Welcome to SF!
t says: So as we’ve alluded to in the previous posts, we have now moved to what some call “The Best Coast”. Moving to SF was full of issues, as it seemed that every little thing we planned did not go smoothly, from finding an apartment, to giving up our Philly apartment, to the movers arriving in SF, to the weather waiting for us (RAIN!) … it was a nightmare. g and I think that the next time we move, we’re just going to burn all of our possessions to the ground and buy everything new …
Fortunately, we had the moral support of family to remind us that the terrible parts of moving would be short-lived, and they have been. Despite the moving-related drama, we have had quite a few delightful meals here in SF!
The first meal in SF we found was at a nearby restaurant called STEM. While it’ll not likely win any awards for being the “most creative”, “most innovative”, or “most anything”, it had some very solid offerings that were just what we needed, as we had just been torrtentially rained upon. This pumpkin soup was a warm hug …
… while this bright farrow and broccoli rabe salad reminded us we were in California.
And their accidentally-heart-shaped pizza really hit the spot – it was a pizza with no fuss, no frills – just the way we needed it to be.
Our first meal with our parents was at Anchor Oyster Bar. Jeez. It’s been almost a week since we’ve gone as I sit down and write about it now, and my dad still can’t stop talking about it – and for good reason! The mussels were HUGE. Every bit of seafood was perfectly cooked. And the broth in the cioppino was so good, we actually took it home and made a pasta dinner the following night! While I had been there once with cm and k, it was even better this time. Crazy-good! We followed it up with some Bi-Rite Creamery ice cream (omg the creme brulee is insane) for a perfect evening.
For our “fancy night out” we went to “The Progress”, courtesy of j, as suggested by kp. It was a fabulous meal that hinted at the creative frontier of SF cooking. While yes, there were some things my mom is convinced she could easily do at home (looking at you, kimchi wax bean tempura), it was quite tasty overall. We approve.
Yea, the pork was CRAZY good – and the crushed broccoli underneath was so much fun!
We took my parents to House of NanKing that was hilarious. I warned my parents, “So at this restaurant, don’t expect any niceties” … which was immediately followed by the server throwing down plates in front of us and telling us to move over so they could seat people at the adjoining table. Sure, they are rude as hell, but the food was so good. Fried shrimp packets are a must, the black bean sauce dumplings were amazing. When the food is this good, you write your own rules about customer service, I guess.
Finally, we also went to Brenda’s French Soul Food for brunch, but as we’ve covered it so often here, it should be no surprise that it was nothing short of every bruncher’s dream – eggs, carbs, sweets, beignets. Just go there.
after dinner sneeze 
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