Iceland Part 2: Randomness in Reykjavik

After covering a good part of Iceland's south short, we spent the second half of our week in Reykjavik, a delightful city that captures the quirkiness of the Icelandic spirit. For context, even though over half of the Icelandic population lives in Reykjavik, this only means approximately 200,000 in the greater capital area. So don't expect a bustling metropolis but more appreciate it for it's pockets of character.

We rolled into the city in the early evening and went to our Airbnb in the downtown area. This apartment was great.

A classic blend of simplicity and IKEA decorations

It was super cute, in a neighborhood with lots of parking that was super close to the areas that are fun to go out in. And it wasn't too close to the main area where all the hotels are. We walked into the closest restaurant nearby (that we only spotted because it had a green bean on the sign), which turned out to be Kryddlegin Hjortu, a place that won a certificate of excellence from Trip Advisor in 2015. They have an unlimited soup and salad bar, which is just what you want on a cold day when you're starving but still trying to stay healthy. After being pleasantly surprised by the meal, we walked around a bit, then went back to the AirBnb to get situated. We started getting ready for a late dinner because it's not really vacation unless you are eating an immense amount of food at all times. Pro tip: Before walking outside on a winter evening in Iceland, be sure to have a couple glasses of that wine you picked up in duty free to make sure your "wine coat" is securely snug. 

We hit the nearby Lebowski Bar, tailor made for American tourists (there's also a Chuck Norris bar down the street and something literally called "American Bar" which sounds like a red solo cup nightmare). They have a selection of about 20 different flavors of white russians and a good 10+ types of burgers. The drinks were strong, they were showing soccer matches, and the food was nothing special. So exactly what we expected it to be.

The dude abides in Iceland.

The next morning we woke up and were of course hungry, so we went to brunch (do non-Americans "brunch" or do they just breakfast) at The Laundromat Cafe, which came recommended. It's in the main tourist area where most of the hotels and hostels are, so there's usually a bit of a weight but the ambiance is cozy and the food is good. We had pancakes with sides of bacon that came in coffee cups and met a guy who's trying to become an Instagram influencer.

Pancakes and cups of bacon for the most important meal of the day

It was nice to be in Reykjavik around the holidays because all the streets are decorated and it felt super quaint, even on a gloomy and rainy day.

Cute, right?

Then it started to really rain, so we ran over to the Harpa, a concert hall and conference center with multiple gifts shops where you can get Icelandic gifts. The building is on the water's edge and is one of the more modern architectural highlights of the city.

The outside looks like fish scales

The architecture inside is really cool, almost trippy. Walking up the stairs is almost like being in M.C. Escher print. The texture on the outside of the building carries through to the inside in a more metallic version.

Like a never-ending spiral of staircases

But let me get to the main reason we were in this beautiful building and one of the reasons I love the randomness of Icelanders. We were there to appreciate their local celebrity hero, by participating in a Bjork VR experience!

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaas

Basically you would go from room to room and be given an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive and watch 2-3x Bjork music videos in 360 and basically "dance inside Bjork" if you weren't careful. It was one of the coolest, trippiest, exhibits I've ever been to and I have to say, she makes the best music videos.

Space aged "dancing"

After avoiding total VR vertigo, we went to try the culinary dish Iceland is most know for... the hot dog. True story. One of the best places to get it is this 80 year old outdoor stand, Baejarins Beztu Pylsur. I've seen photos were the line for this place is a block long but since we were willing to eat under drizzly weather conditions we had minimal wait.

Spot the Jessica!

In order to truly experience it, we went with the classic "one with everything," which means ketchup, sweet mustard, remoulade, crisp fried onion and raw onion.

Yes, it looks disgusting. It's not bad. If you like hot dogs

After that we walked along the main streets of Laugavegur, Skolavordustigur, and Hverfisgata (don't ask me to pronounce any of these) to do some window shopping while we made our way to the Icelandic Phallological Museum aka "the penis museum." It's the largest collection of penises from animals all over the world, plus penile paraphernalia, stories, and famous molds. It's... interesting.

Endless jars of mammal penises

After that we headed back to the apartment and got some serious "wine coats" on because it was quite cold out. Since it was Thanksgiving in America, we decided to treat ourselves to the tasting menu at Dill, which we heard was one of the best places in town. Usually you need a reservation but since we were there in the off season we put our names in, then went around the corner to grab drinks at Mikkeller & Friends. For context of how pricey drinks can get in Iceland, two irish coffees (albeit the strong irish coffees I've ever had), came to $50. Back at Dill, we have one of the most delightful tastings I've ever had. I won't go through everything in painstaking detail, as I feel that this photo montage speaks for itself.

Amuse bouches, and bread nuggets, and fish dishes, oh my!

For brunch the next morning we traipsed a little further across town to this area that felt like a shipyard to eat at the Coocoo's Nest. Looks for the robin egg blue door, that looks like a cute entrance to a concrete bunker. Once you're inside, the ambiance is super warm and cozy. I got a chai and eggs florentine with homemade rye bread. It was totally worth a quick trek in the cold.

It's like you're in a super cold surf shack

For the next adventure of our day, I need you to bare through some very Icelandic words. We started walking to see the famous church, Hallgrimskirkja. To get there, we walked down the main road, Skólavörðustígur (how anyone navigates around with these road names is beyond me). On these street we were window shopping and stumbled across this really cool photography shop, Fótógrafí. I highly recommend making a stop here for any gift needs. Amazing photography in any size and it's affordable.

Perfect for hipsters

We then continued onto the church, which is the main architectural attraction outside of the Harpa. We heard that the unique structure is made to resemble a waterfall but on Wikipedia it says it's supposed to looks like a lava flow, so take your pick. It's a Lutheran church built in 1986 and one of the tallest buildings in Iceland (there's not a ton of competition). The statue guarding the outside is Viking explorer OG, Leifur Eiríksson. You won't find any nods to Christopher Columbus here.

Don't go chasing (cement) waterfalls.

The inside felt very cathedral-like. Sadly we didn't have time to wait in the elevator line to go up and get views from the top, but we did get a good look at the impressive organ in the interior. There are 102 ranks, 72 stops and 5275 pipes and it wasn't finished until 1992!

I bet the sound quality in here is EPIC!

We had places to get to... it was time to get our diplomas at Elf School! I hear about this on John Oliver and it seemed like a must-do for the perfect work desk decoration. Additionally, as we started to travel around Iceland we noticed tons of elf "shrines" and that many rationale people we met legitimately believed in elves. So we hopped in our car and headed to what I would equate to a strip mall in the suburbs.

But I've never seen this in any American suburb...

You walk into what should be an office space but instead resembles the house of a hoarder. If that hoarder was obsessed only with elf paraphernalia. I want Elf School to be a surprise and joy to everyone so here's what I'll say: prepare yourself for 4 hours of rambling elf, hidden people, and mer-people stories from around the world told by the most jovial old man.

He will seriously keep you interested for 4 hours

His husband will keep you continually fed with decision snacks. We even had a guest appearance from a psychic who also rents space in the building (they're both members of the Iceland Paranormal Society). And at the end you get to take home a 70 page study guide and you get an official diploma without actually having to take any tests!

For our last dinner, we went to test our luck again by trying to get into Fiskmarkaðurinn (I kid you not, I can't make up these words), one of the fancier fish restaurants in town that does tasting menus and sushi. The only way we were getting in without a reservation was the last two seats at the sushi bar, but that was fine with us. Our sushi chef was an awesome guy who grew up in Vic, and yes, legitimately believes in elves. He taught us all about their many Christmas elves while making some of the most beautiful sushi platters I have ever seen.

This fish is fresh AF

The next morning was our last day in Iceland. Our only activity of the day was to hit the Blue Lagoon on the way back to the airport. Since it's so close to the airport, everyone recommended either going directly there upon landing or when you leave. I would recommend making it your very first Icelandic activity, because once you've been to places like the Secret Lagoon (with only 20 other people and a legit geyser erupting next to you) this place seems super touristy. It's pricey, there's a ton of people, tour buses roll up on a regular basis. Pay a little more for the express pass, you also get an additional facial mask throw in and two drink tickets (can be alcoholic, green juices, or yogurt smoothies). The restaurant there feels almost like you're in an overpriced American spa, but that all food options are heavy on the cream and not so healthy.

Spa fish. It doesn't look creamy but it's there...

But it's cool to look at and actually blue. Plus there's lots of sauna and steam room options. I'm just saying make it your first stop so you really appreciate it before you experience all the other wonders Iceland has to offer!

But how is it blue?? Oh the molecules...

Another Hyde Street Gem: Stone's Throw

Russian Hill's Hyde Street stretch is one of my favorite parts of the city. Aesthetically, it's a beautiful street lined with trees and San Francisco Victorian-style building, with the cable car chugging down the main strip. Even though it's only a couple blocks up from Polk Street, it's avoids the Marina spill-over bar scene by sticking with wine bars, cozy brunch spots and steadfast restaurants that avoid becoming over-hyped. It's home to some of my favorites in the city, including Elephant Sushi and Zarzuela. Continuing it's trend of working it's way into my heart (and stomach), Stone's Throw opened in November on Hyde and Green.

The restaurant is smaller in terms of available seating. We had a 6:45 reservation but tables weren't leaving at the rate expected, so we ended up standing at the bar for 35 minutes. However, the host was extremely cognizant of the situation. After 10-15 minutes he brought over some complimentary sparkling wine. After 20 minutes, we were starving so we put in a small plate order, which was also comped. Issues like this happen in restaurants all the time, so to know that they cared and were working on a solution put us in a good mood on what could have otherwise lessened our entire meal experience. While we were waiting, I did order the Tai One On cocktail, which was reminiscent of a French 75, tart with just the right about of bubbly. For the small plate we ordered the puffed potato & eggs, served atop cauliflower puree, chives and crispy chicken skin. The chicken skin almost tastes like bacon, so it's no surprise this dish also appears on the brunch menu.

When we got seated we order some wine after requesting recommendations from the server, who was very helpful. We ordered pretty much every small plate on the menu. My favorite after the potatoes was the salt roasted beets with burrata, lemon and crackers. I hadn't had beets served with a citrus twist before and it really complemented the sweetness of the beets. The Dungeness crab salad with artichoke chips, garlic cream and anchovies was surprisingly flavorful. The duck pate and mousse was a pleasant surprised. The pate and mousse were layer and it was server with warm pretzel balls, so the pate melted right on like butter. The starter plate we ordered (not to be confused with the "small" plates) was the squid ink pasta and was my favorite dish of the night. It was well balanced and even though the dish included calamari, clams and capers it wasn't overwhelmingly seafood tasting. My second favorite dish of the night was actually their burger. It comes with all the fixings and thick layer of cheddar cheese. The end result is that it basically melts in your mouth the second you bite in. If you're a burger fan, this is not one to miss. I wouldn't be surprised if it starts popping up on "Best Burger in SF" lists in the future (along with the totally under the radar burger from Bistro AIX). The burger comes with stuffed tater tots, which are amazing. We also ordered a ravioli main dish which looks like it's not longer featured on the menu, which is fine because it was under-whelming and forgettable (I think it was pumpkin or chestnut maybe?). We didn't end up ordering any dessert as we were way too full by this point but I adore their concept behind the dessert menu. All patrons are asked to fill out a piece of paper at the end of the meal with their favorite childhood dessert. If the chef feels inspired by your suggestion, an upscale, modernized version could appear on the menu. Current desserts include chocolate bananas foster, apple pie and peanut butter and jelly donuts.

Overall the meal was pretty affordable if you're following the "sharing is caring" philosophy. We ordered about half the menu plus several glasses of wine and didn't feel bad when we say the check. I'm adding Stone's Throw to my list of favorite neighborhood spots and can't wait to go back any see what kind of spin they take on brunch.

For Ham Fans and Oyster Eaters

I have an ever-growing list of San Francisco restaurants I want to try chicken-scratched on notebook paper, taped to my fridge. Even though I'm always adding (it seems like a new hot place pops up every week in this city), I'm also able to cross off quite a few. One that's been on my list for almost two years is Hog & Rocks. The San Francisco Chronicle had named it one of the "Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants" in 2013, so it was time to give it a try. It's advertised as a place for "oyster eaters, ham fans and whiskey lovers." While not on-board with the whiskey, the food combo sounds pretty unbeatable, so we finally went to check it out last weekend.

Exterior on 19th!

Interior Art

The restaurant is located on 19th in the Mission. It's the typical smaller size of a Mission gastropub but not impossible to get into. We made dinner reservations earlier the same day (OpenTable said they were full but a call to the hostess proved otherwise). The ambiance is dim lighting but highlighting wall art of what else but pigs, oysters and whiskey. While the restaurant was almost totally full and felt like an energetic Friday night, it wasn't hard to hear across the table (which I appreciate the older I get). For a whiskey bar, it still had a good wine list with some reasonably priced options, so that was a nice discovery. In terms of the menu, we first tackled the "rocks" portion. There were 6 different fresh oyster options, so we tried one of each. It was a wide selection from various regions, so you could actually tell the difference between them which was fun. We also ordered the BBQ oysters, which were tasty but didn't hold a candle to Hog Island's chipotle bourbon BBQ oysters. From the "snacks" menu, we got the artisan pretzels (one is not big enough to spit unless you only want 2-3 bites) and the pimento cheese dip (which  you have to order separately). For a smaller sized pretzel, they give you a giant bowl of cheese, so they should either give you more things to put the cheese on or a smaller bowl and drop the price. We also ordered the deviled eggs and as a huge fan of deviled eggs I feel completely comfortable saying they were possibly the best deviled eggs I've ever had. What really elevates them above other deviled eggs is that ham is involved, plus they're topped with deep fried oysters. Lastly we tried the trotter tots, which are basically deep-fried tater tots infused with pig's feet to give it a fatty pork flavor. They were served with a smoked garlic ranch dipping sauce and fennel bulbs. They definitely elevated plain old tater tots to a whole new level. In summary, their menu is pretty inventive and they stay within theme, so if you like pork products or oysters you'd be satisfied. My main point of contention with them is the price point. 4 glasses of middle of the price-range wine, plus all the food mentioned above came to $150 and frankly we probably could have eaten even more.

Deviled Eggs

Trotter Tots

A Night Out in Japantown

Last Sunday was the Golden Globes and amidst the flurry of sequins and champagne, we saw the top contenders of this awards season come through. Notable winners (that I’m all very happy about) included “American Hustle,” “12 Years as a Slave,” Amy Adams, Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Lawrence, Jared Leto and “Breaking Bad” (going out in a blaze of glory).

I've been able to see most of this season's nominated movies but one I was missing was “Her,” so I went to check it out Friday night. For Golden Globes it was up for “Best Picture- Comedy or Musical” but lost to “American Hustle.” Joaquin Phoenix was nominated for “Best Actor- Comedy or Musical” but lost to Leo DiCaprio. Spike Jonze did end up winning one for “Best Screenplay.” I went in with relatively low expectations. Despite the nominations, personal reviews from friends described it as strange and awkward. However, a few who’d seen it had proclaimed it to be one of the best they’d seen all year. The premise of the movie is definitely original and a tale for our time (or the not-so-distant future). When a man going through divorce is burned out on human relationships he turns to his operating system (OS) for emotional connection and love. While there are some awkward “sex” scenes, the rest is pretty relatable to human relationships. Phoenix does a good job playing downtrodden yet hopelessly romantic. Scarlett Johansson does the voice of Samantha, the OS. That woman does have a pretty sexy voice! Amy Adams had a great smaller role which I think could have been expanded on a little more, as it seemed like she had more of past with Phoenix’s character but that was glazed over.  There were also good cameos by Olivia Wilde and Rooney Mara. I love Spike Jonze movies (“Adaptation,” “Being John Malkovich”) so I was glad he won for screenplay but surprised he wasn't even nominated for director. I thought there were some very visually stunning scenes and shots that really conveyed the emotional turmoil of Phoenix’s character. I always forget that Jonze got his start in directing by making music videos for the likes of Beastie Boys and Bjork. I do have to say, no one makes music videos like that anymore! Anyway, I digress. I would definitely recommend making “Her” one of the movies to see this season. It’s a timely and relevant love story that’s both charming and sad.

On another side note, we went to see “Her” at the Sundance Kabuki Theater in Japantown. Beforehand, instead of patroning one of the many authentic and delicious ramen shops nearby (I recommend Tanpopo) we decided to hit up Benihana. I love Benihana. Perhaps in a city filled with amazing Asian options, this could be considered a travesty but there are no other hibachi options. First off, in a city filled with waitlists, getting a reservation at Benihana is extremely easy. I even saw them take some walk-ins. At Benihana you not only get 5 courses of food but a showmanship of knives and flames right in front of you. Their fried rice is fantastic, as are their dipping sauces. So we got a soup, salad, shrimp appetizer, bowl of fried rice, chicken and steak entrée, plus had to duck out before we could get the green tea ice cream. All that food, plus a large sake ran me $35. I’m sorry, but in San Francisco I can rarely get out a restaurant for under $50 if I get a drink, appetizer and main course. People kept asking what my friend and I were celebrating. Can we just be celebrating a love of Benihana??

I mean, even Don Draper likes Benihana!

Friendsgiving SF-Style

Last Sunday night a few of us got together for a "Friendsgiving" dinner, only instead of turkey and pot luck dishes we hit one of the hottest new Mexican restaurants in San Francisco. I mean, I like turkey but I'd really rather just have some nice ceviche and a margarita. The place I'm referring to is La Urbana, which opened about 3-4 months ago and while it's been labeled as one of the trendy new spots to go, it's not insane yet. However, based on the amazing food, fancy cocktails, cool ambiance and fun location (Alamo Square on Divisadero), I'd go now and try to get in while you can. Eater SF just nominated it as one of five "So Hot Right Now" restaurants although Stones Throw won. It was also nominated for "Stone Cold Stunner" but honestly I'm not really sure what that means...

The inside of the restaurant is mostly modern with Mexico City influences, with brightly painted wood, neon lights, skeletons and cacti succulent arrangements. We ended up getting seated at the communal table, which I was a little nervous about (especially when the other half was initially comprised of mostly small children when we first got there- what were they even eating there?!), but it really wasn't bad. There's a tinted glass partial wall that separates it from the restaurant and cuts down on the noise a bit. Usually when I sit at a communal table I find myself saying what or just politely nodding out of deafness, but the glass wall plus the table size may for reasonable noise level.

Even if you're not particularly hungry, this is a great place to go for drinks. The cocktail menu boasts one of the largest mezcal collections in SF of 40+ bottles. All of the females at the table ordered the violet flower margarita, because who in their right mind would pass up a tequila drink with orange blossom water, violet flower liqueur, rose cava and actual flower petals! For some reason none of the men ordered this drink though. The La Urbana margarita is pretty potent but delicious as well.

Onto the food. The cuisine is upscale Mexican, with authentic dishes spiced up with molecular gastronomy. Although tempted to do the grandiose "We'll take one of everything," we practiced self restraint and picked out a couple dishes to share. I'll go through them in order of favorite to least. I thought the best was the ceviche de pescado, which came in a capped mason jar. After being opening in theatrical fashion, mesquitesmoke billowed out. The fish retained the smokey taste but also had a good balance of citrus and avocado.

I also really like the corn side dish. Although it's usually better on the cob, they took the esquites and made it into a tasty bowl of corn, lemon aioli, garlic butter and epazote (a common Mexican spice). The only thing is could have used is a little queso fresco. The oysters had that cool gastronomic flair, with the shell being filled with a cucumber serrano foam that had a spicy after-kick. Our starter (after the complementary amuse bouche) was the huarache de carnitas on brioche, which is a great appetizer for those who can handle their spice.

My favorite entree was the braised short rib with potato puree and grilled squash. The meat was incredibly tender and wasn't drenched in sauce, allowing the quality of the meat to shine.

The other entree we tried was the pollo con mole negro. I'm not a huge fan of mole sauce but this one was particularly pungent. It almost tasted like it had espresso or something in the sauce. Lastly we had the ensalada verde, which was thinly slice cacti, fava beans, frisee, avocado and cilantro dressing. They were able to make the cacti non-slimy but it was overall a forgettable dish. We didn't order the pozole but I heard it is really good, so I'd definitely give that a try next time I go back (although now the great Divisadero debate will be do I eat at Little Chihuahua, Bar Crudo or La Urbana.... so many good choices!).

*Food photo credit to SF Gate.  I clearly was too busy eating to play food paparazzi. 

A Foodie Ode to Oakland

I don’t know if I’ve ever written an Oakland restaurant review and for that I am sorry. I’m working on getting over my bias of Oakland that most Bay Area-ites tend to have (although believe me, there are parts of the city that fit the stereotype). Most of my Oakland eating has taken place within an immediate radius of the Fox, but I have trekked as far as Beer Revolution for drink before. Make Westing has strong drinks and awesome sandwiches. Hutch Bar & Kitchen was bourgeois for the area, overpriced Southern food, super slow service, mediocre drinks and an overall disappointment.  A favorite standby of mine is Rudy’s Can’t Fail Café. Yes, it is typical diner food but it’s delicious and exactly what you need before a show sometimes. Plus they have a jalapeno cucumber margarita that’s to die for and outside seating right on Telegraph next to the Fox so you can laugh at all the under-agers who thought waiting in line for 2 hours prior to doors opening was worth it. If you’re sticking to a couple blocks of the Fox, Xolo Taqueria is my top recommendation. There’s a breakfast burrito that almost makes me wish there were morning concerts, but the surf-n-turf burrito’s a good dinner alternative. The tacos are comparable to those you would find at a more upscale Mexican joint in the Mission. If it’s not too sweet for you, get the horchata. Yes, there’s no alcohol in it but you’re going to drink enough at the show anyway and this beverage is worth the wait.

 

Anyway, I’m dedicating this post to my new favorite restaurant in Oakland, Mua Lounge. It’s semi-tucked away on Broadway, but the small patio area is buzzing on nice days. The inside of the restaurant is unexpectedly large, at two floors that span pretty far back. We were seated upstairs and quickly assessed the cocktail menu. I started with the strawberry ginger lemonade, which was so delicious it was hard to tell it was alcoholic at all. It’s a little sweet though, so later in the meal I switched to the Joe Smash, which is Belvedere vodka (it’s always nice when a place uses top shelf), Cointreau, mint, red grape and lemon. This was the favorite cocktail of the table, so I highly recommend it. For the food, we took a look at the starter salads and they all sounded so tasty that we ordered 3 different ones. And they were all worth it. The pressed watermelon with feat, pine nuts, mint and olive oil was light and refreshing. I want to try and recreate this salad on a hot summer day. The kale salad (you know my obsession with kale) was mixed with pine nut, currant, kohlrabi, onion and manchego shredded cheese. It was pretty good as kale salads go, I always like when pine nut is added and currant was a new flavor. Lastly we tried the beet salad, with mache (sweet, nutty and leafy- the newest rage in the lettuce world), goat cheese and pecan. I’m all for mache becoming the hottest new leafy green (behind kale of course) and I liked the pecans pairing with the beats in place of walnuts. We ordered the brussel sprouts, which were sautéed in a brown butter sauce so they weren’t greasy. The mac n’ cheese is a must order. The catch is, there’s no cheese in the dish! The pseudo-cheese is made with butternut squash and cream, yet tastes like a light and healthy version of mac n’ cheese. If I was a better cook, I would try to recreate this as well. The grilled artichoke was fine but not the best I’ve add. The tarragon aioli is was topped with needed citrus zest or something a little more punchy. There also wasn’t enough aioli on the dish and they were hard to cut up and share. The burrata cheese plate, with Portobello, red pepper, squash and balsamic was good, but you really can’t mess up burrata. The fried calamari was a nice warm addition to the meal. The chili and shallot mixed in helped bring it a step above your standard restaurant calamari dish. Lastly, the lamb cheeks are a must order. They were daube braised (a French style way usually reserved for making stew with wine, vegetables, garlic, and herbes de Provence) and served with parsnip. The meat was so tender and flavorful. They came in a plate filled with the sauce, which I then wanted to dunk my brussel sprouts in, it was so good. These may be easy to miss when scanning the menu but I definitely recommend them! 

Aliment (noun): Food, Nourishment

For the last couple years I've been living in Nob Hill, directly above Union Square. Like every neighborhood, it has its pros and cons. Most of the cons have slowly grown on me and are a source of comfort now. I don’t know if I could sleep as soundly without the dinging of the trolley and hum of the tracks. The tourists that I zoom by every day while jetting up the hill now offer words of encouragement and envy, as only a local could manage that steep of an incline like a pro. And even in a city of amazing restaurants, sometimes you just need a slice from the Cheesecake Factory.

This brings me to my point. The one con that I still struggle with is the lack of good restaurants in my area. It’s either chain restaurants or kitschy SF tourist traps that charge too much. I've got my hole-in-the-wall favorites that are always good for takeout (Sushi Toni tops that list!) but the closest decent restaurant is probably the Nob Hill Café. I found my neighborhood bar (Tunnel Top, a must visit for any SF resident) but I've been yearning for a good place to have a glass of wine and enjoy some quality food. Well, finally I have found such a place! Aliment, a new American/California restaurant just opened on Bush between Mason and Powell. The 49-seat restaurant feels small but open. Giant windows that slide open face the street and there’s bar seating along it for those who like to people watch. Every day I walk by there’s little vases filled with fresh flowers sitting out on it. The rest of the interior is minimalist outside of the wine wall behind the bar. 

We sat by the window and checked out the wine list. They featured a good selection of local and world wines. I just read that the managing partner comes from Nob Hill Grille and shares the chef duties with a guy coming from Blue Plate. This makes sense as the food is classic California, simple and seasonal. We started by tasting the Churchpoint oysters, which were topped with fresno chile vinegar and fennel. It had a spicy after-kick that really livened up a standard oyster. I then continued my kale obsession with their chopped kale salad, diced with toasted pepitas (squash seed), radish and pecorino. The dressing was a thick avocado and anchovy dressing, which didn't taste fishy at all. We also split the fried brussel sprouts, which were crispy but a little on the greasy side (they’d be perfect if strained a tad bit more). The sauce they’re served in tasted like a mix of soy and something a little sweet/syrupy, which combined made a delicious tangy combo. Just in case we were getting a little too healthy, we also got an order of the French fries, which were standard but served with a garlic chive ranch. I’d recommend also requesting ketchup as they make their own smoky ketchup in-house that I really enjoyed and I usually hate ketchup. We stopped after appetizers and wine but their entrees were in the same genre (think hanger steak, diver scallops, fried chicken and braised short rib). 

This place offers a little something for everyone. I’d be fine dining there solo, with friends or on a date. They’re also open for brunch so I’ll be checking that out next! 

There's Something in the Presidio Besides Trees and Raccoons.

And yes, there is the Walt Disney Museum as well, which is a small but enjoyable place to wander on a casual afternoon. I recommend checking it out on a Sunday, when Off the Grid is happening on the lawn outside. But what I'm really referring to is the Presidio Social Club. Located in the east part of the Presidio, this under-the-radar establishment is nestled and nearly blends into the Presidio-style white military housing. This one level restaurant doesn't look like much when you’re walking up, but the moment you’re inside there’s a warm, homey but still classy ambiance. If you have to wait for a table, saddle up to the long bar and grab one of their classic cocktails. We stuck with the wine last time, which isn't the longest list of options but has some good West Coast choices.

After being seated, we started with a variety of the small plates. One of their best offerings is the deviled eggs, topped with caviar. Nothing makes one feel more decadent than a little caviar! We also got a half order of the oysters, which vary by week. The island style tuna poke doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the menu, but is pretty good. Unfortunately it’s took many chips and not enough poke. Outside of the eggs, my top recommendation would be the grilled cheese, made with gruyere and buttered. It comes with a little soup cup of warm tomato fondue to dip. While this sounds simple, it’s hard to hate a classic comfort dish prepared by professional chefs. Before the meal we also tried the chopped kale salad (we’re in California, it’s not a meal without some kale). With carrots, radish, golden beets, toasted sunflower seeds and topped with sherry vinaigrette, it was far more flavorful than it sounds.

For dinner, I split the oven-roasted bone-in ribeye, which specifically says it’s for two people on the menu. Now, being from the Midwest I can take down my fair share of meat. However, I feel I can safely recommend that this dish be easily split by 3 people. They come present the ribeye to the table before taking it back to the kitchen. Bone-in, it looks like something they toss the T-Rex over the fence in “Jurassic Park.” Sliced up and served with roasted potatoes and glazed sweet onions, it fills up a large serving platter.  The quality of the ribeye is superb and the seasoning rub on it protects that quality while adding flavor. I highly recommend this for any meat lovers. I actually found it to be much better than the meat I had at the famed House of Prime Rib. We ordered some sides for the meal, as we clearly did not already have more than enough food. The French fries are good but nothing to write home about. The mac and cheese, topped with bread crumbs is a much better option. As far as vegetables go (have to be a little healthy), the whole carrots done in sherry and honey are sweet but not overly so. Because when it comes to sweet, you have to save room for a bit of dessert. We finished up with the blackout sundae, which feels like a deconstructed s’more platter with ice cream and homemade marshmallows.

For diners on the lookout for a more affordable meal, they offer weeknight supper specials, which is 3 courses for $29 but you have to go with the entrée of the evening. Right now I recommend Tuesday, as it is simply described as “small fried things.”

Just Keepin' It Classy

A couple weeks ago we went to Bix for a work dinner and were totally unprepared. Yes, it's in the Financial District but it's only three $$$ on Yelp and San Francisco restaurants tend to be a little more laid back. This smaller, alleyway restaurant however is definitely working hard to keep it's classic feel (think piano and jazz singer in the corner, fluted columns and a whole lot of mahogany). I'll be honest, while most of the restaurant customers were in suits, we were rocking a collection of ripped jeans, fleece jackets and plaid. Great apparel for SF, not for Bix. Thankfully the bar area is right near the entrance and their martinis are quite superb.

However, it was hard to feel uncomfortable for long as the friendly hosts and servers chatted us up. We slipped into a comfy half booth, half table situation and assess the wine list, which is quite lengthy. After ordering a pinot noir we had a go at the starters menu. First must have on the list, potato pillows. How can you go wrong with something called potato pillows? These bite sized morsels were almost like gnocchi but a little more mashed potato-like. Topped with creme fraiche and caviar, they were decadent but strangely homey in a way. If you're going with a second appetizer (or you have no desire to try something called potato pillows which is just silly), go with the steak tartare. It's prepared table-side, so you get to watch them break up the running egg yoke into the steak, along with shallots, capers (a great addition to any tartare!), parsley and mustard. I also tried the pork belly banh mi (a Vietnamese style sandwich), which comes out in little bite-sized sandwiches and was surprisingly good for an American restaurant with no clear ties to anything Vietnamese. The deviled eggs were good (aren't they always?) but I think you can get better ones elsewhere. I can't recall what the oyster selection was that day but they were pretty gritty and I got a piece of shell in my mouth, so I'd pass on those.

After the little banh mi sandwich bites, I was in the mood for pork belly so I went with the pork loin and belly entree. The pork is served atop a warm potato salad with a mustard seed aioli, which gives the dish a punch of flavor. The pork was cooked perfectly. The belly was a good balance of soft and crisp and loin was moist. In retrospect though I wish I had ordered the Bix Club Burger, a black truffle cheeseburger. A couple people at the table ordered it and it looked amazing. It has a thick grilled onion on it that's almost as thich as the burger itself. I found out afterward's it's on 7x7's "2013 Big Eats" list.  I did manage to snag a couple truffle fries from their places, which were of course delicious.

After that you'd think we'd be ridiculously full, but what sane minded person passes on dessert? Especially when you have the opportunity to say "I'll have one of everything." After trying a bite of everything and it all being amazing, I can still recommend without hesitation the  bananas foster with dark rum and vanilla ice cream. While it didn't have the fancy flambe presentation, it melted into this creamy soup substance that we were literally trying to scrap the bowl for. To summarize, I'd recommend Bix just don't wear jeans. It's listed on Zagat as a top place for a date, so get dressed up and go with someone special.

As an appendix of sorts (it seems fitting for this review), I have to address this perfect article that I was recently told about. I live in a studio apartment and on nights when I'm not out at dinners like this I'm at home making scrambled eggs. People read my blog and incredulously ask me exactly how much I spend eating out. As I recently found out, being in advertising (and especially media), I'm lucky enough to be included in a special category called the "poverty elite." While I'm far enough in my career now where poverty might be extreme, I fondly remember the days as an assistant planner in Chicago, making $25,000 annually, living above a drug addicted landlord, buying all my clothes from Target yet having martinis at the newest, hottest restaurants in town. There's nothing more surreal.