Piperade Makes the Grade

Piperade is one of the better restaurants in San Francisco you've never heard of. It's located off the beaten Financial District path (Broadway between Green & Union; about a ten minute walk from downtown). When approaching, it's about the last place you'd expect to see a nicer-end restaurant - you're sure you're in the wrong place - but the moment you walk inside, you know you are in good hands.

The rustic interior is classy and comfortable without being ostentatious. The hostess greeted us warmly in spite of our tardy arrival (although I did call to warn her after my scolding last week at Claudine). We were seated toward the front window. The warehouses don't provide much of a view, but the interior design is pleasant enough that this doesn't deter from the overall experience.

The menu is inspired by the Basque region, but not being a Spanish aficionado, I couldn't tell you what about Piperade's menu makes it compliant to this style of cuisine. The menu is fairly standard: fishes, meats, salads, a hamburger, and a few sandwiches. Sensing that the menu weighed heavily on the fish, I opted for the "pacific petrale sole, spinach, fried garlic vinaigrette." My parents both ordered the "seared tuna salad, potato, egg, green beans." I have two fears when ordering fish: portion size and flavor. Piperade overcame both. The piece of sole was very generous portion and soaked up the garlic flavor of the vinaigrette beautifully. The vinaiagrette also worked wonders on the thick bed of spinach underneath the fish. I left full and didn't even have to kill the bread basket!

My parents both reported being surprisingly full after their salads. While I only got a small bite of the tuna (it tasted as I would expect), I did notice that the salad was jam packed with filling ingredients: several thick pieces of very rare tuna, a few slices of egg, a couple potato wedges, and a light coating of dressing. In the case we needed more, a generous bread basket was on hand.

Our food came out so quickly that we had no choice to order dessert to elongate the meal. There were many enticing options (dark chocolate cake, warm apple crisp - to name a few) but we chose the "turron mousse cake, candied almonds." When the server explained turron = nougat, I was sold (I immediately thought about a candy bar). The end result wasn't quite what I was expecting as the nougat had a creamy, mousse-like texture (I was expecting something firmer) and the flavor isn't as intense as a chocolate dessert. That being said, the crunch of the nuts provided an interesting juxtaposition with the nougat and thin cake bottom layer.

The servers were polite and professional. I did notice that everything moved quite swiftly until dessert. After our entree plates were cleared, it took a a solid five minutes for someone to bring us a dessert menu, another ten or so to take our order, and another ten or so to be delivered. So, dessert transformed a quick lunch into a rather long one. But at a place like Piperade, that ain't a bad thing.

Claudine (aka Clau-dining).

Ever since Claudine opened on Bush street back in November, I have gazed longingly upon it as I passed by each morning on the 1BX - imagining the culinary creations and French treats behind its doors. As I found out last week, there aren't many except for a killer dessert.

"Typically we give up your table ten minutes after your reservation time, so you lucked out that it's still available." This was how the hostess greeted my family as I walked in at 12:12pm for a 12pm reservation last Friday. Nice to see you too!!! This is going to be a blast.

The lunch menu is simple: a few sandwiches, salads, and entree meat and pasta dishes. I selected the lamb shoulder sando (over the lamb belly entree); my mom went for the mushroom sando, and my dad the ... crap, I have no idea. It was some sort of cheesy, baked pasta dish. Note to self: take better notes.

The first thing I noticed when the sandwiches came out was how ridiculously thick the bread was. Each slice had to be an inch thick, while the meat was particularly sparse. Read: proportions way off. The bread was also dripping in oil to the point that a puddle of it remained on my plate. I actually ended up eating the top bread piece solo and the bottom half with the toppings like toast. The optimist in me says I got two meals!

I was underwhelmed at this point so decided to take a chance on desert to turn things around. We ordered a berry bread pudding and a layered s'mores concoction. The berries in the bread pudding were far too tart and chocolate-less for me. The bread was also offensively dense for a pudding. "Comes Through in the Clutch" Award goes to the S'mores dessert which was hot, fudgey, graham crackery, and slightly chewy with the marshmallow layer.

Claudine is a new restaurant and has some kinks to work out. It is one part bar, one part cafe, and one part gift shop (there is a wall of books and treats for purchase). I wouldn't really go back for either of the three. Make that s'mores to-go and we may be onto something....

Something's Mission

The day couldn't have been teed up better: Day off from work, rolled out of bed at 9:30 after some quality TV time, the SF sun shining down, and a lunch date with my Dad. We agreed to step outside our Financial District comfort zone and head to 14th & Guerrero in the Mission, which might as well be in Siberia. Famous for its burger, Mission Beach Cafe has been atop my to do list for months. After putting away the burger, I kept my health kick alive with an interesting ice cream cone from Humphry Slocombe. Both experiences left me feeling more annoyed than satisfied.

Mission Beach Cafe is located at a seemingly isolated corner in the Mission (hipsters, please correct my geography if I'm wrong). The space itself is uninspiring. The restaurant takes the "cafe" title literally with its tightly packed tables (they may as well be community tables), pastry counter, natural sunlight, minimal decor, and a domination of 20-something clientele carrying Apple devices. I was really looking forward to bellying up to the bar as I'm convinced they make burgers taste better, but there isn't one unless you count a street-facing counter.

My dad forgot his glasses so I got to order for the both of us. I ordered my burger rare with bacon (I would have chosen avocado but they were out). I chose "MBC huevos with pulled pork, rancho gordo yellow indian woman beans, salsa rojo, tomatillo pico de gallo, cojita cheese." My dad tends to like dishes that can be classifed as "everything but the kitchen sink" so this seemed to be a safe choice.

My burger came out piled so high that I was concerned how I would be able to consume it. Once I navigated the many layers and took my first bite, my taste buds were immediately struck with a charred, burnt sensation. Upon closer examination of the patty, there were wide, deep grill marks on both sides. I didn't like it. While the inside of the patty was red, the burn marks dominated the flavor of each bite and made it seem dry. Props for the inch-thick, maple bacon slices (the carmelization was so thick it got stuck in my teeth). The bun was soft and well proportioned; the cheese had a mild but impactful flavor. Neither of these accouterments could overcome my issue with the meat. The fries were completely forgettable. Wait, were there fries?

I didn't taste my dad's egg concoction but it looked delicious. I know I would have had a good time dipping the home-made tortilla chips into the pot of egg, sauce, beans, and salsa. MMMMMM.

There also seemed to be an echo in the restaurant. Not thirty second after our waiter greeted us, took our orders, delivered the check, etc - another waiter came to accomplish the same thing. Not a big deal, but one would think they would have coordinated their efforts by the time our meal ended. No, my dad couldn't see anything but he could hear, thanks.

Since our waiter didn't even attempt to entice us with one of the many dessert options up front, my Dad and I decided to check out one of the several ice cream shops in the Mission. I am a Ben & Jerry's fan through and through, and after my Humphry Slocombe experience, I have a renewed appreciation for their creations. Of the 20 or so flavors available, I could only fathom trying one (chocolate and sea salt). I like to believe I'm as adventurous as they come, but Roasted Beet, Brown Sugar & Fennel, Peanut Butter Curry, and Salt & Pepper honestly make my stomach turn. My scoop was so soupy I had to race to finish it before it dripped down my arm. It was nothing special - honestly reminded me of a 99 cent soft serve at McDonalds. My dad was downright annoyed by it all (actually pretty funny watching him trying to eat an ice cream cone as fast as he could).

Ya gotta give us credit for trying new things.