My first stop off the flight was Hog Island Oyster Co. in the Ferry Building in downtown SF. The location was overlooking the Pacific Ocean but because it was nighttime I was unable to enjoy the azure hues of the sea that drew me to the city in the first place.
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| Facade of the ferry building |
Oysters are truly a love-hate item due to their slimy texture and the hint of ocean water nestled within the shell, and I have to say I don't crave it too much on a daily basis. Nevertheless, oysters were my first meal of the trip because I find that although a lot of sushi-grade fish are of similar quality in the Midwest as they are in coastal cities (fish must be frozen to kill bacteria before raw consumption), shellfish really hits the spot when devoured next to the ocean.
My friend and I ordered a platter with two of each of "today's oysters" and I was surprised to note that a lot of the oysters were actually not from the Bay Area (some of them were from the Pacific Northwest and a couple of them were from as far as Virginia). Although the daily specials change from time to time, I believe the Hog Island Sweetwater is a constant on the menu and definitely a fine choice.
I was also surprised to discover that each oyster had highly varying flavors and the local ones were not necessarily better than the ones from Virginia. I went into oyster overkill mode and ordered an oyster po boy to top off my experience (cooked oysters are a different ball game), and as expected, it was divine.
I would highly recommend this place if you are in the area and have a craving for oysters. The only downside is that they are frequently crowded and do not accept reservations, but it's a small price to pay for high quality seafood.
Side note: My friend ordered the grilled cheese and it was not good. I'd advise sticking with the seafood here.
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The next day I visited Dottie's True Blue Cafe. As a brunch fanatic this was also a must on my to-do list. Numerous Yelp reviews warned me that the lines would be absurd but I attempted to combat this by arriving early in the morning (around 9AM), which wasn't difficult for me considering the two-hour time lag. Unfortunately, not only was there a huge line regardless (are San Franciscans just more of a morning people than Chicagoans?), but the restaurant was also located in what appeared to be the transition block between a gentrified neighborhood and a sketchy one. To top it off, it was raining.
I am happy to report that Dottie's was well worth the wait as they proceeded to serve me the most delicious (and biggest) cinnamon roll I have ever had. I definitely consider texture to be an important component of food, and this roll hit the spot with its crispy, flaky exterior and soft, doughy interior.
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| dat size tho |
For the main course I ordered some Mexican themed frittata that went a little too heavy on the cheese (I was unable to finish it - too much cheese doesn't agree with me). Would not recommend. However, my friends ordered the whiskey fennel sausage scramble and the blueberry cornmeal pancakes, both of which were delicious (especially the latter - i have a package of blueberries waiting for me in the fridge as we speak, and I plan on trying to replicate the flavor). I should also note here that the portions were enormous and I almost died.
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| I got through maybe half of it... |
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I don't know how this is possible but I was actually hungry for dinner and we headed to San Tung Chinese Restaurant for some Korean-style Chinese food. Though it was only 5 PM we still had to wait a good 20 minutes before we were seated. We placed an order of black bean sauce noodles (jjajangmyun), Korean fried chicken wings (hell yes), mu shu pork, and shrimp and leek dumplings. I was not impressed by the jjajangmyun (I've had better luck ordering from a random place in Seoul) but everything else was delicious, especially the Korean fried chicken. The wings were extremely crispy (if you have been to Crisp in Chicago, these wings are definitely comparable) and the sauce was a perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Amazing.
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| Dumplings |
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| Wingz |
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My first meal the next day was In-N-Out. I know this place gets a lot of hype from native Californians but I guarantee that you will never have a fast food burger better and cheaper than this. Though the menu is simple, you can do pretty much whatever you want with your burger and you can Google "In-N-Out secret menu" to help you with your thought process. I ordered an animal style burger with raw (instead of fried) onions and a side of well-done fries (the regular ones are a bit soggy). I ate all of it in 5 minutes - so delicious. Definitely not bad for $6.
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| how can you say no to that tho |
If you are visiting a state in which In-N-Out is available, try it so you can at least form your own opinion. Whether you agree with me or not, I would say it's definitely an important life experience.
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My last meal was at Usagi in San Mateo. My friend and I were planning on going to Ramen Dojo for their famous ramen but unfortunately they were closed (so was a competitor's restaurant...during the exact same dates. WAS THIS A CONSPIRACY?). My disappointment proved to be ephemeral as Usagi served me with some delicious Japanese curry. This place doesn't seem to be too well known, but definitely worth a try.
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San Francisco is a city with food options comparable to those in New York City or Chicago, but with less than half of the population (fun fact: San Francisco has fewer people than Indianapolis). The temperate weather makes it the perfect place to visit if you are looking for a quick budget getaway, and an even more perfect place in which to live. I have barely touched the surface in terms of exploring all their food options so if you plan on visiting at any point, I would encourage you to continue the legacy.
Restaurants mentioned:
Hog Island Oyster Co
1 Ferry Building
Ferry Building Marketplace
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 391-7117
Dottie's True Blue Cafe
28 6th St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 885-2767
San Tung Chinese Restaurant
1031 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 242-0828
In-N-Out Burger (multiple locations)
(800) 786-1000
Usagi
505 2nd Ave
San Mateo, CA 94401
(650) 373-2600
Places I wanted to go but could not due to time constraints/the finite nature of the human stomach:
Taquerias El Farolito
2779 Mission St
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 824-7877
Ike's Place
3489 16th St
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 553-6888
Ramen Dojo
805 S B St
San Mateo, CA 94401
(650) 401-6568
Go there for me.
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