Tag Archives: Cheese

Mmmmmmmmmm, Bobby G’s Pizzeria

Have you ever found yourself saying, “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing?” I sure know I have, and yesterday at Bobby G’s Pizzeria was one such occasion. I have been to Bobby G’s before, and I have eaten the entire small gluten-free pizza before, so I knew what I was in for. Nevertheless I have issues with restraint when it comes to pizza.

My first experience at Bobby G’s was a few months back. D and I each ordered our own small pies, me gluten-free and him not. We both loved our pizzas so much that yesterday we headed back for our second time. The first thing that I noticed was that they get their crusts from Mariposa Bakery. Mariposa sells their crusts to many establishments around the bay area, so the level of deliciousness really rides on what the place does with the crust. In my opinion Bobby G’s makes the best pie with Mariposa’s crust. My first pie was the pizza Bianca, Extra virgin olive oil, fresh mozzarella, aged parmesan, garlic, and fresh herbs. It had a crispy crust and they used great ingredients.

For my second visit I absolutely had to go for a pepperoni pizza. Pepperoni is my all time favorite pizza so to really judge a place and give a fair review it is imperative that I order one of these. Well my friends I have to say that it was AWESOME!!!! The crust was crispy from first bite to last crumb. The sauce was tangy and flavorful with a perfect ratio of sauce to ooey-gooey, tasty cheese. Another fantastic aspect of this pie was that the pepperoni was in abundance, but without grease pooling in the center. I loved this thing so much in fact that I once again uttered the words, “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing.” I mean look at the crispy edge of the crust, how could I not?

The pies aren’t cheap, but nothing gluten-free is. What I can say is that they are fantastic and worth every penny. Nom, nom, nom this pizza gets to thumbs up.

Bobby G’s Pizzeria
2072 University Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-665-8866

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Filed under Berkeley Eats, Eating out, Restaurant reviews

The incredible edible deviled egg

I love eggs! As a child my dad used to make me eggs in a myriad of ways; poached, hard boiled, soft boiled, sunny side up, over easy, scrambled, omelet etc. One time he tried to send me to school with a fried egg sandwich. When I got older and wanted a quick meal I would pop a waffle in the toaster, cook a sunny side up egg, put the egg on the waffle with a little maple syrup, and call it a meal.
Sadly, these past few years when I eat eggs I sometimes get sick. What I mean by sick is that I get a stomach ache that puts me in bed for a good four hours. I haven’t been able to identify the exact cause, but I know I am not allergic to eggs. I’ve asked myself if it’s organic versus non-organic, the feed the chicken eats, the age of the egg, how far it’s travels and so on. None of the questions were yielding answers and I was sick of spending hours in bed. I had resigned myself to an egg free life.

My husband being a scientist looks at things in a different way than I do. D noticed that I didn’t always get sick when I ate eggs. It seemed that I could eat a fritatta and a deviled egg without incident, but anything cooked for under ten minutes made me sick. With that in mind D suggested that perhaps it was the protein in the egg making me sick. If the egg cooked for an extended period of time I could eat it, because at that point the protein had been denatured. According to D, “Some raw proteins have a stable 3-dimensional structure that can cause an immune-like reaction. When you cook it, the heat irreversibly destroys that 3D structure or breaks up the protein entirely so that there’s nothing left to cause the reaction.” Oh happy days ahead, I had a clear understanding of how to cook eggs so I could eat them.

With D’s findings I set out to make deviled eggs in as many ways as possible. The recipe below is one of my favorite ways to prepare deviled eggs. Obviously the bacon, the brand of the pickled jalapenos, and the sharpness of the cheddar make a difference. Choose your favorites and this recipe is sure to be a hit.

The Incredible Edible Deviled Egg
Serves 6

Ingredients
3 Lg. eggs
1 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. Pickled Jalapenos- diced
2 Tbsp. Bacon-diced
1 Tbsp. Finely shredded cheddar
1 Tbsp. Vinegar
Salt & pepper to season

Directions
Place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water and vinegar. Bring water to a boil and allow eggs to boil for 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and allow to cool in water for additional 10 minutes. Cool eggs by running cold water in to the pot. While water is boiling, cook bacon until crisp and dice.

Once eggs are peeled slice in half lengthwise. Scoop yolks on to plate and mash with fork. Add mayonnaise, season with salt & pepper, and mix until smooth. Once yolks are smooth mix in jalapenos and bacon. Scoop yolk mixture in to whites and sprinkle eggs with cheddar. Place oven rack on top wrung. Arrange eggs on baking sheet and place under broiler for 30 seconds or until cheese melts.

Serve warm or at room temperature

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Gone Gluten-Free has gone to Europe-Paris

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The next stop on our European vacation was Paris, the city of lights. Our train pulled into Paris late Friday evening and we stayed through Tuesday morning. We arrived at our friend’s apartment and were greeted with a champagne reception! We stayed in their charming apartment enjoying breakfasts of French press coffee, cheese, saucisson, croissants, baguette, and gluten-free crackers for two lovely days. The other days were at a hotel.

*I bought the crackers in the health food aisle at a grocery store in Paris. All gluten-free items are clearly marked “sans gluten.”

There are open air markets selling all sorts of things every day of the week. Sundays however seem to be the day when the biggest and best markets take place. The Sunday we were in Paris our dear friends took us to one such market. It was a glorious haven of all things food with a flower stand here and gadget kiosk there, something to behold. It was the biggest farmers market I’d ever seen, it was magnificent! There was beautiful ripe fruit and vegetables as far as the eye could see. Succulent, delicious looking rotisserie chickens roasting above potatoes were available at quite a few stands. There was fresh fish, fresh meat, roasted meat, eggs, olives, saucisson, bread, pastry, and of course, cheese. One stall only sold goat cheese, we purchased two kinds and they were wonderful. One of the cheeses was creamy and mild and the other firmer and stronger in flavor. This was a marvelous way to spend a Sunday. After we filled our sacks we headed to the Eiffel Tower for a gourmet picnic.

Earlier I mentioned the rotisserie chickens at the market and how delicious they looked. Well, they tasted even better.

Succulent rotisserie chicken

As you walk down the street you will see them roasting away on their spits with baby potatoes sitting in the bottom absorbing all the drippings.

Roasted potatoes & a leafy green salad w/ tomatoes

Obviously I had to have one, to myself. Don’t bother leaving without the potatoes, because they are part of the experience. Our friends served this with a leafy green salad and ruby red tomatoes.

For a nice, inexpensive, gluten-free meal go to Les Fernandises. The food is French with a Spanish influence. The menu offers plenty of sharing options for a gluten-free diner such as meats (charcuterie) and cheeses, as well as salads and entrees. They also have a three-course menu for only 20 Euros that changes daily. I chose the three-course dinner.

Duck salad with figs & watermelon

I started with a duck salad topped with diced watermelon and figs. Next, I had lamb marinated and grilled with mint. The mint was grilled into the lamb somehow, in a style I haven’t had before; the strong flavors of both worked surprisingly well together. Neither one overpowered the other.

Grilled mint lamb with baby potatoes

I know there was a gluten-free dessert option, but I honestly can’t remember. The evening was filled with great wine, great food, wonderful friends and lots of laughter. I simply could not have asked for anything more.

Bon Appetite!

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Filed under Eating out, Food shopping, Paris eats, Restaurant reviews

Gone Gluten-Free has gone to Europe-Amsterdam

My trip to Europe was wonderful. I saw amazing sites, met fun and interesting people and ate some fabulous meals. My first stop was Amsterdam. Amsterdam is a beautiful city boasting more canals than Venice, some of the world’s finest museums, and friendly people who speak English. Navigating the city is easy, because the place is one big circle. The weather in early July was in the upper 60′s, which was fine since I arrived from San Francisco. The food is challenging, unless you are willing to lay it down and go to nicer restaurants. Since I spent lots of time alone I was happy munching on small things throughout the day and having nice dinners with my husband in the evening.

Before starting my day I would enjoy the hotel breakfast, at Hotel Pulitzer, with my husband. This included smoked salmon, fresh fruit, various sliced meats, three kinds of sliced Gouda and the sliced bread I purchased from Bakkerij Visser / ‘t Stoepje, on my second day (please click link for review of bakery). After breakfast off I went, exploring various galleries, stores and museums. Since everything is so close together I would stop by the room for a snack of bread and Gouda or grab frites with mayonnaise midway through my day. I drank a lot of delicious lattes and enjoyed a few local pubs, for drinks only.

Even though Amsterdam is not a foodie destination by any stretch of the imagination, there were a couple of dinners worth mentioning.

My husband and his boss were supposed to have dinner at the highest rated (by Trip Advisor reviewers) restaurant in Amsterdam, Brasserie VLAMING. They were having a business meeting with another gentleman so I wasn’t able to join them. Even though I made a reservation for this location when they arrived it was closed. There was a note for them taped to the door with a number to call, and a message offering to pick them up to bring them to the other location a couple of miles away – can you imagine such a proposal in SF or NYC. Assuming their companion wasn’t going to go they bailed on the idea and had dinner at the hotel. Their loss turned out to be my gain. The following evening I was invited to join them there for dinner.

We were seat and greeted with humble apologies. Quickly we had wine menus and drinks were on their way. We shared the starters and even though I couldn’t enjoy everything I certainly did enjoy quite a bit. First was the assorted appetizer platter. This was served on tiers and each snack had it’s own dish. There were olives, cheese, meat, and bittenballen (this is similar to a croquet, so I am told) and the roasted veal carpaccio with tuna mayonnaise (tuna salad). This was surprisingly delicious. Three of the four of us had the same entrée, fried duck breast. This was delicious. My husband had a pork dish (I think it was schnitzel???) and he liked that a lot, but not as much as my duck that he polished off in lieu of finishing his meal. Obviously you will want to specify that your meal be gluten-free, but this was a place where it wasn’t hard to find something to eat and they were accommodating.

The second meal I must mention, and the one I would choose if I had to pick between the two, was at Proeverij 274. The dining experience here was fantastic. Proeverij 274 overlooks a canal (Prinsengracht) and has a beautiful view. The building is all windows and white, very simple. My husband and I had tried many restaurants that seemed to be well rated, but were only okay. We decided to forgo research, which was clearly a waste of time, to try this charming restaurant we had passed several times on the way to and from the hotel. I am so glad we made that decision. We were seated and offered aperitifs. I had the special aperitif of the evening that I cannot remember the name of, but enjoyed immensely. It is always nice to be offered a cocktail straight away and allowed to enjoy it before having to order. We knew this was going to be a relaxed meal.

The food at this restaurant is divine. My husband and I shared the Green Salad. However to call it a green salad is misleading. It had shallots with salty caramel, rillettes of ox tail, and a white wine vinegar jelly. As you can see in the picture there is a powder on top, which turned out to be a lemon powder/salt mixture. All of the flavors went very well together. Needless to say, it was amazing! Obviously the biscuit was for my husband.

My entree was the special that evening and it was outstanding. I had a beautiful piece of sole in a butter sauce served over white asparagus with mango chutney on the side. It was a beautiful combination of textures in my mouth. The flakiness of the fish accompanied by the crunch of the asparagus, and the creamy sauce were complimented by the coolness of the chutney. This was a perfect bite.

I love the beautiful city of Amsterdam and I know that being gluten-free takes a little effort, but is so worth it to be able to appreciate everything this city has to offer.

Proeverij 274
Prinsengracht 274
1016HH Amsterdam
+31 20 4211848

Brasserie Vlaming
Prinsengracht 193a
1015 DS Amsterdam
+31 20 4272063

Bakkerij Visser / ‘t Stoepje
Rozengracht 80
1016 NE Jordaan
020-6244284

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Filed under Amsterdam Eats, Bakery, Cheese Shop, Eating out

Goat Hill Pizza

For my family and friends it is no surprise to hear me say, I love pizza! The surprise in that statement is that I am saying it even after becoming gluten-free. I have searched high and low for even a decent gluten-free pizza, but up until now it was all for naught.

Last week, the day before my birthday, I found myself home alone and not wanting to cook. I had read on the Mariposa Baking Co. website that their breads and pizza crusts were being served at various Bay Area restaurants. One of these Bay Area restaurants is in my hood, and delivers, Goat Hill Pizza. I had eaten their gluten filled pizzas before, so naturally, I was only too happy to try their gluten-free ones.

I ordered myself a small pepperoni pizza, because they don’t make larger gluten-free ones, turned on my oven with my new pizza stone inside (I’m the kind of pizza eater who likes to eat pizza that is so hot it burns the roof of your mouth up), and anxiously awaited its arrival.

The pizza arrived in a timely manner. I took three pieces and placed them carefully on my stone. Of course as I was waiting I couldn’t let the remainder of the pizza sit there, so I dug in. Even though it was only lukewarm I could tell I was going to like it, but the real test was yet to come. Would the crust be thin and crispy enough? Would the cheese have flavor? Would the sauce have flavor? Would I order this pizza again?

When I finally pulled the pizza from the oven it was hot, the crust was crispy, there was enough cheese that the pizza was gooey, and the pepperoni was glistening. I took a bite, burned the hell out of my mouth, and was happy. This pizza made me happy. The crust had great flavor and it was crispy without being a cracker. The cheese was gooey and not completely bland. The sauce was well seasoned, even a little tangy. The whole thing together made a great tasting gluten-free pizza. Yes, I will order this pizza again!

Goat Hill Pizza(Delivery)
171 Stillman St
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 974-1303

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Basil & Parsley Pesto Over Gnocchi Then Tossed With Tomato and Mozzarella

For the first time “Meatless Monday” was a success. In part, I think this is due to it being unintentional. The harder I try to make my Mondays Meatless, the worse the meal is. This decision came about organically, my cravings got the best of me. After a Sunday afternoon snack of a Caprese Salad I still had a considerable amount of basil left in my refrigerator. Basil was my inspiration for the pesto and the new gnocchi I had purchased at Mariposa was the rest.

I have made pesto many times, and it usually leaves a strong taste of garlic in my mouth that sticks around for quite a few hours. This recipe has a lot of flavor, but by using a little less garlic and incorporating parsley in to the pesto you achieve the same results, you’re just left with less of a garlic finish.

Pesto gnocchi tossed with tomatoes & mozzarella

Basil & Parsley Pesto With gnocchi Tossed in a Tomato & Mozzarella mixture

Basil and Parsley Pesto
Yields 1/2 Cup

Ingredients:

2 C. Fresh basil
1/2 C. Italian parsley
1/4 C. Toasted pine nuts (See author’s notes at bottom)
2 Cloves garlic- Rough chop
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. Freshly ground pepper
1/2 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1/2 C. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 C. Freshly grated Pecorino cheese

Directions:

Combine basil, parsley, pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper in to food processor. Pulse until blended. Turn on processor and slowly pour in olive oil. Scrape mixture in to bowl and stir in the cheese.

*Toasted Pine nuts- Put pine nuts in small saute pan on medium-low heat. Toss them around in pan periodically until they are lightly browned. Do not leave them unattended, they burn quickly and will become bitter.

Tomato & Mozzarella Mixture (Serves 2)- This mixture adds additional richness to the dish

Ingredients:

1 Roma tomato- 1/2 inch chop
1/2 Mozzarella ovalini- 1/2 inch chop
2 Tbsp. EVOO
Salt/Pepper to season

Directions:

Toss all of the above together and season to taste.

Remove gnocchi with slotted spoon and add directly to tomato and mozzarella. Mix until combined. Add 2 Tbsp. of the pesto to gnocchi. Mix and serve immediately.

*10 oz. Frozen Gnocchi (Serves 2)
I bought my Gnocchi from Mariposa Baking Co. (Click to see full review of Mariposa) They were very tasty and I will buy them again.
Please note: the directions say cook 8-10 min. or until they float. Go for when they float. Mine were floating at 5 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they do not over cook. Mine were perfect!

Arugula and Fennel Salad
Serves 4

1/2 Bag triple washed arugula
1/2 Bulb fennel- Thinly sliced
1/4 C. Shaved Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. EVOO
1 Tbsp. Freshly squeeze lemon
1 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper to season

Toss arugula and fennel together in a bowl. Add 1/2 of the shaved Parmesan and toss. Toss the salad with the EVOO, lemon and vinegar, season with salt and pepper and top with remaining cheese. Serve along side gnocchi.

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Filed under Pasta, Recipes, Vegetarian

Caprese Salad

There is nothing I love more in the summer than eating beautiful ripe tomatoes, and there is nothing more perfect on a hot summer Sunday afternoon than a salad. What brought me to make this salad was quite simple, the ingredients themselves. Yesterday while shopping at Rainbow Grocery I saw some beautiful early girl tomatoes, a glorious bunch of basil, and decided I had to make a tomato, basil, mozzarella salad. The recipe is easy and quick, just be sure your ingredients are the best you can find and the salad will be divine. It’s about highlighting the good ingredients through simple means.

Caprese Salad
Serves 2 as an afternoon snack

Ingredients:

2 medium size Early Girl tomatoes- 1/8 in. slices
1/4 lb. fresh mozzarella- 1/4 in. slices
2 tblp. basil- torn or cut in to strips
3 tblp. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).
Pinch sea salt or kosher salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
1/4 C. Whole black olives

Directions:

Lay the sliced tomatoes around the outside of the plate leaving an opening in the center. Place the sliced mozzarella in the center of the tomatoes and the olives to its side. Sprinkle basil over top, season with & pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

Buon appitito

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Filed under Food shopping, Recipes, Salad, Vegetarian

The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen-Mmmmm, cheesy

About a month ago I read a review on Crazy Allergy Girl‘s website about The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen, and I had to go. I have tried to go here on more than one occasion, but the line was always out of hand. This afternoon seemed like the perfect time and as it turned out, it was.

The afternoon may have possibly been the most glorious San Francisco afternoon ever. My apartment however was a sweltering 91 degrees F and there was no way I was going to spend one more minute in this prison of windows (Usually it is quite lovely and I am happy to be here) than absolutely necessary. I went for a run along the bay in the morning, ran a few errands and was famished. Knowing it was too hot to eat in the apt. I had to find a restaurant, and preferably one with outdoor seating. Since I went for a run I figured I deserved an ooey gooey grilled cheese sandwich.

I arrived around 2:15pm, and there were a few people enjoying their sandwiches and a couple of tables open for me to enjoy mine. I am a traditionalist with pizza and grilled cheese, especially when I want to see how good something is. I say let’s not dress it up with gourmet goodies before we know what we are working with. Since that was my mindset, and I was eating alone, ordering more than one sandwich seemed excessive. I ordered the Mousetrap (Tillamook sharp cheddar, creamy havarti, Monterey jack) on HOMEMADE GLUTEN-FREE BREAD, and took a seat outside. The outdoor seating is a bit sparse, 6 tables, but it’s all they have and are utilizing it well. They rope off their area with spatulas, which is freakin’ adorable. As I sat enjoying the afternoon my glorious sandwich arrived.

I’m just going to say it right now, this sandwich looks like the best grilled cheese ever, and it is. I would never have known it was made on gluten-free bread, and the cheese was ri-dic-u-lous! The cheese was oozing out of the sandwich; the bread was crusty on the outside and a little chewy inside. What more can I say, a picture is worth a thousand words, don’t ya think? I loved it and I will treat myself to this decadent sandwich again.

The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen
1 S Park Ave
Ste 103A
(at 2nd St)
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 243-0107

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Eggplant Parmaginia & a side of quinoa pasta

I love Mario Batali’s recipes. If you follow them and use good ingredients, they turn out perfect every time. Last night I made his Eggplant Parmigiana. The recipe takes a while to make if you also make his basic tomato sauce, which I always do, and it is worth it. I have the recipes copied from the Food Network website below, but I highly recommend his book, Molto Italiano.
This basic tomato sauce is glorious. You can’t go wrong using this as a base for lots of recipes. It’s simple and tasty. Mario’s sauces are now sold it in stores, but this is easy to make and ends up costing less in the long run. There is reason not to do it yourself, unless you are short of time.
Ingredients:

Basic tomato sauce:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, 1/4-inch dice
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried (I always use fresh)
1/2 medium carrot, finely grated
2 (28-ounce) cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved
Salt

Tomato Sauce:
In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the thyme and carrot and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until as thick as hot cereal. Season with salt and serve. This sauce holds 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer. Yield: 4 cups

Eggplant Parmigiana
Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 35 min
Level: Intermediate
Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling the baking sheet
2 large eggplant, about 2 pounds
Salt and pepper
2 cups basic tomato sauce, recipe follows
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs, lightly toasted under broiler (I leave this out, but you can make your own GF breadcrumbs)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Using some extra-virgin olive oil, oil a baking sheet.

Slice each eggplant into 6 pieces about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. Lightly season each disk with salt and pepper and place on the oiled sheet. Bake the eggplant at 450 degrees F until the slices begin turning deep brown on top, about 12-15 minutes. Remove the eggplants from the oven. Remove the slices from the baking sheet and place them on a plate to cool.

Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees F. In an 8 by 12-inch brownie pan, place the 4 largest eggplant slice evenly spaced apart. Over each slice, spread 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and sprinkle with a teaspoon of basil. Place one slice of mozzarella over each and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon grated Parmigiano. Place the smaller slices of eggplant over each of the disks and repeat with tomato sauce, basil, and the 2 cheeses. Repeat the layering again until all the ingredients are used.

Sprinkle the toasted bread crumbs (or not) over the top of the eggplant dish, and bake uncovered until the cheese melts and the tops turn light brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
Recipes courtesy Mario Batali
Copyright 2011 Television Food Network G.P. All Rights Reserved

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Eat, shop, cook, eat

This weekend was quite lovely. The sun was shining, the wind was blowing and the joys of a Saturday in San Francisco were just revealing themselves. The day started with me, famished, trying to figure out what I was craving. I opened the fridge to a host of condiments and nothing to put them on. That meant, I’m eating out! Previously, I had been dying to try these Salvadoran delights called pupusas, which I now refer to as “pillows of love.” A pupusa, is a thick corn tortilla filled with anything from meats to cheeses to refried beans and vegetables. I actually did try them, but I got takeout and they were pretty good though not great. Suspecting they had potential, I had to go back and try them in house.

Balompie’s, is a Salvadoran restaurant located in San Francisco’s Mission district. The restaurant is small, but welcoming. There is a bar (beer & wine) with about six seats and approximately 15 tables inside and two tables outside, not huge. I sat down by the window, ordered a cappuccino and took a long look at all the kinds of pupusas they served. I say all, because I swear there were about 20.

I only ordered two, but damn they were good. My pupusas were made from corn flour, but they also make them with rice flour which is GREAT for people who have corn allergies.

My first pupusa was filled with Salvadoran veggies and cheese and it was very cheesy. My second papusa, and the one I adored, was filled with Chorizo and cheese. It was great! Pupusas are served with a side of vinegar slaw, very crunchy and seasoned with Oregano, and a side of salsa. It is imperative that these be eaten with the pupusa or you’re missing part of the experience.

At the end of the meal I was full, so full in fact, that all I could do was to waddle to the car and drive to a store where I could buy more food for later!
After my pupusa breaky I drove over to Sun Fat Seafood Company, a glorious fish monger, and picked up what I would inevitably scarf down later. I bought a dozen oysters, 1lb red snapper and 1lb salmon all for under $20. This place always has the freshest fish, a fantastic selection and some fish and oysters that are sustainable or local. It never smells fishy in this fish monger, only like the ocean. The service is quick and friendly and the prices are great.

Now that the fish monger was taken care of it was over to Rainbow. One must have fresh horseradish for the oysters and I do believe I was out of cheese again.

Saturday’s weather was stellar, the food was tasty (and a new cuisine for me) and did I mention that the husband does the oyster shucking? Well, he does, and that made for a most perfect Saturday. Sorry, but no pictures of the oysters. I was too busy slurping to be shooting.

Balompie’ Cafe
3349 18th St
(between Van Ness Ave & Capp St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 648-9199

Sun Fat Seafood Company
2687 Mission Street
San Francisco, Ca 94110
Phone: 415-282-9339
Fax: 415-970-9087
Monday – Saturday: 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday or Holiday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

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Filed under Eating out, Fish monger, Food shopping, Restaurant reviews