Allegro Romano & Amarena

April is in full swing, which means birthday month is underway! Last weekend, I got to enjoy 2 fabulous dining experiences in Russian Hill. The first was the elusive and almost impossible to get a reservation at restaurant known as Allegro Romano. Tyler and I have been trying to go here for a few months now but you pretty much have to call a month in advance to have any chance of eating dinner at a normal time. Although I did seriously contemplate taking the original 6:00 opening when I was trying to get in a while ago. Tucked away in an off the beaten path sort of area in Russian Hill, this place is apparently the choice of celebrities and politicians when in town. Although I didn't see any myself, it was pretty cool to check out all the pictures of the Italian chef/owner with Brad Pitt, Gavin Newson, The Clintons and all the other celebs. The place is super tiny and has some good views of the city. I decided to get the Fettuccine al Tartufo Bianco, a homemade fettuccine (in season from Piedmont) with white truffle sauce which, aside from my terrible stomach ache that night, was pretty delicious. The best part of the dining experience definitely comes at the end. Once you're done eating the waiters bring out free dessert and after dinner drinks! And to top it all off, every girl leaving the restaurant gets a rose! So lovely. Would definitely recommend this place, just be sure to plan far far ahead! 

On Saturday, we did a birthday dinner with my parents. We ventured back out to Russian Hill again to dine at a restaurant called Amarena. I've been here once before, but it really is so great that I decided my parents had to try it out. The best part of Amarena, in my opinion, is getting to sit by the window and watch all the passerby's. It's about a block off polk so you see a fair amount of activity, but not too much to be completely loud and distracting. Last time we lucked out and just happened to get that table, so this time we Tyler called ahead to make sure we could request that spot. Since we were having a bday celebration later that night we decided to go a bit earlier than normal and arrived just as the sun was starting to set. Since we happened to catch a cab way faster than normal we got there a bit early so decided to have a drink at the bar. They had some amazing sangria sitting in a bowl, and since the sun was still out, it seemed appropriate. Once seated we had some delicious appetizers, the Bruschetta della Casa (Diced Organic Heirlooms Tomatoes, Fresh Red Onions in a Balsamic Vinegar and Extra Virgin Olive Oil Dressing over a Toasted Garlic Bread, pretty self-explanatory) and the Polenta con Salvia e Parmigiano (a Souffle' of Polenta served with Sage and Parmigiano Reggiano Sauce). Both delicious, although the Polenta wins in my opinion. For dinner, I stuck with my latest obsession and got the Ravioli di Zucca, a Homemade Ravioli Stuffed with Butternut squash in a butter, sage and solty ricotta cheese. This was actually the first place I ordered Butternut squash ravioli in SF and loved it, thus beginning my obsession. No dessert as we had a giant whip creme cake waiting for us back at home, but our dining neighbors looked like they had chosen some pretty divine options! Another favorite aspect of this place is that all the waitresses/waiters are all authentic Italians, sometimes so authentic that I can't quite understand what they special of the day is. But it definitely makes for a more authentic experience!

Off to New York next week to experience all the amazingness it has to offer!

Off The Grid

 

My co-worker has been trying to convince me to go to Off The Grid for a few weeks now, so when Friday night rolled around and it wasn't freezing, I decided I should try it out. The event takes place all over the city during the week, but every Friday from 5:00-10:00 it's at Fort Mason in the Marina. Basically, all of the different food carts from around the city circle up and turn Fort Mason into a giant outdoor party.

I was in a serious Indian food mood, so decided to go with the Curry Up Now truck. In the process, I discovered what might be one of the greatest Indian food inventions of all time - inside out samosas! It's basically exactly what it sounds like - an opened up samosas with about 2x as much filling as normal on top of it. And about 5 times as spicy. To top it all off we hit up The Creme Brulee Man who made the perfect mini sized coconut creme brulee. I would highly recommend this event, and will definitely be coming back myself to try out a few of the other vendors!

La Barca

Located on Lombard between Fillmore and Webster, you wouldn't imagine this place to be too happening, but every weekend you can find an assortment of San Franciscans enjoying the authentic fare and huge portions. There's normally a bit of a wait, but the bar and live music normally quell any impatience. And the drinks are strong. This restaurant is where I first discovered what a Freshie is (courtesy of my cousin Melissa Bernal) and the bartenders here definitely do it justice. A combo of tequila, lime juice and tonic water, Freshies are the perfect semi-healthy margarita-esque compliment to a hearty Mexican meal. The food here is very authentic (in a dirty Mexican food kind of way) and the tacos plates are great. Most orders come with rice and beans as well, and I have never heard of anyone leaving this place even remotely hungry.

Although the ambiance is a bit outdated (a giant fake rain forest set makes up one of the walls) the marina party vibe is in full effect most weekend nights. The most entertaining part of dining here, aside from the people watching, may be the excessive amount of birthday celebrations. The waiters do a whole song and dance show and serve a flan dessert, and as soon as one person announces that they are celebrating their birthday, it quickly becomes about 5 other people's birthdays as well. That being said, about a third of your dining experience is undergone while listening to loud Mexican birthday music, singing waiters, and possibly devising a plan to change one of your fellow diners birthdays to anoche. Great food and drinks, a fun ambiance, and a fake rain forest dining experience add up to a 4 star rating from me.

Florio

For my first review, I have chosen one of my now favorite restaurants in San Francisco, Florio! Although I lived about 5 blocks from this place last year, I was always a bit deterred by the small space and prices, but one I tried it, my mind was instantly changed. If you have had Italian food with me in the last 3 months, you probably know that I have developed a serious obsession with butternut squash ravioli. For some reason it's so difficult to find in stores, so I always feel like I should take advantage of getting it when I'm out to eat. Plus, it's just delicious. Florio has THE BEST Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage, Grana Padano & Buerre Noisette. I have never been inclined to use words like savory or mouth-watering, but both of those definitely apply to this dish. Perfect proportion and the sauce is to die for. Paired with their vast selection and variety of wines, and their knowledgeable wait staff, this place gets 5 stars. The ambiance is also pretty great. Located on a bustling part of Fillmore Street, the small, dark interior provides a good escape for a cozy meal.

Sampling The City

I have been contemplating starting a food and dining blog for some time now, and after being asked for countless recommendation of eateries in the city I have decided to finally do it! Although I have had the opportunity to sample some of the cities finest restaurants, farmers markets, and hole in the wall taquerias, I always seem to come up empty handed when asked by an out-of-towner or a local San Franciscan looking for an awesome dining recommendation or eating experience. Throughout these posts I will try to document some of the best places to eat in the city, deter you from the worst, and occasionally share some of my own recipes and cooking endeavors. I hope you enjoy!