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)

1 comment:

  1. changed chefs? that sux =( its been awhile since i've been there. i'm bummed that it'll be different now.

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