Weekend Trip to Sac Town! (Part 1)

So I decided to visit my friend Chris in Sacramento.  He unfortunately is also in law school and has more classes than I do, so I decided it would be ever so kind of me to drive out for his birthday.  Little did I know that Sacramento is WAY farther from SF than I thought.  I mean its only two hours but that is like a hop, skip, and a jump away and then add an hour road trip.  Regardless I loaded up the car and headed on an adventure.  Also the outlets are on the way so OF COURSE I stopped...

A girl's gotta shop!

I haven't been to Sacramento since I was like 10 years old; for a "tour" of California with the fam.  Chris and his roommate live in a great area of town in this beautiful 1900s wooden home.  It creaks when you walk but there is stained glass everywhere and is huge.

Beautiful Old Homes in Sac-Town

After helping Chris finish a motion for summary judgment (yuck), he decided to treat me for dinner at The Press.  He is a bigger foodie than I am, so I knew it would be fabulous and I would be stuffed.  We sat outside because it was 90 degrees at 8:30 PM.  I got a glass of the house red wine (always the cheapest option and usually pretty good).  I recommend asking restaurants what type of wine it is to determine if you like it - Pinot Noir is my favorite.  Chris got a glass of scotch neat* (he's a "man" and drinks liquor straight).  Then we settled down into the appetizers.

We ordered three apps to share: Fig and Prosciutto (my request and I don't think Chris liked it), Potato Croquettes (tasted just like tater tots), and Fried Meatballs with Greek Yogurt Sauce.  The appetizers were really good, and I was already stuffed but we still ordered more.

Fried Meatballs  w/ Greek Yogurt Sauce

Potato Croquettes

For dinner, I ordered the Beef Short Rib, Red Wine Sauce and Mashed Potatoes.  The Short Rib is so tender and tasted great, but Chris' meal was much better.  The Red Wine Sauce was tasty, but plain and the mashed potatoes were just regular mashed potatoes.  Chris got the Hanger Steak with potato au gratin in a bordelaise sauce.  The potatoes were so good that we got a second order.  Seriously if you only eat one thing get the au gratin.  They are INCREDIBLE - and potatoes are my thing people.  For dessert (yes we were that fatty) we got three scoops of sorbet: cantaloupe, watermelon, and peach.  Very refreshing and tasty.  Then we went back home to get ready for a fun night on the town!

Hanger Steak and Potatoes au Gratin - AMAZING

Short Ribs and Mashed Potatoes...Tastes better than the soup it looks like

Tourist Tip: Eat outside.  Sacramento is always so hot, and the outdoor patio at night is so cute! (And great for people watching)

Oldie but goodie.

Like I have said before, being in the Tenderloin everyday does have its perks (although few).  One of my favorite places in the city happens to be behind my law school.  Morty's Deli is the bomb.  Yes I am bringing back 1995, but literally its amazing.  This isn't really a "new" find for me since I have been eating here forever, but it is too good not to mention.

Might look scary, but worth checking out!

Inside of Heaven...Morty's Deli

It is a total SF joint.  Has veggie, vegan, gluten free, and meat lover options.  I always always always get "The Paulie".  It is a roast beef sandwich with Russian dressing, coleslaw, and jack cheese (but I hold the cheese).  It isn't a hot sandwich but it is a HUGE sandwich.  You will NOT be hungry after eating here.  Some other favorites of mine are the Meatball Sub (although not the best), The Golden Gate (if you love prosciutto), The Jake, and the salads are pretty good too.  My veggie friendly buddy loves the veg burger, but had a problem with it looking too much like meat.  Not to worry they fixed this problem and changed back to normal looking veggie burgers.  I have heard the fries are good, but have honestly never had room for any.  I know they have some beers on draft too, but because I only attend this abode during lunch I have never had the chance to partake in the alcoholic festivities.

The Dirty Bird Sandwich...a whole lot of yummy.

Meatball...enough said.

Oli's favorite the Golden Gate, staple of San Francisco

Pluses: takes Credit Card, you can order online for pick up or even delivery near by (a huge plus when studying in the library and can't leave your laptop), and a whole meal is less than $10.

Cons: IT IS NOT OPEN ON THE WEEKEND.  This is the worst thing in the world and the reason why it took bub SO long to be able to try it.

Tourist Tip: To avoid the lunch rush, come no later than noon or pre-order your meal online.  It gets VERY busy for lunch, as it should because its awesome.

Red Bull and Vodkas?

My friend Kelsey is the best.  She has an amazing connection with the Social Planner at Red Bull (Ms. Red Bull), and kindly invited me along to their Flugtag Team announcements at the Phoenix Hotel.  I had never been to the hotel before - it's insane.  The cocktail hour was outside around the pool.  There was a bar (drinks for free!) and a lovely spread of yummy, yummy snacks.

Red Bull and Vodka - open for business

A little Table Top fun!

Cute Pool at Phoenix Hotel

It was a little chilly, which means everyone drank more "to warm up."  Eventually we realized it was EIGHT O'CLOCK and we hadn't eaten dinner.  Kelsey's friend then invited us to join her for dinner at Chambers restaurant inside the hotel.  The restaurant/bar area inside is full of old albums.  It was fun to go through them and read all the old titles.  All the tables are wooden, with low lighting, and a really neat vibe.

We sat at the table to the right.  SO much fun!

Albums on Albums on Albums

Because we all had a little too much to drink, we also ordered a little too much to eat.  Ms. Red Bull ordered some truffle dip (phenom, comes with truffle mushroom dip and waffle chips), ceviche, and some Crisp Polenta (which was also yummy for those veggie eaters out there). Pass on the ceviche, its hard to eat with the little chips and you don't even get that much in an order.

Ceviche and Small Chips - Skip it

Truffle Dip! Still makes my mouth drool...

Kels and I decided to split the Crab Corn Chowder and Chambers Burger.  Both are fantastic.  The burger is HUGE and the fries are amazing.  The  Chowder seems like a small helping but its so rich you almost can't finish all of it.  Wash it all down with a Lagunitas IPA and call it a night!  (Disclaimer - there was alcohol involved so the food tasted especially good!)

Chambers Burger - You won't finish it!

Tourist Tip: Even if you aren't hungry, come here for a drink.  Cool vibe and PACKED on a Thursday!  I heard they also have pretty good cocktails...I was at a Red Bull party so my choices were limited.

A Secret I'm Afraid to Give Up

So this is my ALL TIME FAVORITE Thai restaurant in San Francisco.  I am so sad to let this gem out of the bag (although it has some of the highest hits on Yelp, so I am sure its not THAT much of a secret anymore).  Anyway... bub's parents live in SF and every once in a while we grab dinner and catch up.  One of our go to spots is Marnee Thai.  It is to die for.  There are a lot of Thai places in SF, but Marnee is not only a great bang for your buck, but it's also absolutely fantastic.  Special perk - it has lots of dishes other Thai places just don't offer.  In fact, they call themselves a "Siamese" restaurant instead of Thai.  (see the history of Thailand to read up on Siam)

Back Room is perfect for large parties.

We went to the 9th and Irving location, and had about a 10 minute wait.  Not bad for a place that is always packed.  If you have a big party, try making reservations so you get seated.  The place is very, very narrow but has a large backroom for bigger parties.  Parking is also a bit tough but there are lots of side streets and the N drops you off at the corner.

Pad Thai: What they are KNOWN for!

One of the best things here is the Pad Thai.  In fact, I think they were voted #1 in the City or something.  A must get if you come here.  I always get it with tofu because it's just better that way.  I also love Pad See Ew, but its made a little differently here.  Still yummy but less bar-b-qued and more steamed, with lots of black pepper.  It's amazing with chicken.  The bub LOVES the Minced Garlic Chicken; we have sometimes ordered two of it before.  And the Yellow Curry is yummy, or Pumpkin Curry if you dare.  I will guarantee that anything you order will be absolutely incredible and keep you coming back for more...

Yellow Curry with Chicken so DELISH!

Pad See Ew with Chicken and Broccoli

Red Curry with Tofu - perfect for Spicy Lovers

Tourist Tip : Bring at least three people with you so you can try everything they have.  This place serves family style, and believe me the more you order the happier you will be!

A Night of Celebration!

Hayes Valley is an excellent gem in the city.  If you are looking for a good restaurant with a fun vibe, I would start here.  And the best part is I can walk here from home or school!

Hayes and Octavia: A Gorgeous Day in SF

One of my friends from school got engaged over Labor Day weekend, so I asked her out to celebrate the beginning of the rest of her life.  We decided to go to Two Sisters Bar and Books for some small bites and celebratory booze!  Highly recommend the house red wine...and of course we got a flight of it.  Really good prices, and the cocktails looked amazing.

Menu on a Mirror

The front of Two Sisters

The place looks like a little European coffee shop.  You can read a book, order an Old Fashioned at the bar, or take a date to one of the small tables on the side.   We ordered a few small plates because we hadn't had dinner.  We shared the meatballs which were good, and a cheese platter with roasted garlic which was amazing.  And it went perfectly with our wine.  We sat and chatted for about two hours about her wedding planning and all the fun things to come!

Yummy Cheese and Prosciutto

Tourist Tip: Come early!  It gets really crowded and there are only a few tables to sit at.  The rest is a small bar but it also gets packed.

A Little Food Truck Fun!

The best part about going to school in the Tenderloin is the cheap eats.  Thanks to Off The Grid the food just got even better.  Because the lil bro was still in town, I decided to treat him and his gf to the food trucks.  He was hesitant at first because LA trucks tend to be small helpings for a big price.  However, he was pleasantly surprised, and we couldn't even finish all of our food!

Sunny SF Off the Grid Thursdays

Southern Sandwich BBQ, so tasty

There were six trucks set up for lunch, but the bro is a vegetarian so he decided to get some Garlic Noodles with Tofu from An the Go.  It was so much food, and if you haven't had garlic noodles you MUST try them.  Personally I think Mangosteen has better garlic noodles, but these weren't too shabby, and he had never had them before.

Garlic Noodles with Tofu

I got a beef brisket sandwich from Southern Sandwich which was ENORMOUS.  I couldn't even finish it.  The sauce they have on the side is phenom and the brisket is served like pulled pork, but not as fatty.  I will definitely wait in line for that again.  To share with the veggie bro, we got potato salad (pretty good, mayo based) and a Pepper Jack Mac which had me at hello!  It was so good, a little spicy and not too cheesy.  The sides were only $2 and a healthy heaping.  I'm pleased to say I have converted a Food Truck snob!

BBQ Brisket, Potato Salad, and Pepper Jack Mac

Tourist Tip: Bring cash!  Some food trucks have now converted to credit card friendly, but a lot still are cash only.  So be on the safe side and have cash.

A Little Speakeasy in my Life...

After being stuffed from dinner, we decided to grab some drinks at a place I had been dying to try, Comstock Salon.  It is designed like a 1920s Speakeasy and has tons of signature cocktails.  It is priced pretty well, $5 Anchor steam on draft of course, and about $10 cocktails.  We got a beer and a South Side Cocktail - gin, lemon, sugar, mint, seltzer.  The cocktail was great, you could taste enough liquor but had the flavor you look for in a well crafted drink.  Will come back here for some bites because the food looked great!

The Front of Comstock

South Side Cocktail

Tourist Tidbit: Visit on Wednesdays and enjoy the free live jazz!

And That's Why we are Family...

My little brother came into town this week.  Our family is notorious for loud voices and big appetites, so naturally we decided to try a few new spots in the city.  My brother is a big foodie and yelper, so he found a nice dinner spot in North Beach called The House.  It is a mildly expensive (about $20ish for an entree) Asian-Fusion restaurant that is honestly AMAZING.

Outside of The House

Because my bubs is Chinese, I eat a lot of Asian food, sometimes I would even call myself an expert on it.  Normally Asian-Fusion restaurants just don't work, but this place has it all.  The flavors in everything, even the green beans I had, was just dead on.  I highly recommend the sea bass with noodles, and the shrimp and chive dumplings to start.  They have a pretty good wine selection but I held off (which was really hard because I LOVE wine) and waited for our next stop.

Shrimp and Chive Dumplings

Sea Bass, Noodles, and Green Beans, oh my!

Tourist Tidbit (thanks Oli): Make reservations and take a cab!  We got lucky and had a two minute wait but this place was poppin' on a Wednesday so weekend goers beware!

Welcome to the World Wide Web

Good Ol' Foggy SF

This is my first blog, ever... As old fashion as that sounds, I am very excited to learn how to do this.  I am even more excited to start eating, drinking, and visiting places around the glorious city of San Francisco.

It is my last year in law school, and I finally have some time to tour the city I have lived in for the past two years.  There is a good chance that I won't be living here much longer, so I have to get in as many sights and sounds as I can before that daunting Bar Exam comes around.  I plan to use this site as a way to remember all the exciting things I get to do before work starts.  There will be a few entries about Orange County and Los Angeles, as the bubs and fam live down south.  But I live in San Francisco and have the rare opportunity to discover the secrets around town.

Follow me on my last exciting journey of my student life...