San Francisco Dining

Now that the wedding details are in place and my flight to the Bay Area looms, my thoughts are now turning to what to eat the rest of the time that I'm in California.

Foodgoat and I are mourning the loss of Sushi Lovers in Milpitas and vainly trying to recall where the best burritos in the city are.

Otherwise, where to go? where to take our various visitors? I'm perusing the egullet forums for ideas. There are Nation's pies, for one thing. I'd love to go to the notorious farmer's market at the Ferry Building. Shall my adulthood official by having a cocktail at the Top of the Mark? A tour of the Cowgirl Creamery. Perhaps some sake bombs at Mas Sake, the Hooter's of sushi? A visit to the Point Reyes oyster farms. Oooh, an earthquake sundae at Ghiradelli Square? Early on we had in mind to go to the French Laundry, but somehow I think we won't quite make it.

Everything is Actually Only Four Things

Until last week, I had never had, nor did I have any inclination to try, an everything bagel. Onion bagel, yes. Asiago cheese, definitely. Everything bagel, no. Even though Foodgoat loves them.

Because an everything bagel would have, well, everything, right? Cinnamon sugar, garlic, raisin, pumpernickel, chocolate chip, the works. Why else would they all it an everything bagel?

But apparently I was reading it a little too literally. Everything really means just poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onion, and salt. And it turns out it tastes awesome. And now every morning I split a Thomas everything bagel with cream cheese with Foodgoat.

Deliciousness

A co-worker brought into work, courtesy of a new Cuisinart ice cream maker, a sample of her new magical machine. A delicious, delicious, delicious sample.

Salted. Butter. Caramel. Chip. Ice. Cream.

So many beautiful words, all together. A custard ice cream, with dark chocolate chips and even more importantly, salty sweet flakes of crunchy caramel.

I personally believe that butter is one of the great achievements of human civilization. I would go to a Church of Butterscotch. Here Foodgoat and I part ways, as he is something of a butter atheist. In any case, the Salted Butter Caramel Chip Ice Cream was the highlight of the workday, and could easily be the highlight of a day when I didn't have to pay an unreasonable amount of attention to formatting.

A Meeting of Minds

What you see now is goodness being made.

It's the new crepe stand, Crepes De Luxe, in the West Side Market, right next to and owned by the coffee stand, and a new source of happiness for us.

When we wandered up for the first time, he took a look at us and said, "One of you is some kind of goat." Who are we to deny it?

Nor could we pass up, as he pointed out, the crepe known as the Goat - goat cheese, basil, and tomatoes in what I think is a buckwheat crepe.

Or try the Joy - with dark Belgian chocolate and coconut.

I can't decide if I'm a savory crepe or a sweet crepe person. Foodgoat seems to lean towards the sweet, with the chocolate and berries and all that, but I think I may be the savory type. All that cheese. And often, ham.

(Point of interest: the T-shaped tool used to smooth out the crepe into thing smoothness is called a rozell - which is, phonetically speaking, Ladygoat's name.)

His crepes are indeed tasty - light, amazingly thin, soft and tasty. He also puts them in handy paper cones, an idea he picked up in Montreal. The crepes are vying with bratwursts as the West Side Market brunch of choice.

When Life Is Bad, Ice Cream Is Good

Okay, all things considered, life's not all bad at all, but it hasn't been good enough to feel bloggerful. Work's been crazy, the weather became lovely and warm only to turn frakkin' cold, someone stole $3 from my brother's car, my sister got caught in the crossfire of berserk elementary teachers on strike, and I went to the Filene's Basement infamous bridal gown sale, where being engulfed by crazy women pawing and clutching madly at sequins and satin frocks left me nauseous and unsettled.

Fortunately, we've discovered Mitchell's Ice Cream, a Cleveland company, at our local grocery store, and we're making our way through all the flavors. My personal faves are the pie flavors -- Key Lime Pie and Banana Cream Pie, which include chunks of pie crust. It's like pie a la mode, all in one convenient container.