Wayfare Tavern; Love in an Oyster Shell...

If I were to give one word for Wayfare Tavern, it would be "GREATNESS". And let me tell you...Wayfare Tavern's GREATNESS has NOTHING to do with it's beautiful 1920's decor (adorned with deer heads and antlers hanging over the walls and the "smoking room" doubled as a pool table library/cozy dining room), the amazing service, especially from Sam-our waiter (hands down, my favorite waiter thus far), the tantilizing and irresistable food and of course, it has NOTHING to do with Chef Florence (Who, sadly was not there). Wait...no.. IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH ALL THAT IS WAYFARE TAVERN!

I usually don't like tavern/saloon type decor, but walking into WT, we got an immediate feel of 1920's meets the socialites of San Francisco. The bar was packed, but we did not go unnoticed. The nostalgic drinks were served perfectly, packed with subtle, surprising flavors. Watch the bartender...The "scientist" is making a concoction that will knock your knickers off!

Once seated, our waiter, Sam (I heart Sam!) recommended a few dishes (who could resist his recommendations?) and was very patient while we teetered between choices. We finally set our hearts to a half dozen oysters, mac n cheese, steak and eggs and of course, the already famous fried chicken. The popovers were a nice touch, especially with the asiago (or parmesan?) baked in...I couldn't resist. I had two.

I'm not an oyster fan, but I have to admit, coupled with the vinegar and cocktail sauce, I wanted more...an afrodisiac, if you will...Was it all in my head?

And finally, the main dishes. Oh my, the fried chicken with the fried sage and thyme and roasted garlic were all to perfection. Moist pieces of chicken, delicately seasoned and lightly breaded with a hint of buttermilk. Now that is heaven. "Last meal on earth"? Organic Fried Chicken, please! (with a side of bacon...thanks!) The side of mac n cheese with the garlic breadcrumbs was a good compliment to the meal...yummy comfort in my tummy.

My love had the steak and eggs: soft eggs, dungeness crab atop succulent petite filet mignons with savory bearnaise drizzled to complete his idea of the ultimate "Last Meal on Earth". He needed a moment. Actually a few...

Two "last meals on earth" under one roof...what could be better than that? The Chocolate Story.

TCHO Cho-co-late pudding, fudge marble ice cream, cookie crumbs, caramel ganache and cho-co-late covered rice crispy bits...We were already full, but could not resist the goodness sitting in front of us. Easily the "Last Dessert on Earth".

I look forward to trying out the burger next time...in the running for the best burger in SF? I'm sure it will be! GREATNESS at Wayfare Tavern...I wanna experience it over and over again! That is definitely love...in an oyster shell...

Spork; I Heart Spork...

I definitely think this place is a MUST for comfort food with a twist. You won't be disappointed. Mike G said, "If you really like it, you can buy a Spork". I did like it...but maybe next time!

The service was great...our server was super cute, really nice, and very knowledgeable about the menu, especially about the beer selection! I loved that they had the Hitachino White Belgian. Yum! Easily my new favorite!

For starters, the pull-apart bread is YUM. I usually don't put butter on my bread, but butter truly enhances the taste of the already fresh, fluffy bread.

I ordered the Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta. The pasta was super fresh and perfectly al-dente and the sausage was amazing with the perfect amount of spice. My "sexy hombre" ordered the mussels and pork (the dish had a cute catchy name to it, but right now, my memory has failed me). The chunks of pork were really...succulent, all drenched in the savory juice. The mussels were huge, BTW.

And for dessert, the Humphrey Slocombe ice cream with chocolate covered chips sounded intriguing. Who am I to turn down Humphrey Slocomb? So we ordered it. Hmm...I liked it, but I wasn't super excited about it.

We closed down the restaurant (Sorry, guys...) but I loved the fact that they did not rush us out, even kept the music going for us...For that, I heart Spork

Perbacco; RIDICULOUS!

I don't know how Perbacco could get any better...My "sexy hombre" brought me here for my BDay dinner and I fell in love...with the food, the wine, the service and the desserts! "Yay"!

Upon arriving, we did have to wait a bit for our table, because the original table he requested was not yet available so we stood around the bar for a drink. Yum. I started off with the Prosecco with organic strawberries. What a perfect and bubbly way to begin a meal!

When we were finally seated, they sat us in a cute little corner table, slightly away from everyone, but still in the midst of all the action. Very romantic. Nice alternative!

Once we were settled, the hostess presented a hand-written Happy Birthday Card, such a sweet touch! Then, our cute server came and introduced himself to us...Very sweet and very personable from the start! I looked at Sexy Hombre and said "Where are we? Are we still in San Francisco?"

Okay, onto the food.
-Pesce Crudo: Wonderful tastes of Albacore Tuna, Watermelon, Celery, Chili and Cherry Tomatoes. Squeezing everything into one spoon and devouring it whole, you get a variety of flavors, that pair surprising well together!
-Carne Cruda: Veal Tartare (I know...poor baby lamb!) quail egg (love quail eggs!) and truffle atop toasted bread. Oh lord...I think Sexy Hombre had a few moments...I know I did!
-Agnolotti: My Sexy Hombre may need to translate again what was in it, but I will say that it is A MUST! So much flavor coming out of such a little pocket of pasta!
-Parppardelle: With Quail Ragu and teeny tiny little mushrooms...It was good, but the Agnolotti shoved it aside and took first place on my palatte!

Now, on to my favorite! Dessert!
-Glass of Vin Santo: See the below description of how "Ridiculous" this wine is!
-Semifreddo: It's like a cross between a creme brulee, and an ice cream cake. Have a bite and take a sip of the Vin Santo. "Ridiculous". It's so ridiculous that Sexy Hombre was enticed to use profanities to describe how (again) "RIDICULOUSLY DELICIOUS" it was!
-Chocolate Gelato with a side of Toffee: This was on the house, which made it that much yummier! I don't know if I've ever had Chocolate Gelato THAT good! The cute server, originally from Boston (love him!), told us about the rarity of the chocolate...I can see why. Oh, don't let me forget to tell you about the Toffee. Be careful, it will stick to your teeth, but let it marinate in your mouth to form a caramel consistency. Take another sip of the Vin Santo and there goes my "RIDICULOUS MOMENT"! I literally had to pause for a moment and wonder if this was real. It was.

Thank you a million times, Sexy Hombre! Definitely a night to remember...I heart Bday dinners!

Candybar; Moment? No. Smile? Yes...

I came here recently on...dare I say it...Valentine's Day evening, and it was quite refreshing. Great vibe, a welcoming staff, conversational decor, an awesome menu of libations and of course, sweet desserts!

Vibe: Candlelight and some red light specials to create the mood, R&B Slow Jamz (yes, that's a "Z") to bring you back--waaaay back and pretty decor to keep you comfortable without being too comfortable.

Staff: The staff was awesome. Very welcoming, receptive to questions, nice and pleasant.

Decor: Pretty layout, urban art and...board games? Yes...they made the spot very "homey" and fun without being too loungy.

Libations: I'm a huge fan of red wines. The menu represented a nice variety to fit everyone's different tastes. The choice was easy for me...Malbec was my drink of choice of the night. The cocktail menu looked intriguing. I noticed a lot of champagne flowin'--Raspberry Delights and Strawberry Kisses seemed to be a commonality among patrons...perfect for Sex and the City Divas.

Desserts: Everything looked amazing on the menu. We opted for the Apple A La Mode: A nutty crust, cream cheese filling, baked apples topped with a scoop of Gingerbread ice cream. First bite? Warm but chilled, mushy but crunchy, sweet...and perfect.
Moment? No. Smile? Yes...

Farmerbrown; I Have Now Seen The Light...

If I were to base a rating on my overall experiences at Farmerbrown, I'd give this place an astounding 5 out of 5! But given the recent brunch buffet, I'd give it a mediocre 3...Wah Wah Waaaaaah...

The lunch and dinner menus are great. So coming for Sunday brunch, I would imagine that brunch goers were as confused as I was.

I was expecting chicken, waffles, scrambles...hearty. Instead, you get boring eggs and oily breakfast potatoes. But FEAR NOT! You are also blessed with bacon, fried chicken, grits and DRUM ROLL PLEASE....biscuits and gravy.

As a farmerbrown fan, I was a bit disappointed with the fried chicken, but put gravy over it and all is wonderful again.

I've never had grits, but I decided to try it anyway. It reminded me of plain chinese porriage and decided I liked it. Then...the lightbulb went off in my head...ADD BACON! GENIUS, JEN! GENIUS!!!!! *Applause* *Takes a bow...*

Oh, but don't forget the gravy over biscuits. I was never a fan...but I've been conformed.

I feel like I just came out of Sunday Service...I have now seen the light...

Bi-Rite Creamery; Enter: Nirvana...

Standing in line for ice cream in 50 degree weather at 10pm takes dedication. I always thought people were crazy to stand in line on a chilly night for ice cream, but at Bi-Rite Creamery, I understand why. Rain or shine, there is always a line at Bi-Rite. When I didn't think it could get any better, their new remodel includes a bakery next door! Yes! A BAKERY!!!!

What's even better about Bi-Rite is that they have the friendliest staff and are super patient about giving patrons tastes of the different flavors. The last time, however, I was being helped by this nice guy who just came back from a smoke break and I felt like could taste the remnants of his cigarrette with my Ricanelas sample as if he scooped it with his own hands. This, however, did not prevent me from getting two scoops and a pint of Burnt Caramel to go!

Side note: So...is it bad that I put spoon to pint and almost finished it by myself in one sitting?

My absolute favorites would have to be Burnt Caramel (of course...) and Roasted Banana. Scoop them in together and you get this oh-so-cream(er)y compostable (Yes, they're GREEN!!!) spoonful of goodness!

Buy a pack of chocolate cookes (or oatmeal) and eat them with your ice cream and...Enter: Nirvana.

Pizzeria Delfina; My Pizza Moment...

I never thought I'd have a "moment" with pizza...but was wrong. I had a moment at Pizzeria Delfina. I guess it's not surprising, since everyone raves about this place!

Service was awesome! The hostesses/servers we encountered were each super sweet! Even though we waited almost an hour (on a Monday night), they made sure to serve us beverages while waiting!

There were 5 of us, so what better way to experience Pizzeria Delfina for the first time than to order 5 pizzas! So, here are my thoughts:

Yes, the Margherita is good (Margherita with Hen of the Woods Mushrooms is better!) but I'm not sure it was worthy of a spot on 7x7's Big Eat. The Salsiccia (pie to the left) should have made it to the list. It's PERFECT! OMG. I think it was the fennel sausage and mozzarella that did it, coupled with the fact that it had a crispy thin crust that was to die for! The second it met my mouth, my mouth thanked me. *Moment of silence* Okay...moving on. I think I'll have to call it my favorite pizza so far.

Side note: I'm not a huge fan of sparkle(ing) water, but drop a slice of lemon in it...eat it with your pizza and you have a wonderfully balanced meal with a splash of "sparkle"! I'm sure it contributed to my Salsiccia "moment"!

The Purgatorio (pie to the right) was good too...the farm eggs were a bit distracting but paired perfectly with the spicy tomato sauce! I would have loved to see the thought process behind this one. It's such a unique combo!


The Prosciutto Pie was disappointing. I'd rather have a salad with all the arugula atop the pie (you see what I mean?). Don't get me wrong... the prosciutto was thin, salty, not too fat and oh so yummy! I pretty much raped the prosciutto off the pie, it was so good!. But it's definitely not a date night kind of pie, unless you like your date (or you) with greens sticking out of your mouth! I think it's cute...but that's just me :).