Quick Update: Bar Tartine Revisit

With the quality of its Tartine Bakery heritage and the original chef's pedigree (Cafe Boulud), I was excited to dine at Bar Tartine when it opened a few years ago. After a couple uneven meals, I was left with the impression that it wasn't worth the hype, let alone the long waits.

Things continually change in the restaurant business however, and with new chef Jason Fox taking the helm a while ago I had started hearing more positive reviews from reliable sources and decided to venture once again to this popular Mission restaurant.

I'm glad I went back. While we had a little service hiccup (a misunderstanding on our order which was remedied with a comped entree), the food was great and very consistent. The stand-out was the guinea hen (pictured here), taken off the bone and presented two ways: sauteed with peas and cipollinis, and accompanied by a beggar's purse full of pulled hen. The gnocchi was also very good and was cooked perfectly which is often a risk with this type of pasta.

The setting, as it always has been, is charming with votive candles littered about and there is seating at the kitchen counter as well (will have to add it to my kitchen counter dining list).

All in all, if you haven't been in a while it's worth another visit.


Information about Bar Tartine restaurant on Center'd

Bar Tartine website

Quick Update: New Brunch Menu at Maverick

A favorite spot for brunch in San Francisco, Maverick Restaurant has an excellent menu that balances both breakfast and lunch fare well, unlike many other options which tend to favor one or the other. Maverick presents appealing items on both sides of the brunch fence that will satisfy either mood, although this sometimes creates a small ordering dilemma (there are worse problems to have).

I visited Maverick for brunch again today and was greeted by a new menu with a number of notable new additions. While I was slightly disappointed their upscale version of a cheese steak no longer made the cut, the replacements were well executed and panned out nicely.

On the breakfast side, the andouille sausage benedict with crawfish jalapeno hollondaise is a great southern take on this breakfast standard, with nice smokiness and well-balanced sauce. The orange flannel hash and tex-mex enchiladas are also new to the menu and look worth a try.

The devil's gulch ranch ham sandwich with gruyere, caramelized onions and dijon will satisfy a lunch hunger, and the blackened catfish po'boy capitalizes on the southern influences exercised at the restaurant.

A recommended solution for splitting the difference between breakfast and lunch is the Maverick brunch sandwich, which remains a menu staple. A little heat from chef Scott Youklis' home-made hot sauce gives this great flavor.


Information about Maverick restaurant on Center'd

Maverick website

Restaurant Trend: Little Gem Lettuce

It's easy to determine when certain foods are in season or becoming popular ingredients because they start making appearances on multiple restaurant menus. While little gem lettuce seems to be available year-round, it's been a common addition to top-flight San Francisco restaurants over the past year.

Little gem is a cross between romaine (crispy) and butter lettuce (sweet), and has small leafs on the outside and a crisp heart inside. It's usually served cut in half and presented lengthwise, often accompanied by cheese and/or nuts which complement its taste and texture.



Blue Plate's take on little gems includes pink lady apples, spiced pecans and wisconsin buttermilk blue cheese, and is an excellent representation of what a good chef can do with this ingredient. The Mission's Conduit has had a little gem salad on its menu since opening a little more than a year ago; the original was an amazing version with hazelnuts, shaved radish and a light ranch dressing, and the current incarnation is a tasty twist on a caesar salad.

Other notable San Francisco restaurants that have little gem salads on the menu lately include Boulevard, NOPA and Universal Cafe, and across the bay in Berkeley, Chez Panisse.

The Verdict:
I'm usually not a big restaurant salad person, but I haven't met a little gem I haven't liked so I'm a fan.


San Francisco restaurants with little gem salads on Center'd

Restaurant Trend: Kitchen Counter Dining

Along with communal tables, kitchen counter seating is an increasingly popular design element in new restaurants, and one we like when paired with an amiable kitchen staff.

Our first kitchen counter dining experience was at Boulevard, our favorite San Francisco restaurant. At first, we thought we were getting sub-par seats because they were the only ones available to us as walk-ins, but we ended up having an amazing experience. Now, Boulevard isn't exactly fresh to the restaurant scene, but apparently they were ahead of their time.

While there is some value in the open kitchen design itself (we all have a little voyeur in us), to really capitalize on the experience the chefs need to be engaged. When they are, it can make for a remarkable and educational experience.


Conduit gets high marks here: Josh, an assistant chef, is always very accommodating and is adroit at juggling questions from patrons along with entrees. Head chef Justin Deering always makes time as well to give some inside scoop on menu changes.

Boulevard's counter staff is not quite as engaging, but you get an up close, in-the-trenches view of a finely-tuned gastronomic machine. When there's downtime the chefs are friendly, and it's simply amazing to watch this team in action. By the way, the guy standing in the middle of the line barking at everyone but not cooking anything? He's the expediter.

A few other counter options in San Francisco include Brick, RNM and Canteen. Brick’s kitchen is the liveliest we’ve seen which makes the dining experience fun, and although it’s a little further removed from the action and not as engaging, RNM is a fine choice.

Inside Tip:
While we’re by no means experts on kitchen counter etiquette, it seems similar to ride-sharing where the chefs will stick to simple conversation (“how’s the food”) unless you engage them. So step up to the plate and ask them about the menu or ingredients, but be mindful that they’re busy.

The Verdict:
We're fans. If you're curious about cooking, learning about seasonal ingredients, and getting inside the process of a professional kitchen, you'll enjoy this dining experience.

Recommended for:
Dinner for two or alone, for curious and social diners


Restaurants with kitchen counter seating in SF on Center'd

Quick Update: Serpentine

We made it back to Serpentine for brunch last weekend, just as we promised after our dinner review. The brunch menu is great on paper, but slightly disappointing in execution, if only because we had extremely high expectations. In fact, it's a solid brunch that we'd recommend although not in a drop-everything-now-and-go type of way. The Bloody Mary was a stand-out for me; it was nice and light, yet spicy and included a great pickled carrot garnish. The savory bread pudding is a must order, and is worth the trip alone.


Information, photos, and map for Serpentine on Center'd

Review: Blue Ribbon Brasserie (New York, NY)

When we lived in Manhattan and my wife would ask, "Where do you want to go for dinner tonight?" my reply, more often than not would be, "Blue Ribbon." I could eat at this place at least once a week and be happy.

Located in Soho, Blue Ribbon is the flagship among four other restaurants with some form of the same moniker, and is a staple of Manhattan chefs because it's open until 4:00 AM and has excellent food. If you want a great meal late, and a quintessential Manhattan-never-sleeps experience, head here after midnight (you'll be amazed when people are still being seated after you pay your check).

I'm a big fan of appetizers, and Blue Ribbon's menu seems like it was built to please me. There are about 14 options to start, and my favorites are the steak tartare, the shrimp remoulade which comes with small crispy zuchini fries, and the smoked trout with an awesome relish and beets. Blue ribbon is known for it's seafood, and the the seafood tower is a popular appetizer although we've never tried it.

Entrees are solid as well, but to be honest we usually split one because we load up on appetizers. The catfish with collard greens is nice if you want something lighter, and the fried chicken with honey is decadant. All the other entrees we've ordered have been great, so order whatever strikes your fancy.

This is a popular dinner destination that doesn't take reservations, but if you get there before 8:00 PM you shouldn't have too long a wait (true New Yorkers don't eat dinner until after 8:00 PM). They do take reservations for parties of six or more.

The Verdict:
My favorite restaurant in Manhattan, and a must try.

Recommended Plates:
Smoked trout, steak tartare, grilled shrimp remoulade, oysters, country pate, sweet and spicy catfish, fried chicken

Recommended for:
Dinner, Late-night dining, Seafood, Appetizers

Bar stats:
Small bar area with about six seats. Full bar and good wine menu.


Information, photos, and map for Blue Ribbon Brasserie on Center'd

Blue Ribbon Brasserie website

Quick Update: Conduit

We happened by Conduit on our way home from an event yesterday evening and got a few appetizers. They were all good, but the ravioli with Swiss chard and almonds was amazing - it's a must order if you make it by Conduit any time soon.


Information, Photos, and Map for Conduit on Center'd

Review: Coi

We had been hearing a lot of positive buzz about Coi (pronounced, "qua"), and have a new-found interest in molecular gastronomy since visiting WD-50 in New York, so we decided to give it a whirl for an annual family dinner with my foodie sisters this past weekend.

Helmed by chef Daniel Patterson, Coi is located down the block from the nudie bars on Broadway and Montgomery. The design is modern with an eco-feel to it (exposed wood, natural tones), and once inside you're mentally transported away from the scene outside.

There is a lounge, which unbeknownst to us prior to booking, serves an a la carte menu. We ate in the main dining room where an 11-course tasting menu is served.

Stand-outs were the roasted cauliflower with smoked bone marrow foam which had an excellent balance of flavors, the slow cooked farm egg (a molecular cuisine standard), and the quince and huckleberry parfait, which the table agreed hands-down was the best dish of the night. My wife and I also enjoyed the kabocha squash soup, but all-in-all, the rest of the dishes seemed average for a restaurant of this supposed quality and price point.

One controversial item was the "wine" pairing, which not only included wines, but beers, wine-based cocktails, and sake. I thought this was quite inventive and a highlight of the evening, but some at the table we quite upset as they were expecting a wine pairing... we agreed that the restaurant should either label the offering as a "drink" pairing, or have the server make a particular note of it before ordering.

The Verdict:
Given the hype, a bit disappointing, but it is good. I'd recommending sticking your toe in the lounge water before diving into the 11-course pool.

Recommended Plates:
Quince and huckleberry parfait, Roasted cauliflower, Slow cooked farm egg

Recommended for:
Hmmm...

Bar stats:
Lounge area with a couple non-eating tables, as well as seats along a wall. Wine, beer, other (sake, etc.), no hard alcohol.


Information, photos, and map for Coi on Center'd

Coi website

First Look: Poesia

We ducked into Poesia for dinner a couple nights ago and were pleased with this neighborhood find.

Nestled upstairs in looks to have been a former residence, Poesia has a warm and charming atmosphere with a personable and helpful staff. The menu felt like familiar Italian, with some twists - the fritto misto, for example, includes ricotta and salt cod versus the standard calamari and veggies, and they have a pasta with pork ribs.

We had the Tagliatelle all Anatra, a home-made pasta with a duck breast ragout, which was spectacular, and the Egglant Parmigiana which was solid.

All told, Poesia has potential to become a regular neighborhood haunt, although we'll have to confirm our suspicions with a couple more meals there.


Information, photos, and map for Poesia

Poesia website