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!

Where-To-Wednesday Adventure #22: Slow Club

Slow Club. So…what does it all MEAN Basil… Foreshadowing on the night’s service? Embracing the international movement to preserve regional cuisine? A crock-pot driven menu? With their website providing zero background on the restaurant’s concept, we were armed with no info and left scratching our heads as we headed assumption-free to our latest Where-To-Wednesday Adventure at Slow Club. With a growl in my stomach and fingers crossed, I hoped the name had no connection to the waiting time I would experience before my tummy found a buddy. Many thanks to Anna who planned this 22^nd Where-To-Wednesday adventure at Slow Club, which Joce, Lindsey, Chelsea, Elizabeth, Becky, Neva, myself and newbie Bianca joined – and was fully completed with a cameo from Jackie who came all the way from Shanghai JUST for W2W. Obviously. No pressure Slow Club. So…were any of our preconceived “slow” notions correct? Read on friend, check the 0/10 scale and find out.

Ambiance 7: Contrary to my guestimates above, the truth may actually lie in their inability to make a decision. Slow Club has a rather odd set-up...as though three separate groups of designers and contractors slowly built three separate areas of the restaurant hoping their distinct visions would somehow create a cohesive feel across the restaurant. Interesting approach, and.....fail. It's just confusing. Upon entering the restaurant, you are essentially presented with the kitchen - - something that is typically hidden from all view or in the back of the restaurant. That said, kudos to Slow Club for changing it up. Give the masterminds behind the food the prime spot. The kitchen is small and eclectic, with pots and pans adorning the exterior and large modern lights hang down creating a pseudo barrier to the entry area nestled adjacent to it. There are a few tables that scatter within the entry/kitchen area but without a larger theme embracing it...you lose yourself for a moment wondering which diner you've just stumbled into. Those tables then lead the way to the main dining area. The feel here is more of restaurant, and the glow of candlelight and dimmed overhead lighting provide a cozier aura. But alas, it couldn't be that simple, could it? For some reason unbeknownst to us, the tables are sandwiched in between a garage door and wide curtain...which I must say, I waited patiently all night for someone to jump out and perform on what I conceived must have been a main stage. But that never happened, and so I am left scratching my head at the curtain instead of watching the show I was geared up for. By now you're probably wondering - what else could be packed in this place? What else could there possibly be room for? Food's best friend of course: the bar! Yes...they saved the best for last. If you can get past the awkward diner-esk entryway, and maneuver between the garage and curtain - both of which won't open so don't even bother checking them out - just keep your eye on the prize, and through the maze of tables before you...you will finally find your happy spot. With what seems to be a never-ending wall full of bottles, the bar is quite impressive. And if that's not enough, the loyal bar flys hanging on to every inch they can, will convince you that in the back is where it's at.

Wine 8.5: We opted for a bottle of the Sancerre and were not disappointed. Clean and crisp, this light-bodied wine was refreshing in and of itself and provided a perfect complement to the food. The wine menu had many affordable options to choose from, with most also available by the glass. See? You really have found your happy spot.

Food: This is a tricky one. Paying tribute to their ambiance, Slow Club seemed to divvy up their food focus into three areas as well. They're wildly different and as there is no real way to rate them all together, I'm not even going to try. Welcome to the good, the bad and the ugly - otherwise known as: apps, dinner and dessert. Are you up for a little game of pin the tail on the donkey?   

Apps 4.5: Good things come to those who wait. As I watched and hesitantly tried each of these sad-looking dishes, I also hoped that good things came to those who ate bad appetizers. With a limited menu, I had assumed that all dishes were perfected to be outstanding and offered something different from the norm. Well, we all know what happens when we assume... yes, I'm the ass, have we met? Each appetizer was average at best...and to be honest I wished I would have kept a granola bar in my purse to tide me over until the main dishes rather than force-feed myself these app-efforts. Hoping you heed the advice to skip right to the mains, I'll humor you with the details of what you'll miss. You lucky dog you.

- Charcuterie Plate: This was a charcuterie plate. Exactly what you would expect. Salami, copa, proscuitto, pickled shallots, dry cheese, toasts and mustard to dip in. Nothing more, nothing less. Okay..maybe a little more. Possibly cheese that doesn't taste like the Mohavi Dessert..and maybe a few kinds to choose from? Perhaps this is where someone could have jumped out from behind the curtain and offered me a bonus round of cheese. I would have bought it...I'm just saying.

- Flatbread: As soon as I saw this I was wary of it. It had the look of flatbread that had been sitting out for days. I realize the irony of saying this given its name but...it was extremely flat, as though gravity had taken hold after several hours/days and forced the contents even further into the flattened crust. Minimal toppings, this flat bread held a thin layer of montasio cheese, a bit of pesto and garlic and fingerling potatoes.

- Escarole Salad: Roasted acorn squash, orange segments, cashews....well, I wish I could tell you more of what this salad contained but all I could taste, and now remember, is tangy dressing that will make your eyes roll to the back of your head to escape the taste. Lay off the dressing Slow Club, and this dish might have a fighting chance.

- Baby Spinach Salad: An odd and yet slightly boring mix of ingredients, the spinach was thrown in with egg whites, apples, chives and bacon. It was an interesting combination of flavors...not necessarily "good" but...interesting....

- Caesar: This is your standard, typical, run-of-the-mill salad...but I'll tell you, it was normal...and it made me happy.

-Fries: Contrary to the rest of the items in apps, these were awesome. Crispy, oily delicious fries with dipping sauces. Apps...you can thank the fries for boosting up your score. Who doesn't love a curve?

Mains 9: Just like the entryway of the restaurant, once you're through it - the worst is over. And on to the mains we go.

- Grilled Pork Loin: Hello! So this is food...yes...I remember it now. It's good to be back in the land of the living. Generous slices of pork are arranged atop a bed of roasted winter vegetables and pancetta braised collard greens, with juices flowing over from the pork and cascading into the mountain of vegetables. A hazelnut verjus salsa tops it off, adding a kick of spice to an already delicious dish.

- Grilled Prather Ranch Beef Sirloin: If you aren't a carnivore..this dish could do a pretty could job persuading you to become one. Thick slices of beef sirloin rest between a mound of spinach and sunchoke puree, with pomegranate seeds sprinkled on top. The spinach and sunchoke puree couldn't be more different - with the spinach's bitter taste and the sweet sunchoke puree, however, they just worked. Hints of garlic and a spice I can't quite put my finger on - paprika? - add a depth and tantalizing flavor combination to the entire dish. Absolutely delicious.

- Butternut Squash Lasagna: As you may realize from the description of the beef...I am not vegetarian. And I'll admit it - I had very low expectations for this dish. Of course I'll try it for the review, but..let's be honest. A meat lasagna is where it's at! How wrong I was. This dish tasted like home - with warm noodles wrapped up with layers of  creamy ricotta, hearty mushrooms and and spigarello in a sea of sage cream sauce, finally topped with parsley, pecorino, romano cheese and crunchy breadcrumbs. The mix of light and hearty flavors, along with the combination of smooth, soft and crunch finishes, created a phenomenal dish - rich in taste and depth.

 - Pan Roasted Mahi Mahi: Even the fish is rich and savory...and I'm realizing it's all about the sauces and purees. The chefs here do a phenomenal job pairing main dish with a puree that compliments in flavor and texture, and additional elements peppered on top to enhance the flavor and finish. The mahi mahi in particular is light, flaky and juicy - resting in a bed of harissa-carrot puree. Cippolini onion bulbs, bitter and spicy watercress and green olive-almond salsa add peaks of intensity to the overall flavor.

Dessert 8.5: Before we delve into the dessert, I'll let you in on a little secret. We did two rounds of the mains. TWO ROUNDS. I think we were overly excited about the change of events that took place when the apps were gone and the mains arrived. Dessert was yet to be determined....would it parallel our first experience or our second? Do we risk ending the meal badly after a solid performance from the main dishes? Take us to Vegas baby...bring on the desserts!

 - TCHO Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake: What I remember most about this cake was how simultaneously moist and rich it was. I love rich chocolate cake but most times you sacrifice moist cake for richness. Not today. Intensely dark and delicious, served with a scoop of orange cardamom ice cream for a twist of flavor - this one was a winner.

- Chocolate Pot de Crème: Served up in a good-sized ramekin filled with light chocolate mousse, it is topped with a dollop of whipped cream - adding a rich finish to the light mousse.

- Caramel Apple Bread Pudding: As a chocolate lover, I almost passed on this. What a mistake that would have been. This was outrageously delicious. Piping hot moist bread pudding fills the dish, topped with crunchy pecans and drizzled with caramel. If that wasn't enough, it is finally topped with a scoop of thick, rich, whipped cream. 

- Huckleberry Mascarpone Cheesecake: A spiced, sweet graham cracker bottom holds up this rich huckleberry marbled cheesecake. A generous helping of Huckleberry coulis both decorates the bottom of the dish and provides a sweet burst of flavor in every bite.   

Service 7: The big reveal is before us....did the server live up to the name?? Pins. And. Needles. Well, if you're hoping so, then you're in for a bit of disappointment. Though she isn't gearing up to accept a Server Of The Year award any time soon, she kept things moving and was efficient. Given the size of our group, we elected a point person to do all the ordering and the waitress worked great with her and even provided recommendations. There was nothing overly special to knock our socks off with the service (note: you may want to take a page from Tony Giamani's book...), hence the 7...and to be honest, I like my socks knocked off. So, until that happens...average is as average does.

Pricing 7.5: With just about nothing on the menu over $25 (sans the wine), it kept our spend level in check - even given the excessive amount of food that we ordered. With our large group and splitting amongst each other, the costs are offset a bit and even the heavy ordering doesn't kick us in the gut too much. Including wine, dessert and tax it came out to $63 a person - not the most expensive meal we've had. (Although we were dining in a garage...) And that's good news, because I'm still making payments from our night at Contigo. 

Noise Level: Smile and nod...and pray for no open ended questions. Welcome to our night. I see your lips moving and have no idea what is coming out of them. Smile. And. Nod. Because bad lip reading in real life is never quite as funny as watching the NFL version. Is anyone else dying to know what an orange peanut just might be? Well, bring it up next time you dine here and as you get lost in translation and bad lip reading, you may blindly stumble over the answer. And at the very least you could make the actual demand 'I want cake now!' and have your call answered. Heads up Harbaugh...THIS is your place for cake.

All About The Area: In a city so small it's only 7 miles by 7 miles, I'm always taken aback when I find myself in the middle of nowhere. All across this city, people are fighting for space. Apartments are stacked one on top of the other, piling high into the sky just so everyone has a spot to rest their head at night. And let's be honest, does anyone REALLY want to occupy that sad apartment above Greens? But space is tight and concessions are made...and if you are in fact living above Greens, you now must watch every football game on at any point in the day...whilst inhaling second hand smoke and watching hourly fights break out. So, when I find a restaurant close to...basically nothing at all....located on an eerily quiet street where Starbucks are (gasp!) closed at night...I'll be honest. It freaks me out. The city is loud and boisterous - noise is your friend who reminds you that you are safe in numbers. On a quiet, desolate street with no place to easily walk to after dinner, and no cabs to hail down to take you far, far away once you realize this....it leaves you with a slightly scary feeling of being all alone. For a city that insists on being in everyone's business (just take a grand ole ride on the 30 heading downtown), this area is not indicative of San Francisco...at least for now. It is in the Mission which is typically jam packed with restaurants, bars, and everything in between - but this particular spot is what I like to call a "pocket" of the Mission...and it just hasn't been filled with anything yet. Give it time....it won't be long before the people living close by decide they need a place to watch football. And then...it begins.

Overall Score:  7.4

 

The Bar...in the back, but worth the trek

The front of the restaurant...kitchen/entryway

Cold, sad flatbread

Charcuterie Plate

Baby Spinach Salad

Caesar Salad

Escarole Salad

Fries...now we're talking

Bottle of Sancerre

Grilled Pork Loin

Grilled Prather Ranch Beef Sirloin

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Pan Roasted Mahi Mahi

Chocolate Pot de Crème

TCHO Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

Huckleberry Mascarpone Cheesecake

The Front of Slow Club