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Guzzly Gulch
I searched in vain for a landmark or centerpiece that could give its name to this last bastion of the SOMA industrial wasteland stretching from 6th down to the Mission-Potrero. (You know it's bad when the brick furniture forts at Showplace Square are the architectural high point).
But let's be honest: from the dual freeways to the traffic-sewer streets to the mechanics and warehouses, this nabe is San Francisco's offering to the Gods of Happy Motoring (thank you Kunstler). I could name it "Lick Central" after the freeways, but...eww. So Guzzly Gulch it is--I only hope I see the day when it becomes as anachronistic as The Barbary Coast.
So why, you ask, is it far and away my largest list? Well, I just so happen to have the honor of working out here...
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73 Places
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Wes’s 4-star review: The anti-Williams Sonoma. Curious types will find this place worth their while just to get a glimpse of some of the industrial-strength (and I do mean industrial) appliances, many of which run several thousand dollars. Like the 5-gallon electric mixers or rice cookers, or the two-sided sandwich grills that will put your puny George Foreman to shame. Seriously, there's some absurdly large stuff here, right down to the humongo potato masher sticks that are as long as your arm. It's also pretty neat that your fellow shoppers are actually the folks who own the restaurants you eat at. But it's actually a pretty useful source of everyday kitchen gear as well, *especially* bar and glassware, so if you're an aspiring mixologist, make sure to swing by. You'll save a lot of effort and cash. -
Wes’s 4-star review: Sitting on a tiny island of land at the confluence of 8th, 16th, and Wisconsin, Wolfe's cuts a rather iconic figure that was bound to pique my curiosity eventually. From the outside it looks like a burgers & breakfasts throwback, and it is, but it also carries an extensive Asian menu courtesy of the Asian owners. They must do both cuisines decently, as the line of regulars stretching out the door is evenly split between grilled-cheese construction workers and noodle-bowl art students. I decided to try the Chicken Bi Bim Bap special, which is essentially a mix-it-yourself bowl of meat, egg, rice, veggies, and sauce. Aside from my perennial complaint that it needs to be hotter, it makes for some great comfort food. Goes surprisingly well with an old-school mug of bottomless coffee and an SF Weekly, too. Atmosphere is mostly reminiscent of Crockery Cafe, which is to say, there's not much. The ipod-toting teenager who brings the food is a nice touch, though. -
Wes’s 4-star review: For better or for worse, Axis Cafe is the epitome of Soma Chic. Heck, it's almost trendy enough to induce people from other neighborhoods to visit this nether-region voluntarily. The fireplace is a nice touch, but on a day like today the obvious choice was to sit in the huge back courtyard (just like being back in LA). Following the Yelper zeitgeist I tried the buffalo burger, and I don't regret it (the focaccia-esque bun is especially good). Prices aren't too bad either, but portions are awfully small. (Yes, the rectangular plates look cool, but you can't eat them, can you?) The line to order can be a little long, as can the wait for your food, so best not to be in a rush. -
Wes’s 4-star review: Hey, the UCSF campus cafe was good, why not try California College of the Arts? Located right off the open-air entryway, Cafe A2 isn't likely to catch the attention of casual passersby, but we who work in these parts leave no lunch-stone unturned. It's a utilitarian little space, but with nice high ceilings and lots of light. I was excited to see that they actually serve a breakfast menu at lunchtime here (mostly bagels with various types of egg scrambles). I had the chicken & mushroom one--a bit dry but generous portions. Not surprisingly, the clientele is mostly students (and yes, they are that easy to spot--I've never seen so many creatively fashionable jackets in my life). -
Wes’s 4-star review: Cafe Do Mundo is in the lobby of World Gym, and the gym-culture vibe (or LA culture, which is the same thing, really) is very strong. Bright colors, menus that obsess over nutritional content (like the Iron Man Waffle with 28 GRAMS PROTEIN OMG!!!!), and the radio blasting everything from Fatboy Slim to techno covers of Tiny Dancer. I gotta say sitting at the counter is where the action is--Pedro didn't chat me up, but then, he was real busy juggling orders from all the endorphin-tripping, on-the-go patrons. The menu didn't seem all that Brazilian (not that I really know what to expect), but they have plenty of very fresh-looking wraps & salads, a lot of which come with steak (I opted for the vegetarian Amazonia Wrap). I didn't try the Acai shake because, quite simply, it's too small to be a meal, but at $6 it's too expensive to be a supplement to a meal (at least a cheap work lunch, anyway). Oh well. -
Wes’s 3-star review: This place has a very cantina feel, and I think that's the best approach to take: if it's Friday and you got your work done early, head over, get some chips and salsa and start drinking your $2 Coronas. But for an ordinary lunch, it's not that satisfying. I had the fried fish burrito, and Eric C is right: they basically took fish 'n' chips, replaced the chips with rice and beans, and wrapped it inside a tortilla. Granted, it is humongous, but there's no real sauce or flavor in it, just massive carb overload. Drizzling salsa over the end before each bite alleviates the problem somewhat. So yeah, fun, dark atmosphere + merely adequate food = drinking establishment, not lunchtime favorite. -
Wes’s 4-star review: This completes my tour of all the office-cafeteria eateries in the design district (I hope). Veloce is probably the most notable of them for a few reasons. First, the decor: the eating area is typical design center (boring, pink-beige atrium), but the kitchen and ordering area is tucked back in this hot, claustrophobic little room that looks like it predates the rest of the building, like a leftover piece of a greasy-spoon diner that they accidentally unearthed one day while expanding the showroom (and PS, it's really too bad you can't just eat on the model furniture). But what makes Veloce truly rise above its Showplace Square brethren is the food. I don't know what kind of ancient culinary magic resides in that relic of a kitchen, but they turned out one of the best garden burgers I've ever had. Sizzling and dripping with flavor, served on a perfect foccacia-like roll, plus great salsa/ketchup and mustard. The menu is pretty extensive all around, including lots of daily specials like seafood pasta (which seems to be real popular). -
Wes’s 3-star review: This is the first entry in my "Potrero Center" food trilogy--it's a dirty job but somebody's got to Yelp it. And besides, it's too close to my office to ignore forever. First up: I Luv Teriyaki & Sushi, tucked away on the Potrero Ave side. So am I supposed to order teriyaki or sushi? Well, when in doubt, don't order sushi. Besides, strip-mall teriyaki brings back some good high-school memories. On a hot day, this place is baking inside, but the staff was friendly enough, and the layout of the place actually has a bit of pep. Now, I like my teriyaki like a double ice cream cone: a big scoop of meat over an even bigger scoop of rice (with enough sauce to soak well into the rice--but that's really more of a snowcone metaphor) . So I was disappointed when it arrived in a rather shoddily-arranged bento box, and with a less-than-generous serving of rice. The meat itself was ok, but nothing spectacular. Who knows, maybe sushi is their specialty after all? One thing's for sure: I really need to figure out where the quality teriyaki is in this town. -
Wes’s 4-star review: Peet's stop #4. This Peet's is essentially the museum cafe for the San Francisco Museum of Suburbia, AKA the Potrero Center. Seriously, I can't think of a better example of a strip-mall in the city: they've got Ross, McDonald's, Blockbuster, even a Boston Market. So as you can imagine, Peet's is the only place I'm likely to review here (I have been shopping at Old Navy, but...nah). Anyway, not only does this Peet's front onto a parking lot, from the street it looks like it's actually part of Safeway. But no, it's a real stand-alone Peet's, and a decently designed one at that. There was a surprising amount of neighborhood-y chit-chat and bustle going on inside, too. Plus, kudos for having a patio out front, carved out from the parking lot thanks to some potted plants. In true strip-mall fashion, it's shared with Jamba Juice, Noah's, and...Radio Shack. I decided it was time to test out Peet's Chai Latte. The result? They got the basics right by not overdoing the chai flavor or the sugar. But my quest for the perfect chai latte is still unfulfilled. Also, this was my first morning getting caught in the rain on my bike, so bonus points to Peet's for getting the sun to come out while I finished my latte. And I was even able to see my bike from the window, and ward off all the would-be bike thieves (whoever they are) with my paranoid glare. White-haired old Asian guy, I'm looking at you. And you, lady with the baby stroller: keep walking...keep walking. -
Wes’s 4-star review: And now for the long-overdue final installment in my Potrero Center trilogy. I was probably looking forward to Jade Cafe the least, but I was pleasantly surprised. The Kung Pao Tofu truly is a marvel of budget dining--large, hot, cheap, yet still cooked like they mean it. This puts them in at least the same league as other, closer lunch spots like Chow's or Fanny's. But then, maybe I'll wait to come back until the P-Center has been transformed into the mixed-use TOD it so desperately ought to be (yeah, it's a long wait, but I'll manage).
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Wes’s 3-star review: Part 2 of the Potrero Center Trilogy. Being across the street from, rather than inside, the strip mall, Mikado has nominally more atmosphere than I Luv Teriyaki & Sushi, but it's still very much a suburban/SoCal experience. Now since their name mentions *only* sushi, I deemed it safe to actually try some rolls here, and I have to say, the Half Moon Bay roll ain't Half Moon Bad (fried fish and lychee, together at last!). Nevertheless--maybe it's the location, maybe it's the 1 star reviews by (ultimate sushi snob) Nobu K, but I'll always see both Mikado & ILTS as being on the cheap, journeyman side of the sushi spectrum. Trouble is, the prices at Mikado take themselves a little too seriously for that. -
Wes’s 5-star review: Moving to SF from LA has necessitated the purchase of many jackets: 1) The crisp-afternoon-stroll brown suede 2) The freezing night-on-the-town black wool peacoat 3) The Saturday morning pre-shower milk/donut/coffee run eurosexual track jacket And of course a full complement of fleeces. But as a born-and-bred Pacific Northwesterner, for me there is still one jacket to rule them all: the this-is-a-storm?-I-hadn't-noticed-cuz-I'm-wearing-a Columbia Titanium. It's the height of Seattle fashion;) Sure, unless you're off to the Farallones, such a jacket is usually overkill in these parts, but old desires die hard, and long have I drooled over the $250 specimens at REI, waiting for a sale which would never come. Then one day I got an email that Sports Basement was offering all FUF members 20% off everything through the end of December. So I figured why not check it out. Now I'm kicking myself for not discovering this place sooner: it's just like REI (right down to the historic brick trappings), only a) Cheaper (Titanium Bloodfire Parkas for $165, score!) b) Indier & Local-er (it's a Bay Area native with only 4 locations, there's tons of pamphlets for local eco/recration groups, and did I mention handing out coupons to said groups?!?) c) Service-ier (Way easier to find someone to help you, and their quirkiness is only manifested in helpful ways, not annoying ones. Example: having free hot cider when you walk in) d) Bigger (Hard to believe, but it's true! Don't forget the hidden floor below the main one. It's accessible by elevator only). Needless to say, I got my jacket here. If you're a Bay Area recreationist of any sort and you haven't been to Sports Basement, you are MISSING OUT! -
Wes’s 3-star review: Another fun field trip to someone else's office cafeteria. Why am I so addicted to seeing the inside of every possible building in SF? I guess that's also why I love open houses so much. Anyway, the most striking feature is the enormous atrium, which definitely gives me office jealousy--but then, this *is* the design center. How big is it? Well, my coworker (who actually grew up in SF--lucky bastard) had his prom here. So what's the catch? First, the selection is really small: you've basically got a few sandwiches, a few salads, and a daily special. I had the 3-salad combo, which was good and more filling than it looks (thanks to the guac salad), but (and this brings us to the second catch) too pricey: between the salad, an ice tea, and a supplementary muffin it came to 12 bucks. Of course, they're not exactly trying to get public patronage here--from the street, there's no indication at all that there's a cafe. Which of course, is part of the fun--but there's not much to lure me back for a return visit. -
Wes’s 5-star review: Finally, the proverbial Showplace Square "good lunch spot". (The moral of the story? Always listen to the Cootz.) Buon Giorno may not have standout prices, portions, or even tastiness, but I love the erratic layout: the brick front room with the conservatory-esque slanted windows, the ordering area in the basement, and the obligatory hallway to yet more furniture showrooms. Plus the counter lady is one of the sweetest around. Throw in 10 varieties of not-too-greasy Paninis (truly the ultimate lunch cuisine) and the butteriest Chai you ever tasted, and you've got a real haven from the pervasive mediocrity (food-wise and ambience-wise) of this neighborhood. -
Wes’s 4-star review: You might remember this block from that time you went to Mighty (I'm pretty sure it's the door next to Chow's, but I've never been and there's no sign, so...anybody?). Otherwise you'd never come through here in a million years. Yet those of us who work in Showplace Square can sniff out food in even the most unlikely of places, such is our desperation. Here's the rundown: prices are as dirt-cheap as Fanny's, and I was prepared for some dismally gooey food, but it was actually pretty fresh, though not in very big portions. Also, it'd be nice if there were more than a mere 3 vegetarian dishes. Atmosphere is...existent? (They have an *upstairs*, and walls with an actual color scheme--not bad by Asian dive standards). -
Wes’s 4-star review: The very existence of this place is pretty awesome, as is its authentically British owner and charming setting, and a visit here is certainly a must for anyone who's ever come back from the UK and found it awfully hard to readjust to life without their daily cup of tea. However, I simply can't give it 5 stars, because in our cosmopolitan city you can already find Colman's Mustard, Wilkin & Son's Jam, HP Brown Sauce, Twining's Tea, Clotted Cream, and crumpets fairly easily, and definitely at cheaper prices. Now finding Fairy Soap, or a equally large selection of teapots, might be harder. But blimey, you'd have to be a rich old codger to shop here all the time. Also, a suggestion for luring in more carb-crazy San Franciscans: carry some freshly baked scones! After all, how can you have a proper teatime without that? -
Wes’s 5-star review: I'm curious to see what happens to Crockery Cafe as the gentrification of this area progresses. Sure, all the guys working on 888 7th come in here now, but what about when it's done and all the yuppies have moved in? I can only hope there's a few among them who appreciate working-class food and working-class prices. Or even just some ILH (irony-loving hipsters--I'm just going to start abbreviating it from now on). I mean, hey, they have a 27" TV (a CRT, mind you) in the uber-bland dining area playing soap operas. What more could you want? I had to go with the turkey sandwich which launched a thousand comments of "quantity over quality" (not to mention apocryphal tryptophan references). Yes, it is an insane amount of turkey, but it's really good too, especially thanks to the dark meat and cranberry sauce. Plus, it actually stays intact as long as you keep the paper wrap on. And they have dutch crunch! I saw a damn good looking grilled ham and cheese too, and I'm itching to try breakfast sometime (only served till 10:45 though). Right up there with Patisserie Philippe as a workday lunch favorite. -
Wes’s 3-star review: Pazzo is here mostly to feed the office-lunch crowd, so by SF foodie standards the food's not that great (at least, my Asian Chicken Salad was unmemorable). Still, its location in the bright and airy lobby of the Design Center is pretty neat,and if you sit at the shaded sidewalk tables on a sunny day, it's just like an al fresco lunch in SoCal. Not bad for an ugly industrial district. Agreed that this place experiences a major 12:00 rush, so come early or late. -
Wes’s 4-star review: Mi Lindo Yucatan in Noe is closed, but you can still get your Mayan fix at the 15th & Valencia location...or at two other Yucatecan restaurants curiously close by, including Poc Chuc, which has generated an impressive amount of Yelp traffic for being at the far (and otherwise deserted) corner of Van Ness and 16th. Perhaps it's just as well that the casual-but-glossy red-and-green dining room has virtually no windows. And that we came here on the first day of rain asking for no more (and no less) than a warm and exotically hearty lunch. In the food department they certainly didn't disappoint, though I had a hard time telling it apart from Mi Lindo (especially their Platillo Maya sampler of fried goodies). The true highlight was the rustic yet elegant Pollo Pibil, an extremely juicy and sweet braised chicken thigh that you can cut up onto tortillas with black bean puree and rice. I'd come back for that any day. -
Wes’s 4-star review: Walzwerk was one of the more stereotypical SF dining experiences I've had in a while: a tiny place on a mostly non-commercial block serving obscure cuisine that attracts far more people than it can serve. With 4 people you can make a reservation, which turned out to be a good call for Friday night. Even so, we could only get one for 8:00, so I was mighty hungry already, and while we were seated fairly quickly, I think there was a mix-up because they didn't take our order for like 20 minutes. Or maybe the kitchen was backed up? Even so, they should have taken our drink orders, that at least would have helped me from going into a low-blood-sugar coma. But all was forgiven when the food finally came. This is comfort cuisine of the highest order, and is quite reminiscent of classic Americana dishes. Like spaetzle, probably the best incarnation ever of mac & cheese. Or the mushroom-gravy goodness of the jager schnitzel. Or the stuffed chicken with cherries and the most mouth-watering mashed potatoes. Equally mind-blowing are the drinks. I tried the Diesel (half beer half coke), and, considering it sounds like it'd be gross, it's amazingly good. I think I'll have to start offering it at cocktail parties. Unfortunately, the slow service didn't leave us with time for dessert, which is too bad because I was really curious about the "cold dog". So Walwerk may not be the most convenient place to eat in town, but with German your options are pretty limited, and the food here is easily worth it. And at least it's easier to get a table here than at Suppenkuche (where you need 6 to get a reservation and multi-hour waits are the norm on weekends).
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Wes’s 3-star review: I guess your impression of FoodsCo will depend on which grocery store you're comparing it to. As a warehouse-sized wonderland of postwar consumer-era industrial foods (creepy that I'm already starting to think of these places of museums as much as stores), it beats out just about every Safeway in the city for selection (with perhaps a few exceptions on the gourmet end--there's hardly any yuppie beer here, for instance). If you're comparing it to its next-door neighbor Rainbow, however... well that depends which side of the class war you're on. So to clarify my own firmly entrenched post-industrial foodie stance: yes, it's absurd that today one has to earn more in order to consume less (at least in the sense of raw energy inputs). But remember, all those Rainbow shoppers who spend 20% of their ample disposable income on natural food, when they could be spending 10% of it on industrial food and buying more needless crap, are an ally to the lower class because they're challenging the very "material quantity over intangible quality" paradigm that has kicked the class war into overdrive over the recent decades. In other words, you'll never solve the problem of poverty until you solve the problem of wealth. Which is why you'll find me across the street from here, desperately trying to redistribute my own. Of course, if you just take FoodsCo with no context whatsoever, it's a pretty ordinary grocery store:)
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Wes’s 4-star review: Gallardo's wins the award for most ill-placed sign ever...right behind a big huge tree. I biked through 14th & Folsom every day and never even noticed there was a restaurant here. But when you do go inside, you find a surprisingly large space decorated mostly with pictures from the Mexican silver screen (not too shabby). I don't know of any "signature" dish here, but they did have a nopalitos con huevos burrito, and I've been meaning to try something with cactus for a long time, so I got it. It was huge, but amazingly, it was gone before I knew it and I didn't even feel that stuffed, but when something's tasty and vegetarian, what do you expect? In short, not a destination dive but a rock-solid option if you're in this (rather food-sparse) part of town. -
Wes’s 3-star review: For trendy times...make it Suntory times. I think it's safe to say that Nihon lived up to both my hopes and my fears. The pros? Over 200 whiskeys to choose from, incredibly groovy decor (white-pebble floor with matching columns, translucent 70's leopard-esque siding on the bar), and generally trendy as hell, right down to the Suntory and Green Tea Liquor cocktails (mmmmm). The cons? Waaay pricey (expect to pay at least $12 a drink), bartender was a little awkward with us (perhaps we weren't dressed quite right?), the usual too-loud-and-uptempo DJ, and generally trendy as hell, right down to the patrons. Are they hipsters? Yuppies? Dedicated followers of fashion? Either way, they're spending money like water, especially since most of them are loading up on the chic food plates (we stuck to the drinks). One things for sure: none of them stumbled in here by accident. At 14th and Folsom, Nihon could exist only as a deliberate destination. Anyway, it's easy to be harsh, but truthfully there's a lot of people that would find Nihon to be exactly what they were looking for. Hell, I'd be one of them if they would dial down the exclusivity just a bit. Even so, if I was already having a fancy dinner at Chez Spencer, why not follow it up with cocktails here? So, yes, I feel a little bad about sticking to only 3 stars, but if it's good enough for Nobu K, it's good enough for me. -
Wes’s 5-star review: Wow. This is the grocery store I've been looking for (or as close to it as one can realistically expect). Where to begin? First, it's huge and has parking. Great produce section, naturally. A very impressive health and beauty section that I wasn't even expecting. Cheese selection is a bit small but is certainly adequate. But by far the most impressive section is the bins and bins (and bins) of dried fruits, nuts, cereals, flours, sugars, pastas, spices, teas, etc etc. A particular highlight: pumpkin granola. Mmm.... I pretty much had to get out of that part of the store quick or risk my head exploding. Indeed, there was so much neat stuff here that I was tempted to spend the whole {day, contents of my wallet} here. One thing's for sure: I will definitely be coming back here. A note on the bins: they all have a 4-digit number on them, which you have to write on the tie of each bag you get. I learned this the hard way. Overall, what makes this store so great is that it competes directly with the big fancy groceries (Andronico's, Tower Market, Whole Foods), but instead of going the glossy, upscale route, they give it a very utilitarian aesthetic (it's a worker's co-op after all), which makes shopping here cheaper and means you're not among the hordes of rich bastards. *BUT*, this can be a double-edged sword; I am not surprised by the reviews complaining about getting attitude from the patrons and/or employees here. While my experience was perfectly pleasant, you can definitely sense a bit of eco-militancy in the air. Nevertheless, I suppose a store that stocks everything but pretension or attitude is a tall order indeed, so I'll stick with 5 stars. -
Wes’s 4-star review: Right in the midst of the perennial 101-bound traffic jam, somebody had the genius idea of Java Detour. Someday when the age of the auto is over, this could make a great little museum (with coffee shop, of course) about the commuting life. But in the meantime, I hate to think that even the car-slaves are having more fun than me, so I decided to come over for some bike-thru coffee. They're certainly as friendly as the other Yelpers claim, but I wasn't particularly impressed by my latte. Oh, and it turns out you can't drink coffee on a bike (and no, there's nowhere to sit). So instead I explored around and found quite a few interesting Soma curios, like a wholesale bakery, a wholesale coffee company, a "chocolate factory"...hmm, quite the little snack district they have going on down here. -
Wes’s 4-star review: Say what you like about SoCal (and I like to say a lot), at least there's plenty of cheap labor. Combine that with the high demand for shiny cars and the aversion to getting hands dirty, and you get a veritable wonderland of cheap, full-service car washes. Up here they're a little harder to find, and when you do find them, they're expensive (but that's ok, since I pretty much only wash the car when the parents are coming to town). I only know of two places in the city: Tower and Divisadero Touchless. Someday I will try Divisadero, but for now this place has been satisfactory enough. For some reason it's always sunny and 75 when I come here, the store inside is big and bright, and they have these (dare I say) Parisian cafe tables where you can sip a latte from their espresso stand and watch them clean your car...oddly satisfying. Oh, and of course the free Chronicle...gimmicky, but I fall for it every time. Now if only it was 10 bucks instead of 20...but that's a small price to pay for living in NorCal. -
Wes’s 5-star review: If we MUST have factories in SOMA, then I say let them be chocolate factories. No, they don't have golden tickets or oompa-loompas here, but they do make the chocolate on-site (take heart all you mourners of Scharffen Berger and Joseph Schmidt--locally made chocolate is alive and well!). They get 5 stars alone for the genius of "Tea Lover's Chocolate", a trio of tins with chocolate wafers designed to be paired with tea--white chocolate for green tea, milk chocolate for chai, and dark chocolate for black tea. Having done the tasting myself, they're definitely onto something. There's also 6 kinds of "Wine Lover's Chocolate", which I'll have to come back for sometime. The only downside is that they don't really make any truffles--this is pretty much a solid chocolate only operation. Still, that makes it an ideal stop for the analytical chocoholic who wants to geek out over subtleties of flavor--the friendly staff will be more than willing to chat you up and help you find the perfect variety for any occasion. -
Wes’s 5-star review: There are plenty of diamonds in the SOMA rough, to be sure, but they tend to be uber-divey or inconveniently wholesale-centric or some such. So to see a large, gaudy, almost suburban Thai restaurant just chillin' at 12th & Folsom was a surprise. You sure don't get a lot of casual passersby here, so there must be something that keeps them in business, right? And sure enough, Manora's food launches it into the rarefied realm of top-tier SF Thai, along with a few others like Ploy II (and to think there was a time when I doubted the existence of any good Thai in the city). Now, Pad Thai and I got off on the wrong foot a long time ago, and I've rarely ordered it since, but I took another crack at it based on the Yelp-omendations. I can easily say it's the best Pad Thai I've ever had, so consider me back in the habit. Their lunch combo plates are a great deal too, and come with some lemon-chicken soup that you absolutely must try. All in all, quite the beacon in the wasteland, and you can even follow up your meal with a bite from the chocolate factory next door. -
Wes’s 4-star review: Every barbecue's gotta have an owner, be it Johnson, Lilly, Uncle Frank...in this case it's Big Nate, who, it turns out, is not only real, but an NBA hall-of-famer from the Wilt Chamberlain era--you know, when the Warriors were the San Francisco Warriors? Those were the days. (Ok, to be honest, I'm just talking out of Wikipedia here). Big Nate's doesn't come very highly recommended on Yelp, but BBQ options are few in this town, and it happens to be located on my commute home. So I can just stop in, fill up my Chrome bag with 'cue for a cool 50 bucks (be sure to wrap it in an extra plastic bag if you do this!), and I'm on my way. But is it good? Therein lies the (dry) rub. It's pretty average on the tasty scale--satisfactory but not stellar. Sauce portions are nice and generous, and the memphis pork is a must. But the side portions are puny, and generally lackluster (avoid the corn muffins especially). As the rules of BBQ dictate that "there can be only one", that one is still Johnson's, out-of-the-way location notwithstanding. -
Wes’s 5-star review: Another adventure in wholesale land. Ultimate Cookie is, in fact, not famous for its cookies but its pumpkin cream cheese muffins and apricot oat cakes. But as they only sell them by the dozen (and you have to call ahead), I had to wait until I had a good excuse (in this case, Bay to Breakers). The verdict? The muffins are super-moist and taste just as good as they sound (and to me, they sound incredibly good). The oat cakes aren't nearly as sinfully appealing, but they pack enough oats to power a horse, and following Jen D's suggestion (heating, buttering, and jamming) will turn them into a drool-worthy delight as well. And hey, if you really don't want to wait, you could always just buy 12, eat 3, and surprise your 9 coworkers with fresh-baked goodness one morning.
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