October 31, 2009
October 18, 2009
Front Porch – It’s Best to Stay Outside
Growing up in Texas, I’m all about comfort food. Front Porch had promise, but ended up being a let down. I heard they recently changed chefs which is why their popular crab and grits is no longer on the menu…seems like the rest of the food has suffered from this as well.
Baked Mac & Cheese – really oily and bland. They should have added a sharper cheese for contrast or at least something to give it some punch. Not sure how long the dish was sitting out before we got it, but the cheese was hard and congealed when they served it. I’m not picky about mac and cheese and usually love it in all forms, but this was the first bowl of mac and cheese that I did not finish (nor did even I want to).
Spicy Shrimp & Grits - it had a nice spicy flavor but the texture was all wrong. The grits were overly mushy and literally drowned in the sauce…it felt more like I was eating shrimp and mashed potato soup – the whole essence of the grits was completely lost. [Recommendation: If you ever want amazing shrimp and grits while in the Boston area, go to Harvest – the BEST shrimp and grits I’ve had. Ever.]
Momma Clara’s Fried Chicken – finally, a good dish. The fried chicken was crispy on the outside and super juicy on the inside. I also enjoyed its citrus flavor. However, the mashed potatoes and vegetables on the side were lackluster.
Needless to say, the food at Front Porch didn’t provide much “comfort” at all. The service wasn’t great either. Ironically, the best thing about the restaurant actually is their front porch – a cozy space with a rocking chair and two small tables.
[Recommendation: For a much better comfort/soul food restaurant in San Francisco, go to Farmer Brown, which I've written about here.]
BITE METER: Front Porch – 1.5 bites (out of 5.0)
Baked Mac & Cheese – really oily and bland. They should have added a sharper cheese for contrast or at least something to give it some punch. Not sure how long the dish was sitting out before we got it, but the cheese was hard and congealed when they served it. I’m not picky about mac and cheese and usually love it in all forms, but this was the first bowl of mac and cheese that I did not finish (nor did even I want to).
Spicy Shrimp & Grits - it had a nice spicy flavor but the texture was all wrong. The grits were overly mushy and literally drowned in the sauce…it felt more like I was eating shrimp and mashed potato soup – the whole essence of the grits was completely lost. [Recommendation: If you ever want amazing shrimp and grits while in the Boston area, go to Harvest – the BEST shrimp and grits I’ve had. Ever.]
Momma Clara’s Fried Chicken – finally, a good dish. The fried chicken was crispy on the outside and super juicy on the inside. I also enjoyed its citrus flavor. However, the mashed potatoes and vegetables on the side were lackluster.
Needless to say, the food at Front Porch didn’t provide much “comfort” at all. The service wasn’t great either. Ironically, the best thing about the restaurant actually is their front porch – a cozy space with a rocking chair and two small tables.
[Recommendation: For a much better comfort/soul food restaurant in San Francisco, go to Farmer Brown, which I've written about here.]
BITE METER: Front Porch – 1.5 bites (out of 5.0)
October 10, 2009
Il Cane Rosso – A Casual Setting for a Remarkable Lunch
It was a chilly morning at the Farmers Market so I went inside the Ferry Building in search of something to warm me up…and found Il Cane Rosso, which had recently taken over the old Mistral space. "The Red Dog" is a joint venture between Daniel Patterson (chef of Coi) and Lauren Kiino (former Delfina chef) offering casual, Italian-inspired cuisine made with only local ingredients – many sourced directly from producers featured at the Ferry Building.
Heirloom Organic Carrot Soup with Dill Oil – the flavors were clean and straightforward. It reminded me of a butternut squash soup, but not as sweet and much lighter. The dill oil added a nice herbal note to the soup.
Heirloom Organic Carrot Soup with Dill Oil – the flavors were clean and straightforward. It reminded me of a butternut squash soup, but not as sweet and much lighter. The dill oil added a nice herbal note to the soup.
Gristmill Polenta with Sage Butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano – this is exactly how I like polenta…super thick and creamy with a nice chunky texture from the grains (people need to stop serving weak and mushy polenta). The sharp flavor of the parmigiano-reggiano balanced its richness. This polenta was so deliciously hearty and comforting.
Early Girl Tomato Sandwich with Fromage Blanc, Basil and Arugula – this sandwich looked so simple, yet it was absolute perfection. A prime example of how great ingredients can make all the difference in the world...just using any tomato, bread, or cheese would have made this sandwich taste completely different. The early girl tomatoes were extraordinarily sweet and powerful, it was like eating candy. The bread was plain and really airy so it didn’t dominate the sandwich, but it was toasted just right so that its crispy presence held up to the other ingredients. The Cowgirl Creamery fromage blanc was light and creamy, giving the sandwich just a bit of richness. And rounding out the sandwich was the delicate bitterness of the arugula and the sweet, grassy zip of the fresh basil. Also, served on the side were slices of pickled white carrots...crunchy, tart, and slightly sweet. It was all DELISH!!
I love having an incredible meal when I least expect it. I was just looking for a warm lunch and got so much more at Il Cane Rosso – simple and comforting food with a sophisticated touch.
After eating, I made a beeline to the Dirty Girl Produce stand to buy some early girl tomatoes. I was smitten by their incredible sweetness in my sandwich (sorry, my beloved heirlooms – you’ll now have to share my heart with these early girls!) I learned that early girl tomatoes are usually dry-farmed so they take in less water, increasing the concentration of their sweet flavor.
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