Gitane

I have long had a soft spot for the few Basque restaurants which call San Francisco home, and on my first visit to Gitane I fell in love with yet another restaurant which serves fantastic Iberian cuisine. I visit a lot of lovely restaurants, but this one really took my breath away. Keep reading and find out why...

Gitane, which means "gypsy," has been open on Claude Alley since 2008. The inspiration, according to General Manager Giovanni Pugliese, is that "When you walk in, you should fee like a beautiful woman is embracing you." Even after this lofty description, the space did not disappoint; it's cosy, dark, welcoming, and beautiful down to the smallest detail. 

Gitane's interior is swathed in velvet tapestries, intricate tiles, gilded fixtures, and soft golden light. It's at once comfortingly old-fashioned and cutting edge chic. And that's before I even mention the beautiful smells that waft out of the kitchen, which sits right near the front entrance. 

The first floor of Gitane is occupied by the kitchen and the bar, which seats about a dozen. The bartenders, who are without exception knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful, are entertainment unto themselves as they whip up drink after enticing drink for their patrons. 

It was difficult to decide amonst the extensive list of fabulously unique cocktails. But for the sake of my readers, I narrowed it down. Here is my first choice, the Ponente: Germain Robin Brandy, Mathilde Peche Liquer, Oloroso sherry, and orange bitters. The drink was shaken and poured, then garnished with a torched orange rind. The overall flavor effect was that of brandy with peach fragrance and a tiny bit of smoke, a really beautifully balanced cocktail for the drinker who likes a little kick and very little sweetness in a cocktail. 

Yes, I overindulged (for you!) and had a Bouquet as well. This was made of Charbay vodka, acai liquer, lemon, creme de gingembre & violette, egg whites, and edible hibiscus and rose petals. It is the most beautiful drink I have had in recent memory, and both floral and creamy. I would suggest this drink for the adventurous drinker who doesn't mind eating floral things like rose water or lavender. This drink was sweeter than the Ponente, but very restrained in the way that the best cocktails always are. Bar Manager Carlo Splendorini is on five nights a week, and it's obvious from the oohs and aahs that permeated the bar that he's great at his job. The cocktail menu changes with the seasons, complementing the menu and sometimes using the same ingredients (thyme, fennel, saffron). Splendorini takes great pride in supporting local businesses, sourcing 60% of Gitane's liquor from local or little known distilleries. He took great pride and interest in introducing me to several of Gitane's most popular cocktails. I already know that next time, I will be ordering the Safra, Hilanhattan, Esta Noche, or (and/or?) the Coupe Glacee!

And finally, there was the food. I decided on the lamb tartare because I've never seen another lamb tartare on a San Francisco menu. The cool Sonoma lamb was meltingly tender, chopped just enough to have a little bite but small enough to not taste like...well...raw lamb. What surprised me was that the meat was not at all gamey, just richly flavorful like a fine grassfed beef. It paired beautifully with the tangy eggplant compote, lemon cucumber salad, black olive spread, and a hint of mint. 

The tartare was served with three slices of Gitane's very popular coca, or Catalan flatbread. Charred and crackly around the edges, the flatbread was still warm and tender in the center when I tucked into it. Delicious all by itself, it is typically served with olive oil infused with herbs and chilis. Since I had mine with my tartare, I skipped the dip and just topped them like pizza slices. 

Here's a photo I snagged of the romanesco sauce, which is used for the patatas bravas.

And here are the piquillo peppers stuffed with roasted veal and topped in a sofrito sauce. 

And finally, I took a peek upstairs. Like the bar area, the dining room is intimate and warm, lit with candles and cloth-colored light fixtures. I prefer the hustle and bustle of a bar, but I can't think of many places in San Francisco that would be more romantic than Gitane's upstairs booths.

To make a long, memorable experience short, I highly recommend Gitane and rank it among my top five bar dining experiences in San Francisco. There's something very convivial about the San Francisco bar dining scene. It's fun to watch and chat with the bartenders, and fellow diners tend to be amiable and happy to talk about what they're eating. It's a fun way to dine alone, and Gitane is a perfect example of how charming an experience it can be. Just don't be too chagrined when you step back out onto the lights of Claude Alley and have to leave all the magic behind.

PSA

Attention wine lovers...

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Bund Shanghai

New restaurant alert! Well, new for me. Bund Shanghai has been on Jackson near Kearny for several years now, but somehow J and I have never made it there because we tend to avoid Chinatown on the weekends. Today I decided to do a scouting trip to see if it was worth a trip some time. 

The restaurant is nondescript but very clean. In fact, I would categorize it as exceptionally clean by Chinatown standards. Good job, Bund! The first smell that hit my nose when I walked in was that of black vinegar and sugar, two things which Shanghainese stereotypically love and put in all their cooking.

Since I was all by myself and unable to partake in the many delicious things on the menu, I decided to veer completely off course and order mushu pork. I never order mushu pork, because people who order that are usually mocked by all the Chinese people at the table. But guess what? I was the only one at the table today, so I ate whatever I wanted! And I enjoyed every bite. The mushu filling was a stir fry of thinly sliced carrots, green onions, cabbage, eggs, bamboo, wood ear mushroom, pan fried egg, and pork. The flavors were bright and fresh, and the dish was not overly salty or greasy.

Four pancakes came on the side along with a dish of hoisin sauce. I thought for sure that there would be too much filling for these thin pancakes, but actually everything is perfectly proportioned. I think anyone who likes burritos or wraps should give Bund's mushu a try. As for myself, I was eying other diners all lunch long, and I think Shanghainese small plates, rice cake noodles, and pan fried red bean pancake are the must tries here.

New Farmers' Market Alert: Mint Plaza!

Last week I stumbled upon Liba Falafel Truck the day it debuted at Civic Center. I guess it's only fair that this week I found out about the new Mint Plaza farmers' market after the fact. Scribble this down for next week: the market is open every Wednesday this summer from 10am-2pm. I'm curious to see what I'll find there. It's been a pretty dismal summer for fruits, but I'm holding out hope that I'll be pleasantly surprised one of these days. 

*photo courtesy of sfcurbed

Moya

New restaurant alert! Moya has officially been opened for one week on Folsom near 6th Street, and I'm here to tell everyone to head out and try some of their delicious food! I would suggest it most for groups of 3-5 so you can get a variety of dishes without paying more than $10-15 for a satisfying lunch. 

The three of us shared one kitfo and a vegetarian combination platter designed for two. The kitfo, pictured in the center, is a mixture of raw beef and spices (most noticeably cardamom and cumin). I really liked the kitfo because it was spiced enough that the flavors were apparent but not chokingly overpowering. Among the vegetarian choices, I found the yellow split peas the most flavorful. Working clockwise from the peas, we had collard greens, salad, lentils, and braised potatoes and carrots. Unlike a lot of other Ethiopian places, Moya does not serve overly greasy food. Everything is lightly prepared, and the food is both attractive and flavorful. It's hard for me to say of Moya stands up to my Ethiopian standard, LA's Meals by Genet. But it's head and shoulders above anything I've had in San Francisco, and I'll certainly be back.

Mix Mix

Remember this dish from the highlights of my last trip to LA? Well, you be the judge: did I get close with my homemade version?

J and I are pretty happy with our rendition of what Chinese restaurants call "jiao huo jiao huo." Roughly translated, this means "mix mix" and involves various combinations of cold meats and vegetables. Our version included pressed tofu, tripe, pigs' ears, seaweed, boiled eggs, green onions, and cilantro. The ingredients are sliced thin and tossed in soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil and Szechuan peppercorn oil. A sprinkling of Korean chili flakes and Szechuan peppercorn complete the dish, which is pleasingly numb and a panoply of textures and colors.

Five Happiness

If you're a fan of Chinese style pork chop over rice, I have good news for you this morning. This past Sunday found us at Five Happiness, a nondescript little place on Geary that looks like it's been there for decades. The dining room, decorated in stereotypical Chinatown regalia, was bustling just fifteen minutes after the restaurant opened, hinting at good things to come. 

The star of the meal was the pork chop rice: pai gu fan for us Mandarin speakers. Like standard versions of this dish, the pork chop was crispily deep fried on the outside and served with white rice topped with a braised chop pork (ro zao). Five Happiness does a riff on tradition, using a slightly thicker cut of pork chop than I'm used to, deboning it before frying, and using some kind of brine that imbues the meat with a pink hue reminiscent of char siu. 

Look at that oil glistening off the pork! This generous portion was almost enough food for the two of us. As good as the pork was, however, I might have enjoyed the rice even more. I love ro zao, and Five Happiness hit a home run by using little pieces of chopped pork instead of ground pork. This upgrade on what's usually a bare bones dish really elevates it from a side dish to being entree worthy. I would order a bowl of just that in the future. As it is, we had to be rolled out of Five Happiness. But we vow to be back for the Peking duck sometime soon. 

Bouchon Bakery

It's nice having friends who like Napa.

Bouchon Bakery is my favorite bakery that I haven't been to. The reason is the French macaroons, which I've been lucky enough to be treated to on two occasions. Bouchon's macaroons are massive, almost three inches in diameter and really more like a cookie cookie than the dainty French treats that share their name. The texture and flavor, however, stay true to tradition. Each macaroon has a crackly, light shell that gives way to a tender cookie and whipped mousse filling. The flavors are intense but natural tasting, and intensify as you work your way through through this fairly substantial treat. Caramel, pistachio, and chocolate might be my favorites, but the vibrant pink strawberry one was prettier and certainly no slouch in the flavor department. From what I can gather, it doesn't matter what your favorites are; by the time you get to the front of the line you're just grateful if there are any macaroons left at all. So next time you're in Yountville, go early and go quick, these macaroons are a wonderful treat to have after dinner and wine.

Off the Grid

Braced against San Francisco's famous summer chill, J and I headed to Off the Grid yesterday at Fort Mason. This rotating gathering of food trucks reminded me of the clusters of food trucks I often saw when visiting Portland. Everything from burritos to mixed drinks was being served last night, and judging from last night's hoards this food fair's only going to gain in popularity. 

I started with a Malaysian lacy crepe topped with chicken curry. My gosh, the folks at this food stall did not dumb the spiciness down for non-Malaysian palates! The doughy, slightly chewy crepes helped take the edge off the heat, and overall I really enjoyed this new dish. 

 

From the same stand, J started with a beef and potato curry puff in tamarind sauce. This was nice, but one of the less exciting selections of our evening. 

But the most delicious thing from this food stall was the banana fritters! They were served to me too hot to eat, which is how I like my food. The fritter itself was made of a banana-y, soft, fluffy dough, and each fritter had a nugget of soft gooey banana in the center. As a banana bread lover, I really found this dessert hitting the spot. 

Our friend had a selection of three buns from Chairman Bao's bun truck: mango duck, pork belly, and shredded pork. I was off my A game and already feeling full from all I'd eaten, but they were very pretty. 

Our other friend J had an Onigilly from The Samurai Snack folks, who I thought came up with a very clever new name for a very old Japanese treat. I encourage you to click on the link to the Onigilly site because their food is really beautiful!

And last but most certainly not least, we stopped the stand for the now famous San Francisco Creme Brulee Cart. The line was long and my toes were cold by the end of the ordeal, but the creme brulee was delicious! The creme brulee is premade and packed in coolers, but each one is topped with sugar and torched when a customer places an order. The result is a nice crackly burnt sugar top, followed by a layer of warm creme brulee, and finally a layer of cole creme brulee at the bottom. I don't know that I'd stand thirty  minutes in line for this again, but I can see why it's one of the Mission's most popular traveling food carts. 

Not about food: what is up with this seagull? Is it normal for them to take on pink feathers like this? The only explanation I can think of is that a change in diet caused the pink feathers, the way it does in flamingos. Too many crustaceans, perhaps?