Where-To-Wednesday Adventure #25: Radius

Moving here from LA, where hour commutes to *insert anywhere you need to be* were par for the course, I had no idea just how much of my life I was wasting in my car traveling from one side of LA to the other, until I arrived in San Francisco. Sure, those ‘learn Italian’ tapes sounded like a great idea when I bought them, but an hour of reciting phrases I would never use: “Martha makes bread” (silly Martha, why doesn’t she just buy it at Whole Foods like the rest of us?) while simultaneously uselessly yelling at cars at a standstill in front of me, only served to make me look like a crazy person in traffic and resulted in the incurred knowledge of the sole word: andiamo! 7x7. Who knew how sweet those three little letters would sound for my commute and yet how much culture, activity, eating, drinking…just life in general, such a small radius could hold? For seven dollars and ten minutes, a magical ride known as ‘the taxi’ (and later the Uber + two dollars and a snazzy ride) would drop me off at my destination within this small big city and for the first time in my life, I was *gasp* early. Who knew I had it in me? This 7x7 radius held everything I needed and although San Francisco is easily one of the largest cities of this country…this small circumference of land gave it the small town feel that brings out the charm and friendliness of each neighborhood: your coffee barista has your order ready as soon as you walk in…with your name on it, your local cashier at the grocery store spots you when you’re a short a buck, your dry cleaner smiles and reaches for your clothes as you walk in the door… And as a result – we root for our local neighbors. Five dollars for a latte? When it’s pre-made with my name on it, I say okay. Ever the San Francisco neighbor, our latest new Where-To-Wednesday destination: ‘Radius’ took this idea to heart – sourcing all of their food and wine from within a 100 mile radius. What a concept. Radius is making friends with the neighbors AND delicious food. You go, Radius…you go. Ironically and…well, completely unrelated to the premise of the restaurant naming convention, the waiters are all French and the cuisine has a French flair to it. What a twist. Perhaps a ….french twist?? It’s time to stop, isn’t it. I can already feel the French scowl my way. Okay…I’m wrapping up. At this Where To Wednesday adventure at Radius, planned by Becky, which myself, Chelsea, Jenny and Lindsey attended on August 7th – we enjoyed this locally sourced, French inspired, California cuisine. Yep…that’s a mouthful. And we had it all.

Ambiance 8: At first, I was a little taken aback. I mean sure, sometimes our restaurant selections are a bit on the casual side. But when I saw people were placing their orders (mostly for coffee) with the cashier up front and only then, taking a cue from the ‘please seat yourself’ sign, sitting down at little tables scattered amongst the  linoleum-tiled restaurant…I ran. ‘I ran so far away. I just ran. I ran all night and day’. Okay…I didn’t actually run away. I mean, come on, I was STARVING…how could I possibly have the energy to run…and ‘far away’ at that? Keep dreaming. (And for the record, neither did Flock of Seagulls. They’re in a house of mirrors for crying out loud…how does anyone REALLY run in a house of mirrors without a death wish? Get real, Flock of Seagulls. And choose your girlfriends a little more carefully before you take them to a carnival). But anyways, yes, that’s what I felt like doing. Instead, I kept turning around and around in a little circular dance by myself in the middle of the restaurant looking for…help. Finding none and seeing as though my crazy antics were falling on blind eyes here, I walked back outside, and stumbled upon…wait for it, wait for it…the REAL restaurant. Yes, tricky tricky. Neighboring restaurants – both under the Radius umbrella – one being the café, and one being the sit-down restaurant. As soon as I walked into the next door restaurant, I knew I had found home. Low lighting and candles illuminated the restaurant casting a soft glow, while the elongated bar in the front and graffiti-framed artwork told you to stop short of relaxing too much, because this place was about to get kicked up a notch. It seamlessly meshes modern with rustic and spits out a lively atmosphere that you’ll be glad you stopped in for…even if it did take you two tries.

Wine 9: With a similar premise as the food, the wine is sourced from a radius no greater than 50 miles. Looking at the wine list I’m reminded how damn lucky we are to live in such a close vicinity to amazing wines! With only one bottle over a hundred dollars and most resting comfortably in the forty-ish range, the list was just begging for us to dig in…and so, we did. We started with the Tres Sabores Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma – smooth with hints of honey and chamomile it was slightly sweet without the tartness that Sauvignon Blancs can sometimes bring. Great starter and we probably should have stuck with what worked, but…we moved on to the Elizabeth Rose Chardonnay which was slightly oaky with a bit more fruit than is typical for a chardonnay. When your biggest problem of the night is drinking the wine that was almost as good as you expected, you know you should shut your mouth and sip on. Things could be worse. And soon enough though…it was time for the main event: Red. We kicked it off with Dashe Cellars Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley – velvety smooth with hints of peppery spice and oak. So good, we stuck with the Dashe for the rest of the night. In retrospect we probably spent a little too much time with Dashe….but hey, we’re really just getting to know our neighbors. And to quote the wise words of the leader in my day (and by ‘my day’ I do mean kindergarten) - Mr. Rodgers, himself – “would you be mine? Could you be mine? Won’t you be my neighbor?” (Trick question, Dashe – you already ARE. I win).

Food 9.5: So… locally sourced, French inspired, California cuisine. What does it all mean? Rest easy and leave your translation dictionary at home. You’ve got this.

-          Heirloom Salad: A perfect start to the meal. Fresh and delicious with a perfect consistency of succulent watermelon mixed with light, sesame crisp and topped with sweet tomatoes.

-          Flat Bread: Easing into the meal, this one was a bit heartier. The warm flatbread was topped with oyster mushrooms, dry jack, arugula and a hint of chili flake to give it kick. Now we’re getting into the good stuff.

-          Hommage a San Francisco: Well..the French do know how to butter us up. (For the record, actual ‘butter’ works well too, Mon Frere. Right Paula? It was too soon, wasn’t it….) The heirloom salad was light and juicy and if there was ever a salad-off…this one would take the cake. (I mean, not literally, because well – cake always wins. Those are just the rules. But…you get it). The Hommage a San Francisco was a very unique dish with a truly unique combination of flavors. This little gem salad was topped with pine nuts and foraged herbs and flowers (I know this sounds extremely hippy but just imagine the most aromatic spices that didn’t overpower the dish, dancing in your mouth amongst the greens…truly delicious. And yes…I do realize that sentence reads exactly the opposite of how I imagined when I started writing it). And to top it off, green goddess dressing was drizzled at the very bottom of the dish, and was bursting with flavors of chives, anchovy, tarragon, lemon juice, and pepper. Truly a dish that pays homage to San Francisco.

-          Trout:  Moist (I know…some people can’t deal with that word but here…you must) and delicious, the trout just about melted in your mouth. Slightly salted on the outside, it held a light crisp to the bite before giving way to the tender meat inside.

-          Broccolini: Roasted with crushed red pepper and topped with garlic chips…you’ll never want to pass over veggies again. Seconds!

-          Pork Chop: Tender, juicy, generously thick pieces of pork chop were arranged atop a bed of butterbeans, oyster mushrooms, and bacon white chocolate gastrique. This dish is bursting with peaks of flavor in every bite, as the gastrique marinates the pork chop in its savory sauce, bringing you back for another bite!

-          Potato Gnocchi: Fresh and light, each piece of gnocchi held a slight crisp before caving in to the soft potato. Immersed in a bed of fresh peas, confit mushroom and pancetta…this one is not to miss.

-          Fried Chicken: If chicken and a donut had a baby...this would be it. Imagine juicy chicken coated in sweet crumbs that melt in your mouth leaving the sweet taste of honey behind. Borderline a dessert....just spectacular!

Dessert: Oh yes we did....

-          Lemon Curd Tart: Light, tart Italian meringue sitting amongst of whisk of chocolate sauce with delicate, toasted marshmellow clouds atop. Candied almonds to the side added the perfect crunch addition to this dish to complete it's perfection.

-          Mint & Creme Fraiche Panna Cotta: topped with strawberry and rhubarb compote, the delicate mint panna canna was balanced with the tart of the rhubarb, and topped with honey brioche croutons it gave the dish the crunchy kick it needed.

-          Vanilla & Olive Oil Milkshake: I know some people would shudder and shake their heads at this ("olive oil in a dessert??") I know...BUT...get over that simple little fact and slurp up a taste of heaven. So savory and smooth, and accompanied with delicious dark chocolate shortbreads perfect for dipping, you can't go wrong.

-          Dark Chocolate Cake: chocolate cake laid upon salted caramel (if you're not already salivating...get ready), topped with a white chocolate granache (that resembled a light marshmellow layer) and finally sprinkled with cocoa nibs. Delicious!

Service 10: That's right, 10 - for 3 reasons. 1) the service was great. Our waiter was extremely helpful, patient and friendly. 2) He was French. I don't know why I feel like that's a reason for a higher score but...it just does. I think we felt important with that accent. And as René Descartes once said "I think...therefore I am." So, there you go, thanks to Franz, we ARE important. (Note: I do NOT know his name was Franz. But I mean, it SHOULD be so...let's go with that). 3) We liked the little chocolate shortbread cookies that accompanied the milkshake SO much, that we asked how it was made. And instead of humoring us with nonsense such as "a little flour, dark chocolate, milk..." which I would have expected, he actually excused himself and appeared ten minutes later with THE ACTUAL RECIPE. Oui! That’s right, we sure MUST be important. Now granted the recipe is chalk full of gram measurements which we'll need to dig out our old grade school conversion charts for, but hey...it's a small price to pay for chocolate.

Price 7: French waiters serving you locally sourced food with a French flair. Price: close to $100 each. Reality: it's cheaper than going to France. It's all about perspective, people. Do you really need a refill? Your glass looks half-full to me! See how easy that was?? (Truth: this applies to any drink sans wine. Let's be real here).

Noise Level 6:  We discuss all of our ratings at each restaurant, and when 'noise level' came up, I said: "They call it energetic on open table. I think it actually means "'loud.'" Response from the other side of the table: "It's loud in here, what did you say?" Exactly.

All About the Area: Well...it's not France. Soma is pocketed...with portions that are populated/fun/safe and portions that are vacant/sketchy/unsafe. Folsom itself in this vicinity is home to several bars/restaurants close by...but come 6th street, I would recommend halting quickly. Know where you're going and what areas are unsafe (i.e. ALL of 6th). So bring your street smarts, be aware and stop texting on your phone and looking down. Unless you're reading your latest dose of where-to-wednesday. Then..as you were*. 

*Kidding...seriously people, be aware of your surroundings. Read the blog at home. But I mean, as SOON as you get home. No lagging. Franz will not stand for that.

Overall Grade: 8.25

MERCI BEAUCOUP!

Front of the restaurant facing the bar area

Shot towards the back of the restaurant that opens to a larger dining area

Heirloom Salad

 

Flatbread

Hommage a San Francisco

Trout

Broccolini

Pork Chop

Potato Gnocchi

Fried Chicken

Lemon Curd Tart

Mint and Creme Fraiche Panna Cotta

Vanilla & Olive Oil Milkshake

Lindsey digging into the milkshake...mmmm!

Dark Chocolate Cake

Where-To-Wednesday Adventure #24: Heirloom Cafe

Growing up, my family and I would pack in the car and head to my grandparent’s house every Sunday for “lunch.” And by “lunch” I mean a four course dinner starting with a generous helping of pasta, ending with an overwhelming plate of chocolate desserts, as well as an array of cheese and fruit, filled with meats, potatoes and vegetables in between. We Italians do NOT mess around. Most of my friends who I invited to come along, would begin to scratch their heads when the meal began – their eyes darting around furiously, taking in the immense amount of food they were about to be presented with. “Where are the sandwiches?” they would ask. Sandwiches? Please. Do you think I would invite you over for a sandwich? Do you think my grandmother would LET me invite you over for a sandwich? No. Hell no. This woman has not been slaving all day, just to hand over a jar of mayo and a piece of bologna to you. And I think for me, that was always part of the charm, the mystic of going to my grandparents house: enjoying dishes that I couldn't spell but could recognize perfectly by smell; homemade tomato sauce fresh from the vegetables grown in the backyard; the humidity in the air emanating from huge pots of boiling water on the stove awaiting pasta noodles; homemade plum juice I termed “coffee” to sip along with the adults after dinner…  Those familiarities all combined to wrap me in the comfort of what I knew to be true. There’s something special about that – something unique, that everyone carries with them. And although nothing will ever take the place of going to grandma’s house, you might – you just might – get that familiar twinge of nostalgia when you walk in the door of Heirloom Cafe. At our latest Where-To-Wednesday Adventure planned by newbie Jenny - myself, Elizabeth, Chelsea, Lindsey and Becky walked in off of a busy street and stepped back in time – where everything was simpler, classic and familiar. Cleverly coined Heirloom Café, it feels a lot like what I would imagine Mayberry to be. And with the world we know full of crazy deadlines, packed schedules, and not enough time to sit around the kitchen table together - couldn’t we all use a little Mayberry? Cue the whistling Andy…let’s do this.

Ambiance 8:  While other restaurants have taken a grander approach to décor, Heirloom relies on a simpler idea: less fluff, more gathering. With minimal furnishings, the attention is drawn to where it’s meant to be – the people. The décor is more of a nod to the past with classic pieces that remind you of Grandma’s house: candle sconces adorn the walls; simple, yet elegant, lace drapery lines the windows; wild flowers light up each table; and wooden chairs with a slight discomfort keep you awake and conversing – taking the place of the verbal nag and reminding you, on your own, to “sit up straight”. (Did I just need new chairs growing up??) It’s charming, warm and quite frankly, feels like home.  Well, one bed short of being at home. Let’s work on that Heirloom.

Wine 9: Let’s be honest, wine is always a good choice. But when you’re at Grandma’s house? It’s the ONLY choice and I have to say, I feel damn good about that. Crisp, clean with earthy and herbal undertones, the 2011 Sancerre ‘Croix du Roy’ was a perfect start to the night. It wasn’t long before we turned to our good friend “red”, and started in on the 2010 Malbec from Catena. Smooth with darker hints of leather, cinnamon and spice, this one lingered…as it well should. Perfect alone, it held it’s own but also surprisingly paired nicely with the food, its stronger essences of spice taking a back seat to the brighter flavors introduced in the food. Hello new friend.

Food 9:  When we ate at my grandparents house, it always looked like my grandma had just won a fight with the table over how much food could be spread across it. She always won. At our latest Where-To-Wednesday, I must say, my grandmother would be proud. We ordered essentially the entire menu, sans the soup. But if soup could be split amongst 6…trust me, it would have been on that table.

-          Ahi Tuna Ceviche: Fresh and zesty, the ceviche was bright with splashes of lime, savory avocado and gorgeous red tomatoes splashed across the dish. Crispy plantain chips were lined up around the ceviche and proved to be the perfect accompaniment to the dish.

-          Fava Beans: I’ll admit, I tried to poo-poo this dish from the get-go. Fava beans? What a waste of space on this precious table. Please. Let’s make room for the real deal here. But alas, I lost the fight. And I must say, good thing I did because this dish was delicious. It should definitely be renamed so as to not be dismissed in the future – perhaps “Facking amazing fava beans? Try me now?” Just saying. It’s all in the marketing, people. It held a great combination of flavors and textures – the fava (read: boring) beans were dressed up with bright bursts of flavor from the feta, the hearty crunch of walnuts, the light and bright aromatic fennel and the peppery arugula. Read: delicious!

-          Burrata: I have never met a burrata I didn’t like, and here, was no exception. Much more colorful than your typical burrata, this buttery burrata was served on a crostini but topped with beautiful red and yellow baby marinated beets, pickled shallots and spicy pepper cress.

-          Bacon and Onion Tart: A flaky, buttery pastry crust was filled with ooey gooey cheese, carmelized onions and rich, juicy bacon pieces. A savory filling within the light crust was a perfect match. A must have!

-          Sugar Snap Peas: Topped with mint, the sugar snap peas were fresh and crisp, with hints of ginger and garlic giving it savory undertones to top it off. Good but nothing groundbreaking here. This dish would actually be a nice transition from the smaller appetizer plates to the larger entrée dishes.

-          Roasted Artichokes: Smoky roasted artichokes are mixed in with hearty vallarta beans, savory cheese, with a thick romesco sauce on the side, offering a rich nutty yet sweet flavor to add to the dish.

-          Asparagus: This was a spicy and sweet mixture of perfection! Topped with a spicy salsa, the asparagus also held deep notes of sweetness with hints of brown sugar and cinnamon mixed in. Delicious and unique!

-          Gnocchi: Soft potato-filled gnocchi was paired deliciously with rich crimini mushrooms, spicy cuts of fennel sausage, crisp English peas with creamy parmesan melted atop. Delicious, savory – yum!

-          Twelve Cheese Risotto: Thank God, because eleven cheeses would just not do here. The risotto is beyond creamy thanks to the generous additions of rich cheese, topped with earthy porcini mushrooms and crisp asparagus. Quite frankly, the dish just makes you want to sit back in your chair, close your eyes and smile as you savor every little bite. Phenomenal – absolutely amazing. If you’re sharing…I suggest eating fast to get your fair share. You will not want to miss out on this.

-          Roasted Salmon: Fresh and delicious, the salmon even looks gorgeous as it’s served up – exuberating a bright pink color, with green pea tendrils dancing atop alongside thinly sliced meyer lemon. It’s cooked to perfection with a slight crisp to each bite and even a hint of sweet nutmeg to add depth to the flavor.

-          Hoffman Chicken: I’m just going to call this “the Hoff” moving forward, because like Mr. David, this also needs its own nickname. And for the record, it didn’t have to take a cheesy role on Baywatch to get it. Zing! This is basically everything you love about Thanksgiving, in a dish. The best of the best flavors you can imagine are all rolled into the combination of flavors found here.  A generous serving of chicken, each bite envelopes salty and savory, as the crispy, buttery skin melts in your mouth. Served with herbed bread pudding pieces mixed in a sea of sliced carrots, celery and onions with a buttery base of parmesan consommé. Wow. I suggest celebrating Thanksgiving as often as possible here. Now, in true Thanksgiving style….someone crack open the booze.

-          Duck Breast Salad: A beautiful colorful presentation of thinly sliced carrots and spring mix, sprinkled with chopped pecans and savory duck breast. I didn’t particularly like the combination of flavors in this dish – when I eat duck, I want to savor it rather than have it masked by crisp lettuce. Pesky vegetables always getting in the way….

Dessert:

-          Strawberry Shortcake: Sweet strawberries and rich cream were sandwiched between sweet, crumbly shortcake bread. A light, delicate dessert that was perfect to our hefty meal.

-          Fresh baked oatmeal, walnut and chocolate chip cookie: I love when you get everything you love all rolled into one little package. This little cookie is like Christmas: a warm yummy cookie with crunchy walnuts, sweet chocolate chips and oatmeal. Although…I will say it could stand to be a little bigger. Okay, a lot bigger. As in – I wish I got more than a crumb.

-          Sweet Rhubarb Tart: And that is…100% accurate. Very sweet and although “tart” is a noun in the description, it’s also an adjective here. It’s very, very sweet and extremely tarty, so brace your lips for a pucker sans the kiss. Also…you best love you some rhubarb because this is essentially one big piece of rhubarb. So, count your fruit intake for the day complete.

Service 8: To be read to the sound of the State Farm commercial: “Like a good waitress, Diane* was there…” Kind of. Well she was. And then she wasn’t. But mostly she was. But only when we needed her. So Diane, I think you most definitely have a career in the insurance business if this waitress thing doesn’t work out. I truly only remember her being there exactly when we needed her. Like a little waitress genie. But she didn’t bring money like those lucky people in the State Farm commercial do. Just food. Which I guess was fitting. But money..well, money is just plain nice. Next time, Diane.                                  *Side note: I’m not sure if her name was Diane but, well, it just felt fitting. You know, like Jack and Diane. I think she was a waitress in the song…maybe…I might be thinking of Journey’s song now…. Truthfully, I’m not even sure what her name was. I know, I need to take better notes. What the heck am I doing over here anyways? Eating. That’s right. The food that Diane brought. Or whoever she is. And, we’ve come full circle.

Price 7: I’m not even going to lead up to this with some big “now don’t forget the rhubarb was hand picked and organic!”* reasoning. It was bloody expensive: $98.31 each. And hell yes I’m going to include the change, because you need to know the truth. YOU CAN HANDLE THE TRUTH. I know, basically, I’m much cooler than Jack Nicholson. I can’t sugar coat how expensive this is, so…frankly, I won’t. It’s expensive so if you’re coming here, just deal with it. Or maybe go to Flour + Water FIRST for the real sticker shock, and then come here and it’ll be a piece of a cake. Oh that’s right, I did. So, yeah, nevermind – it’s not that bad. It’s not lost on me, however, how many new pairs of sunglasses I would have right now if I didn’t eat out. But damnit, I’d sure be hungry.                                                                     *Okay so maybe it’s not organic. Come to think, it’s probably not. But really, what do I know about the rhubarb? If you have any more questions, please, direct them to Diane. And also, find out her real name.                                   

Noise Level 7:  Picture this. You’re at your house in your dining room, and fifty people come on in, sit down, and all start talking. (Ignore the fact that fifty people just walked into your house. Don’t worry, its fine. These imaginary people are all very nice.) So – what would you notice? It’s loud. Yes. Now imagine that same dining room but someone is cooking in it too. I know, I know. Why is someone COOKING in my dining room?? Where did they come from? They better not get anything on that white carpet… I know and don’t worry, they won’t. But anyhow, you’ve got all this going on in one area and…it’s going to get loud. But, not all is lost. If you’re at one of the communal tables, it could get loud with all the conversations happening next to each other. But, the good news is that there are several smaller tables where you can immerse yourselves in your own conversation. But still eavesdrop to take away some good nuggets of convo. And I mean, isn’t that what a good party is all about?

 All About The Area:

At first, the song sounds true. “Over the river and through the woods,” indeed. Who knew Grandmother’s would take so long to get to? Well…I guess the person who wrote the song so…forget that. But yes, it’s a hike and at first glance it seems the only other thing to do around there is watch your laundry go for a spin across the street. Bor-ing. Or play at the playground across the street. Which…with a glass of wine could actually be pretty fun. Oh who am I kidding. There is NOTHING there. Or so it seems. The brilliance of Heirloom is that it is tucked into a quiet little neighborhood filled with houses and parks, far from the humdrum (YES…I DID just use that word) of the typical loud and restless Mission life. So quaint and quiet, in fact, that you would hardly realize that you are just a block or two away from the likes of Limon, Flour + Water and Foreign Cinema to name a few. If we’ve learned nothing else from our W2W adventures in the different areas of San Francisco, is that this little 7x7 city holds many pockets. You can expect the unexpected and relish in the surprises you find along the way. So the next time you set off to do your laundry…keep you eyes open. You might just find your new favorite place.

Overall Grade: 8

Fava Beans with Shaved Fennel, Walnuts & Feta

Ahi Tuna Ceviche

Burrata Crostini with Marinated Baby Beets

Bacon and Onion Tart

Roasted artichokes with vallarta beans

Sugar Snap Peas

Roasted Asparagus

Twelve Cheese Risotto

Potato Gnocchi

Hoffman Chicken

Roasted Local Salmon

Duck Breast & Confit Salad

Strawberry Shortcake

Fresh Baked Oatmeal, Walnut, Chocolate Chip Cookie

Sweet Rhubarb Tart

Where-To-Wednesday Adventure #23: Flour + Water

I’ve never been good at math. I used to have to work on an assignment three times..THREE TIMES…before I fully understood it. Probably a good reason why I have a paid professional working on my taxes right now, rather than taking off my socks to finish my multiplication. Also a reason that I haven’t been to flour + water before. Like most of you reading this know, getting a reservation is just about as easy as finishing a calculus problem. No, there are no tables within 2.5 hours of your request for the next 2 months. But if you call before 10am exactly 2 months before your preferred reservation date, you may just be able to snag a table within 2.5 hours of your request. And…I’ve already logged off open table and its proposed table-snagging algorithm to check out the less complicated dealings of what’s happening on Facebook. But now…I stand before you, as someone who has finally been to (and I may add: conquered!) Flour + Water. Take that, Open Table. I’ve also learned that flour + water = a happy me. My new only favorite equation.  So…the details…you want the details do you? And possibly to know exactly how we ‘conquered’ it? As if I’d let that slide in the opening paragraph. In the words of Andy from Cougar Town…’C’MON!’ Now, if you’d like to read this review in the next 2.5 hours, please enter your name, phone num- kidding. I had you. I did. Don’t worry – no such rules here for you, just the restaurant. 0/10 scale…read on mathletes.

 Ambiance 8: Okay here is as good of a place as any to start in on the caveats of this review. We didn’t have a completely normal dining experience here, so this isn’t necessarily going to be an apples to apples comparison of dining in the main area. We instead dined in the private area upstairs in the ‘dough’ room. Yes, we’re special. You do know this already I hope. So…I’ll get into the ambiance of our “we’re super special and in a private room’ experience in a minute, however, to get to our fancy schmancy room we did have to pass through the regular restaurant so we got a feel for the overall ambiance and feel. And I have to say, if I came back, I would rather dine in the main area. The air is electrically charged, and you can almost feel the vibration of chatter and excitement. The main dining area is the epicenter of the restaurant and makes you feel as though it is actually the epicenter of San Francisco at that moment. The kitchen is hustling, the crowd around is stirring and if you're simply just walking through the restaurant, you'll feel compelled to grab a seat and join in the excitement. IF, however, you've snagged yourself a seat in the Dough Room, it is a much different atmosphere. Down the hall, out the door, up the stairs and through the woods to grandmother's house you go. Enter: the Dough Room - by day a prep kitchen, by night a private dining room....if I didn't understand Princess Fiona's debacle back when, I can now say I do. It's....interesting. Away from all the chatter and excitement of the main room, it's a much more intimate and quieter setting. In all honesty, it's pretty obvious that this is in all respects a prep room - with machinery and utensils spread out just about everywhere around us. Also - open the wrong door to the bathroom and you'll find a meat freezer. Whoops. But try their best...they've added a table cloth, candle light, low overhead lighting and faint music and presto alakazam, the dough room has transformed to be fit for a princess! Or so they would hope. It's...still pretty much a prep room. Make that - a snazzy prep room. The main benefit for a large party: you can hear each other. There are other options for private dining that seem a little more upscale, so if you do have a larger party, I would recommend exploring those. Or...dine with everyone else in the main room. Look at you and all your options. Go on with your bad self.

Wine: Since we knew we were going to pay an arm and a leg for dinner (spoiler alert..hmm I probably should have said that before I began. whoops.), we opted to bring wine to cut down on cost. I love me some wine. I do. And we had quite a bit of it. All different kinds. They were great. And I would love to tell you about it. I would. But we went through several, several bottles - half of which you can't even get at the restaurant. And let's face it, I don't want to confuse you, so in this Where-To-Wednesday review, wine will not be reviewed. It's for your own good. You're welcome. (Also - side note and COMPLETELY unrelated, I decided not to take notes and just drink the damn wine. THERE. I said it. And yes, *smug smile* it was DELICIOUS).

Food 10: It's true. Everything you've heard. Unless you heard something different. Then that's not true. And you need to get here and try it for yourself. Confused? Tee hee. Let's jump in. As you do...you may want to start your 2 month booking of this place because you're going to wish you had a table (IN THE MAIN DINING AREA) waiting for you upon finishing. For our party, they created a Spring Tasting Menu with appetizers, salads, pastas, meat and dessert. If this is Spring, I care for no other seasons moving forward. Spring all the way...forever. The meal was, quite frankly, out of this world. Also, I think they're lying to us. I think they use more than just flour + water. Pretty sure. Just saying. 

-          Citrus Salad: A carefully chosen array of fruits and vegetables create a superbly unique combination with a refreshing zing and lip-smacking finish. Hearty beets mingle with sweet watermelon and tangy tangerines, colliding with the grassy taste of the kalamata olives. But wait, there’s more. Large pieces of ripe avocado adorn the salad, lightly salted with sea salt. Not only is the salad a delight for your eyes – with vibrant, gorgeous colors…it’s outrageously delicious. A must!

-          Deviled Eggs: The mixture of textures makes this dish fantastic. The delicate consistency of the slightly tangy deviled eggs, combined with the equally delicate smoked trout , razor-thin sliced radish, and finishing with the hearty crunch of the asparagus. There is such close attention paid to every detail with these dishes…it definitely doesn’t go unnoticed. Brilliant!

                                                                                        

-          Margarita Pizza: No...not on the tasting menu, but who can say no to a Margarita pizza?? Not I. Delicate and light, the crust is the highlight of the pizza. Topped with a mild tomato sauce and equally mild mozzarella cheese and basil, the crust takes center stage. And oh….does it shine. It’s deliciously good, with a hint of salt in each bite. It makes me want to hide in the meat closet in eat the entire crust. The flour and water did well here….very well.

-          Taleggio Scarpinocc: They’ve coined the pasta “wooden shoe” pasta because, well, we were told it of looks like a wooden shoe, however, upon closer inspection I would go with “snow shoe.” If we’re being accurate here… And, not that I have ever seen a snow shoe, per se, but…it’s what I would imagine. And, my imagination is pretty on point, so…let’s just call this “snow shoe” pasta from now on. Okay so, where was I – yes, the snow shoe pasta – amazing. The dish is so simple, yet so tasty. The pasta is essentially rectangular shaped  - flattened on each end, and filled with a bit of taleggio cheese in the middle. If any of you have ever had taleggio cheese, you may be eyeing this dish warily knowing the potency of the cheese. I feel you, I do. Taleggio is one of those super strong sweat-socky cheese types – which is, albeit unlike you’d assume – delicious when paired with a mild cracker. And I have to say – the small amount they use in the pasta – is just rich enough without being overly pungent – to pair with the simple sauce. The sauce is in fact, so simple and yet so delicious…I’ve just got to try to make this at home. It’s a butter base (damnit, why is butter at the heart of everything good??!! Why Paula, why?) mixed with an aged balsamic vinegar. I know…I didn’t see that one coming either. The result – is a light yet rich and sweet sauce, pairing perfectly with the light pasta that ends with a hearty finish. Amazing. My favorite dish of the night.

-          Agnolotti dal plin: Well, this one didn’t come with a name so I’ll give it one – Werther’s Originals. And no, this pasta is not just for people over 80. These square pocketed pieces of pasta are thicker than the last dish, and filled with pork shoulder and caramelized onion. With a splash of cream sauce and a handful of parsley, this dish is ready to go. This dish was good, however, if I had to pick between the dishes…I would grab my skis and head to the snow.

-           Sautéed beet greens: Although this was a veggie dish, it was surprisingly hearty and felt a bit like comfort food. The greens tasted as though they had been sautéed in a warm, vegetable broth with just a hint of spice from chili oil. Add a zest of lemon to give it a kick and bread crumbs to add a crunch to every bite.

-          Roasted Broccoli: Topped with crunchy almonds, green garlic and a bit of olive oil that still allowed broccoli to have a crunch to it, this was absolutely delicious. So delicious, in fact, that I was too busy stuffing my face to snap any photos. I know – just read this and close your eyes and picture what it looks like. By reading this, I’ve passed on my imagination skills to you so whatever you’re envisioning…you’re RIGHT.

-          Mixed Roast of Pork: I didn’t know what this was going to be when I saw it on the menu. A smorgasbord of sorts? A cioppino of meat? As it turns out, it was basically various pieces of pork served on a carving board. Pork shoulder, pork belly, pork loin, pork head, pork - -- did I get you? Yep, just making sure you’re paying attention. No pork head…but just about every other piece of pork you can imagine. I grabbed what I realized was the pork belly after one bite. And you know, I don’t think I’ve ever had pork belly before this because, well, I would remember. It’s delicious – rich with fatty goodness and juices, covered in a crunchy skin. So good. 

Dessert:

We had one dish on the menu slated for dessert. This was before Mr. David Steele walked in. Owner of Flour + Water, we first had the pleasure of meeting him and then meeting each of the other desserts he sent our way.  All three to be exact. So yes, after eating an already hearty 5 course meal, we were both eager and able to ravish the other desserts, and of course, licked our plates clean. I’m not sure whether to be impressed with how much food we put away, or just plain embarrassed. But whatever, since some of the dishes were “presents” (is that a stretch? I’m going with it), I’m terming it “impressed”. After all, we’re polite. And maybe a little hungry. But mostly, polite. Thanks again Mr. Steele!

-          Chocolate Budino: Oye. If I could only have one dessert forever…this might just be it. Rich, thick and creamy dark chocolate pudding topped with a dollop of light, whipped, espresso caramel cream, creating a perfect combination of consistencies. With sea salt sprinkled atop, it adds a salty kick to the otherwise creamy, sweet dessert. Amazing.

-          Turnip Cake: Don’t let the presentation fool you. What looks like leftover pieces of cake thrown on a dish with ice cream, is actually an attempt to sprinkle and disperse the flavor throughout the dish. Large pieces of turnip cake – actually let me stop there. I know what you’re thinking. Turnips? In dessert? In the words of Sweet Brown “ain’t nobody got time for that!” Please. You know me better than this. I don’t really know if there are turnips in this cake (actually I do. There are.)  but…it sure doesn’t taste like it. So go on. Give it a whirl. Okay, where was I. Ah yes – large pieces of cake filled with shredded turnips (see? Sorry),  mixed with sweet molasses, rich brown sugar and walnut crumble are spread atop caramelized honey cremeux and topped with carrot gelato. See, eating vegetables is fun! And yes, it COUNTS. Three servings at least.

-          Vanilla Bonet: This soft yet rich vanilla dessert which has a panna cotta-type consistency, is a bit of cream cheese heaven and is perfectly balanced with the hearty crunch of crumbled cornmeal-citrus cookies atop it. Resting in a bed of balsamic caramel and sprinkled with mini-blueberries and even a spruce of mint (we’re fancy!) it is the perfect combination of tart and sweet. Yum!

Service 10:  Jessie…will you accept this rose? Kidding. I do NOT watch that shit. But if I did, Jessie would get a rose. Because she rocks. I think we were her dedicated table, which makes sense because she basically did everything for us. She was incredibly nice and pretty hilarious, walked each of us through the restaurant and the obstacle course to get to our private room and made good convo the entire way, offered solid recommendations for the wine and extra pizza,  kept the dishes flowing and – my favorite – our wine glasses full. With eleven girls, it’s easy (and pretty safe) to assume that something will fall through the cracks. As I finished my glass of wine and set it down, wondering to myself how long I would have to wait before my coveted glass was full once again, I would see a hand come out of no where, holding a glorious bottle of wine – already coming to the rescue. I would venture to guess I waited no longer than ten seconds each time my glass was empty. Which apparently was quite often. I digress…Jessie kept up with us and our appetites and was fabulous. Ten!

Noise Level 8: Again…the caveats. I know, I sound like a Prilosec commercial with all my small print. Our noise level was ideal because we were in our own room and had complete control of the noise. If it was ever too loud? A whistle does the trick. I will say, I do NOT think this is the same in the main dining area. As we strolled through while we were leaving, it felt reminiscent of the noise level from a night club. Or maybe I’m just getting old. Those pesky kids and their loud voices! It was rather loud though and I would imagine difficult to carry on a conversation with a larger group (hence the private rooms), so if you do come here, I would recommend a party of two. Or one, if you’re bold. No phone allowed. Go you. 

Price 6: Well, you knew it had to happen. SOMETHING had to give. This night was too perfect for there not to be something awry. Yes, well, we paid for it. Literally. Are you ready for this? Okay, now I will remind you – we had our own private room, with our own private server, and even though we did bring our own wine where the corkage was waived every time we bought a bottle (which in retrospect may have been better to just pay the damn corkage)…well, keeping all that in mind…the damage was (I’m cringing as I write this): $153 each. I know. I KNOW. I could have had a new pair of Ray Bans to enjoy for days on end rather than just a headache the next day (damn you, wine). But you know what? It was worth it. It was an outstanding meal – every last bite. Although next time I would dine in the main area to avoid minimums and possibly pre-drink, heavily, elsewhere.

All About The Area: I feel like this is the area where the cool kids hang out. The area that isn’t overrun with too many bars and restaurants – but just enough of them. You’ve got the new hot spot Central Kitchen (don’t EVEN get me started on this one on Open Table), Gracias Madre (the vegan Mexican place that beckons even non-vegans to hit it up), Southern Pacific Brewery (which is so cool, it’s kind of hidden and you might just walk by it (multiple times) without knowing it. Not that that’s ever happened to me. Ever. I’m just saying. So – if you’ve got your pumped up kicks and ready to explore the cool area that hasn’t even been labeled as ‘cool’ yet (unless I just..did I???) – then get your booty down here and check it out. And bring your wallet. 

Overall Grade: 8.4

Last but not least – thank you to my where-to-Wednesday girls for the recommendations to spruce up my W2W posts! We now have the name of the restaurant in the title (and a big duh to myself, thank you for pointing that one out to me). If you’re part of the crew or just an avid reader (love you!) and have any recommendations on how to make W2W even better – always feel free to send ‘em my way. I heart ideas.

 

The Dough Room!

More of the dough room....and a glimpse of our waitress Jessie. Look how fast she moves!

And...this is definitely more than dining area....

Citrus Salad

Deviled Eggs...not your typical presentation and not your typical taste. Outstanding!

It might look like normal bread but...it's SO much better than that. What is IN the flour and water here??

Margherita Pizza

Taleggio Scarpinocc...aka snow shoe pasta

Agnolotti dal plin - aka Werther's Original pasta

Sauteed Beet Greens

Mixed Roast of Pork

Yep...there was a chalkboard there and yep....we used it. W2W!

Chocolate Budino

Turnip Cake

Vanilla Bonet

Great night! Thanks Flour + Water!