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…

Dogs and Cats

The rolls at Kasa

I hit several spots last week but by the time weekend rolled around I realized it wasn’t really a revolutionary food week for me. In fact, as I write this, I have to scratch my head to remember where I went and what I had. Don’t read this as a complaint – the company and the weather was top-notch!

I revisited my East Bay roots Wednesday evening at Saturn in Berkeley with my childhood friend Lauren. We used to ride our bikes together to elementary school (in rain, sleet, hurricanes, or broken legs as I like to remind my mom). As I get older, I realize how special it is to have a friend for that long. And a friend that lets me choose where we eat! Not one to shy away from a steak, Lauren enthusiastically joined me to the vegetarian diner on Allston Way. While I gave up my vegan streak several weeks ago, my tastes have changed and I truly enjoy a meatless meal. But, I was little disappointed with Saturn. Lauren and I walked in and both immediately noticed something about the place smelled kind of funny. Not a great way to start but I soldiered on. I ordered the California veggie burger (topped with avocado and vegan cheese). It was fine. The patty looked like a Boca burger you buy at Safeway; I’ve had veggie burgers that are thick with beans, sprouts, lentils, etc – this was just not the case. I suppose I was expecting a little more from a restaurant whose M.O. is vegetarian.

The next night, I met up with Amber for Indian food at Kasa on Fillmore street. Indian is in the running for my favorite ethnic food: curries, spicy, hearty, and a great bread to slop it all up. I even had a Groupon – and discounted food always tastes better, right!? The problem with Kasa is it’s not traditional Indian food. A few issues:
• The menu. Pretttttty sure one needs a PHD to figure out how it works. I don’t even want to get into it because it frustrates me.
• No Naan bread. I thought they were joking when they said they don’t serve it. Next thing you know Greek restaurants won’t be serving Pita! Instead, they serve Roti, which was just okay but definitely a letdown after I spent the previous few hours daydreaming about Naan.
• Presentation. Option 1 on the menu is basically an Indian burrito (see photo). Burritos should only be available at Mexican joints, in my opinion.

All in all, the meal wasn’t bad at all. It’s just that Kasa tries to get original with its Indian and I’d prefer to stick to the basics: big bowls of meat curry and slabs of Naan bread.

Lastly, I met the parents at Americano for lunch on Friday. Again, there was nothing wrong with the meal but no compelling reason to hurry back. I chose the Dine About Town menu, which started with a mushroom soup (same as last week’s DAT starter at Chaya) and featured the “Crispy heritage pork belly and braised duck with chanterelles.” I thought the mushroom soup was excellent; but having just raved about it at Chaya, I am thinking it may not be too hard to execute? The entrée description screamed fatty meat, and what was presented before me was even fattier than I could have imagined. So much so, in fact, my mom couldn’t eat hers. It’s not often I indulge in that kind of fat and I have to say I quite enjoyed it. Vegan days be gone!

A good beginning and great ending

Dine About Town has arrived in San Francisco! While $17.95 for two courses at lunch doesn’t strike me as a particularly great deal, I feel compelled to participate in anything food-related that people are talking about. So, the choice for Friday lunch was Chaya. Located along the Embarcadero, this French/Japanese offers stunning views of the Bay Bridge – and very decent food in my two experiences.

DAT participants have the choice of an app and an entrée or an entrée and a dessert. Today, I chose a mushroom bisque soup to start and a sushi medley for the main (the seasonal sorbet wasn’t too tempting). The soup was phenomenal – creamy, flavorful, and topped with a dab of cream. Yes, I definitely scraped the edges of the bowl with my bread on this one. Both my parents had it and agreed it was top-notch. The sushi medley was satisfying but was far from the best I’ve had. The portion (13 pieces total) was impressive but it tasted like the rolls I get at Safeway (which, to clarify, is not a criticism). I have to add it was kind of a trip to alternate bites of sushi and bread’n’butter on the table. Gotta love a little cultural diversity.

I was on the fence about dessert and ready to be sold. So, when the waitress came out with menus and spontaneously added “our bread pudding is to die for!” – well, she closed me. To extend the sales analogy, she over-delivered on her promise. This bread pudding gives Luna Park’s a run for its money. It’s served in a bowl (a must); warm (another must); uses crisp croissant pieces, and is swimming in some sort of custard sauce with pieces of chocolate chips. The scoop of ice cream was, well, the icing on the cake. It alone puts Chaya in the “return worthy” column.

I have to add that our waitress was particularly cool – friendly, attentive, but not-overbearing. In all, Chaya has a lot to brag about: above-average food, awe-inspiring views of the bridge, great service, and a delectable dessert. Rumor is their Happy Hour is not to be missed. Chances are I will be back soon…

What would Brian Boitano eat?

While on the elliptical Wednesday evening, “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” – my favorite Food Network show ever – came on. If you haven’t seen this show, you should definitely DVR it (or “tape it” as I still do). As the title suggests, each show picks a theme (crunchy, spicy, “in a bowl,” and so on) and asks several Food Network stars to highlight his or her choice. For a girl that loves superlatives, this show is right up my alley. Long story short, Brian Boitano chose the corn fritters at E&O Trading Company in SF as his favorite crunchy food of all time.

Flash forward two days and I’m sitting at said Union Square restaurant with my folks to give these fritters a go. I have to admit, I was feeling pretty “in the know” that I happened to see the show and was already there. My smugness started to fade when I noticed the five surrounding tables ALL HAD THE CORN FRITTERS ON THEIR TABLE. The main attraction came out first and I was impressed how generous the portion it is – three large corn fritters – hardly a small plate as the menu suggests. They were quite unusual, but I am sorry Brian, can’t say they are the best crunchy thing I’ve ever eaten. If you’ve ever had a sticky popcorn ball – it tastes like that, minus the sweet part. A fried batter holds them together but there’s no distinct taste that kept me going back for more. Overall, I thought it was sort of bland. The sweet pepper soy sauce dipping went a long way.

Unfortunately, bland seemed to be the theme of the lunch for me. I ordered the Portobello flatbread, described on the menu as “grilled Portobello mushroom, watercress, red onion, and pickled mango.” I guess the description is accurate, but it was basically a small salad served on top of a big piece of bread (only covering about 75% of the bread I might add). So, I ate the salad off the top and the plain flatbread by itself as there was nothing holding the two together. To add insult to injury, the bread wasn’t exactly to-die for either.

Oh, and my sense of pride about the Brian Boitano thing was completely killed when I walked outside and saw this sign:

Keepin' it local

Most Sunday afternoons I can be found in my pajamas with a good book in hand. This past Sunday I managed to rally myself to make the long trip across the street to SPQR. While I’d been there twice for brunch, I was becoming downright embarrassed that I had never made it there for dinner. It’s quite popular among food critics and couldn’t be more convenient.

I immediately noticed how packed the place was for a Sunday night. My companion (and neighbor) Sarah G and I scored the last two spots available for walk-ins – two corner stools at the chef’s kitchen bar. This meant we got to sit dumbstruck by all the beautiful creations the chefs were plating (“how does he get that pasta to stack so perfectly?” “How much do you think he makes?” “what do you think she cooks for herself when she’s not working?”) While some may see this as a distraction, Sarah and I thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment and a glimpse into a fast-paced kitchen. Those folks work NONSTOP.

When it came time for ordering, I put my foot down about the spiced ricotta fritters and let Sarah run with the rest. The fritters came out first and I truly haven’t tasted anything like them before; the filling itself is very mild – it barely registers to me as a cheese. I was more struck by the hint of maple syrup. It’s definitely more of a sweet treat than a savory one. I can’t say I’d order them again, but they were memorable.

Then came the mushroom risotto and the ravioli. The risotto was warm and creamy and topped with perfect slices of fresh squash. I am no risotto expert but it seemed very good to me. I like mushrooms and appreciated the high-quality pieces of mushroom tucked inside. The ravioli is a bit of a conundrum for me: I can’t really recall what was in the ravioli. I think it was pumpkin. Either way, it was mild and the focus is definitely on the pasta. What I love about this dish is you know someone stuffed and hand folded each piece of ravioli. This kind of quality is rare and pleasurable in itself.

I felt this same feeling after my previous brunch experiences: you cannot find fresher, better quality ingredients than at SPQR. I swear the egg I had at brunch was the single best egg I’ve ever had in my life…they probably have an organic farm in the back where they humanely treat chickens who pop out the eggs and serve them immediately. Anyway, the superiority of the ingredients is what makes this place great and unique. I can’t say I go to bed dreaming about eating here but it’s always memorable.