Ike's Place: Menage a Trois

#100 Menage a Trois at Ike's Place
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die in SF 2011
Castro

There's a reason why this place always has a long line. The sandwiches are the bomb (do people still say that)!? Well, in this case I will. The Menage a Trois is one of over what seems like a million sandwiches. It's filled with halal chicken, real honey, honey mustard, bbq sauce, pepper jack, swiss and cheddar. Who would have thought to pull all of that in one sandwich? Once you see their menu, you'll be asking yourself that over and over again. Some of their sandwiches are filled with items like mozarella sticks. Can't wait to try their other sandwiches.

El Farolito: Super Carne Asada Burrito

#75 Super Carne Asada Burrito from El Farolito
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die in SF 2011
Mission District

I was once surrounded by several delicious Mexican eateries when I lived in San Jose. Working in San Francisco, there aren't many good spots here unless you head out to the Mission District. All of the worthwhile restaurants are all condensed in this area and El Farolito is one of them. One of the best burritos in the city! Throughout my college years, I found myself here after-hours to help absorb all of the liquor I consumed while out and about. Great place to end the night since it closes at 3am. I've had my share of El Farolito burritos and It deserves it's name on the 7x7 Big Eat SF list.

Muracci's Japanese Grill: Katsu Curry

#16 Katsu Curry from Muracci's Japanese Grill
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die in SF 2011
Financial District

The Katsu Curry here at Muracci's is definitely good, but I think my expectations were a bit high going in. I blame that on the hundreds of 4-5 star reviews on Yelp and the line outside the door when I arrived. Luckily, we called ahead so we just walked right in to pick up our order.

Overall, I really enjoyed the curry (you can have it spicy or mild - of course I went spicy), but the chicken was a bit dry for my taste. Also, I love anything pickled, but their side of pickled cabbage and radish had a strange bitter taste to it that I could live without. The verdict: I would eat it again, but I probably wouldn't crave for it. Overhyped.

Chairman Bao: Steamed Bao with Pork Belly & Pickled Daikon

#32 Steamed Bao with Pork Belly & Pickled Daikon at the Chairman Bao truck
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die in SF 2011

Due to all of the hype, I have been following Chairman Bao on Twitter even before I tried their famous buns. At all of the food festivals, they always have the longest line. Just recently they made it onto the Zagat. I was pleased to find out that they were making an appearance at the Truck Stop (an area by my work that features about 3 food trucks per day). The line was long, but not as long and unbearable as the festival lines. So, I waited patiently and am so glad I did. Definitely the BEST food truck vendor at least in the Bay Area. I had the pork belly bun as well as the sesame chicken and they both met and exceeded my expectations. I could eat 20 of these in one sitting - that's how good they are.

Pizzeria Delfina: Margherita Pizza

#21 Margherita pizza from Pizzeria Delfina
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die 2010
Mission District

If you love thin crust pizza, small restaurants, great service and simple quality food - this is your place. The margherita pizza was delicious, but I have to say - the best thing is the Arancini (fried risotto balls). I can't stop thinking about them and even though these aren't on the 7x7 100 list, if you have to try something here - it's that. Don't get me wrong, the pizza is good, but wasn't anything mind-blowing.

La Mar Cebicheria Peruana: Ceviche & Pisco Sour

#47 Ceviche and Pisco Sour from La Mar
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die 2010
Embarcadero

The food is nothing spectacular - definitely good enough to come back. The ceviche, on the other hand, is amazing (for $17, I wish they gave more of it). Even better when you pair it with a pisco sour. Since the big trip to Peru is right around the corner and a lot of positive things have been happening, we thought we'd celebrate by having a Peruvian dinner and we heard so many great things about this place. They have a few different types of ceviche, but we opted for the cebiche mixto (catch of the day, calamari & octopus). The seafood tasted fresh and had the perfect amount of spiciness. I love ceviche! BTW - pisco sour was good, though I have nothing really to compare it to. I'll update you on that after I try them in Peru.

Bi-Rite Creamery: Salted Caramel Ice Cream

#35 Salted Caramel Ice Cream at Bi-Rite Creamery
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die in SF 2011
Mission District

 

Pure deliciousness. Don't be turned away by the long lines that trail down Dolores St. for Bi-Rite Creamery, they move fast and the ice cream is worth any kind of wait anyways. The Salted Caramel ice cream makes it on the 7x7 Things to Try Before You Die list every year and unlike some of the other spots on this list, it truly deserves it. You can't go wrong with this flavor. Also deserving of a mention: Toasted Coconut & Roasted Banana. If you don't want to wait in line, you can grab a few pints and bring it directly to the register. Can't wait to go back.

Beef Brisket Sandwich at Il Cane Rosso

#14 Beef Brisket Sandwich at Il Cane Rosso
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die in SF 2010

Another visit to the ferry building for the farmer's market and this time I attempted to get the #12 item on the 2010 Big Eat list (Porchetta sandwich from Roli Roti) but the line was soooo long and I try not to go over an hour for lunch so since Il Cane Rosso is inside the building I decided to try that instead. We ordered the beef brisket sandwich, creamy polenta and the panchetta collard greens. Overall, the collard greens were my favorite thing. I wish the sandwich had a bit more meat. Their salads looked really good (wish I had ordered one). Not sure why this item is on the list, it was just okay.

Korean Taco at Namu's Market Stand

#90 Korean Tacos at Namu's Market Stand
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die 2010

I think I've been to the SF Ferry Building way too many times the last 2 weeks. I love this place and can  never get enough. Since they do a farmer's market twice a week (Thursday and Saturday), I decided to swing by and check out the offerings and turns out, many of the notable food trucks/ tents were set up today: Namu, Roli Roti, Tacolicious and more (all of which have items on the 7x7 list for 2010). Today, I went for a Namu Korean taco.

Namu has a very unique take on the taco. Rather than using a tortilla, they wrap their ingredients (kalbi, seasoned rice, daikon, kimchi salsa, kimchee remoulade, housemade teriyaki sauce) in Japanese and Korean toasted seaweed. After just reading the ingredients in this "taco" I knew it wouldn't let me down - and it didn't disappoint. Prices are reasonable considering food in the area is not cheap, but I was hoping for a slightly larger quantity though it was still good. $3 for 1 taco and 2 for $5. I've tried their Korean style pancake at a street food festival and didn't fancy it much, but this, I'd definitely have it again.

Gott's Roadside Cheeseburger with Sweet Potato Fries

#40 Cheeseburger from Gott's Roadside (Formerly Taylor's Automatic Refresher) with sweet potato fries
7x7 The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die 2009/2010

Situated on the Embarcadero, Gott's Roadside not only has amazing burgers, it has a great location as well. This city has been getting such great weather the last few days, it was the perfect place to enjoy an outdoor lunch. Now, back to the burger. Gott's uses only vegetarian-fed patties with no antibiotics or hormones and they're paired with only fresh ingredients. They're also known to have a great wine/ beer selection,  delicious milkshakes, onion rings and sweet potatoe fries. I'm getting hungry just thinking about this! Anyway, it's connected to the Ferry Building Marketplace which is an added bonus - you can grab macaroons from Miette, a coffee from Blue Bottle, gelato at Ciao Bella or walk through the Farmer's Market for fresh fruits.
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Update: Okay I came back again a week later and got the Texas burger (comes with guac, pico de gallo, jack cheese and jalapenos - yum) and the famous sweet potato fries. Both pretty scrumptious. What I loved about the fries is that they're cut thin and come with a really good dipping sauce. They are a must-try!

Seasonal Flavors from Scream Sorbet

#15 Any seasonal flavor from Scream Sorbet 

7x7 The Big Eat SF 2010: 100 Things to Try Before You Die

 I never thought $28 could be spent on one visit to a sorbet shop, until coming to Scream Sorbet. I tried just about every flavor they had available today and although some of them were very strange combinations, they all tasted so fresh and delicious. Today, I took home Feijoa, Coconut Thai Basil (Craig's pick) and Coffee Almond. I've always been a fan of sorbet, so I was excited to find that they opened up shop nearby after selling their products at farmer's markets for awhile now. Even though they have a new free standing shop, they are still traveling and selling at various markets in SF, Santa Cruz and more - find them! A little on the pricey side, but oh well - I can't wait to try more flavors. 

Burma Superstar: Samusa Soup

#17 Samusa Soup from Burma Superstar
7x7 The Big Eat SF 2010: 100 Things to Try Before You Die

This photo does not do the soup justice. With ingredients like samosas, lentils, falafel, cabbage and more, it really packs in the flavor. The samusa soup is hearty enough to be a meal in itself, but since I love this restaurant so much of course we had to order the tea leaf salad and a few more dishes also.

Burma Superstar: Tea Leaf Salad

#17 Tea Leaf Salad at Burma Superstar
7x7 The Big Eat SF 2009: 100 Things to Try Before You Die
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[photo by recipestap.com]

This is one of my new favorite restaurants. I cheated a little on this one - this challenge is for SF, but I went to the Oakland location. Same restaurant & food, different location. I haven't felt 100% satisfied after a restaurant meal in awhile. EVERYTHING I tried today (yes, I'm that excited about this place that I had to write about it immediately while the flavors still dance on my tongue), was absolutely delicious. My first time having Burmese food and it was a success. The Fiery Chicken, Tea Leaf Salad, Vegetarian Noodles - loved them all. Even their special beverage, the Burmese Cooler was tasty and refreshing. The Tea Leaf salad is unlike any other salad I've tried before. So many different flavors and textures that all complement one other. It's really a salad I can eat every day without getting sick of it. It had lettuce, sesame seeds, peanuts, garlic, lemon juice, fermented tea leaves, tomatoes and sunflower seeds. Mmmm... I'm so stuffed, happy and excited that I found a new spot (though obviously not new to many since there was a wait outside!). Burmese food = deliciousness. Everyone must try it if you haven't already.

Extra plus: the service was outstanding and the prices are reasonable. Can't wait to come back and try the Samusa Soup which is also on the 7x7 list for 2010. 

Yank Sing: Sesame Balls

#97 Sesame Balls at Yank Sing
7x7 The Big Eat SF 2009 & 2010: 100 Things to Try Before You Die
49 Stevenson Street
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[photo by Yank Sing]

Yank Sing is a go-to dim sum restaurant in the Financial District of SF. It probably doesn't beat other dim sum spots in the city (like so many of the Chinatown/ Sunset/ Richmond) that I've heard so much about, but it still has a ton of tasty treats to offer. My favorite items on the menu here are the soup dumplings & the sea bass. Be prepared to fork out a little more than the usual dim sum spot here also. Anyway, the point of this post is to highlight the sesame balls. The texture, for me, is what really makes it. Slightly crispy on the outside, and just the right amount of gooeyness on the inside. It may disgust you, but I actually enjoy the greasiness of this thing. It's almost as if a little oil squeezes out of it when you bite in. Yum!

Tartine Bakery: Morning Buns

#8 Morning Bun at Tartine Bakery
Mission District
7x7 The Big Eat SF 2009: 100 Things to Try Before You Die
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(Image courtesy of: bakingnuts.files.wordpress.com)

I'm a savory breakfast kind of girl, but this is one sweet & sugary treat I can have in the morning. I'll do my best to describe this, but it really won't do it justice. Here goes: It's a cross between a sticky bun and a croissant and it has a slight citrus taste to it. It's so gooood, especially when it's warm. Lucky me, I have a manager who works right by the bakery and was nice enough to surprise me one morning. Now I need to visit Tartine myself because I hear so many great things about it and all that it has to offer.

You can even find the recipe here: Morning Buns

Verdict: YUM. I want to try EVERYTHING at this bakery.

La Boulange: Cannele

#44 Cannele
Boulangerie Bay Bread (La Boulange Bakery)
7x7 The Big Eat SF 2009: 100 Things to Try Before You Die
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I can't back up the cannele here (think sponge cake with an egg-y taste to it). I'm not even sure why this item even made it to the 7x7 list, but I can vouch for the food at this french bakery/ cafe. There are about 10 locations scattered throughout SF carrying breakfast items, lunch & pastries. Today, I decided to enjoy the sunny weather with a light lunch which happened to be today's special of spinach, artichoke & roasted peppers in puff pastry with an organic spring mix salad. For one, I loved the fact that it was healthy since I ate several unhealthy meals throughout my stay in Florida. Everything tasted so fresh. Since it was vegetarian, I didn't think it would fill me up, but it did! Healthy + filling + tasty = a huge plus. Oh, I also tried the passionfruit macarons and didn't care for them. Nothing beats the macarons at Bouchon Bakery.

Price: the daily special + cannele + macaron = $12 for lunch

Verdict: I'll definitely be back, but not for the canneles!

House of Prime Rib: Prime Rib

#33 Prime Rib at House of Prime Rib
1906 Van Ness Avenue
7x7 The Big Eat SF 2009: 100 Things to Try Before You Die
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If you LOVE prime rib or meat, in general, you will love love love this restaurant. Do you sense my enthusiasm for this place? Well, I'm not going to lie - this is one of my faves. When you order your meal, it comes with sides and a salad. The salad is soo good - not sure what makes it so good, maybe the dressing? As for the meat, it's tasty, juicy and.... you can have more than one helping!!! Expect to spend about $100 on a bottle of wine and dinner for two.

Verdict: <3

Mijita: Sopa de Albondigas

#91 Albondigas Soup at Mijita
Ferry Building
7x7 The Big Eat SF 2009: 100 Things to Try Before You Die
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This meal is great for a cold day in the city. Sopa de Albondigas is a Mexican soup with beef & pork meatballs in a tomato based broth with vegetables. After one bite, you can tell that they use very fresh ingredients and make everything from scratch. I enjoyed the meal, but I think the soup would be 10x better if it had a dollop of sour cream. It was lacking a little flavor, but I think that with a bit of extra herbs and sour cream it'd be perfect. Quantity wise, they give you enough to fill you up for lunch. I ordered with my eyes and decided on adding a cheese quesadilla to my order which I only ate half of. Cheese quesadilla + sopa = about $11. Not bad.


Mijita is towards the back of the Ferry building and you can get a great view of the Bay Bridge in their outdoor seating area.

Verdict: Decent meal, but would be better with more flavor and sour cream!

Miette: Ginger Snaps

#49 Ginger Snaps from Miette
Ferry Building
7x7 The Big Eat SF 2009: 100 Things to Try Before You Die
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Miette is a bakery that tries to use organic ingredients (when available) in their products and offer all types of pastries from cakes & tarts to macarons & cupcakes. They even sell beautifully crafted cake stands. Their ginger snaps are on the 7x7 list and since I've never tried them (but have enjoyed many other items on their menu) I bought a pack for $7 and took it back to the office. Though thin and crispy, they pack a ton of flavor. I was a little overwhelmed with the amount of ginger I tasted. I know, I know, they're ginger snaps!

Verdict: Next time, I think I'll go back to the cupcakes and macarons. Miette has so many other great offerings and I'd prefer to go back to what I love about this place because it certainly isn't the ginger snaps. However, I shared the rest of the snaps with my co-workers and everyone else loved it. You might too.

Nick's Crispy Tacos

#10 Baja Style Fish Tacos at Nick's Crispy Tacos
Russian Hill - 1500 Broadway
7x7 The Big Eat SF 2009: 100 Things to Try Before You Die

Walking into this dimly lit and chandelier filled restaurant, I first thought, "Oh great, another overpriced taco spot." After approaching the menu on the wall a few seconds later, I realized I was wrong. Everything is well below $10 and for about $14 total, we were both full.

If I lived down the street from this place, I would gain a good amount of weight because I'd likely dine here 3-4 times a week. The Pescado, baja style fish tacos "Nick's Way," are so far, the best thing on the 7x7 list. The fish is deep fried in batter than placed in a semi-crispy tortilla with cabbage, some type of sauce and topped with guacamole and a squeeze of lime. I was even surprised to find Elote (grilled corn on the cob with butter, fresh grated cheese and chili powder) on the menu. Ever since I first tried Elote at Cafe Habana in NY, I've been searching long and hard for a place in the Bay Area to fulfill that craving. So glad to have found it here!

I seriously left my heart at Nick's Crispy Tacos. I walked out that door immediately feeling withdrawals. During my meal, I almost bought more tacos even though I was already stuffed. Another plus about this place, it's connected to a bar/ nightclub (was once called Rouge, not sure if it still is) so once you're done ordering your food, you can take your number to your table and grab a cocktail or beer while you're waiting and check out whatevers showing on one of the flat screens.

Verdict: Soooooo good. I'm dying to go back - NOW.