Brunch at Chloe's in Noe Valley

On a quest to try some of SF's best brunch spots, Sheila and I headed to Chloe's Cafe at the corner of 26th & Church in Noe Valley. With only 16 seats inside and 20 outside, Chloe's Cafe is certain qualifies as a neighborhood joint. That of course meant the wait would long; it ended up being 40 mins since we opted for an inside table with the weather a bit cold.

Within minutes of being seated, the owner came by to take our drink orders - latte for Sheila and mocha for me. The $4 single shot mocha served in a tall glass was made with dark chocolate and a hint of cinnamon. On it's own the drink was a tad bitter for my taste; however that was good thing since I order a sweet brunch dish.

For brunch Sheila ordered the cinnamon french toast and I ordered the buttermilk pancakes with a side of hot grilled potatoes. We opted for the short stacks (two pieces); at $7.00 each, it was a good value for the portions. Service was a bit slow and we noticed several patrons going directly up to the cash till to pay their bills. Despite that, the wait staff was cordial and attentive overall.

Both the pancakes and french toast were served with two pre-packed butter cubes and maple syrup. Pancakes were hot off the griddle, moist, and fluffy. I could taste the distinct buttermilk flavor; a one note dish that was flat in my mind. I've also come to expect homemade or organic butter from SF brunch spots, which Chloe's did not have. In hindsight, I probably should have ordered the banana walnut cakes. Oh well, not sure that would have made a difference.

The potatoes came out slightly burnt on one half and slightly mushy on the other half. It was bit disappointing since I was looking for savory and crunchy in my side dish, not lumpy and burnt. Despite that, the potatoes did cut into the sweetness of my pancakes.

Sheila's french toast looked very appetizing, drizzled with some confectionery sugar and cinnamon. After a few bit, the heaviness of the dish sank in. The problem, it was extremely eggy and

that overwhelmed any taste from the bread or cinnamon. Sheila always orders french toast, similar to me and margherita pizza, so I've come to trust her discerning palette. I took a small piece and ended up only eating half of it. Enough said.

Chloe's has been described as solid and down home local. I can't say we agree with that. Nothing to fret about though, there are plenty of other great spots in SF to choose from.

plow, a real gem in potrero hill

Near the top of Potrero Hill sits the recently opened Plow, another of SF’s uber-popular brunch haunts. In typical SF style, this place is locally sourced literally. The owners Bleskacek and Siu, live up the street, chose a local architect to design their space, and source all their food from local purveyors. It’s a beautiful restaurant - modern rustic with floor to ceiling windows, detailed white wainscoting, a marble countertop bar, reclaimed wood tables, metal tolix chairs/barstools, and a small but efficient kitchen. It’s such an amazing little storefront, that Dwell Magazine recently featured it in a pictorial!

With only 13 tables, the wait out Plow can be numbing (similar to Zazie, Flour + Water, or Mama’s). We went there on brisk sunshiny Sunday morning for brunch. We put our name down and with 15 groups in front of us decided to make a quick trip to Trader Joe’s beforehand. Worked great, after getting back we were seated at the 6 amazing carrera marble bar, a perfect spot to take in the action. The service was neighborhood friendly, probably because it had been a week since the sun shined on SF! We both had fresh cups of house coffee; strong and slightly bitter, it definitely woke me up!

The menu is appetizing even for vegetarians – with a variety of savory and sweet dishes! We opted for French toast with caramelized banana, mascarpone, and Vermont maple syrup; a lemon ricotta pancake also with Vermont maple syrup, and crispy potatoes with tomato aioli.

The two pieces of French toast (seemed liked Acme bread) was superbly cooked, crispy on the outside moist on the inside. They are sized right for one person although we ended up sharing. Coupled with the caramelized bananas, maple syrup, and mascarpone; simply brilliant. I’m normally not a fan of French toast because of eggy after-taste. But Plow’s is different; it light and fluffy. Be careful with the syrup, it very sweet and could led to a bit of sugar overload after a few bits. Plow’s French toast is on par with the best in the City.

Good thing we ordered the potatoes – a blend of olive oil crispy potatoes and onion with a hint of chili. It was savory match to the sweet toast. The potatoes was cut in triangle wedges and came out to our bar area piping hot and slightly burnt (in a good way). At Plow, potatoes are a side dish, based on the serving size; this order is enough to serve two. I didn’t quite appreciate the tomato aioli, didn’t have the vinegar bit I was looking for so I went with ketchup.

Last was the lemon ricotta pancake; I ordered a single serving just right size to help Sheila finish her toast. It’s a perplexing mix when you read it on paper, but don’t let that pre-judge your decision. The citrus undertones blended perfectly with the sweet cheese. The 6-inch pancake was moist, light, amazingly fresh. I suggest keeping the syrup to a minimum in order to savor this distinctive taste. Not only would I order it again, but I’d also recommend to anyone who goes to Plow!

Potrero Hill is gentrified neighborhood, and Plow fits right in. A charming local spot that it exudes SF culture – cozy sustainable interior, locally sourced product, freshly prepared food, friendly service, and a cult following! Take your out of town friends and visitors; they will be impressed.