Archive for October 2007

Being the hedonist that my partner is, particularly when it comes to food, it's a rare occasion when I introduce something she's never had before. Not long after arriving in San Francisco in January, I had the opportunity, and I relished the fact that I'd found them before her as much as the delicious discovery itself.

One afternoon, a colleague arrived at work with a yellow cardboard box and a giant smile on his face. "Beard Papas!" he exclaimed. "What? Beer poppers?" I had no idea what he was talking about. He set down the box and opened it to reveal six wax paper wrapped pastries dusted with confectioners' sugar. Cream puff style pastries, from what I could tell. Well that's cool, I thought; I've never met a cream puff I didn't like, so sure, I'll try one.

One wasn't enough. The three of us at work that day made it through the entire six before we headed home. Every bite was punctuated with a wide-eyed exclamation or a guttural moan of delight. Full to bursting with a unique blend of vanilla bean custard and whipped cream, each pastry was light and crispy on the outside but slightly doughy on the inside, containing the filling with the perfect blend of consistencies.

The Beard Papa story is told on their website in a cute animated short. It all began in Osaka, Japan, with a small bakery where a man the people of Osaka called "Beard Papa", because of his fluffy white beard. After being asked to create a new sweet, Beard Papa was prompted by this nickname-inspiring feature to create the world's most perfect cream puff. Beard Papa now has locations throughout Japan, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Australia, Singapore and the US, serving the "World's Best Cream Puffs" in a variety of flavors as well as éclairs, cheesecake sticks, and fondue au chocolat. Always available for Beard Papa fillings are chocolate and the original vanilla bean, and on a rotating weekly schedule are green tea, strawberry, caramel, tiramisu, and pumpkin. Each puff is filled when you order it, ensuring that the pastry itself is still crisp and light.

You can find Beard Papa in the Westfield Center, or at the nearby storefront on Yerba Buena Lane between 3rd and 4th streets. Try just one, if you think it'll do the trick, but I'd suggest having a cup of coffee and eating it nearby – there's a good chance you'll end up going back for a yellow cardboard box full for you and yours.

When I select places to review for PlanJam, I generally try for the types of shops, coffee houses, and restaurants that visitors to the city, or even residents who are new or have less time to wander outside of their own regular stomping grounds, may not have heard of or visited before. Sometimes though, I'm going to have to share a place that many people know about but that is worth reviewing for the one person who may not have heard of it. It would be an injustice if a single person in San Francisco, be it for good or for a few days, didn't know that Mitchell's Ice Cream is a must.

My first visit to the city last year was a whirlwind – shopping on Haight Street, visiting Coit Tower and Fisherman's Wharf, hitting Ocean Beach and the Musee Mecanique. In all of the sightseeing, my partner made very sure that we made it to Mitchell's, and, being a New England girl, I was surprised to find myself contemplating my now wavering loyalty to my favorite Vermont based ice cream men.

Mitchell's is open from 11:00 to 11:00 daily, and I've never once arrived and been able to go straight to the counter. Sometimes the line is ten or more people, and their deli style ticket dispenser is absolutely necessary. Other times, just a few people are ahead of me and I get a little panicky because I know I'll never make up my mind before it's my turn. With over fifty flavors of ice cream and sorbet in their standard queue and seasonal flavors on a rotating schedule, choosing what's going to land on my cone or in my cup is a difficult task. Thankfully, the staff is very helpful and friendly, and they'll let you sample any flavors you want without once looking at the growing line behind you.

Perhaps their most famous flavor selection is the tropical group – from avocado to lychee to thai tea, choosing a scoop from the tropical list is always an adventure of the most delicious kind. If you're not sure where to start, try a delicious Halo Halo, a traditional Philippine summer cooler (only made in Spring, Summer, and early Fall). If you're looking to get a couple of different scoops but don't know what flavors are going to taste best together, ask your server – they're always ready with an amazing combination that's guaranteed to make mouths happy.

My most recent Mitchell's experience, as suggested by my server? Their seasonal Pumpkin Ice Cream atop a scoop of Mexican Chocolate. The cinnamon of the Mexican Chocolate combined with the explosion of spices and cream in the Pumpkin was just like something that should be served after every holiday dinner. And it can – Mitchell's also pre-packs half-gallons of all of their flavors, and will hand pack a quart, pint, or half pint at your request. For larger gatherings, one and a half gallon or three gallon containers are available, as are round cakes, sheet cakes, and pies.

Visit Mitchell's and see why they've been a San Francisco favorite, earning awards and recognition from magazines, television shows, and local publications and fairs, for over fifty years.

When I'm at work and I get a text message from my partner that says, "Don't eat lunch yet," I know that another opportunity to share a new food experience with PlanJam readers is on its way. This time, it was Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers, and, as a burger connoisseur, I am happy to report that the result is most favorable.

I'm all about dressing up a burger, be it at home, at a barbecue with friends, or by asking rather obnoxious favors of my wait staff at a restaurant. At Barney's, they eliminate the need for questions and explanations, having a menu full of options that pile on excellent toppings in delicious combinations.

Cooked to order and marked with perfect grill diamonds, the burger was flat enough to keep it from being a monstrous mess, and wide enough to support the tremendous number of bacon strips they added. Throw onto that the melted cheese and a small side of delicious dressing, a slice of fresh tomato and a large crisp piece of green leaf lettuce, and you've got a classic burger from which robust condiments would only detract.

A "half" order of their curly fries puts most extra large orders elsewhere to shame, and even after being transported from Noe Valley to SoMa, they were hot and crispy, as curly fries should be. The slice of cantaloupe that came with the burger was refreshing and perfectly ripe, rounding off the meal nicely.

Halfway through the burger and after only a small portion of the fries, I was completely full and couldn't even begin to think about finishing it. Both the remaining burger and the still enormous bag of curly fries reheated brilliantly in the oven and provided a whole second meal that night.

If you're simply looking for the best "plain" burger you can get for under ten dollars, you can definitely satisfy that need at Barneys. If you're more adventurous and want a burger with unusual fixin's, this is the place to go for that, too. And if you're not a red meat eater, or not a meat eater at all, don't despair! With comparably constructed chicken, turkey, and vegetarian burgers, everyone can leave Barney's with a hefty sandwich that makes for an amazing meal, or two!

Blogging for PlanJam has given me an entirely new view of San Francisco - as I meander down streets in new or familiar neighborhoods, I'm constantly keeping my eyes out for the next spot to review, be it a little storefront, a new coffee haunt, or a great new restaurant to tell you all about. Last weekend was no different; while I of course had to spend a good half hour browsing the shelves at Phoenix books even though I've already reviewed it, I poked my head into a few new places, picked up business cards, chatted with the staff, and took mental notes for future posts. Given the choice between Pasta Pomodoro, which you know I love, and a new place, I figured that, just for you, I would try out a place I'd not yet visited so I could give you the scoop. The result? A fantastic dinner at Savor.

Savor is well known for its brunch menu, and as well known for the long wait to enjoy that brunch menu. At four thirty or so on a Friday evening though, there was no line at all, and we were at a table immediately upon arriving. The restaurant is deceptively large; the few tables you can see from the front door are only a small part of the seating area, most of which lies behind the kitchen. One wall is lined with padded benches and throw pillows, behind which hang large paintings depicting ocean scenes and serene pastures. Opposite are several more tables as well as the outdoor dining area, a large wooden patio, the only drawback to which is the fact that it overlooks the adjacent dry cleaners' shop and nail salon. While some of the tables are a bit narrow to maximize seating capacity, there are also several that seat four comfortably, and could be arranged to accommodate larger parties.

We started the meal with their spanikopita appetizer, which came with a generous portion of hummus, pitted kalamata olives, feta cheese, and warm pita bread. Just as we finished, the entrees arrived. My New York Strip was done to perfection, and the mound of garlic mashed potatoes was more than I could even begin to conquer, even if the meal didn't also include steamed seasonal vegetables. My partner decided to try one of their savory crepes - filled with spicy tomatoes, cheese, chicken, and avocado salsa, and topped with sour cream, it was an enormous portion and delivered an incredible mix of flavors. The rosemary potatoes were perfectly seasoned and complemented the meal nicely.

As we were leaving, takeout boxes full of leftovers in hand, a nearby table received their dessert crepe, making me wish I'd saved room - filled to overflowing and topped with mounds of whipped cream, it looked amazing and I'll definitely be back to try it for myself. As for the overall experience, Savor is family friendly, but don't rule it out for date night; the atmosphere is conducive to either a meal out with the kids, or a quiet evening on your own. If you're in Noe Valley and are in search of a delicious, moderately priced dinner, a huge variety of brunch items, or a delectable dessert and glass of wine, Savor delivers the goods all around.