Nihon - neighbourhood spot du jour

Ok, as some of you may know I have lived in Japan, attempt to speak the language and am now working for a Japanese company. In addition I live in SOMA so, with all this going for me, surely Nihon should be my favorite local hangout in the city. Well, it comes pretty close. Walking distance from where I live this little funky bar restaurant prides itself as a top notch Izakaya (drinking establishment that also serves food) that boasts a vast selection of single malt, apparently the largest on the west coast. Not being a whiskey drinker despite persisent attempts by the bargirl to convert me, this place rocks. At the weekend DJ's, like my new friend Label, spin to help the sake go down smoothly, late night or after work check out Nihon for a good time. She will love in you in the morning too!

To Citizen Cake or not to Citizen Cake

Locals seem to be split down the middle on little ol' Citizen Cake. If you are going here to get blown away by the food, then you need to recalibrate expectations. On the other hand if you are looking for a good for groups brunch spot at the weekend then this should be on the short list. We hit it last week with some visiting friends from NYC and eventually got our group table. The service was a little spacey but the food was solid brunch fare, my fish tacos went down very well chased by a super spicey Bloody Mary. (Side thought, why not give the bloody mary a look during the week, why does it have to get stuck as a brunch cocktail!). So there you go, it's time to make your own decision. (chef Elizabeth Faulkner also has Orson in SOMA which is on the list to check out)

Maverick - a Mission gem

This review is dedicated to the delightful Miss M. Yes, Rach, Maverick is one of the places to check out among the SF scene. I have to credit my first experience here to Daryl and his delightful wife way back when on a short stop visit. Well I rediscovered it up here again as a local, mainly because it seemed to hit everyones "must check out" list. Without knowing where to find it, you might easily miss this spot but it is worth finding. Michael Pearce is a wine guru and obsessed with delivering exciting new american fare sourced from only the freshest local ingredients. Popular starters are the Beet salad and the Crab Fluffs, after that Fried Chicken is a good one to go for. No, Cynthias but for SF it certainly tops Front Porch for original southern fare.

Foreign Cinema

This is the restaurant that made me move to this finely feathered city. Back in oh, 2008, I walked down the tea light lined corridor that leads you in from the unsuspecting entrance on Mission St. It opens up into a magical outdoor garden with a giant wall at the back where classic, often quirky, black and white movies are screened. The food and cocktails are always inspiring but the real reason to come here is the ambiance. Whether you choose a table outside or one in the expansive indoor dining room, you can't help feeling that you have just discovered THE hot spot in town and are already thinking about who you are going to bring here next. This is an SF Classic and should be test driven immediately. (Foreign Cinema)

A day out in Sausalito - Horizon

The joy of living in SF is that on a sunny day you can drive across the bridge in no time for a change of scenery. This is what we did last weekend, first stop Sausalito. We scored major parking right on the main road by the water and then started to survey the menus of the ocean front establishments. After some exit polling, we decided that Horizons was going to be our best bet. Easter Sunday, I was fancying a nice roast which they had on the menu, coupled with an unparalleled deck with gasp worthy views back at the city. I had the Lamb roast special and Jaime had the Crab Louis. Washed down with a healthy dosage of mimosas, the meal was splendid. Foranyone who is new to the city or visiting, this is a great day out. After lunch go for a stroll along the waterfront which are lined with gallery upon gallery and a couple of killer ice cream shops.

Bourbon and Branch

So officially this is a blog about food but what is food without drinks right? With that totally legit justification I am going to offer some quick comments on the underground overground Bourbon and Branch. If you are looking for a hot spot to take a bird (English for girl and always meant with respect), then look no further. Similar to downtown NYC's speak easy's, you have to book a table and are given a password to gain entry. No standing anywhere and no cellphones (I did text but noone seemed to mind). It is VERY dark when you enter but ones the eyes adjust it feels like you just hit a backstreet New Orleans classic. Ian the barman surprised us with a couple of expertly shaken cocktails in addition to some from the varied cocktail list. It's a treat at Bourbon and Branch, the bar seats are very comfortable too so what are waiting for, put it on your to go list!

Salt House

Ok, so I am clearly WAY behind with my food blogging activities, not least because last night was actually the 4th time I have had the pleasure to dine at Salt House. Originally recommended by my good friend Nancy before even moving here, this place never ceases to delight the taste buds with solid dishes like the Crispy Shrimp and a groovy atmosphere. The Rosenthal brothers who are behind Salt House which opened in 2006, also brought us Townhall. For the not so new venture they teamed up with Doug Washington who really delivers on his promise of "dinner party" atmospshere and service. A great place to meet people after work for a drink, with apps also available at the high table but best enjoyed with some fine wine at one of the tables. Last night we bumped into a couple of self confessed cougars, Leanna and Monique who were visiting from Canada, it had been recommended to them and now I am recommending it to you! Get your Salt fix soon.

A big Phan - Out the door and Heaven's Dog

So Sundays are not usually a day for restaurant exploration but today turned up a double dosage of Phan favourites. Starting at lunchtime it was off to the delightful Westfield mall basement food court. Not a typical mall foodcourt by any stretch of the imagination, this one delivers some healthy bites from food forward stalls including Out the Door, the offshoot of the famous Slanted Door on the Emabarcadero. It caters to take out and dine in with friendly staff to greet you. We went light with the Vermicelli Chicken, tasty lunchtime fare. Check it out after a hard morning's shopping, pulled pork sandwich also recommended.

This evening after Yoga we spied dumplings being made through a glass storefront on Mission. The place was called Heaven's Dog - and as we soon discovered is the latest arrival from Mr Phan. Interesting decor and well attended, encouraging for the new Soma revival. Shanghai dumplings were pretty daodi (authentic). Good for groups and with a bar area at the front. We were looked after by the gorgeous Ashley, who no doubt will be soon signed as a model in NYC, ie another reason to check out Heaven's Door!