San Francisco Has Only One Drawback - 'tis Hard to Leave
Jun 4th, 2017, 05:22 PM
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San Francisco Has Only One Drawback - 'tis Hard to Leave
Rudyard Kipling was so right! I have been to San Francisco a few times on business and have always enjoyed it. The pleasant early June weather made it an easy choice for a long weekend for Mr. Starbucks and me.
If you have followed any of our previous trip reports, you won't be surprised that we are mostly interested in the food where ever we go and this trip to San Francisco was no different.
Sure, we want to see a few things but we are enjoying not having much planned and just deciding on the spot where we will go for the day.
Thursday, June 1
We arrived late morning and Uber'd into the hotel. Checked in and we were off.
The primary item of interest was cioppino. Chaz loves it and it's not something that I think I could make well and our access to top notch seafood will never be like it is in San Francisco.
I will admit that I was a little horrified that we were headed to Fisherman's Wharf. I don't like the super touristy areas and hate the tacky T-shirt shops that seem ubiquitous worldwide in tourist areas. But that's where we were headed. Several Fodorites recommended Cioppino's for cioppino (imagine that). We felt good that the restaurant is listed on a number of top 5 lists (for cioppino) and has an endorsement from Mario Batali.
We walked there and let me just say that we had spectacular weather while we were there. Spectacular! Sunny, warm....great weather to be out and about and not dripping in sweat when you had to hike up a hill.
We sat outside on the patio and sipped some Rose, nibbled some fresh sourdough bread and waited for our lunch. This is the life.
I had suberb roasted garlic Dungeness crab. Nutty, sweet roasted garlic and crab (and that garlic on fries and bread works well). Super messy but so good. Chaz gave an enthusiastic two thumbs up on the cioppino. We had great service and loved the food. No shame in our game here. I would go back there in a heartbeat.
We walked down to Pier 39 for the other super touristy thing of the trip...the floating docks covered with sea lions. What life these guys live! They are fun to watch and they all have their own personalities. Lots of fun to check in on them and watch them play or sprawled on a deck sunning and lounging.
Alright...a stop for a diet coke and an iced coffee and we headed over to the Ferry Terminal to scout the food there. So many interesting choices and I knew we would be back to sample the fare. We didn't stay long as food coma had set in and we thought we should go back to the hotel and clean up. We had early dinner reservations and Chaz never minds an afternoon nap.
Cleaned up and dressed for dinner at Kokkari. We both love Greek food and always search for the best grilled octopus where ever we go. Early reservations were OK since we are on East Coast time even when we travel and we knew we would be hungry and not want to stay out super late.
Kokkari is a warm, beautiful restaurant. They had two lambs roasting over a big fire in the prettiest fireplace in the front dining room. A Rose Sancerre at the bar and then we got our table. Again, we got great service and the food was wonderful. We had what we think is the best Saganaki we have had anywhere. The grilled octopus was very well executed but needed a little acid on it. We split a grilled louvraki and then spit-roasted lamb for our main courses. All of it was delicious. We ended with loukomades. Kokkari is another place we would go back to in a heartbeat! We ended the day with 20,415 steps (thank goodness because we ate a lot)!
We had a great night and while I always struggle to stay asleep until early AM local time when I am on the West Coast, we hit a snag. At 2:45 am I awoke to the annoying and very loud chirp of the smoke detector that was right above my head. It was piercing even with ear plugs in.
I called the desk and the gentleman asked if we wanted someone to take care of it now or wait until morning. Uh, are you kidding me? Someone came right up (but without a new battery or a ladder). He eventually got the detector off the wall and left us to go back to sleep (I never really did and it hurt me the next day).
Friday, June 2
The next day I had a call that I had to take at 6 am (ugh) but I got it out of the way and decided to walk the 2 miles to our chosen spot for breakfast.
Alright, I used hotel points and our hotel was pretty new and very comfy. However, it was on a section of Mission that is a little sketchy and like a lot of San Francisco heavily populated with homeless. We had no problems at all with noise, panhandling, etc...but I am not sure I would choose the location again. It was actually pretty close to Union Square and some cool stuff around if you turned left out of the hotel. Turning right took you in areas that were not as nice and had some of the more unpleasant issues that are associated with a large homeless population. I do find the conditions that so many find themselves in sad and so many of these people have an underlying mental illness that contributes to their continued homelessness. I can't imagine what their lives are like.
We made our way to Sweet Maples for breakfast. Now, I know that walking two miles for breakfast is a lot but they don't open until 8 am, so we had time. Next, we knew they are known for Millionaire bacon and figured the two-mile walk was needed.
We got there 5 minutes before they opened and now we know what the fuss is about. They have an interesting menu with creative combinations. I love something sweet for breakfast when I am on vacation. I chose the cornflake coated french toast and Dixie Bacon (Thick bacon, deep fried and served with a Tabasco-laced honey). For him, Big Hip french toast and Millionaire bacon (slow roasted thick bacon with cayenne pepper and maple syrup. All of it was excellent and the staff there is helpful, friendly and attentive.
Since we were in lower Pacific Heights, we decided to Uber over to Lands End and Sutro Baths. We explored the beach, the baths and the paths overlooking the coast and the Golden Gate. No sea lions but there were whales that we could see for awhile. Again, sunny weather and the perfect temp to be outside. The wildflowers were gorgeous and the views are stunning! I am so glad we went there. every view is a postcard! There were not a ton of people there and there is a very nice NPS visitor center on the property. Great trails and all is well maintained. We spent several hours there and Uber'd back to the hotel to clean up part two of the day.
Next....lunch at the Ferry Terminal, cioppino tasting #2 and the most steps I have logged on my FitBit EVER!
If you have followed any of our previous trip reports, you won't be surprised that we are mostly interested in the food where ever we go and this trip to San Francisco was no different.
Sure, we want to see a few things but we are enjoying not having much planned and just deciding on the spot where we will go for the day.
Thursday, June 1
We arrived late morning and Uber'd into the hotel. Checked in and we were off.
The primary item of interest was cioppino. Chaz loves it and it's not something that I think I could make well and our access to top notch seafood will never be like it is in San Francisco.
I will admit that I was a little horrified that we were headed to Fisherman's Wharf. I don't like the super touristy areas and hate the tacky T-shirt shops that seem ubiquitous worldwide in tourist areas. But that's where we were headed. Several Fodorites recommended Cioppino's for cioppino (imagine that). We felt good that the restaurant is listed on a number of top 5 lists (for cioppino) and has an endorsement from Mario Batali.
We walked there and let me just say that we had spectacular weather while we were there. Spectacular! Sunny, warm....great weather to be out and about and not dripping in sweat when you had to hike up a hill.
We sat outside on the patio and sipped some Rose, nibbled some fresh sourdough bread and waited for our lunch. This is the life.
I had suberb roasted garlic Dungeness crab. Nutty, sweet roasted garlic and crab (and that garlic on fries and bread works well). Super messy but so good. Chaz gave an enthusiastic two thumbs up on the cioppino. We had great service and loved the food. No shame in our game here. I would go back there in a heartbeat.
We walked down to Pier 39 for the other super touristy thing of the trip...the floating docks covered with sea lions. What life these guys live! They are fun to watch and they all have their own personalities. Lots of fun to check in on them and watch them play or sprawled on a deck sunning and lounging.
Alright...a stop for a diet coke and an iced coffee and we headed over to the Ferry Terminal to scout the food there. So many interesting choices and I knew we would be back to sample the fare. We didn't stay long as food coma had set in and we thought we should go back to the hotel and clean up. We had early dinner reservations and Chaz never minds an afternoon nap.
Cleaned up and dressed for dinner at Kokkari. We both love Greek food and always search for the best grilled octopus where ever we go. Early reservations were OK since we are on East Coast time even when we travel and we knew we would be hungry and not want to stay out super late.
Kokkari is a warm, beautiful restaurant. They had two lambs roasting over a big fire in the prettiest fireplace in the front dining room. A Rose Sancerre at the bar and then we got our table. Again, we got great service and the food was wonderful. We had what we think is the best Saganaki we have had anywhere. The grilled octopus was very well executed but needed a little acid on it. We split a grilled louvraki and then spit-roasted lamb for our main courses. All of it was delicious. We ended with loukomades. Kokkari is another place we would go back to in a heartbeat! We ended the day with 20,415 steps (thank goodness because we ate a lot)!
We had a great night and while I always struggle to stay asleep until early AM local time when I am on the West Coast, we hit a snag. At 2:45 am I awoke to the annoying and very loud chirp of the smoke detector that was right above my head. It was piercing even with ear plugs in.
I called the desk and the gentleman asked if we wanted someone to take care of it now or wait until morning. Uh, are you kidding me? Someone came right up (but without a new battery or a ladder). He eventually got the detector off the wall and left us to go back to sleep (I never really did and it hurt me the next day).
Friday, June 2
The next day I had a call that I had to take at 6 am (ugh) but I got it out of the way and decided to walk the 2 miles to our chosen spot for breakfast.
Alright, I used hotel points and our hotel was pretty new and very comfy. However, it was on a section of Mission that is a little sketchy and like a lot of San Francisco heavily populated with homeless. We had no problems at all with noise, panhandling, etc...but I am not sure I would choose the location again. It was actually pretty close to Union Square and some cool stuff around if you turned left out of the hotel. Turning right took you in areas that were not as nice and had some of the more unpleasant issues that are associated with a large homeless population. I do find the conditions that so many find themselves in sad and so many of these people have an underlying mental illness that contributes to their continued homelessness. I can't imagine what their lives are like.
We made our way to Sweet Maples for breakfast. Now, I know that walking two miles for breakfast is a lot but they don't open until 8 am, so we had time. Next, we knew they are known for Millionaire bacon and figured the two-mile walk was needed.
We got there 5 minutes before they opened and now we know what the fuss is about. They have an interesting menu with creative combinations. I love something sweet for breakfast when I am on vacation. I chose the cornflake coated french toast and Dixie Bacon (Thick bacon, deep fried and served with a Tabasco-laced honey). For him, Big Hip french toast and Millionaire bacon (slow roasted thick bacon with cayenne pepper and maple syrup. All of it was excellent and the staff there is helpful, friendly and attentive.
Since we were in lower Pacific Heights, we decided to Uber over to Lands End and Sutro Baths. We explored the beach, the baths and the paths overlooking the coast and the Golden Gate. No sea lions but there were whales that we could see for awhile. Again, sunny weather and the perfect temp to be outside. The wildflowers were gorgeous and the views are stunning! I am so glad we went there. every view is a postcard! There were not a ton of people there and there is a very nice NPS visitor center on the property. Great trails and all is well maintained. We spent several hours there and Uber'd back to the hotel to clean up part two of the day.
Next....lunch at the Ferry Terminal, cioppino tasting #2 and the most steps I have logged on my FitBit EVER!
Jun 5th, 2017, 05:14 AM
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Friday, June 2 part 2
After cleaning up and changing clothes we headed back to the ferry building to browse some more and have lunch. We had already logged a lot of steps and I had that tired feeling from our lack of sleep the night before. You know I am tired if I don't even want a glass of Champs.
We chose San Francisco Fish Company for our lunch. There are a lot of options to choose from so there is something for everyone.
I had the fish and chips and Chaz chose the fish tacos with salsa verde and a beer. I went with water. Fortunately, before our food was ready and we found two seats.
This literally was the best fish and chips I have had anywhere, including London. The batter was light and crisp and the fish was moist. The batter can often be heavy, doughy, etc....not here. Great fries, as well. The fish tacos were also excellent.
As we sat enjoying our food there was a group of young, high school aged guys that took seats next to Chaz. Two were waiting on lunch and the other two were just hanging out. Not sure why they did this but one decided to film the kid next to Chaz and another one threw water at him....and it landed all over Chaz.
He was not amused and had a little chat with our seat mates. When the kid that threw the water came back, I think Chaz scared the crap out of him but he let him off easy (he originally told him that he wanted his lunch replaced since he threw water all over it). The two who were not having lunch took off and the other two seemed super uncomfortable. Finally, Chaz looked up at them and said "I bet you have to apologize a lot for him". They agreed and we ended up having a nice chat with them. One of the guys was headed to UCLA on a track scholarship and we talked about athletic performance, etc...with them for awhile (this is what Chaz does for a living). I think they felt lucky once they asked Chaz about his sports background and they found out that his background is in Muay Thai. They could have run into someone who wouldn't have been as nice about the water incident.
Even though I was full, I can always squeeze in something sweet. I love soft serve ice cream and it is not very prevalent in our area. I chose a chocolate/vanilla swirl at Gott. Chaz got salted caramel. Really good stuff!
We made our way to Union Square with a stop at Burberry. Next up a stop into Macy's for something to drink and restrooms. They have been doing construction in the area for months. Anyone know what they are doing and when they will be done?
I did some quick research on wine bars and decided that we would make our way to The Hidden Vine. It is located on Merchant Street and close to Tadich Grill. Inside is cozy with brick walls, lots of comfy chairs and an outdoor courtyard with bocce.
Our server was very knowledgeable about wines. She had comic book orange hair but she knew wine and was also very willing to pour a taste for comparison before we made a final choice. I got a Slovenian white blend that was really good (Melania Trump would be proud). Chaz tasted a Willamette Pinot Noir and a Sonoma Pinot Noir. Willamette Valley won out and we had a great time just chill-laxing with our wine. The Hidden Vine was a great little find. Staff very helpful and knowledgeable. I would go there again.
We did not want a late night or dinner. We had walked all over San Francisco and both of us were hurting from the lack of sleep the night before. Cioppino round two was the plan and Tadich Grill was the dinner destination. I had been once for sand dabs and saw the cioppino. I thought Chaz would enjoy it. It is very old school!
We had a great waiter. No nonsense, but fun. I had veal parmesan (couldn't decide between the veal and the sand dabs but our waiter said to go with veal parm and I think I needed a break from fish) and Chaz had the cioppino. It was good but different from Cioppino's. It had scallops and fish, which Cioppino's did not have and the broth was thinner. It was good but Cioppino's cioppino was Chaz' favorite. No dessert and we headed back early.
We did have a record setting day. The weather was again gorgeous and with all of our walking we hit over 32,000 steps (the fit bit is also getting a workout).
We both slept well and while we both woke up at about 3 am. We were able to get back to sleep and our newly replaced smoke detector was silent all night!
After cleaning up and changing clothes we headed back to the ferry building to browse some more and have lunch. We had already logged a lot of steps and I had that tired feeling from our lack of sleep the night before. You know I am tired if I don't even want a glass of Champs.
We chose San Francisco Fish Company for our lunch. There are a lot of options to choose from so there is something for everyone.
I had the fish and chips and Chaz chose the fish tacos with salsa verde and a beer. I went with water. Fortunately, before our food was ready and we found two seats.
This literally was the best fish and chips I have had anywhere, including London. The batter was light and crisp and the fish was moist. The batter can often be heavy, doughy, etc....not here. Great fries, as well. The fish tacos were also excellent.
As we sat enjoying our food there was a group of young, high school aged guys that took seats next to Chaz. Two were waiting on lunch and the other two were just hanging out. Not sure why they did this but one decided to film the kid next to Chaz and another one threw water at him....and it landed all over Chaz.
He was not amused and had a little chat with our seat mates. When the kid that threw the water came back, I think Chaz scared the crap out of him but he let him off easy (he originally told him that he wanted his lunch replaced since he threw water all over it). The two who were not having lunch took off and the other two seemed super uncomfortable. Finally, Chaz looked up at them and said "I bet you have to apologize a lot for him". They agreed and we ended up having a nice chat with them. One of the guys was headed to UCLA on a track scholarship and we talked about athletic performance, etc...with them for awhile (this is what Chaz does for a living). I think they felt lucky once they asked Chaz about his sports background and they found out that his background is in Muay Thai. They could have run into someone who wouldn't have been as nice about the water incident.
Even though I was full, I can always squeeze in something sweet. I love soft serve ice cream and it is not very prevalent in our area. I chose a chocolate/vanilla swirl at Gott. Chaz got salted caramel. Really good stuff!
We made our way to Union Square with a stop at Burberry. Next up a stop into Macy's for something to drink and restrooms. They have been doing construction in the area for months. Anyone know what they are doing and when they will be done?
I did some quick research on wine bars and decided that we would make our way to The Hidden Vine. It is located on Merchant Street and close to Tadich Grill. Inside is cozy with brick walls, lots of comfy chairs and an outdoor courtyard with bocce.
Our server was very knowledgeable about wines. She had comic book orange hair but she knew wine and was also very willing to pour a taste for comparison before we made a final choice. I got a Slovenian white blend that was really good (Melania Trump would be proud). Chaz tasted a Willamette Pinot Noir and a Sonoma Pinot Noir. Willamette Valley won out and we had a great time just chill-laxing with our wine. The Hidden Vine was a great little find. Staff very helpful and knowledgeable. I would go there again.
We did not want a late night or dinner. We had walked all over San Francisco and both of us were hurting from the lack of sleep the night before. Cioppino round two was the plan and Tadich Grill was the dinner destination. I had been once for sand dabs and saw the cioppino. I thought Chaz would enjoy it. It is very old school!
We had a great waiter. No nonsense, but fun. I had veal parmesan (couldn't decide between the veal and the sand dabs but our waiter said to go with veal parm and I think I needed a break from fish) and Chaz had the cioppino. It was good but different from Cioppino's. It had scallops and fish, which Cioppino's did not have and the broth was thinner. It was good but Cioppino's cioppino was Chaz' favorite. No dessert and we headed back early.
We did have a record setting day. The weather was again gorgeous and with all of our walking we hit over 32,000 steps (the fit bit is also getting a workout).
We both slept well and while we both woke up at about 3 am. We were able to get back to sleep and our newly replaced smoke detector was silent all night!
Jun 5th, 2017, 07:06 AM
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For now, just two things:
Construction near Macy's is the extension of the Muni Metro from 4th and King to Chinatown (T line)
Second - you said you stayed in the Mission. Did you by chance mean the Tenderloin? Your reference to Union Square (Tenderloin adjacent but not really near the Mission) is what confused me.
Construction near Macy's is the extension of the Muni Metro from 4th and King to Chinatown (T line)
Second - you said you stayed in the Mission. Did you by chance mean the Tenderloin? Your reference to Union Square (Tenderloin adjacent but not really near the Mission) is what confused me.
Jun 5th, 2017, 08:27 AM
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Just got back last Sunday from a long weekend in San Francisco, so it's fun to read your report. We stumbled on Tadich Grill and loved it. I had a $30 seafood salad-- most I've ever paid for a salad, but so worth it!
Jun 5th, 2017, 10:43 AM
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sf - it should have said on Mission not of Mission. No idea what section of town so totally could have been Tenderloin and likely was! :--) Thanks for the info on all that construction.
hi tomarkot, jayne and debit! Thanks for reading and commenting!
hi tomarkot, jayne and debit! Thanks for reading and commenting!
Jun 5th, 2017, 04:35 PM
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Day 3, Saturday, June 3
We headed out early to the Ferry Terminal to see what treats we could round up for breakfast. This was the only day it was gray and it turned off sunny before lunch. There was a Blue Bottle coffee in Mint Plaza behind our hotel, so that was the first stop for an iced coffee to sip on the walk to the water.
We made a lap in the Ferry Terminal before committing to ordering. We also had no cash and there was a woman selling bomboloni, and that became a priority. Cash in hand, we got bomboloni for Chaz.
We settled on Cowgirl Creamery and he got a Ham and Tam (Mt Tam triple cream cheese and smoked ham with grainy Dijon mustard on challah) sandwich. I got what turned out to be the trip favorite…cheese toasties.
I got an unfilled bomboloni, which I don’t recommend. Mine was a little dry but Chaz loved the pistachio filled bomboloni he got. I think he also had one with plain custard and was happy with his selections.
Turns out, that plain bomoloni didn’t matter because the cheese toasties were melted, bubbly perfection. Sourdough bread with good cheddar, caramelized onions and maple mustard. Perfectly browned, no burnt anything. This thing was sooo good. The Ham and Tam was good but the cheese toasties were heaven.
We were super happy with our choices and walked around the farmers market hating that we couldn’t load up on fresh cheese and all other types of great food! At one point we watched a guy steal a bun of some kind from the display at Imperial Tea Court. I was not an eyewitness but Chaz and a few others saw it and told the young woman who was minding the store and the steamer where the buns were on display. The guy actually walked back by the place with it in his hand and the astounded clerk had no idea what to do. What can you do really?
We walked closer to the Bay Bridge to scout out our dinner location, Waterbar. It’s in a great spot on the water right by the Bay Bridge and looked like a winner. We roamed a bit more and decided to head to the shopping area we had seen the day before on Fillmore St. We made our way to California and saw the massive incline we would have to climb to get to Fillmore.
After the 1700 steps to Nocelle in 90-degree weather and full sun, I knew I could do this. We were glad it was a little chilly and no sun had broken through.
We passed the lovely Nob Hill hotels and residences and also wondered if we would ever trust the brakes in the cable cars going down those hills! I gave Chaz a little TV trivia about the show Hotel as the exterior shots of the hotel was the Fairmont (of course, he had never heard of it). Past Grace Cathedral and we were OK. We opened our jackets to let some cool air in and continued on our way to Fillmore. Who needs Uber? Forty-five minutes later we arrived on Fillmore Street.
We made our way over to The Elite Café for what was supposed to be coffee and diet coke but turned out to be a late brunch in place of lunch.
The Elite Café was hopping and is an energetic spot with a New Orleans inspired menu (at least for brunch). We rested for the shopping ahead and had a little brunch. Meetinghouse biscuits with bacon for me, Eggs Benedict for Chaz. Both quite good but when I say bacon, I mean one slice. While I have heard of pizza by the slice, bacon by the slice is new to me. It was good but know before you go, an order of bacon is a singular slice of bacon!
We left and went shopping along Fillmore Street. There are lots of great looking restaurants in the area as well as boutiques here. The sun came out and we enjoyed browsing for nothing in particular. I might have gotten some shoes if my feet were bigger (no one ever carries shoes in my size) or if I were taller. Ralph Lauren does not design for those who are only 5’2”. It’s ok. I did boost the local economy by picking up a bracelet and earrings at Hi Ho Silver.
We decided that we would go back to the hotel and pack, clean up, change and head back out later for a cocktail, the Stanley Cup playoff game and then dinner at Waterbar.
I decided I wanted to check out Longchamp for a new tote, so we Uber’d to Union Square. I found a peacock blue small tote that I loved and then we were off to Pied Piper at the Palace Hotel. It’s a lovely bar that reminds me of the King Cole bar at the St Regis in NYC but much larger and less crowded and with the most uncomfortable bar stools anywhere. A beer and a wine and finally a channel change to catch a bit of the Pens-Preds game. Perhaps we should have stayed as the Pens were up 1-0 when we left and down 2 -1 when we got to Waterbar.
Waterbar was packed and even with a reservation we waited 10-15 minutes to be seated. We ordered some J Rose sparkling wine and had a spot with the Bay Bridge right in front of us.
We sampled some oysters to start with and they were very fresh. I am Southern so I admit I kinda need a saltine with an oyster but that’s not how it’s done there! ☺ I should have saved the card about the oysters, one was from New Zealand called Coromandel…the others, I can’t recall.
Dinner was Hawaiian Walu for Chaz and I got the filet. I was starving after the bacon mistake and beef sounded perfect. Both entrees were good. Our service was good, as well. We had dessert which was a French Cheesecake with a cherry compote and balsamic reduction…even with the toppings it had no flavor. I hate when the last thing you have is underwhelming. Waterbar was good but Kokkari was the best dinner we had hands down. I wish we could have seen more of the restaurant but the upstairs was booked for a private party. We had a good last night and turned in after an excellent visit.
Todays step count – 18, 351 (we should get an extra few for that hill but it doesn’t work that way)!
Here’s what I forgot…
Nightcaps at Comstock Saloon. The server was too cool for us but the cocktails were good. We couldn’t understand her so I am not sure what we drank.
Celebrity sighting. Gordon Ramsey on the Embarcadero taking a photo with a family…nice.
Chinatown. A few places that were interesting (especially the jade) but for the most part forgettable. We only walked down Grant on the way to Cioppino’s but nothing compelled us to go back again. Maybe Stockton would have been a better choice for checking it out.
Flights were comfortable and uneventful on Delta in Economy Comfort. I got caught up on all the movies everyone else saw months ago (La La Land, Fences, Hidden Figures and Founder…there were posters all over Paris last December advertising Founder so that seemed like a sign).
We had a great time in San Francisco and look forward to going back. Kokkari and Cioppino’s would be back on the itinerary, I think. Cheese toasties? Yes, please! We had such beautiful weather, great food and wine and it’s a great city to walk if your legs and knees are healthy!
We headed out early to the Ferry Terminal to see what treats we could round up for breakfast. This was the only day it was gray and it turned off sunny before lunch. There was a Blue Bottle coffee in Mint Plaza behind our hotel, so that was the first stop for an iced coffee to sip on the walk to the water.
We made a lap in the Ferry Terminal before committing to ordering. We also had no cash and there was a woman selling bomboloni, and that became a priority. Cash in hand, we got bomboloni for Chaz.
We settled on Cowgirl Creamery and he got a Ham and Tam (Mt Tam triple cream cheese and smoked ham with grainy Dijon mustard on challah) sandwich. I got what turned out to be the trip favorite…cheese toasties.
I got an unfilled bomboloni, which I don’t recommend. Mine was a little dry but Chaz loved the pistachio filled bomboloni he got. I think he also had one with plain custard and was happy with his selections.
Turns out, that plain bomoloni didn’t matter because the cheese toasties were melted, bubbly perfection. Sourdough bread with good cheddar, caramelized onions and maple mustard. Perfectly browned, no burnt anything. This thing was sooo good. The Ham and Tam was good but the cheese toasties were heaven.
We were super happy with our choices and walked around the farmers market hating that we couldn’t load up on fresh cheese and all other types of great food! At one point we watched a guy steal a bun of some kind from the display at Imperial Tea Court. I was not an eyewitness but Chaz and a few others saw it and told the young woman who was minding the store and the steamer where the buns were on display. The guy actually walked back by the place with it in his hand and the astounded clerk had no idea what to do. What can you do really?
We walked closer to the Bay Bridge to scout out our dinner location, Waterbar. It’s in a great spot on the water right by the Bay Bridge and looked like a winner. We roamed a bit more and decided to head to the shopping area we had seen the day before on Fillmore St. We made our way to California and saw the massive incline we would have to climb to get to Fillmore.
After the 1700 steps to Nocelle in 90-degree weather and full sun, I knew I could do this. We were glad it was a little chilly and no sun had broken through.
We passed the lovely Nob Hill hotels and residences and also wondered if we would ever trust the brakes in the cable cars going down those hills! I gave Chaz a little TV trivia about the show Hotel as the exterior shots of the hotel was the Fairmont (of course, he had never heard of it). Past Grace Cathedral and we were OK. We opened our jackets to let some cool air in and continued on our way to Fillmore. Who needs Uber? Forty-five minutes later we arrived on Fillmore Street.
We made our way over to The Elite Café for what was supposed to be coffee and diet coke but turned out to be a late brunch in place of lunch.
The Elite Café was hopping and is an energetic spot with a New Orleans inspired menu (at least for brunch). We rested for the shopping ahead and had a little brunch. Meetinghouse biscuits with bacon for me, Eggs Benedict for Chaz. Both quite good but when I say bacon, I mean one slice. While I have heard of pizza by the slice, bacon by the slice is new to me. It was good but know before you go, an order of bacon is a singular slice of bacon!
We left and went shopping along Fillmore Street. There are lots of great looking restaurants in the area as well as boutiques here. The sun came out and we enjoyed browsing for nothing in particular. I might have gotten some shoes if my feet were bigger (no one ever carries shoes in my size) or if I were taller. Ralph Lauren does not design for those who are only 5’2”. It’s ok. I did boost the local economy by picking up a bracelet and earrings at Hi Ho Silver.
We decided that we would go back to the hotel and pack, clean up, change and head back out later for a cocktail, the Stanley Cup playoff game and then dinner at Waterbar.
I decided I wanted to check out Longchamp for a new tote, so we Uber’d to Union Square. I found a peacock blue small tote that I loved and then we were off to Pied Piper at the Palace Hotel. It’s a lovely bar that reminds me of the King Cole bar at the St Regis in NYC but much larger and less crowded and with the most uncomfortable bar stools anywhere. A beer and a wine and finally a channel change to catch a bit of the Pens-Preds game. Perhaps we should have stayed as the Pens were up 1-0 when we left and down 2 -1 when we got to Waterbar.
Waterbar was packed and even with a reservation we waited 10-15 minutes to be seated. We ordered some J Rose sparkling wine and had a spot with the Bay Bridge right in front of us.
We sampled some oysters to start with and they were very fresh. I am Southern so I admit I kinda need a saltine with an oyster but that’s not how it’s done there! ☺ I should have saved the card about the oysters, one was from New Zealand called Coromandel…the others, I can’t recall.
Dinner was Hawaiian Walu for Chaz and I got the filet. I was starving after the bacon mistake and beef sounded perfect. Both entrees were good. Our service was good, as well. We had dessert which was a French Cheesecake with a cherry compote and balsamic reduction…even with the toppings it had no flavor. I hate when the last thing you have is underwhelming. Waterbar was good but Kokkari was the best dinner we had hands down. I wish we could have seen more of the restaurant but the upstairs was booked for a private party. We had a good last night and turned in after an excellent visit.
Todays step count – 18, 351 (we should get an extra few for that hill but it doesn’t work that way)!
Here’s what I forgot…
Nightcaps at Comstock Saloon. The server was too cool for us but the cocktails were good. We couldn’t understand her so I am not sure what we drank.
Celebrity sighting. Gordon Ramsey on the Embarcadero taking a photo with a family…nice.
Chinatown. A few places that were interesting (especially the jade) but for the most part forgettable. We only walked down Grant on the way to Cioppino’s but nothing compelled us to go back again. Maybe Stockton would have been a better choice for checking it out.
Flights were comfortable and uneventful on Delta in Economy Comfort. I got caught up on all the movies everyone else saw months ago (La La Land, Fences, Hidden Figures and Founder…there were posters all over Paris last December advertising Founder so that seemed like a sign).
We had a great time in San Francisco and look forward to going back. Kokkari and Cioppino’s would be back on the itinerary, I think. Cheese toasties? Yes, please! We had such beautiful weather, great food and wine and it’s a great city to walk if your legs and knees are healthy!
Jun 5th, 2017, 05:40 PM
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Not at all...Tadich was very good and Chaz enjoyed the cioppino but did like the other better. It was hardly a low point and if we had that cioppino in Atlanta,he would be ecstatic as we don't see much cioppino on the menus here.
Jun 6th, 2017, 03:43 AM
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Bostonblondie we owe that to two things....the food we were usually on our way to and the fabulous scenery at Lands End. I think we should move!
Sf....LOL. That show was like The Love Boat on land with the guest stars every week. So funny to me and not even a glimmer of recognition from him. We often find that the 5 year difference in age creates lots of pop culture "differences"!
Sf....LOL. That show was like The Love Boat on land with the guest stars every week. So funny to me and not even a glimmer of recognition from him. We often find that the 5 year difference in age creates lots of pop culture "differences"!
Jun 9th, 2017, 03:35 AM
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Denise and Chaz:
I say we meet for a drink or three:
http://www.fourseasons.com/surfside/...irenuse-miami/
I say we meet for a drink or three:
http://www.fourseasons.com/surfside/...irenuse-miami/
Jun 10th, 2017, 04:10 AM
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I know!! I do have to be in Miami at the end of the month, so I may have to stop in. I can't imagine that the Miami version can hold a candle to Positano but it's worth checking out.
Jun 11th, 2017, 03:35 AM
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Loved your report and it whet my appetite (literally) for our trip next month!
I've only had lunch at Water Bar and part of the great experience was dining outdoors with the bridge right there and watching tug boats go by.
I wasn't familiar with SF Fish Co. so I just checked out the merchants in the Ferry Bldg. It seems there are quite a few new ones since my last visit. We always enjoy lunch at Hog Island Oysters, but I'm ready for something new.
The Hidden Vine sounds great and I think we will have to check it out too.
Congrats on your Fitbit numbers!!!
I've only had lunch at Water Bar and part of the great experience was dining outdoors with the bridge right there and watching tug boats go by.
I wasn't familiar with SF Fish Co. so I just checked out the merchants in the Ferry Bldg. It seems there are quite a few new ones since my last visit. We always enjoy lunch at Hog Island Oysters, but I'm ready for something new.
The Hidden Vine sounds great and I think we will have to check it out too.
Congrats on your Fitbit numbers!!!
Jun 11th, 2017, 02:20 PM
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Have a great time, centralparkgirl. Lots of great stuff in the Ferry building for sure. We hated that we didn't have a chance to sample more there and at some of the spots on Fillmore.
