Caffe Greco

Address:
423 Columbus Ave
San Francisco, CA
www.caffegreco.com

Cost: Items range from $1.85 (water) to $7.95 (panini)

Caffe Greco was another place we had walked past on the way to Union Square with the intention of coming back.  

So, on Day 2 when we were looking for a place to have coffee, I was determined to find “the place with the posters” and we turned our noses on many other cafes in search of it, all the while ignoring our tired calves and thirsty throats.   When we finally found Caffe Greco, and squeezed into the last corner window spot, and rested our aching feet on the worn wooden floors, with this view…all our effort was without a doubt, worth it.

With high ceiling fans and art nouveau playing fancifully on the cream-coloured walls to jumbo glass canisters filled with delectable treats and an open ‘book’ menu behind the counter, this place embodies everything that is caffe Italia.

Around since ‘88, Caffe Greco serves homemade (and award-winning, according to their website) tiramisu (I’m happy to say we tried it, and it’s simply the best tiramisu I’ve ever had!), cannoli and gelato.

 

We also had a chai caffe latte ($4.25/5.75) which is a tea AND coffee latte…..and it was absolutely heavenly…a definite MUST-HAVE if you’re ever in North Beach.  My usual Earl Grey ($2.50), was divine and fared well with the large square of moist, creamy succulent tiramisu ($4.75)…it was so good, I wish the inside of my mouth were made of it!

Wooden chairs that creak with good use, illy coffee tins, leather benches and familiar wall hangings all gather together to make Caffe Greco a really warm and popular home for locals (I know it looks empty, but everyone happened to be either, out of shot, sitting outside or in the other room when I captured this photo).

Caffe Greco, I miss you. We’ll be back again, someday.  If you live in SF, and haven’t been….what on earth are you waiting for?  I’m so jealous.

Osha Thai Noodle, San Francisco, CA

Location:

696 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA
Tel: 415.673.2368

This was still Day 1 of our San Francisco trip, and let me tell you, after walking for something like 8 hours since lunch, we were starving by the time we got to Osha (which was just below our hotel and meant a [thankfully] short journey to bed).

We had actually passed on Osha in favour of Boudin at lunchtime thinking we’d try Osha for dinner, and good thing we did because it was the perfect way to finish off the day!

Our server was incredibly polite with our indecisive palate and answered our numerous questions on what was recommended with much thought and patience, which totally paid off when our drinks and meal arrived!

Pinot Noir: Mark West, Sonoma, 2006

Salmon pineapple skewers with pepper glaze

The salmon pineapple skewers were hands down the BEST skewers I’ve ever had! Yes, we were starving and lunch had been mediocre, but really, they were THAT good (and I can’t stand cilantro and it was covered in the green stuff!) It was incredibly tasty and a very filling appetizer! Four skewers instead of two? What generous portions!

After much deliberation with our server on which were the spiciest dishes, we settled for the pumpkin curry and pan fried crab and prawn spaghetti.

Goodness gracious me! We hadn’t even finished our appetizer before our entrees arrived (and the restaurant was quite busy!)

Pumpkin Curry Chicken – Kabocha pumpkin, chicken and bell pepper in red curry sauce topped with crispy yam

Spaghettis stir fried with prawns and crab and tomato, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, Chinese broccoli, bell pepper, onion, basil and fresh chili

Yum! Yum! Finally, a GREAT San Francisco EAT! The pumpkin curry was indescribably savoury….the crunchy yams added another height of flavour to the aromatic and oh so exquisite red curry. The only negative (and really, not so negative) point was that we’d have liked more white rice to finish the curry with!

The spaghetti was fresh and tasty. The various ingredients worked very well together and wasn’t pad-thai-ish or ketchupy.

Not even half-way through we were completely stuffed and still had heapings left on the table and nowhere to take them! How I would have loved to have had those left-overs the next day, I tell you!

Walking.

Location: Fisherman’s Wharf

The sea-lions were an eye-ful (and an ear-ful) at Pier 39.

Apparently there’s a “bush man” who hides behind these bushes and jumps out at tourists. He wasn’t there when we walked by..but his beer was chillin’.

There’s another Boudin Sourdough bakery! This time with a baker in the window and a bready croc on display….quite fitting when you think about how tough skinned sourdough is.

“Hot clam chowder” – now, that’s what I should have had!

Or these bloated crab sandwiches. Wait, is that sourdough bread?

Vital Tea Leaf, San Francisco, CA

Location:
1044 Grant Avenue,
San Francisco, CA

Cost: Free tea-tasting, but you leave spending more than you thought you would on tea!

http://www.vitaltleaf.com/

As I sit here typing this, I occasionally take a sip of mango tea, reminding myself of our stop at Vital Tea-Leaf in SF’s Chinatown. After our grueling walk up and down the hills of the city we were ready to call it quits and headed “home” towards Union Square through Chinatown.

We stopped in front of the Vital Tea-Leaf store again (on our way past it earlier that day I had wanted to go in to check out the various tea jars lining the walls inside the shop) and this time we decided to take a look.

John, our tea server, sat us down with the promise of a free tea-tasting. While chatting to us about numerous teas, he deftly rinsed, strained and poured a variety of teas for us to try.

The little cups and presentation of teas made us feel at home (we were also the only customers in the whole store).

First up was the Mango tea….

….smelling and tasting like mango! It was quite simply, fabulous!

Amongst the Mango tea, we tried Woodbridge Puer (pronounced “Poo-Air”) and Siberian Rose….the former good for cholesterol and digestion and the latter good for sleep and complexion. John cracked a joke about which tea would ease the pain of PMS…..for my husband! His jokes might offend some, but were all in good fun for us.

Of course, it’s a possibility we may have been ripped off and fed some nonsense about teas and their benefits, but our experience in such a brightly lit, cosy and warm environment, after such a long day on the streets gave us a much needed boost of energy to make it back down (and up) the many hills, “home”.

Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco, CA

Location:
900 North Point St., San Francisco, CA
Hours:
Monday – Thursday 10am – 6pm | Friday – Saturday 10am – 9pm
Sunday 10am – 6pm | Restaurant Hours Vary.Cost: FREE! (well, free sample square of Ghirardelli caramel chocolate to nibble on whilst perusing the crowded shop)

http://www.ghirardelli.com/

After Cold Stone you’d think it absurd to want any more sweetness, but Ghirardelli’s was JUST around the corner, and we WERE walking, so off we went.

The fantastic Ghairardelli sign loomed above us as we walked past the Powell & Hyde Cable car stop.

Upon entering the shop, we each received a sample square of Ghirardelli’s caramel chocolate – sinfully delicious – but just what it took to throw us over the edge from our Cold Stone treat just minutes before.

The gate to Ghirardelli Square, where, half a caramel bar later and empty-handed, I was ready to barf (I know, I surprised myself, too).

Good thing we get Ghirardelli’s chocolates in Toronto, otherwise I’d be kicking myself right about now.

Cold Stone, San Francisco, CA

Location:

Fisherman’s Wharf
333 Jefferson Street
(between Jones St & Leavenworth St)
San Francisco, CA 94133

Cost: priceless!

http://www.coldstonecreamery.com

After a full day of walking around the city, I can’t tell you just how excited I was to be here!

Decisions! Decisions!

After a few (read: many) taste-tests, we finally decided on banana and french toast with smashings of Kit Kat, Reeses Pieces and Crunch in a medium waffle dish.

Oooh……My…….Gaawd.

Even split three ways this was still the ultimate in indulgences and we felt slightly ill afterwards as we headed towards Ghiradelli’s (I know! For more chocolately goodness..e.sss.esszzzzzzzz)

Oh, also apparently if you tip the servers, they sing for you! We found this out a bit too late to try, but it’s something to keep in mind for next time, and undoubtedly there will be a next time!

Boudin Sourdough (Bakery & Cafe), San Francisco, CA

Address:
4 Embarcadero Center
Justin Herman Plaza
San Francisco, CA 94111
415-362-3330

Cost: $25 for two

http://www.boudinbakery.com/

Our first food stop in San Francisco after a delayed flight, a miscommunication at the hotel about free breakfast and having eaten nothing but a green apple in the last few hours, was the Boudin Sourdough Bakery & Cafe.

Our view of Embarcadero square, and the Ferry Building was lovely and we would have sat outside if it hadn’t been so chilly!

I’m not a fan of tough breads. Especially those that require more than just teeth to separate. Sourdough is that type of bread.

Still, I thought, why not try a famous Boudin Sourdough sandwich? So we ordered the chicken pesto in a sourdough roll, the turkey avacado croissant and the waldorf salad (only because the Waldorf Salad episode of Fawlty Towers was so fresh in our memories).

Chicken Pesto ($6.49) – chicken, tomatoes, arugula, pesto mayo, vinaigrette, sourdough roll

After the famous San Francisco sourdough roll, I’m still not a fan of tough breads. I hate having to wrestle with me foods. The croissant, on the other hand, was flaky and soft, and just what my jaw needed: a much deserved break.

Turkey Avocado ($6.49) – turkey breast, harvarti cheese, avacado, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, croissant

Again, nothing fancy, and something we’d make for lunch.

Waldorf Chopped ($7.29) – chicken, dried cranberries, apples, celery, swiss & smoked mozzarella cheese, spiced walnuts, honey mustard dressing

Apart from some overly doused, soggy lettuce leaves and rock-hard sourdough side, the waldorf salad was quite good albeit a bit too “spicy”. There must have been some horse-radish in the honey mustard dressing as well.

Overall, Boudin was just okay. Nothing we couldn’t have made at home. So much for our start to good great San Francisco eats!

San Fran eats

Off to San Francisco tomorrow! Looking forward to some good great eats there!

Also, on the back burner are my Hawaii restaurant reviews! From road-side banana bread to Mama’s Fish House!

Yum!

Messis

Address: 97 Harbord Street, Toronto

Phone: (416) 920-2186

Cost: Valentine’s Day special prix fixe menu at $35 pp

Messis sports a minimalist, airy interior, definitely a good thing when seated elbow-to-elbow with love-sick couples on Valentine’s Day. We were lucky to score a reservation that wasn’t after 9!

Although a prix fixe menu, Messis boasted a much greater selection of dishes (including seafood, chicken, duck, steak and liver!) than other restaurants on the Winterlicious circuit (even though Messis was not on the Winterlicious circuit this year). After sneaking peaks at the items ordered by the patrons beside us, we decided to go with the curried shrimp and crab cakes and the grilled scallops to start.

Curried shrimp and crab cakes with coconut, mango, red pepper slaw and cilantro green onion drizzle.

The curried shrimp and crab cakes were pretty darn tasty with a crispy outer crust and a tender, flaky and savory filling.

The coconut, mango, red pepper slaw on the side added a nice contrast to the cakes and cilantro sauce.

Grilled scallops with a small salad of blood orange, and fennel served with pepper coulis and a mango drizzle.

The grilled scallops could have used a little more of something…more heat in the coulis, perhaps?

Next, we had the chicken and the fish.

The roasted free range chicken breast stuffed with pancetta served with zucchini, portabellini-mushrooms, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and roasted sweet potatoes in a gorgonzola broth (we ordered it without the cheesey broth) was the tastiest dish we ordered and I wanted it back after promising to share half with my husband.

Roasted free range chicken breast stuffed with pancetta served with zucchini, portabellini-mushrooms, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and roasted sweet potatoes in a gorgonzola broth

His fish dish wasn’t quite as good. Bland, actually. The shrimps were okay, but again, lacked flavour. I also always feel that bok choy is filler on a plate, much like sprouts.

Pan seared black cod with a jumbo shrimp brochette served with roasted potatoes and sauteed baby bok choy with a shrimp essence.

Dessert was much better. We ordered the “Grand marnier chocolate mousse cake with raspberry ice” which was entirely too dense but quite good. We simply could not finish it and “had” to take it to go.

Grand marnier chocolate mousse cake with raspberry ice

Messis is just West of Spadina on the South side of Harbord, steps away from where Eduardo’s (formerly Latitude, now The Harbord Room) used to be. So for now, and for the area, Messis is one of the nicer places you could go for a sit-down dinner.