Mr.Phi got a job offer here and we decided it was a good time to move. We miss everyone and all our favorite restaurants in Los Angeles. But now we get to start fresh in a new city with new food adventures.
We've been to a couple places, nothing special, mainly places to keep us nourished as we handle the moving issues. But after some long hard craiglist days of searching for a place, we hit rental gold and decided to celebrate our newest humble home by going out to eat!
Both of us were in the mood for comfort food. Carbolicious Pasta!!!
Living out of suitcases for more than a week does that to anyone. So I started doing research, research, research....
Its a very big deal when you've moved to a new city to find an actual good restaurant. I wanted out first nite out in SF to really be the whole cupcake. Very special!!
After coming across the Chowhound post about "what SF establishment that has the best pasta", I knew we were in the right direction when I chose....
Delfina
We usually make reservations way in advance, but this was all last minute to celebrate so I called and they said that we could probaby get a seat at the bar easily. Tables were reserved till after 10pm. Barseating was fine by us, since we would be riding the Bart in from Millbrae and unsure how long it would take us to get there.
We arrived to the restaurant after walking a few blocks from the station and informed the hostess we would take any seat open. She seated us at the bar and we took in our surroundings. It had a cute, local feel of the restaurant. Very cozy and was exactly what we were looking for. We settled in and ordered a nice bottle of wine. This is the first thing we love about SF!! We can order a ENTIRE bottle of wine, because WE ARE NOT DRIVING HOME!!! Oh happy happy joy! joy!
We ordered a bottle of St. Michael-Eppan Pinot Nero and were very happy with it. I'm either happy with wine or not happy with wine. I ususally enjoy blends. So I'm not sure I'll ever ellaborate more than that. Maybe 5 years down the line when I'm older?.....Now our first course was gobbled down in mere seconds. Chicken liver spiedini(skewers) w/guanciale & balsalmico!! I forgot to take a foto, but if you know my love of guanciale, YOUKNOW how good it tasted and looked!! Mr.Phi and I split it because we both wanted to save room for dessert!
Now onto the main course. I ordered the risotto of the day which was a Kabocha Squash Risotto with a well of Fontina Cheese in the middle. Almost resembled a fondue with rice to dip in the well instead of bread! This was sooooo amazing, I was about to lick the bowl. I used the bread to do the dirty work of getting every last drop of sauce instead. hehehe
Mr.Phi's dinner of Pacceri and bluenosed seabass all' Amalfitana was good, but maybe a lil too fishy. He even commented on the fishiness, which means it was wayyyyyy too fishy lol. (hes been fishing since he was in diapers, being in a Viet Fishing Family)Well both of us ate every last bite and still were ready for dessert. And as you can see we didn't even stop to take pictures of these desserts till halfway through eating them to come up for a breather!!
I ordered the Warm Scharffen Berger chocolate torta with olive oil gelato and Maldon sea salt becqause I've been in a chocolate mood for the last few months. This definitely helped with the craving! Wonderfully moist and cakey. I do not dig the ultra creamy deserts. You'll be happy to know after eating chocolate chip cookies every day of the last month(free cookies from hotel), I may be getting over this ailment.
Mr. Phi ordered the Pippin apple crostata rustica with caramel gelato and Pizzuta d'avola almonds. The apples were fresh of the season and the crust was delightfully flakey. Usually I would be all about the crostata, but I already explained my chocolate ailment.The waitress came(by the way the staff there is wonderful and super duper friendly)and took away our 3rd and final licked clean plate. She asked "How was it?" and Mr. Phi quipped "Horrible, can't you tell!?" She laughed and said"Oh I definitely can"
Mr.Phi commented that I made an excellent choice and I of course agreed with him. The restaurant was wonderful and we will be back to try their pizzeria next door!! A wonderful first restaurant adventure of San Francisco!
