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Food Porn Friday

Food Porn Friday | San Francisco Eats | Part II

Did somebody say freshly shucked, sweet succulent oysters at $1 a piece?

Pop open a crisp bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and seat me right in front of the bar honey!

Waterbar

399 The Embarcadero South | San Francisco, CA 94105  | (415) 284-9922
Oman I could literally LIVE at Waterbar every day from 11:30am- 6pm (the longest running Happy Hour I’ve discovered to date) downing a few easy dozens by the time my belly is happy and full. Never mind that their brunch-in-a-glass Bloody mary’s complete with cocktail shrimp, bacon, and all the fixins’, I’m here for the oysters baby. And maybe some bread on the side to keep the billet at bay ;D Unless I’m really splurging, here’s what’s on the menu today:
Beer Battered Cod: Anchor Steam, steak fries, with hot sauce aioli
They offered this specialty on the house after seeing 10 wagging tongues practically drool over the dish as one after another left the counter of their expedition kitchen. It was either that or succumb to second-hand saliva all up on their grill. Either way, the piping hot cod was crunchy and sweet with a perfect mix of crispy pear slaw on the side. The batter to fish ratio was slightly askew but I really didn’t mind the 60/40 split since the coating was clearly the star.
Grilled calamari with dirty rice
Calamari…eh. Rice…a roni?? Yup, like it came from a box dude. Next!
Salmon Tartare with crispy corn croquette
This little burnt ball might not look like the most appetizing component to this dish but they could have nixed the fish all together and I would have been one happy camper. So happy in fact I wanted to order these crunchy, chewy, cheesy corn balls by the dozen and call it a day! Very similar in texture to Brazilian cheese balls but with a creamy fritter center…friggin’ AMAZE!
Roasted Plum salad with watercress and goat cheese
What the first days of autumn should taste like. The tangy earthiness of the roasted plum was equal parts sophisticated and simple. The fragrant layers of their vinaigrette reduction really complemented the natural flavors of fresh, ripe plum. Such a simple concept heightened by the fattiness of the goat cheese and tempered with the bitterness of the salad and radicchio.
I could drench every piece of seafood in their citrus mignonette, practically soaking all 25+ varieties of oysters in their half shell before switching over to these juicy clams
Which, for the most part, were naturally sweet with a tinge of sea salt; however inconsistent with a two-dozen order. My first bite was so pungent I couldn’t even deign to scarf another one down. Although the rest of my party LOVED theirs…like I said, inconsistent.

If seafood’s not your thing, how’s about some SoMa action with the best looking beauties in San Francisco at:

Twenty Five Lusk

25 Lusk Street  | San Francisco, CA 94107   (415) 495-Lusk

The Vibe

25 Lusk totally reminds me of a hip downtown joint in the Meatpacking district of NYC. Brick and timber interior with a gorgeous glowing staircase separating the bi-level venue that used to serve as a smokehouse facility. I love it when old buildings preserve an industrial grunge aesthetic but updated to reflect modern-day times. Like a Jetsons-meets-Flintstones kinda feel with exposed brick walls, slate flooring, timber beams, glass and chrome fittings, and even a floating stainless steel fireplace in the middle of a space-age lounge. You step into a restaurant like this and can almost expect the cuisine to follow suit.

On the Menu | MUST ORDER

Chicken fried quail with maitake mushroom pancakes and bing cherry reduction
I’m so over the upscale chicken-and-waffles thing…every new hip eatery in SoCal’s done some version of it or another. Chicken fried quail is relatively new to me, but totally on par with what’s trending in haute cuisine today. Even though the sauce overpowered the plate and left cherry residue all over the super soaked pancakes, I quite enjoyed the crispity crunchity skin of the perfectly cooked quail when dipped in the reduction. Although my one gripe would be that it lacked some spice. Like majorly. Nothing a little sriracha can’t fix but who asks for hot sauce in a venue like this, right?
Parmesan fries with brown butter bernaise
French fries and alcohol. ‘Nuff said.
Grilled octopus salad with olives, red onion, mizuna, and verbena garlic vinaigrette
Once you’ve had Michael Voltaggio’s Ink, there is simply no comparable comparison. Although this single tentacle could have satiated a party of 2, there’s no splitting this baby amongst 10+. Some get the body, others get the tail, but what we all got was the salted, smoky char left of the ridges of the octopus. A solid A for effort.
And here’s what MISSED:
Storm Hill Filet Carpaccio with celeriac and apple choucroute, coriander, and huckleberries
The texture of the carpaccio was TOTALLY off. Where I expect my meat tender but not totally beaten, the lanky slices of raw filet tasted like a pile of soy mush rather than a refined sliver of expensive steak. I like my carpaccio paper-thin, translucent, and topped with some zest of citrus. This plate failed on so many levels I didn’t even finish my piece.
Seared Diver Scallop with prosciutto di parma, snow peas, quail egg, and lemon butter
Green eggs and ham for the hoity-toity bunch. This dish was DYING for some texture since it was a mish-mash of sodden layers. An unusual hierarchy of chewy egg plus rubbery prosciutto and hidden scallop atop wilted greens. I’m sorry Chef, I just don’t get it. Or I get it completely and I just don’t like it.

The Verdict

Don’t get me wrong guys; my experience at 25 Lusk was saved by the stellar interior. The perfect place south of market to meet your gals for a night of drinking, dining, and dishing. Seems the prettiest peeps in SF share the same sentiment since just about every single patron looks like they stepped out of a Dos Equis commercial. And really, have you ever spotted someone eating in those things?? Didn’t think so. Come for the vibe, leave with a buzz. Seriously the PERFECT spot for singles ready to mingle, you can quote me on that!
That’s it for San Francisco treats and eats y’all!
Any other bay area MUSTS that I simply HAVE to try???
Would love your recommendations for my future trips!
Until then, hope you all have an AMAZING weekend!
Thanks for reading! 
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11 Comments

  6. Beckerman Girls Reply

    WOWOW- looks like you have been havin a blast! We used to live in San Fran and we loved going down to Fishermans Wharf and going to the Ghiradelli chocolate factory!!!!! YUMMMMMMMMM and trying all the chocolates!!!!! Happy Sunday beautiful!
    kisses
    xoThe Beckerman Girls

    http://www.BeckermanBitePlate.com

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