On page 40 of the March issue of Food & Wine magazine, there’s an article that caught my attention more than most. It’s no secret that I’m a serial restaurant-goer, or that I love trying new places throughout the Bay Area and in my latest hometown of San Francisco. But this article drew me to a few specific local restaurants for more than a well-known Executive Chef or a unique menu item. Instead, this article featured restaurants that give back to the community. If you’re not a Food & Wine subscriber like me, here’s the gist of it:
Commonwealth chef Jason Fox has a $60 tasting menu; $10 of which goes to a local nonprofit every time it’s ordered
Pizzaoioli’s Charlie Hallowell turns his Oakland restaurant into a community kitchen one Sunday out of every month to serve free soup to less fortunate community members
4505 Meats’ founder Ryan Farr is also on the volunteer staff of CHEFS, a culinary training program where he shares his job skills with recovering addicts, former prisoners and the area’s homeless
The timing of this article couldn’t have been better because I’ve been working on a charity event myself during the past few months and have been consistently surprised by the generosity and support of local businesses – particularly restaurants and bars – as I worked to put the event together. My boyfriend, Chris, and I are training for our first Olympic distance triathlon with Team in Training and as part of that commitment, we are each fundraising at least $4,900 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Last Saturday, we had the pleasure of making our guest bartending debut at Tonic on Polk Street in San Francisco, during which time 100% of the tips went to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. While I’m sure most of our friends and family that came out to support were there for the cause and the good time, I have to admit that the raffle was also a big draw! So what exactly what were we raffling off? Enter, local restaurants and bars:
$25 American Grilled Cheese Kitchen Gift Certificate
$25 Harry’s Bar Gift Certificate
$75 Perry’s Restaurant Gift Certificate
$50 McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants (client) Dining Certificate
Tour and Tasting for 4 at Clos du Val Winery in Napa
Trader Joe’s Italian Themed Gift Bag
One Dozen Cupcakes from SusieCake’s Bakery
One Pound See’s Candy Gift Certificate
$25 and 2 All Access Passes to the Hard Rock Café
Of course the raffle also included non-food items, like an authentic autographed Alex Smith jersey which fellow SacFoodie Liz Conant happened to win. But the buzz was all about the food, as usual! After this experience, I know that I’ll keep a closer eye on the ways in which my favorite restaurants are giving back to the community. Do you know of a restaurant in town that’s doing its part? If so, please give them a shout-out in the comments section below!
Mama’s on Washington Square, San Francisco
As the old saying goes, “good things come to those who wait.” Or should I say, “good things come to those who wait in line at Mama’s on Washington Square?” One of San Francisco’s most raved-about brunch spots, Mama’s in North Beach is known for its French Toast Sampler, Monte Cristo Sandwich and outrageously long lines. On an average weekend, the wait alone can take upwards of an hour or two.
Luckily, during some staycation time between Christmas and New Year’s, I was able to head over to Mama’s on a weekday and squeeze in after only 45 minutes. Once inside, the ambiance is adorable as can be. With the true warmth of a mother’s kitchen and décor reminiscent of a country cottage, I felt immediately at home.
There’s something about waiting in line for an extended period of time that makes you feel as though you’ve really earned your brunch, so I decided to splurge for the Dungeness Crab Benedict with Fresh Spinach, and my brunch partner-in-crime went for the good old fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes. By the time we ordered it was well past noon, so we even treated ourselves to Mama’s “Spiked” Lemonade (Sauvignon Blanc swirled with Fresh Lemonade and Soda) and a Fresh-Squeezed Mimosa.
So the question is, was it worth it? In a word, yes.
Mama’s truly is all it’s cracked up to be. If you ever find yourself in SF with a few hours to kill, head there for brunch. You won’t be disappointed.
Hint, hint: I’ve heard that Liguria Bakery across the street from Mama’s makes unbelievable focaccia bread and capitalizes on the impatient hunger of Mama’s hopefuls, who often head over for a snack to pass the time before getting in for brunch.
Mama’s on Washington Square
1701 Stockton St.
San Francisco, CA
(415) 362-6421
Open 8am – 3pm
Closed Mondays
2011 Restaurant Resolutions – An Endless Pursuit
Some people make New Year’s resolutions. Apparently I make New Year’s restaurant resolutions.
“I will make time to explore more. I must stop ordering takeout from the same establishment month after month. I insist upon pushing my taste buds’ boundaries with new flavors and textures.”
These are just a few of the restaurant resolutions I’m keeping in 2011 – and it doesn’t stop there. After moving to San Francisco last June, I found myself dwarfed by the endless dining options in every neighborhood I stumbled upon. So, in an effort to expand my culinary horizons, I made a list. A list of 10 restaurants I want to try, which quickly became 20 I just had to check out and suddenly grew to 40 I obviously couldn’t miss. You do the math … that’s approximately 1-2 restaurants per week this year.
Of course as with most good finds, I’m sure the best restaurants are going to be those randomly recommended late in the game by friends and new acquaintances. So in the spirit of sharing, you tell me: what foodie finds do you recommend I add to the list?
In the meantime, please keep my wallet and waistline in your prayers!
Forget Batman and Superman, We Love Food Heroes
A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of attending An Evening with Food Heroes with fellow foodies Angela and Amy, hosted by Eventbrite San Francisco at Terroir Natural Wine Merchant. The event was timed with the release of Georgia Pellegrini’s book, “Food Heroes,” which documents her international travels in pursuit of true heroes of the culinary world.
While there were several impressive local vendors sampling at the event, two stood out above the rest. Before I sing their praises, I feel compelled to couch that statement with the obvious: I am a sucker for cheese and chocolate. My roommate and I even had an entire conversation once about what life would be like were we restricted to a diet of only foods that began with the letters C and H, and eventually decided that thanks to cheese and chocolate, we would likely survive.
“CH” diet and joking aside, Pizza Politana and Charles Chocolates really took the cake.
Pizza Politana is proof that simplicity wins in my book, every time. Warm slices of Margherita pizza with tomato sauce, basil, and fresh mozzarella fresh out of their signature wood-fired oven could not have been more delicious.
To satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth, Charles Chocolates offered Fleur de Sel Caramels, Signature Peanut Butterflies, Raspberry Hearts and more. You can imagine my surprise and delight when Charles Chocolates was featured on Groupon the following week. Let’s just say there will be more Charles Chocolates in my near future.
The best part? All proceeds benefited Chez Panisse Foundation’s Edible Schoolyard, a program that includes a one-acre organic garden and kitchen classroom project hosted at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School right down the road in Berkeley.
Wordless Wednesday: Man v. Food on Travel Channel
Tune in to the Travel Channel tonight at 9:00 p.m. Pacific Time to see Adam Richman conquer the Knucklehead Challenge in our very own Sacramento, CA!
Man v. Food on Twitter: @ManvFood
Learn More: http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Man_V_Food
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