A Non-Mission Mission Spot

Sarah G FINALLY joined the 25 Club (ok, one day after me…) and to celebrate five of us ventured to the place of her choosing, Andalu. Located on 16th between Guerrero and Valencia, this place is smack dab in the middle of a hoppin’ Mission district block. As I stepped inside the door, I was overwhelmed with the aroma of quality fried food. I got pretty giddy as I eyed the plates as I made my way to the upstairs table.

Andalu’s shtick is small plates, and not of one specific genre or geographical region that I could glean. The menu is bordering on overwhelming (but only because I wanted all of them): tartars, short ribs, sliders, mac’n’cheese, fondues, salads, fries, bacon wrapped pork, fish… the list goes on and on; each averaging about $10 a pop. The server advised 2-3 plates/person which I would disagree with; the small plates – to Andalu’s credit – or more “medium” in portion and 1-2 per person is plenty.

The ladies and I shared about six plates. Once the “ooohs” and “ahhhs” died down and the eyes returned from the back of the head, I took a straw poll about the favorites. The fondue (served with sliced pear and crispy bread) and the Mac’n’cheese came out tops. Did you know you can bread and deep fry mac’n’cheese? I did not. Picture a mozzarella stick filled with mac’n’cheese and you have an idea of how Andalu does it. Entirely unexpected and so delicious.

I’ve gone on many a rant about the Mission district but Andalu gives me renewed optimism about the neighborhood as a whole. As home to such destination places like Delfina, Range, Beretta, and others, the “professional” food critics devote all their admiration and attention here. My opinion is that, generally speaking, the hot Mission spots we read about daily in the Chronicle offer pretty much the same thing at the same quality in the same atmosphere. Before I get carried away (again), I want to conclude by saying that while Andalu does follow the small plate trend, the offering is entirely different than its neighbors and exists in a category of its own.

Lastly, as we walked out, the birthday girl stated Andalu was Top 5. As her friends, we could not have asked for more.

My Cup Runneth Over

What better way to spend a sunny, 65 degree day than at a downtown lunch date with my dad? With the sun shining and the bay glistening, I met my dad at The Cosmopolitan (Spear between Mission and Howard). I recall being quite pleased with my initial visit two years ago, and the urge to return had been nagging at me for weeks.

Wow. Talk about underrated. Forget One Market or MarketBar! Few have heard of this place, despite its prominent downtown location and all-around gastronomic excellence. This is the perfect location for a business meeting, a girls-only lunch, date, or Happy Hour. The lighting is advantageous, the noise-level is conversational, service is excellent, and the fries – as my dad exclaimed – are “extraordinary.” I probably don’t need to continue (but I will).

My dad started with the $5/2 Martini lunch special (not a type-o) and I ordered a glass of Sauv Blanc. Upon their prompt delivery, I ordered the daily special (grilled Ahi tuna/Avocado sandwich with onion rings) and my dad the beef brisket sando. Sandwiches are by no means the only option; it was an extremely tough call between the chicken pot pie and the assortment of appealing fish options. Something for everyone. We also pre-ordered the sourdough-toffee bread pudding for dessert, as the menu wisely advised of the 25 minute preparation time.

I’ve found Ahi often falls into the trap of being too bland, but this one was grilled and seasoned to tasty perfection. The bread was soft and chewy – complimenting the delicate fish rather than overwhelming it. I didn’t taste my dad’s brisket sandwich, but by the look on his face he was a happy camper. I DID gather an ample sample-size of my dad’s fries and they were the stuff Top 5 lists are made of. I didn’t have the chance to ask how they were prepared, but my guess is they are double fried and/or fried in a special oil. Throw some garlic and herbs on top of that – speechless.

Just as I started to think “hmm, some dessert would hit the spot about now,” out came the bread pudding. It wasn’t quite Luna Park- good, but it was a unique preparation. (That is what I love about bread pudding – you never know how it will come out). It was extremely chocolatey and served with a dollop of coffee ice cream.

Not a single aspect of this dining experience missed a single beat. The food, the service, the location, the prices – they all added up to a top-notch meal. I don’t care who you are with or what meal you’re eating – book The Cosmopolitan pronto!

A new favorite

After a second failed attempt to dine at Barbacco (totally booked at 11:45am and doesn’t accept reservations…), the parents and I headed toward the Transamerica building for Italian fare at Aventine. As they say, “when one door closes, another door opens:” Aventine was surprisingly delightful. I have been there a few times for drinks, but have never eaten anything there, and was actually a little apprehensive about the portion sizes. Several factors – location, ambiance, genre – contributed to my hunch that portions would be “delicate.”

I was wrong. We started with the Bruschetta Trio ($8) which came with 8 large pieces, each several bites. Two were topped with tomatoes, two with mushrooms, and two with a mixed vegetable slaw. I ordered the muffaletta sandwich and actually had to remove some of the meat so I could better appreciate the perfectly toasted Italian bread. I only ate half and bagged the rest for dinner! My dad thoroughly enjoyed his ham & cheese sandwich and my mom was impressed with her chicken nicoise salad.

For reasons I am not sure, Aventine was pretty much empty. It’s a small space, so it didn’t feel awkward, but in the hour we were there, there were probably about six other diners. Normally, by 12:30pm on a Friday, everywhere in the Financial District is packed to the rafters, especially on a sunny day like today. This atypical situation translated to a peaceful ambiance and attentive service.

Very highly recommended. Aventine will stand out in mind above the rest.

"Credo" I would go back

After a brief hiatus from the dining scene – conscious about $$/stomach pooches before impending Paris immoderation – I joined the parentals for lunch at a new spot in the Financial District called Credo. “Credo” is Italian for “I believe” and the walls are aptly adorned with famous statements beginning with the phrase (think Martin Luther King…). So, not a bad spot to take a boring companion, as you can depend on about 100 famous names and quotes on the wall to spur conversation. In fact, after my mom had run out of questions about Paris, when I’d land, does Jennifer know I’m coming? Have you packed? Are you going to the Louvre? Flying direct? SFO? Oak? Won’t you be jet lagged? Will your iPhone work? Long term parking or cab? What’s the weather report? April in Paris is supposed to be beautiful! Does your boss know you’re out next week?... I could finally take a look at the fun, historical quotes on the wall.

Anyway, that was way too much non-food dialogue. All in all, the food value to price ratio was extremely favorable. The menu – not surprisingly – is chock full of Italian classics like Pizza Margherita, lasagna, various paninis, and pasta dishes. Prices range from $10-15. My chicken pesto Panini was one of the better I’ve had. You know the bread is fresh and authentic. One memorable moment was when I asked the waiter for ketchup: “vee don’t have cashup…” Huh? I am all about authenticity, but no ketchup? I have my boundaries! As Lloyd says in Dumb & Dumber, the waiter then “totttalllllllly redeemed himself” by bringing a spicy aioli dipping sauce. Crisis averted. My mom’s prosciutto Panini was the weakest of the bunch (too dry). My dad licked his lasagna clean.

One observation we all made was about the noise level. Toward the end, we were leaning in just to hear each other. It didn’t ruin the experience, but certainly one of the noisier lunch places I’ve been to.