This 85-year old Union Square fixture attracts tourists and old-timers
I love historical restaurants. Really, I love historical anything. There is a reason why I majored in history, after all. So when I came across Sears Fine Food, as I was looking for places to eat before a play at the San Francisco Playhouse (btw, don’t miss The Play that Goes Wrong), I knew I had to go. The reviews were mixed, but I was willing to put up with substandard food for the historical experience.
Sears Fine Food was opened back in 1938 by Ben Sears, a retired circus crown, and his wife Hilbur. They specialized on breakfast food, particularly the silver dollar Swedish pancakes made from a family recipe. Served with lingonberries, they are still on the menu today.
The restaurant is pretty small and it has less of a historical look than I sought, though it does have black and white photos on the walls of old patrons and an old-fashioned atmosphere.
I ordered the “Our World Famous 18 Swedish Pancakes” with lingonberry sauce and sausages ($27) for dinner that evening – both because nothing else on the menu really appealed to me that night and because I wanted to try them. Alas, they were pretty disappointing.
The pancakes themselves were abundant but generic. They didn’t have the metallic flavor of those made with a mix, but they didn’t have a particularly pleasant flavor either. They came with corn syrup which didn’t do them any favors. A few days later I had a similar dish of silver dollar pancakes with syrup at a local fundraiser, and the homemade pancakes were far, far superior.
I did like the lingonberry preserves, which did elevate the pancakes, but there were only enough for about half the pancakes. I could have ordered another serving ($3), I suppose, but there were too many carbs on the plate as it was. The sausages were fine, pretty generic breakfast sausages. In all, I don’t think I’d recommend this dish. And yes, it was ridiculously expensive for what it was. But I figure you’re paying for the location here.
Mike had the lobster risotto ($27) and that was a somewhat better choice. He liked that the lobster came on top of the risotto rather than mixed in, as that allowed him to control how much risotto he consumed. The risotto itself was a tad salty, but delicious. It had the creaminess you seek on risotto and a very balanced, umami flavor. The lobster, however, was in need of butter. Without it, it lacked moisture and richness. Mike probably wouldn’t order the dish again.
For dessert, he had the creme brulee ($10). It was just OK. The custard should have been more flavorful.
Service was very good, however, and I did enjoy our time there. Still, I can’t imagine I’d go back.
Sears Fine Food 439 Powell Street San Francisco, CA (415)986-0700 Daily 6:30am-9pml
I hate Facebook for many things, but I have to admit their ad algorithm is amazing. It actually exposes me to more ads for things I’m interested in than anything else I’ve seen. So it was through a Facebook ad that I learned about the Taste of Thrones’ Feast of the Dragon. I’ve been looking to get out more and I’m always in the hunt for new culinary experiences, and this one seemed perfect – particularly as Mike and I had just finished watching the latest season of House of the Dragon. I was late getting into Game of Thrones – or “Dragon Tales,” as I prefer to call it. I only started watching the main series after the finale, but I got into it with gusto. A Game of Thrones theme dinner seemed like a lot of fun.
Taste of Thrones’ Feast of the Dragon takes place at 25 Lusk, a restaurant/bar/event place in China Basin. 25 Lusk operates a restaurant on its top level, Rooftop 25, has a private event place in the mid-level and is currently running the Taste of Thrones dinner in its sub-basement. They developed the concept of a themed pop-up restaurant/dinner series in collaboration with Theme Dream production, who created the decorations and props. It originally ran in 2019, during the last season of Game of Thrones, and it was revived this year for a month long stint, which has now been pushed to a second month. It is presently scheduled to run until the end of August, though it could be extended if there is sufficient demand. They are now also trying the idea of an all-you-can-eat family brunch on weekends.
I didn’t find any reviews for this dinner before I bought the tickets for the event, which was a good thing as otherwise I probably would have skipped it. The two post-pandemic reviews I later found on Yelp were very negative – and completely opposite to my experience. We had a great time and were super impressed by the food and the atmosphere.
Finding parking near 25 Lusk that Saturday night in August was surprisingly easy – though the place is near public transportation if you prefer to go that route. Once inside the building, I was a bit confused as to where to go: turn to your right after you go in and descend through the short stairs (or take the elevator down).
The space has a large bar as well as a number of communal tables. For the Feast of the Dragon, the whole area is decorated in Game of Thrones theme. The big attraction is the opportunity to take photos sitting on the Iron Throne, riding a dragon or posing with a White Walker. They also have a painted table, but I didn’t look for it and didn’t see it. You can access all of these photo opportunities by getting a drink at the bar – no reservations necessary. But the meal is well worth it.
We were then promptly seated at one of the communal tables for twelve, and allowed to choose our place. There was another couple sitting at one corner and we chose the opposite one. As it turned out, the party of eight that was supposed to share our table never showed up, so we had plenty of space and extra food: the platters of food brought to the table are supposed to serve four people. I’m not sure if we’d been as satisfied with the experience if we’d had to share them – some of the complaints in Yelp were about there not being enough food.
Dinner is set to start at 6:30 PM, but they don’t actually start serving food until 6:45, so you have enough time to get a lay of the place, order drinks and take your photos with the props.
The dinner is described as being served family style with 3 courses – but as each variation of each course is served separately in these platters for four people, this is really best described as a 9-course meal.
Dinner started with “Northerner rustic breads & pretzels, Rat Catcher’s cheddar fondue, goat butter from the Reach.”This consisted of little bread buns and pretzel bites served with whipped goat butter and a tiny pot of cheddar fondue. Everything was served cold, which was a minus. The goat butter was unremarkable but the fondue was pretty good. I’m very glad we didn’t have to share the tiny amount among four people, though.
The second course was “Winterfell heirloom tomato & cucumber salad.” This was surprisingly good. I’m not a fan of cucumbers, but the tomatoes were very fresh and flavorful, and they had the right amount of dressing. Even though it was for four people, I managed to eat most of it myself – it was that tasty.
Our third course – officially the first appetizer of three appetizers – was Aegon’s Dream (“coconut and spice chilled noodle salad oakwood roasted summer squash, ginger, yuzu”). It was made to look like brains coming out of a skull. The effect was very, very cool. Flavor wise, I wasn’t sold. I’m not a fan of cold noodles and these had a very subtle flavor. Mike liked them better, though he didn’t eat very many. This was a dish we’d have happily shared with others.
The fourth course was The Crab Feeder (dungeness crab salad, octopus sausage, grilled summer peppers served on organic red quinoa Bloodstone sand), and I was predisposed to dislike it from the start. I don’t eat crab nor octopus, after all. I did give the grilled peppers a try, and was quite impressed by their flavor. I’m not a huge fan of peppers – I like them mixed with other things or cooked in sauces – but these ones were surprisingly tasty. The quinoa was not, but it did give the dish a weird, sandy, gritty texture which was fun. I’m morally opposed to eating octopus – given that they are intelligent creatures (and yes, I should be morally opposed to eating all animals, but I’m a hypocrite in this regard), but I did try the sausages and they weren’t bad. It reminded me of a citrusy, flaky tuna. Mike, in particular, liked them, but he ate one piece – he said he didn’t want to fill up, but I think it was for the same reason. Octopus definitely worked with the Games of Throne theme, however. The crab was mixed with rice and poppy seeds and served cold, which I didn’t like, but Mike enjoyed it.
Our third appetizer, and fifth course, was Sea Snake’s Catch of the Day (local catch, burning aromatics, tempura sunchokes, dal lentils, sherry shiso sauce), and while the picture does not do it justice, this was an appropriately terrifying dish – it looked very much like a monstrous sea snake – with balls. The flowers decorating it added, rather than substracted, from the horror. I was duly impressed.
The fish itself was also very tasty. The sherry shiso sauce was subtle, tasty and acidic. It also came with large pieces crispy seaweed, which Mike, who usually likes seaweed, wasn’t a big fan of. They tasted burnt. I don’t like sunchokes, but Mike really loved them, in particular the tempura aspect of it. I just wish we had taken a better photo.
The first entrée, and sixth course was An Eye for An Eye (mini cauliflower crème brulée, salted lychee, forest mushroom escabeche, tomato water, basil). I guess the dish is meant to look like an eye, thought I didn’t really get the effect. It was, however, a very interesting dish.
The creamed cauliflower only had the subtlest hint of cauliflower taste which was great, given that I don’t like cauliflower. The lychee was mildly sweet and sour and contrasted to the very savory mushroom escabeche. Blending all flavors together produced something new, that I hadn’t tasted before, and which worked. I wouldn’t call it delicious, but I found it strange and interesting: it managed to encapsulate Game of Thrones into a dish. I did wish it was warmer, but maybe that’s the point.
Our second entrée and seventh course was Rhaenyra’s Kill (all parts of the pig pressed under brick, chicharrónes, star anise game reduction, grilled organic pluots). I was also surprised at how much I liked this dish. It consisted of pieces of pork meat and bacon, covered with chicarrones and served along with grilled pluots on a star anise sauce.
The bacon, of course, was the best part, because bacon always is. Always. this was particularly good and flavorful bacon, maybe even home made pork belly, but a complete winner. The pork, which I imagined was stewed in some form, was flaky and flavorful and worked really well with the delicious star anise sauce which tasted exactly of that: like a star anise reduction.
I hadn’t tried chicharrones before, but I enjoyed them. I wouldn’t go out of my way to have them again, but they worked here. The only thing that failed were the pluots. They hadn’t been grilled enough so they were tough and not sweet enough to compliment the dish.
Our final entrée and eight course was Fire & Blood: Dragon Meat (black angus beef roast served on a Valyrian steel sword, toasted black peppercorn sauce, grilled bread). Once again, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The beef was tender and flavorful, with occasional bursts of charbroiled flavor. The peppercorn sauce was good, but the beef did not eat it. The grilled bread was just that, but it served as a good conduit for the tasty sauce. The presentation, of course, was marvelous and fitting. The only down was that it was a bit cold.
Dessert, our ninth and final course, was Dreamfyre’s Legacy (smoking dragon egg with dessert kebabs). The egg came with dry ice pebbles inside which produced that cool fog dried ice is known for. You could open it and add water to it for an even more dramatic effect.
The kebabs were small, but we were stuffed by then. They included two petit fours, a small brownie, a strawberry, a blackberry and a raspberry and two pieces of dried fruit. The presentation was great and the desserts were a nice dessert. I loved the brownie, which was very chocolaty and very chewy, while my daughter (who got the leftovers) loved the white cake petit four. It was also a beautiful dish.
Taste of Thrones offers a wine pairing, consisting of a glass of Chardonnay, one of Cab and one of Muscat, for $45. But we decided to try their cocktails instead.
Mike got Aegon’s Spirit (“bourbon, banana, benedictine, sweet vermouth, absinth mist” – $22) which came in a plastic aegon’s skull. He enjoyed it quite a bit and it was fun to drink from a skull. I should get some for Halloween. The drink was too strong for my taste – but I’m a very light drinker.
I ordered a Caraxes (rum, mango puree, lemon, afiero aperitif, perol,orange liqueur, angostura bitters – $13). This was a small, fun drink, sweet and not very alcoholic, and I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the novelty of it coming in a plastic dragon egg. I do wish you got to keep them 🙂
Later on, Mike had a Meleys (tequila, lemon, pineapple juice – $13), another dragon egg drink. He enjoyed it, but I realize that tequila drinks are definitely too strong and bitter for my taste.
I also had a coke, which at $6 was painfully overpriced.
Service throughout the night was very attentive, cheerful and friendly. The servers are dressed in some medieval uniform, which definitely adds to the atmosphere.
The chef was also amazing – he is the one who poured the water into our dry ice – and doubled as a master of ceremonies of sort. He was also all dressed up and really into the theme of the meal. I would love if he would do other theme meals like this one.
It was a very expensive dinner, however. Dinner itself was $100 per person (including a $50 pp deposit, $45 of which is applied to your bill), to which you have to add drinks, a 6% “SF mandate” fee – a common, if hated, practice in SF – tax and the automatic 18% tip (it was called “event surcharge” in the bill, but our waitress explained it was a tip). The bill for two came out to $350, on top of which we tipped another $10 as service had been so solicitous. Still, the meal was phenomenal (at least, as we enjoyed it) and, as a very special occasion treat, it was well worth it.
In all, we had an amazing time and I would love if 25 Lusk would do another themed dinner there. I hope the owners organize one – I did hear they would like to do a Star Wars one.
The home of the Mission Burrito hasn’t changed in decades
La Cumbre used to be my favorite taquería, bar none, back in the 20th century. I think I originally discovered it during college, and it was a special treat that Mike and I would share when we found ourselves in the Mission district of San Francisco. The burritos were not super expensive – and they still aren’t – but getting to the Mission is always a trek when you live in the East Bay.
We stopped going to La Cumbre, however, when we moved to San Leandro and discovered that this town had taquerias that were almost as good. Los Pericos quickly became our favorite.
Last night, however, Mike found himself in the Mission and decided to go to La Cumbre for old times sake. He found that the once busy taqueria was pretty empty but the burritos hadn’t changed much in the last quarter century.
He got a couple of burritos to go, which were doubly wrapped on aluminum foil and were still warm when he got home about an hour later!
I had the all meat burrito with carne asada, which came with guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo – I skipped the lettuce. The meat felt knife chopped and it was very flavorful. The whole burrito was quite tasty, and I liked it more than the quesadillas I get at Los Pericos, but not more enough to go out of my way to get one. The one minus was that the tortilla was overtoasted in some areas.
Mike had a super burrito with steak, black beans and spicy pico de gallo. He was also quite happy with it – though I don’think he’d go out of his way to get it either.
He didn’t bring the bill home, but he feels he paid around $32, after tax, for both burritos – which makes them quite competitive with those at Los Pericos.
I am glad that La Cumbre is still going after so many decades, and that the food is still as reliable.
La Cumbre Taqueria 515 Valencia St San Francisco, CA (415) 863-8205 M -Th 11 AM - 10 PM F -Sa 11 AM - 2 AM Su 11 AM - 9 PM
This ready-to-eat meal delivery service brings you yummy food from Bay Area restaurants, but has limited offerings.
(Updated on October 2024)
Locale is a new-to-me meal delivery service operating in several areas in California. Their hook is that the meals come from well known restaurants in the area and that at $11 each, plus $5 delivery fee, they are more affordable than actually getting take out. They are priced, however, to compete with other similar services like CookUnity and Shef. They only deliver on Mondays, but you are able to order up to the Friday before, which gives you far more flexibility than the other services. I first subscribed to Locale with a discount offer I found on Facebook and later got a discount for a second and third week. Since then, I’ve paid full price on the weeks when I’m subscribed. Due to their limited offerings, however, I don’t usually order from there every week and instead I alternate between them and Shef.
Some of the meals are the same that what you can get at restaurants, but others seem to be particularly prepared for Locale and may be smaller than the restaurant offerings. Most are perfectly portioned, however.
Locale’s website is sparse but it’s easy to use. You can only order one week in advance and you can decide how many meals you want to order each week. You can also pause the service quite easily.
Like the other services, meals come in an insulated bag, this one with cooling packs, and they will pick them up when they deliver your next order. They are very diligent about texting you with updates on delivery.
Each meal comes in a cardboard tray, sealed with a transparent plastic film. The meals are usually good for 5 to 6 days, which gives you some flexibility on when to eat them. Most can be microwaved, but some need more laborious heating.
You can’t really see how many restaurants Locale has available to you until you sign up, but I was disappointed both on how few there were for me in the East Bay – and how few dishes each restaurant offered. In all, they only had 23 restaurants available now (down from 29 when I first signed up) and several only offered 1 to 3 different dishes. Those who had more often presented different variations of the same dish (e.g. the same dish but offered with chicken or beef). They also have a very limited selection of vegetarian dishes – my vegetarian daughter could only find a couple she was interested in. All in all, Locale wouldn’t work as your weekly delivery service unless you always want to eat the same thing, or have very eclectic tastes and just like everything.
Locale asks you to tip drivers, but I haven’t felt compelled to do so as they are not offering a personalized service – drivers deliver to multiple people in a pre-set, optimized route.
These are the restaurants I ordered from and the dishes I got. Those dishes that I’d order again have a checkmark.
Asian Box is a small chain with seven restaurants in SF and Silicon Valley, including one at the airport, and one in LA. They specialize in “choose your ingredients” bowls (but in rectangular containers, thus called “boxes”), where you choose a base (e.g. rice or salad), a protein, toppers (e.g. peanuts or pickles) and a sauce. Boxes start at $14 and go up depending on your protein, they also have some “signature boxes” at varying prices. Locale offers 4 boxes from Asian box.
Chicken Curry Bowl with Potatoes and Jasmine Rice ✔
This dish was described as having comes rice, six-spice chicken, potatoes, carrots and yellow coconut curry and being topped with herbs, scallion oil, peanuts and shallots but instead of the “herbs and scallion oil” it came with a spicy red sauce which might have been the “fiery red curry”. The bowl was very good. The star of the show was the six-spice chicken, which did remind me of five-spice but also had a nice acidic flavor and tasted grilled. It was just very good. The yellow curry was a standard coconut curry, a bit on the spicy side and competent but not great. The portion give was just enough to moisten the chicken, rice and potato – so make sure to scrape it all off. The peanuts were chopped too finely to add much texture, but the occasional piece of shallot gave it a nice crunch. The portion made for a filling dinner. I’d certainly have it again. This same dish sells at the restaurant for $15.50
The Chef Curry Clutchtime Special with Six-Spice Chicken and Yellow Coconut Curry
The chicken was tasty enough, and the yellow curry was fine, but there was too little chicken and too much rice – the dish just wasn’t well balanced. I don’t think I’d get it again.
Burma Classic is a Burmese restaurant with locations in San Francisco and Santa Clara. Locale offers 7 dishes from this restaurant.
Chili Lamb over Wok Tossed Onionswith Jasmine Rice and Steamed Broccoli ✔
This dish was delicious but spicy! The lamb cubes had a great chili sauce/marinade, which enhanced the flavor of the lamb without masking it. Unfortunately it was too spicy for me, but perfect for my husband. Would definitely order again. This dish is $19 at the restaurant.
Mango Chicken over Jasmine Rice with Steamed Broccoli
This was a boring dish. The chicken was slightly sweet, but wasn’t otherwise bursting in flavor. The rice was just rice. There was nothing wrong with it, but it wasn’t something I’d crave.
Mint Chicken with Coconut Rice and Steamed Broccoli ✔
I had Burma Superstar’s version of this dish before, and while I think I preferred it, this was also quite good. Once again, the key is to eat the chicken and the rice together. The chicken is slightly sweet, doesn’t have a strong minty flavor, but works great with the sweet coconut rice. I’d order it again.
Burma Superstar opened its original location in San Francisco in the ’70’s and has since opened locations in Oakland, Alameda and other places in the Bay. They serve their own version of Burmese cuisine, with greater-than-usual influences of Thai, Chinese and other cuisines. They get fairly good reviews.
Mint Chicken with Coconut Rice and Steamed Broccoli ✔
I didn’t get this dish until I mixed the chicken with the coconut rice. The chicken itself is rather prosaic, it’s spicy, slightly sour and sweet with only a subtle minty flavor. The coconut rice, however, is delicious – not unlike the sweetened sticky rice you get when you order a “sticky rice with mango” dessert at a Thai restaurant. Together, the rice and chicken were very good. It was a good portion. It sells for $20.50 for takeout in SF and $25 at the Oakland and Alameda restaurants, so it’s a great deal.
La Palma is a small restaurant chain in Southern California which gained famed when the Michelin guide gave it its “Bibi Gourmand” designation in recognition of its Zacatecan style burritos, which seem to be tortillas rolled around meat and salsa, with no other additions. They’ve become famous enough to sell their burritos frozen through Goldbelly. Locale is now offering 4 different types of burritos.
2 Birria y Queso Burritos with Crema and Salsa Verde ✔
Despite the fact that I’m still unhappy that Locale has decreased the number of La Palma burritos you get from 3 to 2, I still ordered this again as it’s one of the few things my daughter will eat from here. She was happy with them and did like them with the sour cream. Alas, the second time I ordered them, they forgot to add the sour cream.
2 Burritos de Birria and Refried Beans with Guajillo Pepper Salsa
I didn’t look carefully when I made this order, and I thought I’d be getting 3 birria and refried beans burritos. Instead I only got 2 burritos and a small pot of refried beans and another of salsa. My daughter was disappointed, she wanted the refried beans in the burrito – so she had to spoon them in every couple of bites. She liked them, but not enough to order again – particularly given that there are just two of them. She didn’t try the salsa.
3 Birria y Queso Burritos
Two of the three burritos – delicious!
Quesobirria tacos are all the rage in California these days, and I can see why this burrito version has become so popular. I loved the softness and elasticity of the tortilla after microwaving it. The filling was tasty, and the cheese worked well to mellow the strong flavors of the birria. My daughter also really liked them, so much so that we’ve ordered them three times already. The burritos are $5 each at the restaurants, so you were getting a small discount ordering through here (plus you don’t have to go to LA to get them).
Alas, they are no longer offering the three burrito meal. They are now only offering two burritos, which makes it a much worse deal.
3 Tinga, Potato y Queso Burritos
We’ve ordered these twice and my daughter has liked them quite a bit, though not as much as the quesobirria ones. Alas, like with the quesobirria ones, Locale no longer offers three burritos, but only 2.
Tikka Masala over Birria Burritos with Pulled Birria ✔
I’ve already complained about how Locale has changed their offerings of burritos from La Palma from three to two, and I wouldn’t have ordered them again except that this version, which included tikka masala sauce, caught my eyes. The reviews were pretty positive – and I’m a fan. Not necessarily of the combination, but of the tikka masala sauce. It’s just perfect. It tastes exactly how restaurant-quality tikka masala sauce should taste. This begs the question of where Locale is getting their tikka masala sauce – it didn’t taste at all like the one of Zareen, the only Indian restaurant they have in this area.
The birria burritos worked quite well with the tikka masala sauce mostly because they did not compete against it. They provided the substance of the dish, while the sauce provided the flavor. I would order it again, but then again, I’d probably order anything that came with that sauce again.
Comal is a well known Mexican restaurant with locations in both Oakland and Berkeley. It’s a favorite place for events, and we’ve gone to a few there. I’ve very much enjoyed their tacos in the past. Locale offers 7 different meals from Comal, 3 bowls and 4 burritos.
Carnitas Burrito with Pinquito Beans, Rice and Salsa Verde ✔
My daughter enjoyed this burrito. The carnitas were flavorful and the whole combination worked well. It was a pretty substantial meal, which my daughter couldn’t finish. Burritos retail for $13.75 at Comal, but they didn’t list this particular one, so it might be a cheaper version than their normal semi-gourmet offerings.
Mexican Style Grilled Chicken Bowl with Pinquito Beans, Red Rice, and Crema ✔
My daughter was quite happy with this bowl and would have it again.
Dumpling Time has five locations in the Bay Area. They specialize in Chinese dumplings. They only offer one or two dishes through Locale. The one we got is no longer available. They no longer seem to be available through Locale
Dim Sum and Garlicky Green Beans with Wakame Seaweed Salad ✔
This dish consisted of one pork bao (aka pork bun), 2 shrimp & pork siu mai and 2 shrimp har gow served with green beans and sea weed salad. Unfortunately, it’s no longer being offered by Locale (nor is this combo in he menu at Dumpling Time). My husband really liked this offering and would have liked it again but it’s no longer available.
El Farolito is a run of the mill taqueria in San Francisco, best known (in Yelp, at least) for its cheap burritos. They offer three quesadillas through Locale.
Mission Style Chicken Quesadilla with Crema and Salsa
This was an overall good quesadilla. It had a nice taste and it was more flavorful than I expected. The portion was probably the right size for lunch. However, I wouldn’t order it again. The first issue was the heating. It requires that you take out a pan, melt a tablespoon of butter and then heat up the quesadilla for a minute on both sides. This gives you a crispy tortilla, but the heat doesn’t go through enough to melt the cheese. I fixed this by microwaving for an extra 30 seconds. I didn’t like, however, that I had to dirty a saucepan to heat this up. I do take responsibility for not reading the heating instructions before I ordered it, they were right there on the page. I also didn’t like that it came with a green sauce instead of guacamole. Price was, it was a tad cheaper than what I can get at my local taquería for a similar size quesadilla, but I can choose steak and get guacamole if I order it there, which I prefer.
This is a soul food restaurant with two locations in San Francisco which seems to get mostly good reviews. Locale only offers this dish and mac & cheese from this restaurant. They no longer seem to be available through Locale
Southern Style BBQ Pork Rib with Collard Greens and Mac and Cheese
This consisted of just one spare rib with BBQ sauce, mac & cheese and collard drinks. My daughter enjoyed both the rib and the mac & cheese, she felt they were very good – she didn’t try the greens. It was enough food for her, but she is a girl who can never finish any meal – it really should be two ribs to satisfy a normal appetite. She wouldn’t have it again, however, because most of the meal was the mac & cheese and it wasn’t good enough to be a whole meal. The dish is $21 at the restaurant, but it looks like they serve at least 3 ribs.
Hawaiian Drive Inn seems to be a 5-location Hawaiian BBQ chain in the Bay Area, serving standard Hawaiian BBQ fare.
Hawaiian Chicken Katsu with Steamed Rice and Green Beans
This was a pretty average Hawaiian BBQ chicken katsu, and there is nothing wrong with that. The green beans, however, lacked all seasoning. The heating instructions also had us using the oven for the chicken and the microwave for the beans which is too much trouble – we just heated the whole thing (minus the sauce) in the microwave. The portion size was similar to the mini-meal size at my local Hawaiian joint which is $12, so this is not a great deal.
Homeroom is a restaurant, with locations in Berkeley and Oakland, which specializes in mac & cheese. I’ve never been as I don’t eat mac & cheese – but my husband has taken my oldest daughter many times. They serve vegan mac in addition to the regular kind. He is not a fan himself, however. Locale offers three flavors of non-vegan mac & cheese.
Homeroom’s Famous Classic Mac
I got this for my younger daughter and she liked it even better than Kraft’s – the first time she got it. The second time, she didn’t like it at all. She found the flavor too strong, almost as if t had blue cheese. My husband tried it and thought it was very rich. The portion isn’t huge, but she’s not a big eater so it worked well for her (the second time she abandoned it midway). Their classic mac & cheese is $12 at the restaurant.
Koi Palace is a local chain of restaurant serving Hong Kong style cuisine and specializing in dim sum, Canton-style seafood, roast meats and wok-fired dishes.
They offer five dishes through Locale, in different combinations of pork buns, siu mai, dumplings and noodles.
Dim Sum and Noodles Bento Box with House-made Noodles and Wok-Tossed Green Beans ✔
Another winner from Koi Palace. This dish came with delicious garlic noodles and nice sauteed green beans. The dumplings were all good, including the siu mai which we hadn’t had before. My husband would definitely want this again.
Imperial Dim Sum Plate ✔
This consisted of two steamed BBQ pork buns and threepork Peking dumplingsserved with sweet potato glass noodles, mushrooms, and cabbage. The pork buns were pretty standard, nothing remarkable about them. My husband had the usual complaint that there was too much bun and not enough pork. He liked the Peking dumplings more. It was hard to tell what the filling was, but he enjoyed them. The noodles, however, were the star of the dish – though they felt quite heavy (not surprising given that they’re made of sweet potato). He’d have the whole dish again.
This dish is no longer available through Locale and they don’t have a similar combo on their online menu.
Lale is a “family owned Mediterranean-Turkish tapas bar” which serves brunch every day.
Turkish Style French Toast with Maple Syrup and Whipped Cream
I love French Toast but this one was just OK. Don’t get me wrong, “just OK” French toast is pretty good, but it wasn’t as good as the one my husband makes for me (his secret is mascarpone cheese and sourdough bread). The portion of three large pieces of French toast was generous, and they came with butter, whipped cream and maple syrup. The French toast had some savory hints, though nothing I could identify. It’s supposed to have ricotta inside, but I didn’t see it – it could have melted, though. I wouldn’t order it again, but I did enjoy it. The dish sells for $15.5 at restaurant
Mela Bistro prides itself on serving “Modern Ethiopian Food”. From its website, I can see that the restaurant forgoes the traditional art and trappings from many local Ethiopian restaurants and it has more sleek surroundings. The menu is short and filled with traditional items. That said, this is the one restaurant we are happy Locale introduced us to and the one we re-ordered from our second week. They no longer seem to be available through Locale
Ethiopian Style Beef Tibs with Brown Rice and Green Split Peas ✔
This was a very good version of beef tibs. Flavor wise, it was pretty much on point for beef tibs but it felt less greasy than usual – quite an achievement for a dish cooked in ghee. It was medium spicy. It’s served with turmeric rice. This dish is $18 at the restaurant, so it’s actually quite a bargain to get it through Locale. The portion was enough for one meal without leftovers.
Ethiopian Beef Stir Fry with Spiced Turmeric Rice ✔
These seem to be just beef tibs, but served with turmeric rice instead of brown rice and split peas. Once again, they were very tasty, only a bit spicy, and less greasy that beef tibs usually are. Once again my husband was happy. It was a good sized portion. He thought the rice was fine, but would probably get it with the brown rice and peas next time for a somewhat healthier option.
Noodle Belly was a Filipino restaurant in Fruitvale which opened during the pandemic and closed down a year later. They are now apparently doing pop ups and selling through Korner Kitchen, though it’s not clear exactly when or how. Locale has four of their dishes, consisting of a meat (chicken, shrimp or steak), garlic noodles and a veggie (green beans or broccolini). I’m sad to say that Locale no longer offers food from Noodle Belly.
Hoisin Chicken and Broccolini with Garlic Noodles ✔
The smell of the broccolini was a bit off putting but the whole dish was good, very tasty. My husband really wanted to avoid the carbs in the noodles, but they were so good he couldn’t resist them. He’d order this again.
While I couldn’t find a current price for this dish, it was selling for $20 in 2022-23, which makes it a very good deal now (but super expensive otherwise).
Steak and Garlic Noodles
My husband was disappointed on this dish. While it was flavorful, there were only five or so slices of meat. The garlic noodles were tasty, but they had a little bit too much soy sauce, making them a little bit too salty and a little bit too bitter, in other words, taste a little bit too much of soy sauce. We’d probably not get this dish again, so it’s just as well that Noodle Belly is no longer available through Locale.
Peaches Patties is a Jamaican restaurant operating from the Ferry Building in San Francisco. The owner previously ran a catering business. It specializes in Jamaican patties, which is their version of empanadas. They get great reviews from these, but they are not available on Locale. They have a few other dishes, including two new ones that don’t appear on their menu. Locale has four dishes from this restaurant.
Jamaican Rustic Mushroom Patty with Fried Plantains and Mixed Veggies
I was glad to see that Peaches Patties actually added a patty to their dishes available though Locale. I love mushrooms and overall liked this mushroom patty. Like the name implies, it is pretty rustic. The pastry dough is thick, soft and somewhat flaky. The sort of dough you’d use for a pot pie. It was slightly peppery, slightly salty (more baking soda than salt flavor), but it grew on me. The mushrooms were a tad overcooked – perhaps my fault in reheating. They did have a good flavor.
I was less fond of the fried plantains, which were too starchy (they are plantains after all), and not soft enough for my taste. The sweetish taste just didn’t go with the savory of the pie – but they weren’t sweet enough to constitute a dessert.
I was also not thrilled that to reheat this dish I had to bake the patty for 10 minute in a 350F oven – turning the oven in the summer is a big no-no for me. Instead, I reheated it for 8 minutes at 320F in the air fryer. I’m not sure if that messed up the consistency of either the dough or the mushrooms – which were a tad rubbery. The vegetables and plantains require reheating in the microwave.
In all, I’m not sure I’d order this again. This dish sells for $16.50 at their location in the Ferry building, so it’s a good deal here.
Ginger Tamarind Chicken with Fried Plantains, Kidney Beans and Jasmine Rice
This dish was described as featuring “tender chicken infused with bold ginger and tangy tamarind, served alongside crispy fried plantains and fragrant jasmine rice.” I can’t say it was a success. The chicken was tender, but the thigh meat felt dry. I usually like sweet-savory flavors, but the sweetness here felt out place, it fought, rather than blended with, the spiciness and the smokiness. My favorite part were the pieces of the chicken that tasted charred, unfortunately there were few of them. I usually don’t mind soggy chicken skins, but I felt this one could be crispier. The plantains were definitely not crispy either and they needed more sweetness. I don’t know, this just didn’t do it for me and I wouldn’t order it again. While this dish is not on Peaches Patties current menu, a similar jerk chicken meal that also includes veggies sells for $20.
Perilla is a casual Vietnamese restaurant in San Francisco. It offers a couple of dishes through Locale, consisting of garlic noodles or rice, broccoli and a protein, recently pork, crab or five spice chicken. At the restaurant, these dishes are priced at $14.
Five Spice Chicken with Garlic Noodles and Broccoli ✔
This dish was pretty good, the boneless chicken was was sweet and savory with light soy sauce overtones, and the noodles were quite good, not too garlicky. My daughter, who had it, enjoyed it and would have it again. The portion was more than sufficient for dinner, though not quite enough to have much in the way of leftovers.
Pork Garlic Noodles with Steamed Broccoli ✔
Very similar to the chicken dish, it had nicely marinated pork strips and garlic noodles. The pork was tasty, with only a couple of fatty pieces. The noodles needed a bit more flavor this time, but they were satisfying. There was plenty of food and I’d eat it again.
Sumac describes itself as a “modern Mediterranean street food” restaurant and has locations in both LA and SF. They serve wraps, salads, rice bowls and hummus bowls with your choice of grilled chicken, meatballs, red lentil balls or felafel. Seven of these combinations are available at Locale.
Chicken Hummus Bowl with Roasted Veggies ✔
Both my husband and I loved this bowl of grilled chicken, roasted veggies and hummus. – so much that we had it a second time. The chicken was tender and well seasoned, and worked well both by itself or dipped in the hummus. It was a little weird to eat warm hummus, though. Next time I might scoop it out before reheating. My husband was actually surprised at how much he liked the veggies, but we both skipped the pickled beets. The restaurant version sells for $21, but it also comes with an arugula salad.
Meatball Hummus Bowl with Roasted Potatoes ✔
This was a satisfying dish. The meatballs are nicely spiced, and while having warm hummus is a bit weird, it sort of works. I need to remember to only reheat the meatballs next time. The potatoes were fine.
Smash Burger on a Brioche Bun with Caramelized Onions and Potato Salad
I should have known better than to order a burger to reheat later – but I hadn’t had a burger in a while and I was in the mood for one. Not this one, though. When fresh, it might be good – though with a thin patty cooked medium, I wouldn’t guarantee it. Reheated in the microwave it tasted like every other frozen, microwave burger out there – which is not good, not good at all.
The potato “salad” consisted of boiled potatoes with something acidic (lemon juice) and enormous amounts of dill. I found it inedible – and so did the dog.
I’d definitely not get this again.
Turkish Kofte Bowl with Basmati Rice and Chickpea Salad ✔
These are lamb and beef shoulder meatballs served with rice, chickpea salad and a labneh sauce. The same bowl sells for $18 at the restaurant. This was a good, filling and satisfying meal. The meatballs had that chewy texture of kibbeh – I think it’s achieved by over grinding the meat -, which I’m not super fond of, but they were well seasoned and very tasty. The buttered basmati rice reminded me just how nice buttered basmati rice is on its own. The chickpea salad was fresh and piquant, and I enjoyed it even though I’m not a fan of chickpeas. And the yogurt sauce was thick and refreshing. Everything was slightly spicy, however, But overall a very good meal that I’d have again.
Turkish Red Lentil Wrap with Tabouli and Herb Labneh Sauce
I got this for my vegetarian daughter and she found it edible but unexciting. It was a good portion, at least (the photo shows just half a wrap). She probably wouldn’t order it again. It sells for $16.50 at the restaurant.
Tenderleaf (Ghost Kitchen)
Tenderleaf is described as a “a beloved Bay Area gem, is a cozy, locally-owned restaurant” located in San Francisco. As far as I can tell, that is a lie. A google search failed to find any restaurant with that name anywhere in the Bay Area, much less a “beloved one”. Instead, it seems that Tenderleaf is a ghost kitchen operated by the owners of Locale. To me, this seems extremely deceitful. I don’t have a problem with ghost kitchens myself, but I do have a problem with dishonesty.
The address that Google has for Tenderleaf is in the San Leandro industrial area, and I’ll probably drive by and check it out some time.
Tenderleaf offers 9 dishes through Locale, the most of any restaurants.
Mom’s Meatballs in Marinara Sauce with Italian Sausage and Parmesan
This dish consisted of four medium-size meatballs and 2 sausages, topped with tomato sauce and a little Parmesan cheese. I warmed it in the microwave. There was definitely plenty of food. I liked the meatballs. They tasted very much like the meatballs you can get at your average pizzeria – I’m thinking of Porky’s Pizza Palace in particular. They had a good texture, they weren’t too soft and not too gritty, and a nice flavor. I would imagine that these are not “homemade”, but it’s not like I can get meatballs that taste like that at the supermarket. The sauce was pretty standard marinara, a little on the acidic side. A bit more cheese would have been better, but you can always add your own. I also liked the sausages, which were pretty dense, and smooth, and tasted primarily – but mildly – of fennel. Obviously this would have been better over some pasta, and next time I might just boil some myself.
Mom’s Sunday Sauce Rigatoni with Fennel Sausage and Meatballs
This dish consisted on rigatoni pasta with the meatballs and sliced sausages above. Surprisingly enough, the pasta was a complete fail. It was tough – more undercooked than al dente – and it just didn’t have a pleasant flavor. Normally pasta has a pretty neutral non-flavor, but this one was actually sort of dusty and just not tasty. The pasta and sauce were also too salty. I did enjoy the pieces of sausages and the meatballs were fine, but everything together was too salty.
Steak and Potatoes Plate with Rainbow Carrots and Chimichurri ✔
I was surprised at how good this steak was – often cooked steak doesn’t microwave well. Perhaps the key is to have it undercooked – this one was somewhere between rare and medium rare. It was flavorful, tender, free of fat and grizzle and the chimichurri sauce was bright and summery. All in all a winner.
The abundant potatoes were undercooked – they were fine but not as exciting as the meat. We’d probably order this again.
Trisara is an affordable Indo-Nepalese restaurant that gets 5-stars on Yelp. Unfortunately Locale only offers three of their dishes, the momos below and two biryianis.
Nepalese Chicken Momos with Steamed Broccoli ✔
My husband thoroughly enjoyed these momos – Nepalese dumplings – which were served with a tasty tomato chutney. They were tasty and comforting. The broccoli was just steamed, and he would have preferred it with some seasoning. Still, he’d order this again. The portion of 8 momos sells for $14 at the restaurant, but here you only get 5 momos and the broccoli.
I couldn’t find anything about “Vida Verde” which suggests to me it might be another ghost kitchen like Tenderleaf.
Steak and Fajitas Plate with Bell Peppers, Onions, Button Mushrooms and Chipotle Sauce
This was an OK dish of food, though not a great one. The beef was underseasoned and tough, with some grizzle. I don’t know what cut it was, but it wasn’t flank or skirt. The pepper, onions and mushroom medley was much better, though also slightly undersalted. I particularly liked the flavor of the mushrooms, but the whole thing was good – and there was a lot of it. The chipotle sauce was fine, but I think probably unnecessary. I don’t think I’ll get this again, as I really didn’t enjoy the beef.
Vik’s Chaat is a very well known Berkeley Indian restaurant. It’s a casual eatery, meant for college students. It’s been there for decades and has always been very popular. I went there once, over a decade ago, and I don’t remember loving it, but I didn’t write a review. Locale offers 3 dishes from Vik’s Chaat. They no longer seem to be available through Locale
Tandoori Chicken with Spiced Chickpeas and Basmati Rice
This dish consisted of a chicken leg – separated into thigh and drumstick – served with basmati rice and spiced chickpeas. I wasn’t super fond of it. It tasted like the sort of tandoori chicken you can make it at home, in your own over, with tandoori masala. The masala sauce, which was a bit spicy, clung to the chicken, which I don’t particularly like. I much prefer the tandoori chicken found at most restaurants where the chicken skin has been died and the flavor has been absorbed by the meat, rather than resting on a marinade outside. Still, it wasn’t bad, just not as good as the Americanized versions of tandoori chicken you usually get at restaurants. It did remind me of why I didn’t like Vik’s when I went. A similar tandoor chicken dish at the restaurant which is served with dal, instead of chickpeas, and with naan and raita, costs $18.
Zareen’s, along with Burma Superstar, are the only restaurants Locale mentions on their Facebook ads and comments. This seems to be because they were listed in the 2020 Michelin guide. It’s an Indian/Pakistani restaurant with locations in Palo Alto, Redwood City and Mountain View. Locale offers 7 dishes from this restaurant, though two are tikka masalas and three spinach curries.
Chicken Tikka Masala with Basmati Rice
I was underwhelmed by this dish. It consisted of shredded chicken tikka in a masala curry and yellow rice. The chicken was tender and had a nice smoky flavor but was otherwise very underseasoned. The sauce lacked the complexity you look for in a tikka masala sauce. It wasn’t bad, but it was underdeveloped. The portion was adequate for a single meal. In all, I think I rather pay more at my local Indian restaurant but have a better curry and leftovers for a second meal. This curry is $16.25 at the Zareen’s restaurant, though I’m not sure if the portion is the same size.
Paneer Tikka Masala with Basmati Rice ✔
I got this for my vegetarian daughter but ended up eating it myself. I liked it more than the chicken tikka masala. The paneer was spongy and slightly sweet and combined perfectly with the sauce and the rice. The sauce was pretty standard, but I think better than last time. The portion was substantial enough to leave me full. I’d get this again.
It’s a three quarters of a century old, but can it satisfy modern palates?
House of Prime Beef is a San Francisco institution. The busy restaurant has been serving slabs of beef, sides and desserts for generations – it turned 75 years old this year. And yet I hadn’t heard about it until a few years ago, when photos of decadent dinners there started showing on a local foodie Facebook group. Surely, I must have come across mentions of the restaurant before, as I have been patronizing Bay Area food newsgroups since the 90’s, but I probably just never paid attention. Given how easy it’s to cook steak at home, I’ve never seen the point of paying many times more to visit a steakhouse. So when my non-vegetarian daughter mentioned she wanted to go to a steakhouse for her birthday, House of Prime Rib is what popped to mind.
Alas, House of Prime Rib is not the kind of restaurant where you can make a last minute reservation – and by “last minute”, I mean “with less than six months notice.” House of Prime Rib opens its reservations a year in advance, and prime spots are taken pretty much immediately. You can go when they open and hope you get lucky and get a table, but I’m too old for that. Instead, I made reservations for her birthday at Bix (lovely place, great for a special meal) but also took the first available reservations at House of Prime Rib for a weekend night at a reasonable time. That turned out to be almost seven months later. We had a good enough experience that I already made reservations to return next year.
Despite the difficulty in getting reservations, House of Prime Ribs is a rather large restaurant, boasting several dining rooms in addition to the crowded bar area. They serve 600 people every evening. Each dining room, however, feel rather intimate, like a restaurant in itself. I loved the atmosphere of the one we were in, it looked like dining in someone’s old fashioned library. It was darker than this photo suggests, but light enough to be able to see our meals. It was busy but not terribly noisy, we could hear each other well. Dress was business casual – most men had collared shirts and, this being chilly San Francisco, long pants. The restaurant was a nice temperature but you do have to walk outside.
The menu at House of Prime Rib is quite limited, your choices are Prime Rib or, as a concession to those who absolutely can’t eat red meat, fish. You can choose how your prime rib is cut and how well it’s cooked, whether you want salad, or whether you want your potatoes mashed or baked. Otherwise, your only choices are of drinks and of desserts. Service is by old time professional waiters who bring you back to another age and make you feel special. Indeed, feeling like you’re back in the 50’s is a big attraction of this place.
We started our dinner with cocktails. They bring you both the glass and the mixing bottle – which has enough for another cocktail. As the cocktails are not very big, this is a good thing. I got a Cosmopolitan ($15.5); I asked for it to be made weak and it was. It was delicious, particularly at the bottom where I could really taste the Triple Sec. Next time, I’ll order it normal. Both Mike and Camila thought it was very sour, but it didn’t feel like that to me. Mike had the Lemon Drop ($15.5). He liked it very much and would have it again. Camila had a couple of Shirley Temple mocktails ($3) and we both thought they were very good as well.
The meal itself started with white bread and salted butter. The bread was served warm, it tasted fresh, and it was very good. It took effort to not fill ourselves with it. Later, they brought us little warm corn breads which I thought were delicious, though I’m a huge fan of warm cornbread in general. Camila, who is not, gave me hers.
After the bread, the waiter brought a cart featuring a large bowl with ice and a large salad bowl inserted into it. I thought that the salad would be mixed tableside, but it comes already mixed, all the waiter does is very ceremoniously add the salad dressing, spin it and toss it. It’s sort of a show. Unfortunately, the show was better than the salad. I was concerned that the salad had beets and chopped eggs, two things I disliked, but fortunately those ended at the bottom of my plate. Unfortunately, I found the dressing too acidic for my taste and just not very tasty. Camila agreed – we both barely ate any a few lettuce leaves before deciding it just wasn’t for us.
You can only omit the salad by ordering your Prime Rib a a la carte, but you currently you can only get Prime Rib slices if you do so.
I knew that I wanted to get dessert, and that meant that I would not be able to eat a steak by myself – thus I decided to share a King Henry VIII cut ($68) with Mike. The sharing fee is just $10 and they bring you your own plate with salad and sides. The King Henry cut is thick and includes a bone. It was the perfect size for two not-too-hungry people. It was also delicious, perfectly cooked medium rare, juicy with a melt-in-your-mouth feel. I’m not a particularly big fan of Prime Rib – give me a grilled or pan-seared steak any day – but you could feel the quality of the meat as well as the expertise in cooking it and cutting it. I’d clearly have it again.
The steak comes with creamed spinach and we asked for mashed potatoes. Mike loved the creamed spinach, he actually made us try it, though to me it tasted just like the abomination that creamed spinach is. But hey, if you don’t think cream spinach is Satan’s own invention, you might like it too. The mashed potatoes were great, though a bit too runny. I’d have wanted a spoon to eat them with. I did love the gravy they came with, it had a deep meaty flavor that I’ve seldom actually encountered in gravy. If I could have eaten any more, I’d have asked for more mashed potatoes. I don’t think the sauce the steak came with was the same gravy, however, as I was less fond of it – it lacked that meatiness and had little depth.
The meal also came with a Yorkshire pudding and this was a revelation. I’d unsuccessfully tried to make them myself once, but I don’t know if I’ve ever actually eaten them at a restaurant (surely when I went to England? but I can’t remember). In any case, they weren’t at all what I expected. One flattish Yorkshire pudding, cooked in a small pan, was cut in three and served to us. It had an airy but very eggy consistency, sort of like a very eggy crepe. I’m not a fan of egg myself, but I liked the silkiness of the texture and the subtle egg flavor. I just wish I had liked the sauce the meat came with better.
Camila had the City Cut ($59) which is their smallest serving, and had it well done. She only ate about 2/3rs of it as it was. She thought it was very good; I thought it was dry – but that’s what you get for ordering “well done” beef. She was underwhelmed by the baked potato, however. It had sour cream and chives but no other seasoning, so she mostly left it uneaten. She also skipped ordering the spinach.
House of Prime Ribs has a long list of delicious and very classical sounding desserts, but I had decided on the Strawberry Shortcake ($12.5) in advance. Though the desserts are listed as single serving, this one, at least, was large enough to share. It was delicious, but mostly on account the of the strawberries and cream. I don’t think the cake was a shortcake, it was too sweet with an annoying vanilla flavor, and too light. I daresay it may be the same sponge cake they use in the trifle. Still, the strawberries were fresh, ripe and sweet and the natural syrup from them was delicious. Back in Argentina, strawberries and cream is a common restaurant dessert and I really don’t know why it’s not in the US. It really doesn’t get better than that.
Mike had the Creme Brulee ($12.5), which was also a very generous portion. It was also very good, but not spectacular as I think there isn’t much that can be done to improve creme brulee from its classical presentation. Still, as far as creme brulees went, this was very well executed.
In all, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the meal. These were all American classics, not gourmet food in the least, but well executed and very universally appealing. I also really enjoyed the atmosphere of the restaurant. The one minus is that the whole meal went very fast. We were in and out in just an hour. Now, it’s not that we were rushed – though it’s obvious the name of the game for them is turning tables – but that the dishes were cleared so quickly (albeit after we’d finished) and new ones were brought right away. As we were with an impatient teen this wasn’t totally a bad thing, but if I went there with adults, I’d like to enjoy a more leisurely meal – which I guess we’ll have to force ourselves through pacing our own eating.
House of Prime Rib 1906 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA 1-415-885-4605/6 M - F 5 - 10 PM Sa - Su 4- 10 PM
Is this award-winnning San Francisco bakery worth the hype?
Juniper is a relatively new bakery and café in San Francisco which gained fame a couple of weeks ago when it won a croissant competition. It made the papers and my husband, a croissant lover, decided he had to cross the Bay and try them himself. When he first went, the day after the newspaper article came out, he had to wait 45 minutes in line before getting the goodies – he just went back yesterday, early on a Saturday morning, and the wait was gone. The stuff was just as good, however.
Order with chocolate croissants, butter croissants, Cubano croissant, chocolate brownie and black sesame kouign amann
Butter croissant.
These are large, airy but still very buttery croissants. The outside is flaky – too flaky, really, they’re a mess to eat – and the inside soft and buttery, and rather insubstantial. It didn’t need any extra butter. We enjoyed the croissants very much.
Butter Croissant Loaf
We got this our first time. It’s basically a loaf of very airy/light croissant dough topped with either crystalized sugar butter or black sesame. We got the former and I also enjoyed it a lot – I loved the sugar. I prefer it to the croissants themselves.
Chocolate croissant.
These were also great, made with high quality dark chocolate and not too much of it. Specially after reheating it, it just melts in your mouth. And a little croissant goes a long way.
Black Sesame Kouign Amann
This is similar to a cinnamon roll but with a black sesame paste instead of cinnamon (or in addition to?). I loved the butteriness and caramelized sugar, both in flavor and texture, and the black sesame paste was pretty good too. The pastry wasn’t as sweet as I feared. I’d definitely get it again.
Chocolate Brownie
In my old age, I’ve lost much of my taste for chocolate so I no longer gravitates to brownies. Still, this one was pretty good. It was lighter/airier than ordinary brownies without sacrificing the chocolate flavor. For that reason, it was also less sweet. I would have preferred some nuts or something else to add to the smooth texture, however. I probably wouldn’t get it again for myself, but that’s just because I’m no longer a chocolate fiend.
Hazelnut Florentine Choux
This was basically a cream puff with a crust atop the cream. This one had “rum diplomat creme, hazelnut toffee crisp” and it was good but not great. The flavor was more sweet than anything else and I didn’t like the crust. We wouldn’t get it again.
Juniper Lemon Choux
This one had “lemon curd, juniper berry, meringue, mint”. It was better than the hazelnut, as you could actually taste the lemon flavor, but also not compelling. It really felt like a generic dessert. I also wouldn’t order it again.
Cubano Croissant
One of the awards Juniper won was for their Cubano croissant, which comes with “mojo pork, ham, pickle, whole grain mustard.” We enjoyed this very much. The light, airy croissant worked well as a base for the fillings. The mojo pork in itself was very tasty and had a melt-in-your-mouth texture I enjoyed. However, I actually preferred the croissant without it. The flavor and mouthfeel of the ham and cheese was too perfect and did not need the pork. The mustard could be a little overwhelming in some bites, they should use less. Still, I’d definitely order this again.
Juniper 1401 Polk St, San Francisco, CA Daily 7:30am to 3pm
Last Spring break I took the girls to the California Academy of Sciences, using a couple of the free tickets the San Leandro library so helpfully provides for its members. I hadn’t been to the Academy in years, since it was at its temporary space in downtown San Francisco. At that time it had a small but actually pretty good cafe. Alas, it’s now become much larger and the quality of food seems to have downgraded.
The Academy Cafe is basically a cafeteria with about four different stations. Make sure you identify on which are the items you want to avoid unnecessary time in line. The prices are high, specially for drinks/deserts, but that’s to be expected.
My youngest daughter had the butter pasta. It was fine. The portion wasn’t too big for $7, but enough for a 9 yo. My oldest daughter had the chicken & chips ($12). She had to wait for the chicken, and then it was very, very dry. I would not recommend this dish. It was a generous portion, however.
I didn’t have lunch myself, but shared a very underwhelming bread pudding ($4, I think) with the girls.
They don’t have regular sodas, the Izze sodas they do have were good, but very expensive.
The Academy also has a full-fledged restaurant, the Moss Cafe. Prices are higher, in the high-teens/low twenties for entrees.
Academy Cafe
California Academy of Sciences
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, CA http://themossroom.com/
A few weeks ago I went back to Matterhorn with my friends Eddie, Parker and Katrina. It was our last girls’ night out, as Katrina was moving to Mexico for a stint and Eddie is moving away for good. I can’t tell you how sad I am. But that night was happy, and we had great food and conversation.
We ordered two fondues, a cheese one (the Highlander – with cheddar and gruyere) and a meat one (I think it was the fondue bacchus), and extra sides such as shrimp, sausages and apples. The fondues were great, but I wouldn’t recommend the sausages for the cheese one, their flavor was just too strong. The meats are high quality and come with a wide variety of sauces, I particularly liked a curry flavored one. There was a lot of food, and we ate an incredible amount.
They only have one choice of chocolate fondue for dessert, but it was very good as well, though perhaps a little too runny for my taste. I like the ones I make at home better.
The only sour note of the evening was the service. The waiter/waitress was MIA all evening. Still, if I was in the mood for fondue, I’d go back.
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