Farina – Sometimes Food Just Isn’t Enough

I had read somewhere that Farina boasts the best pesto in San Francisco, so naturally the Italian food-lover in me wanted to eat it. I’m glad I had it, but would probably not come here again.

Aside from our waiter, the staff was terrible. The host was snooty and condescending – I was actually quite taken aback since I’ve never encountered such an attitude (even at famed 3 Michelin star restaurants). The bartender took forever to greet me, and then overcharged me by an extra glass of wine. Then the kitchen forgot the anchovies in my pizzata focaccia – it was one of the key ingredients!

At least I enjoyed the food for the most part…

Manilla Clams – oddly enough, I don’t remember anything about this dish! I think it was pretty good, but obviously unmemorable.
Pizzata Focaccia – although they forgot the anchovies (which our waiter later brought out separately in a ramekin), I thought this pizatta was great. The texture of the focaccia was perfect, it had just enough tomato sauce and oregano, and the cheese was warm and oozing.
Handkerchief Pasta with Genovese Basil Pesto – the bright lime green color was definitely a surprise, but this pasta was wonderful. The handmade pasta had a lovely silky texture, and the pesto was creamy yet delicate and fresh. Was it “the best pesto” that I’ve had? No, I was actually more impressed by the handkerchief pasta than the pesto sauce…I loved how it just glided in my mouth.
Overall, the food was good, but not good enough to overcome the poor service.

BITE METER: Farina – 3.0 bites (out of 5)