I went to Novela on Mission in SOMA this week and it was so cute and fun! A good-sized bar with book-themed decor and killer cocktails? Yes, I will be back. 🙂 Cue the photos!
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Review: Salt House (Revisited)
I’ve been to Salt House once before, but decided to get fancy for lunch a couple weeks ago and head back. It was a nice lunch in the fittingly chic, industrial-modern decor of the SOMA location, with good service and good food.
Salt House Burger – $15
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Review: 54 Mint
54 Mint is tucked away behind the old San Francisco Mint off 5th Street just south of Market (indeed, in SOMA). It’s a cute space with rustic-chic decor, and a large-ish downstairs (basement) seating area for overflow seating and (I assume) large parties. They’ve got an extensive wine list, a fancy Italian menu, and, most importantly, it is possible to get a reservation.
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Review: Super Duper Burger
Fast food is not what it used to be.
Ok, that’s not entirely true. McDonald’s and Taco Bell (et al.) still suck, unless you enjoy uncontrollable diarrhea. Which I do not. But Super Duper is in a new category. A category of food that I may decide to eat, like, willingly.
There are two downtown/SOMA locations, and one in the Castro. I’ve passed by more than once and noticed that they have a veggie burger on their menu. As I am on an unofficial quest to find the best veggie burger in SF, I was curious. The other night, I ventured in, alone, to experience another contender.
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Review: Fondue Cowboy
First, a confession.
I suggested Fondue Cowboy for my sister’s birthday dinner this year, which was met with extreme excitement from said sibling. I subsequently re-though my decision and indicated that Town Hall would be a more appropriately fancy birthday location. And it was; the food was delicious and all was well. But, then I betrayed my teeny tiny sister and went to the Cowboy with other friends. Like a jerk!
Can we just say that I did the appropriate research that now allows me to confidently take my sister to this facility? I mean, I don’t want to waste her time in traveling all the way to The City for a crap meal. Now we can be certain of a good time, and of good food. Sister, will you join me at the Cowboy for some fondue?
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Review: Salt House
All lowercase lettering. Sandblasted brick walls. Exposed steel mezzanine. High ceilings. You know this SF restaurant.
Ok, you probably don’t; it sounds like lots of others. For which we can all be thankful: there are lots of chic, modern, schmancy, yummy restaurants in SF, yeay! Love this city. Moving on.
Inside the salt house
Salt House (or salt house — upper case is so 2009) is another restaurant serving classy American fare with their own special spin. A summary of my experience:…
Review: Ironside
Atmosphere: 4/5 ♦ Service: 3/5 ♦ Food Quality: 4/5 ♦ Value: 3/5
Times Visited: One ♦ Will I Return?: Sure
Ironside is a hip little restaurant on Second Street between Townsend and Brannan in San Francisco. It’s one of the (great many) places that makes SF what it is in terms of food and ambiance. The decor is a sort of modern wild-west: heavy timber framing (the stairway landing is a 4′ cube of solid wood pieces!) and steel connectors and accents fit in with the polished concrete floors and steel-railed mezzanine. Like other top SF restaurants, it looks great.
The order-at-the counter style adds a bit of casual-ness to your lunch (though they are also open for dinner, and brunch on the weekends), and the paper menu has lots of tasty things to choose from. The list itself is nothing particularly fancy: soups, salads, pizzas, and sandwiches; but the execution is key.
Inside Ironside
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Review: The American Grilled Cheese
Atmosphere: 4/5 ♦ Service: 4/5 ♦ Food Quality: 4/5 ♦ Value:4/5
Times Visited: A Few ♦ Will I Return?: Yes!
This super-cute, San Francisco-worthy restaurant can be found serving up gourmet grilled cheese every day of the week just next to South Park at 2nd Street in SOMA. When a friend of mine first heard that I was going to be working in SOMA and that I’m a veggo, he promptly took me to The American. And for that, I am grateful.
The American is in a cute homey place with framed photos adorning the walls, lots of counter stools, and outdoor seating. They specialize in grilled cheese and make ’em better than mom used to (sorry mom, but they’ve got Gruyère cheese, you know?). I love specialty shops like this that serve one thing and serve it with pizazz. And I love the word pizazz, just to let you know….
Review: SF Underground Market
Update: SF Underground Market is no longer active.
SF Underground Market isn’t exactly a restaurant. Actually, it isn’t anything close. But it’s a foodie event like no other and broccoli & chocolate just attended last Saturday for the first time.
Event Summary: “A venue where you can taste and purchase the food that is being produced in backyards and home kitchens in the Bay Area. Think a farmers market, but at night, with music and drinks.”
Sounds fun, right? It was. But it wasn’t everything I was hoping for. Here’s why:…