The Best Pizza I Have EVER Had.

The title of this blog post sums up my experience at Osteria Stellina pretty concisely. But because I’ve become a narcissistic blogger and desire to relive my experience there, I shall dive into deeper detail.

Osteria Stellina's frequent appearance on the SF Chronicle's Top 100 list means it has been on my radar for awhile but its location (downtown Point Reyes, a 75 minute drive from the city) presented some limitations. The three-day President’s holiday weekend teed up the perfect opportunity to make the drive north. The drive there is lovely and passes by quickly. I’d describe the restaurant itself as a cozy, cabin-like diner. The chairs and tables are incredibly simple, as if they were pulled out of a convention room at a business conference; but the wooded décor helps to create a cozy ambiance. While I was only 75 minutes out of San Francisco, I felt like I was dropped somewhere in the mid-west (in a good way).

Jac and I were greeted and seated at the bar immediately. Our server was incredibly friendly (we learned later she’s from the south, which made perfect sense). We started by sharing “Greens and Beans” – a simple combination of Swiss chard and white butter beans. It was such a simple dish – no sauces or accouterments that I could see – yet so tasty and something I have never ordered out.

Then came the pizza that I will not soon forget. I’ve been fortunate enough to visit many of the top-rated pizza spots in SF (Delfina, Little Star, Zero Zero, etc) and none of their pies even approach what Stellina has to offer. As I dug into my last slice, I actually became emotional about how phenomenal it was and that it was soon coming to an end. The crust is utter perfection: thin and chewy with a slightly burnt exterior. It’s just thick enough to support the generous layer of Fontina cheese. I would happily eat the crust edges alone – the burnt flavor from the oven creates its own wonderful taste on its own. I actually debated swiping the crusts that other diners left on their plates but thought maybe that'd be tacky? The pie also featured nettles; a spinach-like topping that were slightly sweet, and again, nothing I’ve ever ordered before. Paper-thin wisps of Parmesan cheese topped it all off. At $15 for 8 generous slices, the pie is a total steal.

With the momentum building, Jac and I took a look at the dessert menu and ordered the chocolate cookie and coffee ice cream sandwich (the waitress misunderstood us and brought out the coffee cake as well – so, so sad). I devoured that sando like my life was on the line. The coffee ice cream is made in-house and is incredibly rich and flavorful. It’s perfectly paired with the chewy chocolate cookies. Like the pizza, I was getting sad toward the last few bites. I wasn’t crazy about the coffee cake, but with so many other winners, I wasn’t fazed.

If I haven’t been clear to this point, Stellina is absolutely worth the trip. Cowgirl Creamery is a fun shop around the corner and there are beautiful trails to walk nearby. I will be back as soon as I can.

It's Complicated

Marlowe opened in SOMA last February with serious burger buzz. The Chronicle’s food critic proclaimed it his favorite burger in San Francisco. A year later, I took my seat to find out what all the fuss is about.

I had to sleep on this one before I felt ready to articulate my thoughts. I almost wish I hadn’t known about the burger buzz as I think it isn’t allowing me to objectively evaluate it – I feel like I SHOULD rave about it or that maybe I am missing something. I’ll start from the top (literally): the bun has good shape and structure but I couldn’t help but feel bothered that it was cold. I had never noticed this preference in myself before, but I guess I like a slightly toasted bun. There’s a smear of mayonnaise – not too much, but just enough to register on my palette and to hold the loose lettuce to the bun. Below the mayo comes some nice caramelized onions. Liked the onions. Then comes the bacon. I am actually becoming stressed as I write this! The bacon totally overpowered the burger. But I love bacon! Why does this bother me? This should be a good thing! The bacon was particularly salty – beyond my salt tolerance level (which is freakishly high). The strong bacon presence is magnified by the fact that the beef patty is extremely thin. Like, McDonalds’ patty thin. It gets lost in the crowd of bacon, caramelized onion, condiments, salt, and so forth (see picture). Finally, the bottom of the burger also had its problems: the grease from the meat seeped to the bottom and caused the bottom bun to be soggy and quite messy. There was a pool of grease at the bottom of my plate. The thin fries were enjoyable, but again, too salty.

Desperately trying to cleanse the salt from my mouth, I insisted we order a dessert (isn’t that what one ought to do?? Water is for sissies). The chocolate pudding was top-notch: rich, served with loose pie crumbs, and cool presentation.

As I re-read this, I feel like I'm ripping into Marlowe. But I actually walked out feeling quite satisfied. I remember initially thinking it was waaay too salty but otherwise enjoyable. All things considered, I would recommend this place to others and go back myself. I really loved the restaurant itself: small, cozy, and industrial. I had a great corner spot near the entrance that enabled me to people watch inside and outside the restaurant. Lastly, they play great music in the background (think Stevie Wonder and Aretha) but keep the volume under control. If I go back, I would probably branch out to other tempting items on the menu.

Spruce! It’s a restaurant the critics fawn over, a place I run by several times each week en route to the Presidio (yes, I gaze longingly in the windows and fantasize about the culinary dreams that come true on the other side), and is widely regarded as home to one of the best burgers in San Francisco. Anticipation was high as I entered through the grand foyer and made my way to the bar.

Let’s start with the decor. The words “grand,” “classy,” “elegant,” even “ostentatious” pop to mind. The ceilings are high, the furniture feels regal, and the lighting is low. The result is a very romantic ambiance (my girlfriend Jac was in luck!). I immediately noticed the number of bald heads and gray hair; I am guessing the Laurel Heights location lures even more older folks than other high-end restaurants in the city.

Jac and I found two spots at the bar after waiting just a few minutes. We are both celebrating recent job developments, so we were in the mood to splurge. I started with a sparkling wine & pomegranate cocktail, which (Mom, hide your eyes) cost the same as the burger. It almost makes me laugh how ridiculous that is but, you have to walk into a place like Spruce expecting that and just enjoy the experience (and then eat canned beans for a few days to compensate). Jac and I didn’t even open the menus as we knew we would be testing the famous burger. Just before the burger came out, the waiter brought a small gorgonzola cheese puff for us to try. A small bite of heaven – chewy, warm, cheesy, almost croissant-like.

Out came the burger. The bun is truly unlike any other I’ve had at a restaurant – I’d describe it as a cross between a large English muffin and a Ciabatta roll. It’s chewy and heartier than a traditional bun but does not over power the meat. The toppings: tomato slices, thinly sliced pickles, and pickled red onions are all top notch. The fries may have stolen the show. They definitely rank in the top three French fries I’ve ever had. I did a little research and learned they’re double fried in duck fat which may explain why they’re so distinctive in texture, color, and taste. Everything up to this point is phenomenal, but I haven’t discussed the meat. Sigh. My rare patty was dry and crumbly. It didn’t taste like really quality beef to me which is surprising given how high-end of a restaurant this is. This is in direct contrast with my #1 burger in SF at Bix; Bix’s meat is far superior and the reason I love it so much. To be fair, the burger is $14 (Bix’s is $18.50), which is totally reasonable - especially at dinnertime and at such a nice place.

On the cab ride home, Jac and consulted Bix vs. Spruce since we’re both burger lovers and have actually have been together for both. We agreed that Bix burger + Spruce fries is the dream combination. Let the search continue…