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.

frances has a michelin star, really?

Michelin-started restaurants are usually uptight for us casual dining folk. However, we couldn’t pass an invite from the Laffs to join them at Frances, the highly acclaimed modern Californian spot in the Castro. Despite having only been open for a year, Frances received one Michelin star and requires reservations months in advance, partly because there are only 16 tables.

We joined the Laffs on a damp Sunday evening – Frances is located in an indistinct street just east of Castro St. Its décor is elevated casual, and good luck having a quiet conversation, tables are literally on top of each other. Unfortunately, I was not impressed with the food.

The menu is seasonal modern Californian, a hallmark of Chef Melissa Perello, a multiple time James Beard Award nominee and SF Rising Star Award winner. There bouchees, appetizers, mains, sides, desserts. We ordered a mix of items for pseudo “tasting menu” and here’s the review.

Crispy chickpea fritters – We were expecting free-formed fritters, a la India pakoras. We received were five mozzarella stick looking objects. The chickpea filling was extremely dense and had the consistency of whipped smooth mashed potatoes. There was an interesting aftertaste which the impression of added cream or eggs. Consensus was we would not order again.

Roasted red beet salad – Chunks of red beets with an accompaniment of greens. Despite being a bouche, the portion was huge and we were not expecting that. Overall can’t really go wrong with a salad, but Sheila and I would take the one at Delarosa or Beretta over Frances any day.

Grilled asparagus and chicory salad – This was the best dish of the evening. Asparagus was good through and had a light smoky flavor. Chicory and greens were light and fresh. Serving portion was right to share. My only complaint was that it was bit heavy handed with the salt and vinaigrette. We should have asked for it on the side.

Risotto with mushroom – A mix of oyster and chanterelle served on a bed of creamy risotto. It was Sheila first time having risotto, she thought it good. For my taste, it was a heavy handed on the parmesan, which coupled with the inherent saltiness of the mushrooms made it very difficult to finish. I felt dehydrated after 5 bites! This is pure speculations, but I think this dish caused the roller coasters our stomachs the next day. One of the best risottos I’ve had was at Aqua (now closed) in Financial District. Sheila should use Frances’ as the barometer, unless she wants to set the bar low.

Roasted squash sides – rings of roasted squash rubbed in salt, pepper, thyme, and other herbs. It would have been better if not for the Sodium overload experienced earlier. The squash was fresh and severed slightly crunchy. As a side portion, there were still leftover even though Sheila and I split the order.

Lumberjack cake with maple walnut ice cream – apple and date cake served with a scoop of Humphrey Slocomb (HS) ice cream. Who knew maple walnut could be so tasty as ice cream! HS, with its wacky flavors that can sometimes include tofu, vinegar, and beets, pulled off a great one with maple walnut. The cake was layered beautifully with apples. We’d all order this again, however something tells me it won’t be a Frances.

Chicory root panna cotta with mandarins and sea salt cookies – The panna cotta was silky smooth on its own and had an espresso layer at the top. And then you bit into the mandarins, and the sourness took over. I understand the concept of introducing citrus flavors to counter the sweetness in desserts, but this was a miss when combined. We ended up eating the mandarins on their own after picking them from the panna cotta. On the plus side, the chocolate sea salt cookies were divine!

Total bill for the four of us was $160+, not bad for amount we ordered. We all believed that the food would be elevated much higher based on the accolades pouring in. Perhaps it’s because we ordered vegetarian dishes? Perhaps modern Californian cuisine needs meat? Whatever the case, I'm surprised this placed earned a Michelin star. We’ll stick with our tried and true favorites instead.

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.

Indian roadside fare at Vik’s Chaat Corner

In any country, the cuisine eaten by locals at roadside shacks, food carts, and sidewalk stalls is as authentic as it gets. There’s a place in Berkeley that has taken the Indian to new heights, not because of the décor, clientele, or location, but simply for the food. It’s called Vik’s Chaat Corner on 4^th and Channing.

Vik’s sits in an indistinct brick warehouse, in which the front of house is a small Indian grocer and the back is a cavernous open dining area. Food is ordered from a counter on one side of the space. On the opposite site, a half a dozen “stalls” prepare the food items and call out orders as they are ready.

We took our good friend A&G, who were visiting from London. It was an eye opening experience for them especially since the line was 25 deep to order (wrapped around several tables); the menu was listed on a chalkboard behind a large display cabinet of Indian sweets; there were stainless steel table tops, and you had to buss your on tables. The epitome of Indian chaos that somehow works!

We decided to order family style so A&G could sample several different items. Of course everything on the menu sounded amazing, but here’s what we tasted.

Masala Dosa - a crispy savory South Indian crepe (dosa) filled with potato, peas, onion, and tomato dry curry (masala). It is served with sambar and coconut chutney. Vik’s dosa came out piping hot and stays crispy for quite some time. The masala packed heat but was not overpowered with spice. Even without the masala, the dosa tastes amazing when dipped in the warm sambar. Other restaurants tend to douse their dosa in either butter or oil. Vik’s dosa is not oily, which allow for the true flavors to come through. It’s on par with Udipi Palace in Silicon Valley.

Dahi Batata Puri – Puffed puri filled with yogurt, tamarind chutney, potatoes, sev, cilantro, onion, and red chili powder. This type of food can be found on virtually every street corner in Mumbai. Vik’s dahi batata puri is served cold; each puri is a bit-size amount bursting with a peculiar mix of savory and sweet. Since this dish is overflowing with yogurt, it’s a great compliment to some of the spicier dishes. It should be eaten first because the puris will become soggy quickly. Sheila and I try to replicate this meal at home quite often; it’s the sincerest form of flattery.

Aloo Tikki – Pan fried potato patties drizzled with cooked garbanzo beans (chole), tamarind chutney, mint chutney, onions, cilantro, and chili powder. The patties and chole were piping hot; the chutneys and accompaniments were served cold. It’s a heavy dish though which after three/four bites started fill me up. In addition, the spice factor hit me heard quite hard and if it weren’t for the left over yogurt from the dahi batata puri, I would have drank several water glasses.

Veg Kathi Roll – Vik’s uses minced paneer instead of cubes, which allows for more cohesive flavor throughout. Along with paneer, the roti roll was also filled with cooked green peppers, onions, tomatoes, and chili sauce. Having eaten several types of kathi rolls while in India recently; I have to say that Vik’s roll is good, but not memorable. I actually prefer the ones from Kasa in the Mission. Check back with me after the India trip wears out and I might change my mind!

Mango Lassi – Made fresh everyday, Vik’s lassi is the perfect southing agent to quell Indian spices. Aside from the natural sweetness of the mango, no other sugars are added. Served in only one size, it’s difficult to make it last the entire meal.

A&G thoroughly enjoyed Vik’s Chaat Corner; reminded them of when we all went to Tulsi in Wembley (London). Sheila and I have been going there for over 8 years and three times in the past few months. It’s the food that draws us and the other cult followers. Don’t judge this book by its cover. Head to the bring warehouse near the railroad tracks for the best India street food in the Bay Area!

costa - our favorite coffee from the “let land”

Costa coffee is a UK-based coffee house with countless shops across the UK and Europe. They have even sprouted up in North Africa, Southeast Asia, and Far East. However, they try to maintain a small chain, organic beans, local product aura.

When we moved to the “let land” a.k.a. England, Costa quickly became our Peet’s replacement not having looked back since. In fact on my last day in the London office, the Costa manager of the Canary Wharf outpost gifted me an espresso cup and saucer set!

On our recent trip to India, we had a three-hour layover in Dubai. Yes there is water in this desert oasis for those inquiring minds. Having done our research, Sheila and I made b-line direct to the Costa coffee house in Terminal 3.

We ordered an iced vanilla latte and almond croissant. I find that their chosen coffee beans tend to have muted flavors, probably meant to not overpower the vanilla or caramel or chocolate); good for someone like me who doesn’t enjoy strong bold coffee (feel like I have to gargle with Listerine right afterwards). The added milk has a balanced liquid to froth ratio and the vanilla (from Monin) is certainly sweet by not like Starbucks, which sometimes is un-drinkable. My first sip of Costa brought back fond memories. The vanilla syrup mixed in well with the hot milk and frothy topper took the edge off our previous 15-hour plane ride. The last time I had a cup was Oct ’09 on the way back from Roma (via London Heathrow). Felt right at home again!

Costa, similar to all other chair coffee houses, also has a vast array of prepared sandwiches and pastries. The almond croissant we ordered had flakes of shaved almonds and confectionary sugar on top, and then a rich almond past in between the pastry. First bite was way too sweet, especially when paired with the vanilla latte. The dough was flaky and buttery; a hallmark in French pastries, the guy behind the counter even warmed it up for us. However, both Sheila and I agreed that we should have gotten a plain croissant instead. Costa’s pastry display is never going to compete with the fine patisseries of Paris, but it ends up being a decent accompaniment for their splendid coffee.

Don’t let Costa go un-noticed when traveling through England. Their marketing isn’t as flash as Starbucks, but the coffee sure makes up for it! Yummy!

Burgers at Barney's...

...and I don't mean with Barney Stinson from HIMUM, but rather the burger chain with circa six locations spread across Nor Cal. There's an outpost in Noe Valley amongst the plethora of other gourmet options along 24th St. The Noe Valley shop recently went through a remodel, there are updated finishes, bright pastel colors on the walls, quirky artwork vegetables, and an open kitchen. Kinda reminded me of the Hill Valley Dinner from Back to the Future 2! The servers were attentive but not over bearing which you'd expected in Noe.

The great thing about Barney's is that all their burgers can be made with either garden or tofu patties. With names like North Beach, Milano, Carribean, Teriyaki, etc; the options are pretty endless. Even their fries have options - spicy curly, sweet potato, skinny, cheesy, etc. Each burger is around $8.50 to $10.00 with the sides ranging from $2.50 to $6.00. It's a reasonable price considering the amount of food served.

Our last visit was on a cold rainy Wednesday night when comfort food was in order. Sheila opted for the Chipotle Burger - jack cheese topped with spicy chipotle sauce, red onion, tomato, lettuce and pickles. I went for the Sunshine Burger - cheddar cheese, red onions, sprouts, avocado, tomato, and thousand island dressing. We split a single other of the spicy curly fries with ranch dressing.

The fries came out first, piping hot with a slight kick of spicies. They were cooked through, unlike what tends to happen at In-n-Out with they're rushing behind the counter. The single order was plenty for us and can't imagine a larger size - it was tough to resist the urge to fill up on just the fries!

The burgers came out about 10 mins later and were served open face. The toppings are piled high, so if not in the mood for a heaping of sprouts or avocado, order them on the side like I did. Sheila's Chipotle Burger was equally appetizing. However, she had to take off a good layer of the spicy chipotle sauce in order to eat it. To my pleasant surprise the Sunshine Burger came out on whole wheat sandwich bread. Their homemade garden patty tasted fresh full of oats, barley, carrots, peppers, and brown rice. We often feel that garden burgers can become overly dry when cooked too long, which these were not. The accompaniments of lettuce, tomato, onions, avocados were to Barney's finest and fresh motto. They were certainly large burgers, which meant it took us while to finish.

Overall, we come to appreciate Barney's as our comfort food joint because of it's (1) proximity to our flat, (2) selection of veggie burger options, and (3) relaxed casual vibe. Perhaps you will to.

gialina, our neighborhood pizza joint

When Sheila and I moved to Glen Park, our friends, neighbors, and even realtor, commented about how great the local pizza joint, Gialina, was. Soon enough we started reading the accolades from GQ Magazine, Sunset Magazine, The SF Chronicle, and Check Please Bay Area. Needless to say the foodies are right on, Gialina is fantastic and is turning Glen Park into a food destination!

It's been 18 months and we've physically eaten there twice and ordered taken at least 6 times. That's partly because the restaurant is quite small with only 30 seats and wait can be upwards of 45 mins. However it's very much a warm cozy interior with open kitchen, small tables, and large scale family photos on the bright red walls. The menu is straightforward with several starter salads, a dozen pizzas, and a few desserts. The chef and owner, Sharon Ardiana, prides herself on using fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients. Some pizzas like the (1) Atomica and (2) Margherita are always on the menu. The others like the (3) Pesto w/ chard, olives, & ricotta and (4) Zucca w/ ricotta, sage, & brown butter are based on what produce is available.

We've tried all four of the above, but I'll be focusing on (1) and (2). Although Gialina does not have wood burning ovens, it's able to produce some of the best tasting crust - puffy on the edges, slightly blackened with a chewy taste remaining. As San Francisco Chronicle food critic Michael Bauer notes the secret to this amazing crust is because (a) the yeast to flour ratio is low; (b) the dough is wetter than most, and (c) allowed to proof overnight. Whatever the secret, i can't get enough. The Atomica is out of this world good. It's topped with tomato sauce, red onions, chillies, mushroom and mozzarella. It has a kick to it with the chillies but not overpowered by heaps of mozzarella (just a few shavings). Sheila orders without mushrooms and I with - works either way. As for the Margherita, the dough comments definitely apply. The tomato sauce tastes extremely fresh, as does the mozzarella slices. With SF gourmet pizza restaurants all known for their Magherita, it's tough to differentiate Gialina from Delfina, Zero Zero, or Una Pizza Napoletana; which is praise indeed!

For dessert, we've had the Tiramisu and Chocolate Pistachio Cake. The Tiramisu is quite good. Sheila's way to gauge is whether it's too "rummy", which Gialina's one is not. We've ordered it to go on several occasions. The ladyfingers are moist with the right level of coffee and rum infusion; the mascapone cheese not overly sweet; and the cocoa powder gives a good bitterness. However the Chocolate Pistachio Cake, which we ordered once, was a bit dry and the pistachios overpowered any true chocolate flavor. In a pinch if the cake was all they had, I would rather head into Canyon Market across the street for their selection of great dessert.

Few things to keep in mind. The key to enjoying Gialina pizzas is to have it piping hot! We've noticed that once the pizza cools off, the flavors become subdued. There are also some inconsistencies in crust, especially between types of pizza. This is probably because of the high volume of orders that come through the cramped kitchen. The pizzas are around $15 each, which is expensive when compared to the competition. Lastly the wait can be long, but Glen Park has several quaint shops to keep you occupied.

Make the trek to Glen Park, not cuz we live there, but to taste amazing pizza. You won't second guess any of the praise lauded on this local eatery. Mangia tutti!