been. Well, regardless of how the dish actually came to fruition, it’s pretty fantastic. Not only is it interesting, but it’s minty and refreshing – creating an irresistible veggie dish to indulge in. Guilt free!

-          Whole Fish Special: The fish of the day was the Sole and it was very tasty. The fish itself was very light, but topped with the tomato salsa verde added a juicy and vibrant flavor to it – as did the fresh lemon to squeeze atop as well. Served with a side of lettuce hearts to add a crunchy texture to the mix – the overall dish held a nice consistency of flavors.

-          Roasted Half Chicken: It was cooked perfectly – very juicy and flavorful with snap peas, carrots and chick peas combined in the juicy sauce. Only gripe? The sauce was extremely reminiscent of curry which was not mentioned anywhere around the dish on the menu – and was a surprise from both an expectation perspective as well as what would organically pair well with the dish. I don’t think curry was the right choice here – perhaps sticking with a thick sauce but something more rich and garlicky to bring out the richness of the veggies that came with it.

-          Chicken Fried Potatoes: What’s the next best thing to chicken? Chicken fried taters! Yes, we’ll take both, thank you very much. These had a nice coating on them that was almost sweet/sugary in taste. For some bizarre reason I don’t have a picture of this dish, or the meatloaf. I must have still been scratching my head at the chicken instead of taking pictures. Fail. Sorry all.

-          Classic Meatloaf: Served on a bed of mashed potatoes and topped with onion rings, this is the epitome of delicious comfort food. Each piece of the dish contributed a different texture and taste – creating the kind of dish that you can literally take a bite of everything on it and have it meld perfectly together in taste. Fantastic flavors.

-          Summer Vegetable Lasagna & Burrata: This was interesting… Not your typical clean cut piece of lasagna, it was presented as a little more of a “messy”dish. It was very light, consisting mainly of vegetables, and what seemed to be just one layer of a pasta noodle on top of the bed of vegetables. Burrata with chives lay atop the pasta noodle – adding a richness to an otherwise very light dish. The combination of flavors was nice and although it didn’t contain as much pasta as I would have hoped, the dish was still very flavorful.

-          Dessert: With a menu consisting mainly of comfort foods, you know we were going for the gusto here and somehow managed to order and eat three of the desserts. And I’m glad we did…because they were some of the best dishes on the entire menu. See…5 year olds do have it right  - dessert is the most important meal!

-          Chocolate Layer Cake: This rich cake had a rather flaky top to it, with chocolate sauce delicately draped over the dish which the cake laid upon. It melted in your mouth…need I say more?

-          Lemon Meringue Cake: The cake just looks like the definition of perfection. With two layers of light lemon sponge cake, laden with bright lemon tart in between, and topped with toasted meringue – it was a picture of perfection. And the taste was just as good – light, fluffy and delicious with a zingy lemon zest and a light meringue topping.

-          Brioche Beignets: This came with quite a few beignets (approx. 10-15) covered in sugar and spice and all that’s nice. And if that’s not nice enough…there’s a surprise of chocolate inside. Hello heaven. Served with a side of cream to dip in which added an even deeper richness to the dish, this dessert was delicious and perfect to split with a larger group.

Noise Level 5: Ladies and gentleman – we are excited to announce that the word of the day today is “what.” What’s that? You couldn’t hear the announcement? Are you perhaps….dining at Presidio Social Club right now? And…lightbulb. I can’t think of another time that even came close to using the word “what” in so many consecutive sentences all night. It’s a miracle I didn’t emerge with food all over my shirt from posting up in a permanent leaning position over the table to get a closer move to the conversation. Between that, and constantly pushing my hair behind my ear just in case it had picked up superhuman strength in the past hour and was so thick that it alone was blocking the conversation from entering my ear…I was obviously trying every trick in the book. It’s funny the things you try to control when you realize you have absolutely no control whatsoever over what’s bothering you. Here’s the point where all the features of the restaurant we judge come together and the pieces start to click. Ambience of turning an old army barracks into a restaurant that resembles an officer’s club? Stellar. Realizing that you are trying to allow 100 people to talk simultaneously in what used to be a barracks…a DORMITORY…where people did the opposite of talk? Fail.

Price 9: Mom and Dad...sitting over there in the Midwest where meals are priced at amounts that get you a drink out here…I have to tell you, you would be proud. This may be our cheapest meal yet – and we ordered multiple bottles of wine (5 I believe), several dishes AND with dessert…all for $61 each. Just think, with the extra money left over I’ve got enough to invest in a hearing aid. Zing!

Service 4: So let’s see….where to begin, where to begin. After waiting for a good twenty minutes without help, the hostess was nice enough to switch job responsibilities and left her post at the hostess stand to come over and take our order (yes, let that sink in for a moment. We were left alone, unattended in such a way that someone who has no business in the meal itself in any way – came over and swooped in to help. Points to the hostess. Negative points for our waiter who I can only imagine must have been curled up in the back, taking a nap). She was awesome and in full multi-tasking mode– not only taking our order but giving recommendations and very detailed descriptions of plates we asked about. Get this woman a raise. After another ten minutes, our waiter decided to show up and emerged to pour the wine we had ordered. No apologies for his previous Houdini act. 

And now, it’s time for the latest rendition of “Seriously?” Yes, I’ve missed it too. So, Mr. Clueless opens the bottle and begins pouring the wine. Now, most of the time when you’re at a restaurant – okay 100% of the time prior to this experience – when you have ordered wine by the bottle, the correct way to pour is to pour a taste to one person who will do the tasting for the group to make sure the bottle is okay before pouring for the rest. You know, I don’t even know why I’m explaining this. Everyone knows this for crying out loud. (I think I even saw our hostess giving wine-pouring lessons with her free time when we left). Everyone…I should say, except our assigned idiot of the night. He poured the entire glass of wine and began to move on.”Ah…wait a second,” we replied. “Let’s have her taste it to make sure it’s okay.” Just like waiters do all over the world. At this point, I’m thinking it’s an oversight. Perhaps he is still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and isn’t awake enough to realize his oversight. Wrong. Without missing a beat he replies “It’s good. Everything here is good tonight.” Copeious notes on my part, ensued. Ah…Seriously?? What are you even talking about. Have you left your Houdini role and now taken over the role of a fortune teller? Have you developed superhuman skills that allow you to predict which wines are or are not corked? How dare you talk to your customers like that! Seriously? That might be the most condescending comment I have ever had a waiter say to me. Have you no manners or knowledge of wine whatsoever? Seriously? His ignorance meter was beeping. If you don’t have the common sense on how to answer questions, then don’t be a waiter. Be a mime. Okay..moving on. If you need a recess, take it. There's more to come.... 

...And we're back. So, most of us had ordered a drink at the bar to begin with and were still finishing those up when the “main wine event” arrived. Unlike most waiters, who bring you GLASSES when you order WINE…(isn’t there a training program here) this guy was ready to pour the wine anywhere. In our existing glasses with wine already in them (what is this, fruit punch?), in our mouths…I don’t even know what he was thinking. Oh that’s right, he wasn’t. So, most of us would have to wait for round 2 to try the wine. Par for the course at this point. After we had forgotten about our waiter…or that we had one altogether, Project Disappointment surprised us by making a cameo after our food had been delivered and dessert was eminent. So let’s review – he poured wine and passed out dessert menus. Correct me if I’m wrong but couldn’t they just hire a monkey to do this? I bet the monkey would know how to pour wine…just sayin.’ As he was passing out the dessert menus, I half expected him to ask about the meal. “How was it?” most waiters would ask. But that’s right…ours has telepathy.

  

All About The Area: The Presidio is a hike…but there is something magical about it. No…no magic cars to get you around the vast area, but it is so unlike the majority of the cement-ridden, apartment-clad San Francisco that we are all so used to, the Presidio is a breath of fresh air. Literally. Fresh cut grass, vast areas of land, and even history to enhance your knowledge of the San Francisco past. My reco? We might not be in fifth grade anymore, but go on – take a field trip to the Presidio and let your childhood ‘you’ explore the area and all it has to offer. You might even get a culture day out of it. My Spanish teacher would be so proud.

Overall Grade: 7.3

View from the outside

Retro Drum Set when you walk in

Inside Presidio Social Club

Marinated Beets & Ricotta

PSC Gruyere Cheese Toasts...oh who are we kidding...this is GRILLED CHEESE!

Pan Roasted Mussels

Deviled Eggs and Ham

Island Style Tuna Poke

Smoked Fish Plate (salmon)

Chilled Corn Soup

Look close...real close. Do you spot the Mullet costume???

Sweet Creamed Corn

Macaroni and Cheese

Pork Porterhouse Chop

Smashed Peas & Mint Oil

Whole Fish Special (Sole)

Roasted Half Chicken

Summer Vegetable Lasagna

Chocolate Layer Cake

Lemon Meringue Cake

Brioche Beignetes