Three days in San Francisco is just not enough for me. Hell, three weeks in San Francisco wouldn’t really be enough for me–I want nothing more than to move back there, and I would prefer not to have to wait too long.
Mr. X and I spent the weekend in San Francisco for a friend’s wedding–the first of my college friends to get married. It was a lovely wedding which involved way too much vodka and champagne, but best of all this weekend reconfirmed for me that it is the city where I belong. I love the energy of San Francisco, and the diversity. I love the plentitude of coffeeshops and taquerias. I love the bars and the thrift shops and the bookstores. After a Boston winter, I love the variety of fresh, local produce that’s so much easier to find, and I love the fact that a delicious dinner out doesn’t have to cost over $100.
Last year we missed the Farmers’ Market at the Ferry Building Marketplace, and while the Marketplace itself is cool, it is made tens of hundreds of times cooler when the Farmers’ Market is set up. I was thrown into a giddy whirlwind by mountains of fresh white peaches, perfect cherries, huge red onions, the fattest asparagus I’ve ever seen–I forgot produce could be that impressive. When I live in San Francisco again, I will be here all the time.
Mr. X and I decided to pick up some cheese from Cowgirl Creamery and some bread from the Acme Bread Company, and sit down at the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant to enjoy a picnic indoors kind of lunch. Mr. X picked up three cheeses, and I didn’t think a single one of them was too smelly. We found a Double Gloucester and a Garrotxa, and I quite sadly don’t really know anything about them other than that they were both very happy-making. And we decided to try one of Cowgirl Creamery’s own cheeses, the Red Hawk, a washed-rind triple-cream cow’s milk cheese. Mr. X isn’t generally one for the triple cream cheeses, but even he liked it. It’s mild, but not as bland as some brie can be.
The sour baquette from Acme was good, though not as sour as I wanted. But we all know how crazy I am about my sourdough. The wine we had was super spectacular. In fact, I bought a bottle to bring home, but they confiscated it at the airport, because the TSA people are crazy and they like to make me angry. But I don’t have to get into that All I will say is that the Andeluna Torrontes was flowery and citrusy and refreshing and if I can get another bottle, I will be a happy lady. The people at the wine store were great, though, and they even gave us a knife and cheeseboard for the cheese we brought in from somewhere else. Because San Francisco is cool like that.
I was also pretty happy to get the chance to go back to Dottie’s True Blue Cafe. I had many a breakfast here on those weekends I would come up from Santa Cruz, and somehow my friend had the magical gift of never having to wait for a table. I think he knew someone or something. We weren’t quite that lucky this time. We had to wait for about half an hour, outside on the street with all the crackheads. Jones and Geary isn’t exactly the greatest area in the city. But it was totally worth it. I hadn’t embellished my memories of Dottie’s deliciousness at all.
They make this increadible jalapeno cornbread that they give you in a thick slice, grilled to crispy wonderfulness. Mr. X ordered my old stand-by, The Southwestern, a scramble filled up with red peppers, andouille sausage, a ridiculous amount of cheese, and fresh salsa. Yeah yum. They always have great specials, including the Whiskey and Fennel Sausage and Spinach scramble I had, some gorgeous looking Black Bean Cakes with Fried Eggs, Duck Sausage, and all their homemade baked goods: scones, coffee cake, cornbread, and perfectly tart blueberry muffins. I love Dottie’s.
Of course I ate burritos. Well, only one, because it was really all I had time for. We decided to try somewhere new, Papalote at 24th and Valencia, and while it was just as excellent as the recommendations said it was, it was served on a plate, and was completely impossible to pick up. A small complaint, really, for perfectly marinated, not overcooked steak and some really interesting and flavorful salsa. I’d go back, if it wasn’t 2700 miles away. No burrito pictures, folks, because I ate it too darned fast.
More non-pictured but totally worth it places to check out:
PJ’s Oyster Bed. I had my doubts about this as the bachelorette party venue, mainly because I hate oysters, but my mind was quickly changed. They have a spinach crab dip that is highly addictive, and my swordfish tacos were perfect and tender and satisfying. And they make something called Alligator Eggs that confused me all night, but are actually pasta shells stuffed with crawfish and other delicious kinds of things. I ate a mussel that was ok, too, but I’m not about to get down with the shellfish.
Mythic Pizza. It’s not that this pizza is so incredible, though it is quite tasty. But it’s right next door to several excellent bars, and stays open until 3 am or something, so you can get a slice and a beer and be a happy kitty right before you go home and pass out. And I like their topping creativity. We all know how important that is to me. I believe Mr. X ate here three times in two days.
Non-food related: Musee Mechanique (beware, this site make sound). This was an accidental discovery on our part, and it is located in the heart of touristy badness, but it is so totally worth it. You have to see it for yourself.
So farewell, yet again, to the most amazing city in the world. I’ll be back once again, you can count on it.