Where-To-Wednesday Adventure #11: Zero Zero

Zero Zero, you master of disguise, you. I thought I knew you, though we met only once. A cold, blustery San Francisco afternoon you welcomed me through your doors to entice me with your sizzling pizza and sandwiches. A lunch fare that left me satisfied, yet a bit unimpressed. How was I to know you had so much more to offer? Growing up in the Midwest, pizzerias were a’ plenty. We grew up with the likes of Chuckie Cheese and Major Magic, only to graduate on towards the “adult” pizzerias years later, serving up – yes, you guessed it - pizza. Offering exactly what steered you towards their piping hot oven in the first place, and nothing more. Perhaps they were honest, perhaps they were lacking, perhaps we just didn’t know what more we could have. Enter Zero Zero. For when the sun sets, the ambiance here kicks up a notch, the menu changes, dinner is served and pizza ain’t the only dish on there. Like Super Man exiting the phone booth, Fiona finding true love’s kiss (do I watch too much TV?), Zero Zero waves bah-bye to it’s former lunch facade, and embraces the tantalizing dishes and buzzing atmosphere that dinner will embrace. Many thanks to Joce who chose this latest adventure of Where-To-Wednesday, that myself, Elizabeth, Chelsea and our newest Where-To-Wednesday gal Neva enjoyed! So…what saucy little extras did Zero Zero serve up? Did Neva enjoy her cameo enough to keep a reoccurring role on the W2W crew? You, my friend, will just have to read on to find out. 0/10 scale as always…the magic happens at 10.

Ambiance 8: As dusk settles outside the doors of Zero Zero, the lights dim inside and soft overhead lights delicately glimmer across the restaurant. The bar in the front is highlighted by a perimeter of “up lighting” illuminating the wall lined with bottles behind the bar. If alcohol wasn’t already attractive..it is now. Set into the bar itself are individual lights, casting a soft glow onto patrons and their drinks, as they sit at the bar awaiting their tables. I can imagine a worse place to wait… The restaurant is set up in a bit of a loft style, so the bar area in all of its wondrous illumination, is viewable from all areas of the restaurant. If you’re sitting upstairs and feeling left out, there’s a mini-bar up there too. Don’t fret. The lighting, the bar…it all had a bit of 1920’s feel to it. Minus the wine on tap. Hello revolution. 21^st century…we have arrived.

Wine 7.5: Red? White? What’s a girl to choose? Oh come on. You know us well enough by now to know that’s a trick question. Why both of course. After sipping on a few glasses of the wine on tap (how do I get this in my apartment?) we settled on a Saintsbury Chardonnay and a Cannonau Grenache. The Chardonnay was crispy, a little tangy but smooth. Not my favorite type of Chardonnay (love the buttery ones) but still pretty good. The Grenache I didn’t try but…the bottle was drunk so I am under the assumption it was agreeable. Not a ton of wines by the glass here – about 10 per white/red that span only Italy and California. So, if you’ve got a favorite..y0u may want to bring it along as your plus one.

Food 8.5: Like too many magazine articles I get sucked into, the start of the meal quickly pulled me in with it’s robust and unique apps. And then…I got lost, somewhere where they direct me to page 276 to finish. The main course...dare I say it, since they hang their hat on their pizzas? Eh. A little forgetful. It could be that the apps set the bar too high. And if that’s the case, the desserts were all for doing chin-ups, because we ended up right where we started. Phew. Article complete.

- Brussel Sprouts: If only they served these at Chuckie Cheese…  Whoever doesn’t like Brussel Sprouts, I challenge you. Take a bite of these puppies. Sweet marries salty, as sugary Asian pear meets refreshing lemon zest and rolls around with pancetta, kicking it into your mouth with a hint of chili. Fried to perfection these are delicious with the perfect combination of fresh and savory. Mmmmmm.
- Aranchini Balls: Stuffed with taleggio cheese and black garlic aioli, these warm, delicious treats hold a meaty cheese that packs a punch. Smothered with garlicky goodness, these salty garlic balls would have Chef himself singing a new verse. Did I mention we were close to South Park? Buh-dum-chi. Where’s my drum?
 - Broccoli Di Ciccio: Seriously? Where was this broccoli when I was growing up? Mixed with toasted garlic and lemon…this dish got a kick with the Calabrian chili.
 - Meatballs: Hearty and savory, these pork and veal meatballs are covered in a gravy-esk tomato sauce. Delish!
 - Cavatelli: Good mix of textures with the soft butter beans, crunchy broccoli, and chewy pasta. Yes, a little chewy. If it weren’t for it’s buddies beans and broccoli, this pasta would be a sad loner.
 - Margherita Pizza: Baked with a thin crust, this pizza held a tomato-based sauce with dollops of buffalo mozzarella peppered throughout. Pretty good. Not spectacular like the brussel sprouts (I feel this is the only time in my life I will ever type this sentence) but good.
 - Townsend Pizza: Head into this with a glass of water. Salt, salt and more salt. This pizza was very rich and salty, with potatoes, sopressata, and lots of mozzarella. Very thick, rich and heavy it could have used more of a contrast with ingredients. Or a scheduled nap.

Now..we could have stopped here.Easily. Not because the meal was heading downhill, but because we couldn’t even finish the dishes. Which is a Where-To-Wednesday first. Leftovers? Unheard of. Watch out Guinness Book..here we come. So when the dessert menus came, we almost passed. Almost. Thankfully, the glutton within all of us could not be dissuaded. On to dessert we went. But it’s not just a normal menu. No. This dessert course requires an interactive menu. You don’t just sit back and point, you check off lots of little boxes on a pretty piece of paper that ultimately dictates just what delectable dessert concoction you are about to enjoy. From ice cream flavors, to bases of cake for your ice cream to sit on, to toppings and syrups and more toppings…oh my!....this unique take on dessert gives you the power to make your own dessert!
 - Where-To-Wednesday Dessert: That’s right. We made it our own. Simple vanilla soft serve ice cream is piled high, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt…our combination, frankly, rocked.  

Price 7.5: To get our fill of the main food groups we heart the most: pizza, pasta and vino…we ponied up $62 big ones. Pretty average for our outings..although with four people it seems a little high. In which case…have another glass of vino and fuggetaboutit.

Noise Level 8: You can easily hear your party both next to you and across the table, which is…both good and bad. I love being able to hear just as much as the next person. Probably moreso, because I’m that person who you’ll find nodding and smiling, hoping you don’t ask an open-ended question because I haven’t heard a damn thing you’ve said. All that aside, I think the reason the noise level is much lower is because the tables are spaced apart more than you find at other restaurants. It could be that we’ve become so accustomed to the European close-vicinity style seating that San Francisco has been slowly evolving to. It could be that the opposite evokes a sense of standard suburban chain-style eateries in us now, that we’ve moved so far away from. It could also be that this subtly is lost on everyone but me. In which case, I’ll end my rant, and you can disregard. But..if you feel what I feel, pepper in some fun and chuckle to yourself as you’re eatin’ good in the neighborhood; because when you’re here, you’re family. Okay, now I’m seriously done with this. Sit, eat, and listen away with your uninterrupted hearing.

Service 8: You know when you’re ready to order, and you look around for your server only to realize that you’ve only seen them for so brief a second that you can’t seem to recall what they looked like? Didn’t happen here. But you know when they’re stationed at your table, in full-force borderline stalker mode awaiting your final dish decision with a constant flickering of their pen? Riiiight, not here either. This was your average, good, service. Damn you service. There will be no fun  installment of “seriously” in this posting. Bar Agricole servers…need a place to grab dinner with free training?

All About The Area: Oh SOMA, our dear friend, we find ourselves here again. You’re pocketed neighborhoods can make us nervous with each corner we turn, but excited when it’s a good one. This part of SOMA is definitely a go-to. Next door to it’s neighbors Lulu and Oola, there are additional dinner choices amongst this street filled with modern little lofts and bustling companies like Twitter. Lofts, Twitter, and dinner…how can you go wrong?

Overall Grade: 7.9

So…next stop? Glad you asked…it’s Neva’s pick! See, that’s how we treat our newcomers. Arms wide open, and full of pressure. Many thanks to Elizabeth for bringing Neva into the world of  Where-To-Wednesday! We love new additions to the group, so if you’re interested just contact any of us to join. Prefer to vicariously travel via armchair to these destinations and voice your opinion? No problem. Read, laugh, comment and leave your mark without ever leaving your house.

Fried Brussel Sprouts

Taleggio Stuffed Arancini

Broccoli Di Ciccio

Pork and Veal Meatballs...yes, we didn't wait for the picture to scarf these down

Cavatelli

Margherita Pizza

Townsend Pizza

Where-To-Wednesday Dessert! (aka vanilla soft serve ice cream with olive oil and sea salt)

Where-To-Wednesday Adventure #10: Bar Agricole

I'm not sure if you all remember, but Summer came last week. Yes...I know, you're shaking your head, if not from the pouring rain on top of it, from the cloudiness your mind is experiencing trying to remember what nice weather felt like. Think hard and take the journey with me back to the day Summer arrived...and then left. Yes: Wednesday..it’s all coming back, right? 9/28. And what better day to ring in Summer and then kiss it good-bye, than with an outdoor patio to soak in the warm weather and sun, with crisp white wine and gobs and gobs of food…the entire menu to be exact. (Come on, we’re an equal opportunity tasting crew). Cue Bar Agricole, whose sly facade in the heart of SOMA, called us hither to bask in the warmth of the day with good friends. Many thanks to Terra for planning this installment of Where-To-Wednesday, that myself, Lindsay, Jocelyn, Elizabeth, Becky and Melissa enjoyed. So, was the food as hot as the warm Summer night? Read on fellow tasters, to see how Bar Agricole tipped the 0/10 scale.

Ambiance 9: It never happens. The warm, summer days we can spend outside…at night…relaxing amidst a warm summer breeze, that is; a nod towards Mr. Twain as he reminds us why we instead don parkas every day. So, when hell freezes over and San Francisco doesn’t, what are the chances that we’re able to have time to soak in the weather and the perfect place do it? Apparently last week, our chances hit 100%. Grazie, Terra! We hit the jackpot with the ambiance here, as we were seated at communal tables outside in a hidden cove from the street side. And the beauty of this place? With a canopy above along with heat lamps that were just installed above each set of tables, we can sit back and pretend Summer never left…and never will. Overall, Bar Agricole was very modern – the inside housing two bars with booth seating against each side. The outside continued the modern feel, with wood paneling laden with tiny lights encapsulating us in the outdoor nook, as a fountain bubbled in the background amidst the mild chatter. The only issue? The chairs. Come on people, pad those chairs. Make us want to stay longer without our butts numbing up on us. Just a mild suggestion. Ahem.

Wine 7.5: Just once, I’d like to walk into a restaurant and be greeted with a wine tasting, to prep my palate for the best selections with my meal to come. Are we in agreement? I feel your nods. And I say this because, let’s be honest, with so many options to choose from and only so many realistic rounds throughout the night to try them…there are times where you just miss the winners. With a full book of wine options, I’m sure there are some gold medals in there. But based upon our selection and the recos we received, we drank…good options…not great. Not even ribbon-worthy. And try we did. From a crisp, effervescent Benito Santos, to a forgettable rosé, to yet another white that I sadly didn’t even bother to write down in an effort to try to erase how blah it was…our options suffered, to say the least. But, not to worry, I’m sure there are better options in that huge wine book. So if you’re a’comin, come thirsty and get your taste on.

Food 7.5: I’ll say it. If I was grading this alone, the score would be lower. Much lower. But alas, it’s a group effort and Bar Agricole, the curve is your friend. Typically, when we order at restaurants, we all pick a dish that speaks to us, and then share with everyone family style. This time…we ordered just about every entrée on the menu..because..why not? The menu is situated a little oddly – the appetizers are on the top, and the entrees are below it. Or they would have you believe. For there are also appetizer-sized entrees hidden in the entrée list…wearing the disguise of a larger dish, only to yell “surprise!” when they arrive. Well played menu..well played.

-         Duck Confit Salad: Case in point. My first thought when this arrived around the table was that the duck was cold…very cold. Delicious…but cold. It was only when we discussed this after eating, that I realized this had been part of a salad. Hence the disguise…little salad. Regardless of the size, this dish was excellent with a very nice consistency. Topped with soft white cannellini beans, juicy snappy tomatoes and crunchy arugula, the blend of varying texture made for a winning combo. Just order two.

-      Cheese Plate: Hardly enough cheese for one mouse, let alone a group of 7 girls. It was good – and included Taleggio and Abbaye de Belloc (two of my personal favorites), but for 18 bucks and so little cheese…skip.

-         Raw Albacore: Delicate and delicious – the albacore was perfect. The dipping sauce accompanying it was a perfect match, with a hint of garlic and a gritty consistency – pairing well with the albacore.

-         Roasted Peppers: I can include the fancy shmancy names of peppers that were included in this dish, such as pardon, gypsy, jimmy nardello…but at the end of the day…this just tasted like a pepper. A small, lifeless, tasteless…oh, and seed-infested pepper. I think I may have also tasted a grain of salt…but, that could have been a leftover from the previous dish. Either way, fail.

-         Grilled Squid: To say this was charred would be an understatement. A more accurate description would be: burnt. to. a. crisp. The waitress was nice enough to take this back to the kitchen, but when she asked if we wanted another one…with the taste of expired fire in our mouths still ringing true, we passed.

-         Ling Cod: Delicately cooked, the buttery fish melted into your mouth – delicious! I could have feasted on this all night. A must-have on the menu.

-         Half Chicken: Super moist and juicy – with almost a hint of spice to kick it up a notch – this dish was delectable. Served with creamed corn that gave it the buttery touch that makes your tummy feel warm and cozy inside, this one was a winner.

-         Spaghetti: Okay, I’m noticing a little trend here. Butter seems to be getting a lot of playing time in this restaurant. It’s accompanying most of the dishes, and taking center stage which I honestly didn’t mind…until the spaghetti. Let’s get one thing straight – butter is good. It sure is. But it’s not the answer to cure any and every bland dish. The spaghetti was average, cooked very al dente, and topped with basil, plum tomatoes and garlicky, yes…. “buttery” sauce. People! Butter won’t solve your problems! Enough butter..try a tomato-based sauce, try…anything.

-        Wood Oven Burnt Roasted Eggplant: I think you get the hint. If not, the picture below is worth the thousand words I don’t want to write about it.

And now…the part we’ve all been waiting for. The best part of every meal, no matter how full you thought you were before the topic came up: dessert!

Now, as it turns out, mine and Becky’s birthdays are right around the corner and the girls were thoughtful enough to order a surprise birthday dessert for us. Knowing what really hits the spot, they asked for chocolate. Sound the horns, bang the drums…it’s now time for….wait for it, wait for it….the second rendition of the “Seriously?” Segment of Where-To-Wednesday. When requesting a chocolate “anything” dessert to celebrate, they were told, and I quote “chocolate isn’t in season.” Seriously?  We’re not talking about white shoes after Labor Day here. Not in season? Seriously? What kind of ignorant statement is that? Have they rustled up their own little cocoa tree in the back, crossing their fingers that somehow outside of the 15 degrees from the Equator that cocoa is actually grown, that try as they might they will grow their own? Seriously?  Is Hershey silently working miracles over there every day? Are Twix, Snickers, and Butterfinger all secretly cohorting together to utilize what must be, the world’s only supply of chocolate? Seriously? Were the ten blocks to walk all the way to the world renown master of chocolate: Ghirardelli, who has also somehow miraculously found the secret elixir to create endless chocolate, too much to muster for the servers here? (spoiler alert for more to come on the server note). Seriously? I think not. Come on people.* Insert very sad head shake.*

Price 9: After ordering a ton of food and wine, the dinner was actually very affordable. Under sixty bucks each, it even left us with enough money to buy our own chocolate. Zing! You knew that was coming.

Noise Level 9: With the communal tables and busy outside area, we could have easily been overpowered by other groups and conversations. But we weren’t! And with a group our size, we have to spread down the table a bit, and even with that issue, we were still very easily able to hear each other and carry on a discussion with the whole group of girls.

Service 4: At the end of the meal, we should have been served breakfast. We had been there for so long, with the dishes coming out just about as often as a cocoa bean was appearing on the tree out back. And…it couldn’t be the kitchen, unless they were cooking up the bottles of wine as well – for we waited on average, about ten to fifteen minutes for every bottle of wine we ordered. Do the math. We spent more time waiting for things to arrive than we did consuming them. And you know what? I think it’s time, once again, for yet another rendition of “Seriously?”  Yes, big night tonight folks. As you can all deduce from the postings, we take a picture of our group at each outing. And as advanced as the cameras have become, they still haven’t found a way to walk themselves in front of the table and snap a picture. Technology is so slow. Therefore, we typically ask someone at the restaurant to take the picture for us. So, when a gentleman came by to drop off wine glasses for the bottle of wine we ordered, and would continue to wait for, we asked him to please take a picture for us. And his response…are you ready for this? Tell me, are…you...ready??? “I’d love to, but I’m really busy.” Slap in the face. Seriously? Okay, let’s be honest here. How long does snapping a photo really take? 6…maybe 7 seconds if you just climbed out from under a rock and don’t know how to press a button? So, you mean to tell me, you can’t take 7 seconds out of your wine-glass delivering schedule to take a picture? Seriously? And you’re in the service industry? What are you, the slowest wine-glass deliverer that you can't spare a second...excuse me, 6 of them? Come on mister. That would be like you asking for a tip and me saying I’m too busy. Zing! Very zing.

Special note: big props to the manager Ben who made an exception for us with a 7pm reservation (take note Boxing Room!), and even found room for us outside. A+ Ben!

All About The Area: SOMA – all work and not much play…unless you're hitting the main stream areas such as 2nd/3rd street or by the ballpark, laden with flourishing businesses and thriving restaurants and bars. Then yes, play on my friend. But steer clear of the seemingly desolate streets that run under highways, full of shopping carts...and no place to shop nearby. As for the other side of SOMA...it's a little hit or miss. And my vote, is to miss. And for good reason, 11st street isn’t exactly the go-to destination of the SOMA area. Sure, the street holds the home address to a few other restaurants and bars, among them Slims, Butter and DNA Lounge...hmmm...you know what I'm thinking; I'm not even going to say it. But hey, a lot of these places are popular islands, so don’t let me stop you from having your fun. My advice? Select carefully, plan ahead, and valet.

Overall Grade: 7.6

Where will we go next? You excited little reader you, you’ll just have to wait and see! Or come along next time – just contact any of us to join. Don’t want to join but have something to share? Comments welcome! Unless they’re mean…then keep them to yourself.  

Duck Confit Salad

The smallest cheese plate. Ever.

Raw Albacore

Roasted peppers

Grilled Squid

Ling Cod

Half Chicken

Wood Oven Roasted Burnt Eggplant...see what I mean?

Our first attempt at wine - a rosé

Our next attempt..still not getting it right

The non-chocolate dessert

Where-To-Wednesday Adventure #9: Boxing Room

It’s not every day you dine at a restaurant where whilst sipping on your glass of wine, you nibble on pieces of alligator. And, while we’re at it, it’s also not every day that an alligator dish will entice a vegetarian to switch sides for the night, and venture on over to where the wild things are. Well, on our latest Where-To-Wednesday adventure on 8/3 to Boxing Room selected by moi with Terra, Elizabeth, Amanda, Becky, Lindsey and Melissa, we checked those two puppies right off our list. And the verdict from the latter, in case you’re wondering? Two enthusiastic thumbs up. We’re proud of you, Terra. It tastes like chicken veggies, right?? This latest extravaganza for the Where-To-Wednesday crew was bitter sweet, for as we dined on deliciously unique dishes with every bite, we lifted our wine glasses (holding equally delicious wine) to cheers not just another exciting adventure together, but the last adventure with Amanda before she moves to Seattle. Amanda – you are a Where-To-Wednesday regular and we will miss you on our monthly adventures together but we hope you can join us on another trip down. I mean, if Terra can push carrots aside to try alligator…anything can happen, right?  Read on you vicarious armchair traveler you, and check out if the Boxing Room really was a knock-out. 0/10 scale…with 10 packin’ the punch.

Ambiance 7.5: All in all, it’s a pretty cool space with a modern kick to it. Large windows line the restaurant, and the exposed kitchen in the back opens up to the bar area where patrons can pull up a seat at the counter. Wood walls with clean, clear edges and bright lighting really modernize this place, which seems counter-intuitive to a Louisiana speak-easy sort of establishment. Reco? Dim the lights a bit. Come on, we all have a few flaws. They had a good mix in seating with bistro tables, counter seating, booth nooks, and larger tables to cater to larger parties. Which brings me to…drumroll please… the inaugurating “Seriously?” segment of Where-To-Wednesday.  With all of this seating available, our first request for a table of 10 was rejected. Seriously, Boxing Room? Flat out. No substitute option provided. Do not pass go, do not collect your seating. Thank you reservation specialist, you were most helpful (insert sarcasm). I was told under no condition in any way could a 10-person party be accommodated. Seriously? You mean to tell me never, ever, could 10 people round themselves up around a table? Seriously? I find that hard to believe, especially after being there and seeing all of the table options. Obviously no one table accomplishes this, but perhaps, just perhaps, putting two tables together could provide the solution? 1 + 1 is….lightbulb. There it is. As it turned out, only 8 of us were able to make it after all, and we luckily (why do I feel as though I time-traveled back to Los Angeles for this reservation: phew, we got it) secured a table for 8. Table success, rant over, moving on.

Wine 9.5: Let me put it to you this way: the food here is pretty amazing (spoiler alert) but even if we had just come here for the wine…I’d be a happy camper. I bet I’d also be a hungry camper..but the world is full compromise and for this wine, I would. The wine was fantastic. We couldn’t decide between a red and a lighter option, so..we went with both. We grabbed a Pinot Noir Copain Tous Ensemble and the lighter Pinot Noir Cep Rosé. Welcome Pinot Noir: our hero (standing ovation). The rosé was light with a bit of fruit and a kick to it, which definitely got our little W2W party started. It was the perfect complement to our appetizers, allowing the spices in the food to take precedence and filling in only where needed. The Pinot Noir was mouth-watering in itself – smooth, velvety, light-medium bodied and again, the perfect pairing with our food, and carried a perfect balance with the more heavily spiced dishes.   

Food 8: This is the cheapest trip to Louisiana you will ever take. The food truly tastes authentic with hearty dishes filled with spice and fried batter. (Note to self: extra sit-ups this week). With tons of options, this place even got the nod of approval from our vegetarian. The appetizers seemed to be more of a hit amongst our group over the larger entrée dishes, but hey, you be the judge:

-          Hushpuppies: If my eyes were closed, I would swear this was a donut. Well, with peppered jelly I suppose it would be a weird donut, but…you get my point. Absolutely delicious – I would gladly take this as a dessert any day.

-          Cornbread Muffins: My God. Is this crème brulee cornbread? Did we start with desserts instead of apps? This may be the best cornbread I’ve ever had. Crispy outside with a hint of sugar, gives way to soft goodness.

-          Deep Fried Alligator: Yes, the one we’ve all been waiting for. The head turner. The “oh-my-god-i-just-ate-alligator-someone-take-a-picture” dish. And the verdict? Delicious! It tastes like chicken! Served with a creole remoulade this is lip-smackin good. How can you ever go wrong with deep fried goodness? What was under all this fried goodness…I really couldn’t taste to be quite honest…and neither could our vegetarian. Win, win.

-          Pickles: Yawn. Nexxxxxxxt?

-          Crispy Boudin Balls: This is basically an entrée tucked away inside an appetizer – genius! God I love surprises! These little crispy fried morsels are filled with a soupy rice consistency mixed with pork sausage – winning!

-          Gulf Shrimp Creole: Yeeehaw! Get yo’ hands dirty with these little guys as you shell the shrimp and eat up their garlicky goodness. That’s right – a little work to do with this dish, but hey, it’s worth it. The garlic bread that accompanies the dish is equally as good, laden with heavy spices and mouth-watering garlic – providing the perfect tool to soak up all the delicious, spicy sauce the shrimp are marinating in.

-          Smoked Chicken and Andouille Gumbo (large order): Smoky, savory and spicy with brown rice piled high; this hearty dish had a nice kick to it. Filled with chicken and big rounds of Andouille sausage, this dish is set to satisfy. Definitely not a show stopper, but come on, going to a creole restaurant without trying the gumbo?  Sacrilegious.

-          Southern Fried Chicken: Let’s be honest, this dinner would not be complete without fried chicken! Crispy with delicious seasonings outside, and juicy meat – really moist. Served with mashed potatoes and corn salsa on the side.

-          Stuffed Mirliton and Eggplant: Ratatouille in a baked tomato sauce with tangy cheese folded into a mirilton– a unique dish that really surprised me with the heartiness of it

-          Gulf Flounder a la Meuniere: Sigh. My favorite dish. We got two of these…mainly because we couldn’t count after all the wine, but I’m glad we did because it was worth going back for seconds. The flounder was prepared with a lightly crisp outside, flavored with a hint of salt and left your mouth in buttery heaven.

-          Rabbit: Damnit, I can’t decide. Maybe this one was my favorite. Welcome to my food love triangle. Absolutely delicious – moist, filling and perfectly seasoned.  

Dessert: In all honesty, we should have just ordered more hushpuppies. Damn those were good. The desserts were average…it was as if all the work went into the spicy dishes and then they realized they had a leftover banana and took it from there.

-          Bananas Foster Cake: Maybe there were a dozen leftover bananas. This was basically an entire banana cake with what tasted like banana flavored cream cheese frosting and possibly even banana flavored  ice cream. Well, maybe not, but it was definitely overly banana. Meh.

-          Pralines and Cream: It’s occurring to me now that I don’t think I got a bite of the blondie (why does that sound dirty?) that was served with this, which could have made all the difference in the world. Ice cream and pralines…not really cutting it. Ice cream is fun but…hardly a dessert to order at a restaurant. Come on, we’ve all got Breyers at the corner store. Or in our freezers. Some of us have a few tubs in our freezers. But that’s a story for another time…

-          Peach and Blackberry Cobbler: We’re getting warmer. Literally. And maybe that’s the key here. This dessert was much better than the other two – warm cobbler oozing with blackberries and peaches, with bits of buttery, sugary goodness melted in between. Topped with a big ole scoop of ice cream, this one was much better than the other two.

-          Beignets: How do you top off a meal of deep fried dishes? Deep fried dessert! Weeeee! These warm beignets were served with both an espresso and a milk chocolate cream dipping sauce. Pretty good, but after those hushpuppies…I know, I know…I’m obsessed.

Price 7.5: At a little over $80 a person, it was a little steep. Maybe….we could have taken a trip to Louisiana afterall. Granted, that included tip but for that price we could have used some reliable tips – i.e. skip the boring peppers.

Noise Level: 9 Cue the halleluiah chorus – we could hear! Which is kind of a miracle when you take an open kitchen, crowds of people, and a large room…and can still converse.

Service: 9 In short, Shelly rocked. Great recommendations for both wine and food, and she did a great job handling our large party. I don’t think we had to stop and look for her once – she was always at our table. And we like attention. Perfect match.

All About The Area: Hayes Valley, how we love thee. With streets adorned with stores, restaurants, and bars, this area is the perfect go-to to both start-off and end your night in one go-round. In fact, we actually kicked off the evening a hop/skip/jump away at Absinthe, and wandered the 5 steps down the street to get to Boxing Room. I love when a plan comes together. This area is definitely a favorite, with great favorites to frequent along with newbies opening up all the time. You can’t really go wrong, you can’t really get bored, and you can’t find a way to avoid eating. You know you want to… hit up Hayes Valley! You’ve got our W2W stamp of approval.

Overall Grade: 8.4

Deep Fried Alligator

Boxing Room Pickles

Gulf Shrimp Creole

Crispy Boudin Balls

Hushpuppies

Me, devouring the hushpuppy with peppered jelly - yum!

Smoked Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

Rabbit

Southern Fried Chicken

Gulf Flounder a la Meuniere

Cornbread Muffins

Stuffed Mirliton and Eggplant

Bananas Foster Cake

Pralines and Cream

Peach and Blackberry Cobbler

Beignets

Sending Amanda off well...with a last lick of her dish

Cheers to the end of a great night!