Nopalito - San Francisco, CA

Ceviche - it was so tasty I forgot to take a pic-pre chowtime.

San Francisco , home of the burrito, produces some wonderful mexican cuisine. I haven't eaten at a ton of Mexican establishments in San Francisco. However, the places I have visited have served up super fresh, cheap, and most importantly tasty fish tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. Mexican cuisine has recently moved up on my list of favorite cuisines - and now Nopalito stands at the very top of that category.

Vegetable tamale

Nopalito, opened up a little over a year ago and is a self-proclaimed "sustainable, organic, Mexican kitchen." Nopalito's name is a nod to its sister restaurant, Nopa, and its Mexican cuisine (referring to the slices of cactus leaf used in traditional cooking). Cacti adorn the windows of the restaurant creating an inviting dessert feel. The restaurant celebrates "traditional cookery of Mexico, utilizing local, organic, and sustainable ingredients." You can order a couple small plates or a large plate as your meal. The prices are very affordable, so all you have to worry about is your appetite, not your wallet.

Nopal or Cactus

Some people think of Mexican cuisine as heavy, greasy food. But traditional Mexican food is anything but that, offering up fresh produce enhanced with minimal fat and lots of herbs and spices. Malia and I ordered up a couple items to share - ceviche de pescado y calamari, tamal de huitlacoche, and mole poblano con pollo. AJ ordered up the empanada de suadero and the taco de pescado al pastor.

Chicken with Mole Sauce

The tamal was earthy and substantial with a nice filling of black beans, greens, onions and jalapenos. The sweet corn played nicely with the earthy filling and the sour crema sauce. AJ enjoyed his super fresh taco al pescado. The fish was marinated in a bright mixture of cilantro, adobo, chile, and orange. Served up on hearty yellow corn tortillas this made for a nice start to the meal.

The ceviche was the highlight of the meal - quite possibly the best I have ever eaten. The seafood was incredibly fresh, and the calamari were so tender. Often times calamari are chewy or rubbery, but these were prepared exquisitely, bringing out the sweetness of the flesh. The lime juice, cilantro, and tomatillo complimented the sweet fish with a nice acidity. The smooth, creamy avocado slices were the perfect addition. I loved how these were served with warm, salty, corn chips. This dish exemplified the simple, clean flavors of Mexican cuisine.

The mole poblano con pollo was excellent as well. A chicken leg is served on the bone, with a rich mole poblano sauce. The mole was warm and spicy - made with toasted chiles, cinnamon, chocolate, nuts, sesame seeds, and onion. The mole sauce combined the sweet and savory elements well.

The food at Nopa is exceptional, and I would highly recommend checking the place out. While they don't take reservations, try to get to the restaurant early, as they get especially busy on Friday and Saturday nights.

Little Skillet - San Francisco, CA

View of the California Academy of Sciences Museum from the Observation Tower at the DeYoung Museum.

Malia came to visit a couple of weeks ago (it feels like it was just yesterday!) and on her second day here we visit the DeYoung Museum to see the "Birth of Impressionism" exhibit on loan from the Musee d'Orsay in Paris. After our museum visit we planned to eat lunch at Little Skillet, a chicken and waffles join in the SOMA neighborhood of San Francisco.

Outside of Little Skillet

Malia and I had never eaten chicken and waffles before our trip to Little Skillet, but I love waffles and I love fried chicken, so why wouldn't I love them together? I had always wondered about the origin of chicken and waffles. One account ties Thomas Jefferson to the origin, stating that he brought a waffle iron back from France. Shortly thereafter waffles and chicken showed up together in American cookbooks. This popular pairing has strong roots in African American culture. Wells Restaurant, which opened in Harlem in 1938, is regarded as the home of chicken and waffles.

Chicken and waffles, plus biscuit.

We left the Museum at 12:45pm knowing that we had to travel 5 miles to Little Skillet before it closed at 2:30pm. With a little less than a mile to go I looked at my cell phone and saw it was 2:05pm. There was no way I was not eating chicken and waffles that day, so Malia and I took off running!

We made it on time and ordered up a waffle and two pieces to share. They also offer other items, such as bbq pork sandwiches and po' boys, but they're known chicken and waffles. The shop itself is run out of a small space. You order at the counter and take your food to go. It was a beautiful day so we sat outside and enjoyed the sun.

Malia loves these waffles!

The waffles were crisp on the outside and nice and fluffy on the inside. The real star of the show is the fried chicken! The skin was crunchy and super flavorful, with flecks of herbs, salt and pepper. How could you possible make waffles and chicken better you ask? Add a biscuit! The biscuit was flaky and buttery. It was the perfect meal after 5 miles of walking/running.

Worth the 5-mile walk!

Don't let this unique combination scare you - chicken and waffles make a great meal any time of day.

The Best Sandwich in the Country?

Long line at Saigon Sandwich in Little Saigon in San Francisco.

I was in San Francisco for work, checking out some meeting venues. After checking out the Asian Art Museum, I found myself hungry and in Little Saigon. While I was deliberating where I might eat, I saw this long line forming outside of a little sandwich shop. This small shop is located in a rather shady part of the Tenderloin District. But, after reading the Gastronomer's recent post on banh mi, I knew I had to stop and eat one. After all, a line this long must mean good things.

I saw people waiting in mini vans outside, while their kids waited in line for sandwiches. I thought to myself "Damn, this sandwich has got to be good!" When I finally got to the counter, I ordered the roast pork, or banh mi thit, and waited a couple more minutes while the ladies behind the counter methodically baked bread, and stuffed them with meat, pate, and veggies.

Roast pork Banh mi.

I bit into my sandwich and knew I was in heaven. The fresh baked bread had a nice crispy exterior with a soft chewy interior. The sweet roast pork and creamy pate was well balanced by the extremely fresh cilantro, jalapeno pepper, pickled cucumbers, and carrots. The heat from the peppers provides the perfect contrast to the sweet meat and tangy veggies.

The long lines are a good indication that I am not the only who digs these sandwiches. Interestingly enough, Playboy magazine just named Little Saigon one of the ten best sandwiches in the country. And for $3, that is one heck of a deal.

Saigon Sandwich

560 Larkin St

San Francisco, CA

The Pork Store - San Francisco

Walking down Haight St.

After a night out in San Francisco, I was ready for a hearty breakfast to reenergize the batteries. We walked past Magnolia Pub and Brewery down Haight St in search of a good spot. Ed recommended the Pork Store, calling it a Haight St. "institution". His strong words piqued my interest. We entered the restaurant a little before 10am. On weekends, a line begins to form soon after 10am.

Chocolate chip pancakes.

This little hole-in-the-wall seats approximately 15-20 people. We were lucky enough to grab a table with only a five-minute wait. It pays to get here early. The service was pretty good, with our waitress refilling our cups frequently and little wait for our food. The coffee exceeded my expectations. It was smooth enough to drink black (I usually prefer a little half-and-half and sugar).

Veggie scramble with biscuits and hashbrowns.

AJ ordered the chocolate chip pancakes. To our surprise there were no chocolate chips in the batter! They were just sprinkled on top. These pancakes were nice and fluffy, however, I would have appreciated some chips in the batter. While the pork store certainly doesn't cater to vegetarians, I opted for the vegetarian scramble - filled with peppers, onions, and spinach with some zesty salsa. I really enjoyed the spicy kick that was delivered with the eggs. The hasbrowns were well prepared - nice and crisp with a good potato flavor. Most entrees come with a choice of biscuits or toast. I couldn't resist ordering the biscuits, and I wasn't disappointed. These were warm, buttery, and fluffy. I added a dab of butter and some strawberry jam - yum!

Bottom Line: If you're hankering for some comfort food and a super casual atmosphere, look no further than the Pork Store. From pork chops, to eggs, to pancakes they have your breakfast needs covered.

Hello from San Francisco!

AJ and I did some sight-seeing and couldn't resist this photo opportunity. Here's wishing you some tasty travels in San Francisco!

The Pork Store

Haight St

San Francisco, CA

Magnolia Pub and Brewery - San Francisco

Asparagus with lemon vinagrette, poached egg, and three sisters serena cheese.

My friend and blogger, The Gastronomer, coincidentally just posted about Magnolia Pub and Brewery. Tis a small world. AJ and I spent the weekend in San Francisco visiting friends. In need of some grub before we hit the town, we headed to Magnolia Pub and Brewery, just a couple blocks from our friend's apartment.

Magnolia Pub and Brewery offers about 10 different beers, and four cask ales. The selection and availability varies day to day. We were lucky enough to try the "Kalifornia Kolsch". A light golden beer, reminiscent of a heffeweizen, but sweeter. This is quite possibly the most refreshing beer I have ever had. Served in a tom collins-esque glass, this cold brew goes down easily. If you're looking for something darker, the "Cole Porter" is an excellent choice - with nice coffee notes. The "Stout of Circumstance" is similar to guinness.

French Onion soup.

It's a good thing the beers are so wonderful, because one can expect to sip on brews at least an hour while waiting for a table. The space is very small, with a small bar area and dining room for 20-25 people. With a party of 6 (actually 7) we waited for almost two hours before we sat down to eat. While I was doubtful that a two hour wait would be worth it, Magnolia doesn't serve your typical pub food. Burgers and pizza do appear on the menu, but the quality of the dishes is very high. A yeast pizza is served daily, with the toppings changing depending on the chef's mood. The night we arrived, the chef was topping the pizza with pancetta (and lots of it).

Roasted sweet potatoes.

There are lots of choices for the meat eater. From house made sausages to pork chops to spare ribs, let's just say they like their pig. There are also a variety of fish dishes and Thursday nights feature their famous fried chicken. One of my friends ordered the ribs and they were finger lickin' good. You have to dig a little deeper to find some vegetarian dishes, but trust me you won't be disappointed.

Mushroom ravioli in a sage brown butter with swiss chard and grana padano.

AJ and I decided to share the spring asparagus and roasted sweet potatoes. He got the mushroom ravioli and I ordered the french onion soup. After the amazing french onion soup at Forbes Mill, I was really craving some caramelized onion goodness in my life. The roasted sweet potatoes were simple, but perfect. The flesh was tender and sweetly caramelized with lots of butter and brown sugar drizzled on top. The spring asparagus were roasted and drizzled with a lemon vinagrette. A poached egg was served on top with shavings of what tasted like parmegiano reggiano, but was in fact three sisters serena cheese. The nuttiness of the cheese worked well with the light egg whites, runny and creamy yolks. I absolutely loved the flavor of the egg and the lemony asaparagus. I could have made a meal out of just those two small plates.

All smiles after his meal and ready to party.

AJ's ravioli were excellently prepared. We are both huge fans of sage brown butter sauce. AJ thought they did a particularly good job with the sauce, adding a little extra sugar to the sauce to balance the earthy mushrooms and bitter chard. My french onion soup was sweet, salty, and surprisingly light. While I wanted to save more room for some good brews we had bought for the evening, I couldn't resist finishing every last bite.

While I was going for gangsta', I ended up looking like a bit of a sourpuss.

Bottom Line: If you are looking for some excellent brews and high quality grub head to Magnolia. But you might want to select your best friend to bring along, because the wait can get pretty long for parties greater than two.

Magnolia Pub and Brewery

1398 Haight St

San Francisco, CA