Showing posts with label Budino. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Budino. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Delfina

Delfina is a gem of a place in the Mission district in San Francisco.  I made a visit for dinner last week to catch up with a local friend.  Here is a pic of the place from their website.


It's a bit of funny story actually...

It starts with my love of Tartine Bakery.  I try to get a chocolate eclair every time I visit.  It's a must because it's sooo good.  Back in October, I had the same plan...stop by Tartine before my departure flight.  I had stayed over the weekend after a business trip. My sis and my bestie came in as well, and we made a trip to Sonoma.  Anyways, we all went eagerly to Tartine and bought a butt load of goodies for the plane ride.  We were super hungry and wanted to grab a lunch too.  Tartine is packed and no where to sit, so we go to the next door pizza place that looked great.  We got a table outside and proceeded to order our pizzas and salads.  While waiting for our food, I decided I want to take a bite out of my chocolate eclair.  So, I take it out of the bag and ready to take a bite...but wait...who comes to our table but a snooty, pseudo intelligent, tall stick figure of a woman.  I get scolded like a child that I can't bring in outside food to their restaurant.  I'm like what?  I'm just taking a bite!  We already ordered our food I tell her but she said no. I say...we are already outside because that is where we are sitting!  Still no.  I put the eclair back in the box.  We sit just waiting for our pizza order but I am fuming!  How dare she?  There is no way, I will not enjoy that pizza or lunch there.  I tell my sis and bestie that I need leave.  They can eat if they want but I'm not!  They agree...so we get up.  I tell her to *%$@#!&. No I didn't.  :)  I just said we will take our business elsewhere.  I left a $2 tip because we had water.  My sis and bestie said why but it was a point...and it wasn't our waitress' fault.   We ended up back Tartine, waited for a table, got croque monsieurs, cookies, and ate the damn good eclair.

Back to the story, my friend said she tried this great new restaurant over the weekend and wanted to eat there again, it was  a place called Delfina.  Got great reviews, 2010 best restaurant. I was game!  I thought the name it sounded familiar but knew I hadn't been there before.  We left her place, plugged address into the GPS and it takes us to Mission district, looks familiar, I see Tartine. I point it out to Heather because she's not been there and I've been raving.  We park finally and walk to the address.  We get there...well...it's next door to Tartine Bakery.   :)  It was the same pizza place but the restaurant part of the place.  I looked around, no snooty tall stick figure of a woman. Actually they were really nice, I loved the vibe of the place, hustling and bustling.  Great place. Food was amazing!


Blood Orange Avocado Fennel Salad


Budino with Salted Caramel Ice Cream
This is one of the best budino's I've had.  Not quite in a pudding form but almost like a souffle.

We also each had their basic spaghetti.  It was great...no Scarpetta but good!


http://delfinasf.com/restaurant/

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Serious Pie with Not so Serious Friends

Serious Pie by Tom Douglas is the local Seattle pizza place.  This is not your traditional pizza, nor is it the true Neapolitan pizza.  It's in a world of it's own.  First off, it's oval and signal serving pie.  It also has great mix of toppings and unique flavors.  My favorite is the crust.  It's soooo good!  Chewy but buttery, smokey and crispy...so good.  I've been told by a local Italian restaurant owner that their pie has butter in the dough and that it's not traditional.  Well, it's good to me and I guess it is serious pie business.

I recently went there with my global friends from work and also with some close friends for my bday.    

They not only have great pizzas, but everything from drinks, to the salads, to the heavenly desserts are divine.

They serve Mexican Coke.  The main difference is that real sugar was used vs. corn syrup to sweeten.

The starters are simple and rustic.  
tuscan kale, pine nuts, calabria peppers, parmesan
ham hock, last summer's corn, parsley
baby lettuces, radish, moscatel vinaigrette  

The Pizzas
No matter how many fancy toppings, my favorite pizza is still the Margareta.  The tang of tomatoes, creaminess of the buffalo cheese, and fresh basil, and the olive oil that drizzles is still the best.

buffalo mozzarella, san marzano tomato
yellowfoot chanterelles, truffle cheese 


 sweet fennel sausage, roasted peppers, provolone

special of the night...blue cheese, apple, thyme, and some kind of cheese


The Sweets
My favorite is the below.  I had it the first time and then again on my bday.  It even inspired me to make my own.  The nice touch is the sea salt and alittle drizzle of very grassy olive oil. 
chocolate budino, sea salt


earl grey panna cotta, blood orange syrup
cannoli, sour cherry, dark chocolate 
Since it was my bday, I go my own budino and as you can see, none was wasted.....I was sooooo happy! Good food and great friends, nothing can be better....cheers!

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