a visit to france without leaving glen park!

Le P’tit Laurant is a French bistro located in the heart of Glen Park village, a neighborhood we know well for those who have visited us. As vegetarians, we tend to pass on French cuisine because there’s typically nothing to eat of substance;Le P’tit Laurant is a wonderful exception though, that we’ve had the pleasure to eat at.

Upon entering, you feel transported to Parisian bistro, with old antiquities, tin plaques, old vine decanters, fleur de lys silverware, and Pastis/Ricard bottles. All of the wait staff are French, which always makes for an enjoyable experience ordering food. Tip, this place gets very busy so it’s well worth it to make reservations a couple of weeks in advance. They also have a three-course tasting menu from Sunday through Thursday, for $25 per person, which is a great bargain!

We made early dinner reservations on Sunday evening and were promptly seated at a corner table, which was great for people watching inside and outside the restaurant. The waitress even came by to explain every vegetarian option they had available that night, a nice touch. With 15 minutes of us arriving the place was completely packed, but the noise level was fine and we could easily continue our conversation.

We decided to order separate appetizer and share an entrée and dessert. Sheila opted for Crottin de Chavignol chaud et salade (warm bread with a pat of melted cheese served over mixed green salad). I started with Napoleon de Betterave et mozzarella, vinaigrette au balsamique (fresh mozzarella and red beet napolean with balsamic dressing). For our entrée it was the L’assiette végétarienne du Chef, on this night stuffed zucchini with fresh tomato sauce, carrots, sweet potatoes, and onions. And for dessert was had the Profiteroles glace vanille sauce chocolat (profiteroles with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce).

Crottin de Chavignol: A very balanced and satisfying salad to start the evening. The dressing for the greens was a slightly sweet, which complemented the somewhat earthy flavor of the cheese. The greens themselves were perfectly fresh, what you certainly come to expect from SF restaurants. Placing the pat of cheese on the piece of toast was a great idea that preventing wilted greens. This also allowed Sheila to control the consistence of each bite. Definitely would order this again, perhaps even as a main.

Napoleon de Betterave: A beet and mozzarella pairing may seem odd, but this dish completely worked. I was swayed by the waitress’ recommendation. The presentation alone gets my vote with layers of beets, greens, mozzarella stacked 3 inches high, drizzled with balsamic dressing. Each bite brought out another layer of flavors. First the bold red beets came through, followed by the mild yet mature mozzarella (almost tasted smoked), then the fresh greens and balsamic cleaned my palate. Individually each component wouldn’t have been exciting, but together this dish hit the right notes. I would also order this again.

Stuffed Zucchini with Fresh Tomato Sauce: In a word it was DELICIOUS. When you first looked at it, the dish looked like a simple stew. But one bite unlocked an explosion of flavors consisting of carrots, sweet potatoes, zucchini, onions, and tomatoes, and cream. The veggies were tender yet maintain a nice bit. The tomato cream sauce was the perfect dipping stew for our warm table baguette. We could have eaten that only all night and would have been perfectly happy. The hollowed zucchinis that sat in the center of our stew were filled with a sprinkling of cheese, zucchinis, red peppers, and carrots. The zucchini itself was firm and provide a nice textural change and crunch to the tender veggies of the stew. The severing portion was definitely enough to share amongst two people.

Profiteroles: The waitress advised that Le P’tit Laurant was known for this dessert. There were three roles and each came with a petite scope of vanilla ice cream. The entire plate was then covered with warm semi-sweet chocolate sauce. The first few bites were fantastic, the crunch of the profiteroles, the cool sweetness from the ice cream, and the warmth from the sauce. However, the profiteroles themselves became soggy quickly due to the amount sauce. This was certainly a dish where the sum of the parts tasted much better than each individual component. It bordered on being too sweet primarily because of the sauce. Of course having a sweet tooth meant that I literally wiped the bowl clean. I think next time we’ll opt for the cheesecake or pain perdu. But we’ll let you be the judge.

Our bill came to around $60, which included a ½ carafe of red wine. I thought this was very reasonable price for a satisfying meal; note that the entrée itself was $17. All in all, Sheila and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal and will be going back once the seasonal menu changes again. I would recommend Le P’tit Laurant wholeheartedly, not just because it’s in Glen Park, but because it really does embody what a bistro is all about – taking simple ingredients and elevating them into a noteworthy dish, served in a cozy neighborhood atmosphere, with charming wait service.

What's the big fuss with Nopa?

Nopa is located at the corner on Divisadero and Hayes, north of the Panhandle. According to their website, they serve urban rustic food and specialize in organic wood-fired cuisine. As you would expect in SF, they source all ingredients from local purveyors. I wonder, do SF restaurants even need to say that anymore? I mean, is that the norm? I digress, the fact is that Nopa serves as the late night locale of choice for SF master chefs. It's ambiance is noisy upscale casual with a large ground floor dining area, expansive bar, and small mezzanine dining space. The clientele range from young professionals, to old money, to hipsters. Reservations can be made one month in advance; I would recommend making one because it's a tough ticket even with all the other dining options in SF.

We arrived a few mins before our 7:45pm reservation and decided to wait by the bar. The drinks are stiff - specializing in gins, bourbons, and rums - so order wisely. Our table was up on the mezzanine level, with a great view of the downstairs dining space. We informed our waitress that we were vegetarian and she promptly recommended several options to choose from. Overall, service was mediocre, I almost felt like the wait staff was just going through the motions rather than being attentive of the patrons. In any event, let's get to the food.

A few mins after being seated, we were given an amouse bouche of two apple slices with mint herbed yogurt. Simple but sumptuous, the apples were fresh and crispy, the yogurt earthy and slightly salty. A nice touch and a great way to start, it changes nightly as well.

First off, we ordered the fried brussels sprouts with lemon and pecorino. They arrived piping hot to the table and looked very appealing. However, I felt that they were way too salty - perhaps it was the natural qualities of the brussels sprouts, or the lemon juice, or the pecorino cheese - but I could only stomach a few bites. Sheila on the other hand loved this dish and felt there was a great balance of acidity from the lemon, saltiness from the cheese, earthiness from the sprouts. We agreed to differ in views and she went on to finish the dish.

Second, we ordered the warm goat's cheese, crostini, arugula, and shaved persimmons. the cheese was served in a small ramekin and the greens and fruit made up a side salad. Now this was a well balanced dish - spread the warm goat's cheese on the warm crostini, top of off with a shaved persimmon and arugula. It was different from all angles - warm yet cold, savory yet sweet, cream yet crunchy, fresh yet cooked. Okay now I understand why the big fuss about Nopa. The food is darn good, and more importantly...darn interesting.

Next, we decided to share the Moroccan vegetable tagine with almonds and lemon yogurt. The kitchen was kind enough to serve the dishes separately, which was another nice touch. The vegetables included eggplant, tomatoes, squash, and carrots - cooked perfectly Moroccan style in a tagine and in Nopa wood-fired oven. The spices were not overpowering so you could actually taste each vegetable, but hints of garlic, rosemary, oregano, and chili did come through. The cool yogurt was a perfect agent to quell those brief instances of heat. The almond gave an added element of texture and crunch, but I felt that there weren't enough of them in the dish. Portion size was just enough to share given that we ordered two starters.

Last, we ordered two desserts. Sheila opted for the sopaipillas with spiced hot chocolate. Basically fried dough covered in cinnamon and sugar. Each piece was light and fluffy and tasted quite good when dipped in the spicy bittersweet chocolate. However on it's own, Sheila noted that the sopaipillas tasted like they were fried in the same oil as the brussels sprouts. I didn't initially notice it, but after she made the comment I couldn't get passed it.

I opted for the pumpkin souffle cake with sage caramel and buttermilk sherbet. Like many of the dishes, this dessert had great balance and could have almost passed for a savory meal. The buttermilk sherbet was creamy but not overly sweet. The sage-infused caramel brought rustic element to the dish. The cake itself was a bit dense for my liking, but it's warm spicy undertones made up from the lake of airiness.

Our bill, including drinks was around $80, not bad considering the level of cuisine. Final verdict....I would come back for the atmosphere, drinks, and appetizers. Note that the pickings are slim for vegetarian entrees. However, the bar scene is happening and there's more room to graze than at Beretta or Wayfare Tavern. Let me know what YOU think?

ice creamy overload at mr & mrs misc...

Now there's another boutique ice cream shop in town. It's call Mr & Mrs Miscellaneous and it's located in of all places, the Dogpatch. Co-owners Anabelle Topacio and Ian Flores have been churning out classic American flavors with several twists. They have been open for 1+ years and the recent features on both Food Network and Cooking Channel have taken this unassuming spot to the next level of popularity.

Sheila and I have been meaning to try this place for a few months and on a Indian Summer afternoon this past October we made the trip over to the Dogpatch via Muni from the Mission. The shop is a converted warehouse storefront with large glass roll up doors and an open space plan. We we arrived, the line was about 10 deep, but by the time we sat down to eat our ice cream, the line had swelled to 25 plus! Mr & Mrs Miscellaneous makes their ice cream daily in one batch; once they're out, the shop closes. Very SF-esque, think an ice cream version of Una Pizza Napoletana!

The flavors on tap on that Sunday were exciting - we tasted the salted mango, lemon verbena before settling on jasmine green tea and rosemary pistachio. The portions were very large - Sheila's junior at $3.25 and my single at $4.25 - easily could have been shared and several others in the shop were doing. Starting with the jasmine green tea - Sheila described it as creamy and aromatic. Typically green tea can be bitter, but this was delicate. It reminded her of an ice cream version of bubble tea from Fantasia, Sheila's favorite pearl tea shop in Santa Clara. She gave it two thumbs up.

The rosemary pistachio was equally earthy and aromatic like the jasmine green tea. The rosemary provided the a great element of surprise - like smelling a nicely balanced Pottery Barn candle. There were pistachio were toasted and provide a nice chunky element throughout the scoop. However the cream, and by virtue the sugar content, was overpowering at times which made it pretty hard to finish. I enjoy ice cream like most people, but I wish the cream was lighter. In hindsight, I should have gone for the salted mango.

Mr & Mrs Miscellaneous is an inventive shop! The quirky flavor combinations will keep the patrols coming to this gentrified neighborhood. In Sheila's mind, when compared with Humphry Slocombe in the Mission, Mr & Mrs easily is superior because the flavors are delicate and the ice cream is lighter. I would tend to agree, despite the my lukewarm review of the rosemary pistachio.

is pizzeria delfina the best in sf?

Arguably yes, if you asked Sheila and I. Pizzeria Delfina is the uber-trendy casual establishment of Craig and Anne Stoll (of Delfina and Locand0) that opened in 1995. It serves Neapolitan style pizzas using local and seasonal ingredients. There are six staple pizzas and two or more daily-changing specials. There are two locations -one in Pacific Heights off Fillmore; and the other on 18th St sandwiched between Tartine and Bi-Rite. Over the past 2-1/2 years, we've probably been the both an equal number of times - maybe 8 times in all, but who's counting!

The place is tiny with around 25 total seats inside and a dozen outside and an open plan kitchen. The environment is casual (more so that Flour + Water and Berreta); and the ambiance is simple and functional. It doesn't take reservations, there's a chalkboard as you enter when names can be added, so be prepared to wait around 30-45 mins any day of the week. We've had some luck during odd hours - post lunch rush around 2pm and pre-dinner rush around 5pm. The place to sit is at the sidewalk tables, especially when the weather is cooperative. More often than not we opt for two pizzas instead of sharing a salad and pizza, but to be honest it's that good! The pizzas remain a constant as well - Panna and Margherita.

The panna is a mouth watering take on a pie with tomato sauce, fresh basil, shaved parmesan, and cream. The tomato sauce is fresh, slightly chunky, and a bit sweet. The fresh basil give the dish an aromatic punch; the shaved parmesan (thin strips) provide the salty element; and lastly the cream (sorta like a creme fraise) provides the silky buttery aftertaste. Oh wait, don't forget about the crust - thin, crispy, and always slightly burnt - it's cooked in a wood fire oven at about 700 degrees. The one word that comes to mind with this crust is consistent. You always know what you’re going to get – it’s not paper thin like a cracker and not overly chewy like some other California-style crusts. The perfect blend of crunchy and chewy, we feel this crust is the best in the City. And at $10, this is one of best bargains for high end hipster pizza.

The margherita is a simply prepared with the freshest of ingredients. The tomato sauce and fresh basil (same as the panna pie) are juicy and bursting with flavors. The fior di latte mozzarella is soft, silky, and. This is pie best eaten piping hot from the even – when the sauce is still bubbling, the crust still steaming, and the melted mozzarella falling off the slices. The pizza just doesn’t have the same character after getting cold – of course the same can be said for most others. It’s been a while since I’ve had the margherita pies at Gialina, Zero Zero, and Beretta; but for my money, Pizzeria Delfina takes the prize. The perfect crust, with fresh ingredients, cooked in a wood fired oven, served steaming hot! It is $12.50; which is a reasonably priced when compared to its competitors.

So to conclude, Pizzeria Delfina is the real deal. Sheila and I would recommend this place hands down. The Mission location has the ambiance, but the Pacific Heights location is larger and easier to find parking. Again, the food quality is great at both and the wait may like be the same. Service can be hit or miss (hipster status quo); we’ve had many more positive experiences than negative. Skip the appetizers and dessert (Tartine and Bi-Rite are next door) and order one pie per person. If there are left0vers; don’t fret I’d be glad to help out. Happy eating, from the pizza monster!

Expected more from Brassica in St Helena...

During a day trip up to Napa Valley, Sheila and I decided to try Cindy Pawlcyn's re-invented Brassica in St Helena. It used to be a seafood joint and is now a Mediterranean Kitchen. Inspired by the flavors of Northern Africa, Morocco, and Turkey, Brassica serves a healthy selection of mezzes, small plates, entrees, and a hugh variety of Napa Valley wines.

Located in the heart of St Helena, Brassica is warm and inviting with several distinct eating areas. The decor is French country, shabby chic with a subtle wine country references. The host and wait service was rather friendly and efficient; a pleasant surprise given that Sheila and I often get the "minority" treatment. This evening, we opted for sampling of mezzes, rather than a large meal - baba ghanoush, sheared haloumi, eggplant fries, and the dessert sampler ("five easy pieces").

The baba ghanoush (oven roasted pureed eggplant) was served cold with crispy pita chips and sesame seeds. It was a standard dish, but nothing spectacular. The eggplant was fresh and earthy, the sesame seeds added a nice crunch, and the pita chips were drizzled with sea salt and spice powder. I preferred to eat it with the table bread, which was a soft and warm than the chips, which tasted over-crisped.

The seared haloumi (salty goat and sheep's milk cheese from Cyprus) was served sizzling hot in small skillet. It was seasoned with red chili flakes, oregano, and garlic - and in our estimation over seasoned. All you could taste were the spices - which was a shame because haloumi has such a salty flavor and distinctive layered texture - it could have been mozzarella for all we knew.

The eggplant fries were served with a zatar yoghurt, which was underwhelming. The fries were under-seasoned, needed both salt and pepper to wake it up. Sheila felt like the zatar yoghurt tasted like pine sol, perhaps because of the added mint and spices. The fries themselves did not hold up their crispiness and basically tasted liked lightly breaded eggplant sticks.

The dessert sampler was by far the best dish of the evening. The five small taster included chocolate pot de creme, baklava, honey fig ice cream, hard nougat candy, and ricotta tart. Each bite had distinct taste - the baklava had a traditional earthy flavor (the most Middle Eastern tasting bite of the evening); the pot de creme was cool and bittersweet (a great French influenced bite); the ice cream was sweet and super creamy (a California fresh figs and honey definitely came through); the tart had a crunchy crust and soft (not overly sweet but surprisingly light) custard; and the nougat candy (chunky walnuts gave a depth of textures).

Neither Sheila and I were fond of the meal. This is of course because of high water mark for Mediterranean food is Gem Restaurant in Islington, North London. Perhaps because this was a Middle Eastern inspired California restaurant and not a traditional one. However more so than that each dish was an extreme; some were under-seasoned and others were over-seasoned. If in the area again, unfortunately I would pass on Brassica.

delfina...ten years later

Delfina is great and has been for over a decade, but it is still hip and does it still have star power? My answer is...YES. There's a large wood entry door like there should be a bouncer out front, the dining room is cramped, the bar area is small, the ambient noise carries throughout, and reservations are tough to come by. Why would anyone want to go there? Of course, for the FOOD!

Delfina launched the Mission gourmet ghetto scene in 1998 with homestyle cooking, freshly prepared pastas, locally sourced ingredients, and a daily changing menu based on the season. Owner and chef Craig Stoll appeared on the cover of Food & Wine Magazine in 2001 as one of the top ten new chefs in the US. Seven years later he received the James Beard Award for Best Chef Pacific. That says it all, right?

Sheila and I went to Defina over ten years ago on one of our early dates. I can recall how difficult it was to get a reservation, hence the reason it wasn't our first date. We were seated in the back corner of the dark dining area surrounded by an SF foodie crowd. It was a great night for certain, however neither of us truly comprehended how great the food was back then until we visited Delfina recently. So on an Indian Summer Friday night in Sept, we made the trip back to this much heralded Italian-inspired California trattoria.

The space appeared much larger then we first remember with approx 70 seats and a small bar area. There are locally created art piece hanging throughout the space and dimly light pendant lights over each table. The space is warm and inviting, which is exactly what they're going for. The waiter warmed greeted a few mins after we were seated and after letting him know that we were vegetarian, he jumped right in to explain the entire menu, dish by dish. This was great touch because it allowed us to hear the best dishes from both his and the kitchen's perspective since the menu changes every night based on the ingredients in season. After ordered a couple of glasses of recommended wine (Barbera and Timorasso), we decided on our dishes.

Fresh stretched mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes and basil oil - This was the kitchen's take on a caprese salad. The heirloom tomatoes were firm, juicy and sweet; felt like no other tomato I've eaten before. The dish was gently seasoned with some fresh ground pepper which grounded the dish. A handful of arugula added another layer of earthiness and texture. The mozzarella, made and stretched in house, was light, soft, and airy. And it was the mozzarella and tomatoes that were in perfect harmony - saltiness of the cheese balanced with the ripened sweetness of the tomatoes. They even split the portion for us before serving which was a great touch. The kitchen recommended this dish because this season's supply of tomatoes and basil have been the best they have seen in several years. Both of us agreed and we would order it again!

Spaghetti with plum tomatoes, garlic, basil - Cooked al dente, this wasn't an overpowering dish of tomato sauce or pasta; both were mixed to perfection. The dish has a lot of sweet undertones due to the tomatoes. You could taste the slight flavors of garlic and evoo, but neither were meant to be the star of this dish. The plate was filling by not food coma status, like your run of the mill spaghetti dishes. In fact the table right next to us liked it so much that they order another one half-way through their meal. Sheila felt the same way and would order it again. Note this pasta dish takes 25 mins to cook because it's the only hard pasta they have on the menu; all others freshly made to order. It comes in two sizes - side dish or main course. Order the main course side at $13, it's actually just the right amount.

Pansotti stuffed with ricotta and dandelions served over a walnut cream sauce - A delightful walnut cream sauce that was infused with lemon. It gave the dish an overall citrus/acidic tone and also kept the cream sauce very light. The stuffed pastas with ricotta and dandelions was freshly made and you could tell. Soft and moist, each bite just melted in my mouth. I had a tough time tasting the dandelions, perhaps because the walnut and lemon were so prominent. Of course my palate is not as discerning so don't take my word for it. All in all there was good balance - saltiness from the ricotta, earthiness from the walnuts, zest from the lemon, and creaminess from the sauce. At $17, this was a good value selection. Although I have to say that the portion size was a bit smaller than expected. That just mean I had room for dessert!

Profiteroles with espresso gelato, warm chocolate sauce, and candied almonds - Three roles were served side by side on crisp white plate. Sheila's first bite was of the espresso gelato and almonds which were very strong. My first bite was the profiteroles with chocolate sauce and it was rather bitter. However eaten together the dish worked well - sweetness from the almonds, bitterness from the chocolate, creaminess from the gelato, and crunchiness from the profiteroles. I would have preferred a bit more warmed to balance out the ice cream, perhaps warming the profiteroles? After a while all you could taste was the ice cream and the dish ended up being pretty heavy; I struggled to finish the last one. There was a apples and honey dessert available for Rosh Hashanah. Alas I was swayed by the chocolate on the menu; Sheila would have preferred to order this; let's hope they have it next time.

Ten years later, Delfina remains the gourmet ghetto stalwart. All around it, there are liked minded restaurants popping up from Farina and Bar Tartine to Flour + Water and Frances. However, it continues to play to sold out crowds each night with a superb quality of food. We'll be back for sure, just not after 10 years again! Who wants to come with us the next time?!?!

a culinary visit to saigon...sandwich...

In an indistinct storefront on Larkin St in the Tenderloin, sits Saigon Sandwich. Don't laugh when you see this place. In fact, you probably wouldn't even notice the shop if it wasn't for the line out front. There are no tables, credit cards, or plates. It won't be found in Frommers, Lonely Planet, of Foder's; but word on the street will get you there.

Saigon Sandwich is run by three middle-aged Vietnamese ladies who spoke but a little english. One runs the cash register; the other the bread; meats, and tofu; and the last the final fixings/assembly. Together they put out what are considered the best banh mi sandwiches in SF. The sandwiches come in pork, chicken, and tofu. We naturally went for two tofu banh mis.

Service was slow and the small store was crammed full. on the Saturday afternoon that we showed up, someone had a 200 sandwich party order that back up things further. After waiting about 20 mins, one of the ladies called out our order. At that very moment, the only two chair at the window counter opened up and we grabbed them.

The sandwich was served on a 6" French baguette that was crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. The juicy marinated tofu was glazed with sweet and sour sauce. The carrots and cilantro were freshly cut - tasted like they came from the Asian market up the street. However, it lacked the spiciness that typical of banh mi sandwiches. There were a few green peppers sprinkled in, but they were few and far between. With one collective bite, the sandwich tasted great - incorporating chewy bread, crispy carrots, citrusy cilantro, and juicy tofu. However the tofu and veggies were not evenly distributed which meant some bites were bread w/ tofu and others were bread w/ veggies. My advice - take it home; fix the fixings; slice it in half, eat it the right way.

All in all, a solid sandwich that I would go back to eat. But it's not a place I would take out of town visitors looking for the best of SF. I feel like hitting up the nom nom truck is a better "experience" than Saigon Sandwich. That's my take and I'm sticking to it.