Yes, well, it was little Miss Restaurant Whore who guessed the restaurant correctly. 'Course, what she forgot to mention was that it was HER ticket to the Food Blogger Face-Off I was trying to give away!
So, first person to email me gets the ticket. Now, back to the grub.
I've mentioned in various places that I will generally only go to Zuni for lunch. I find that the service frequently suffers in the evening, perhaps because they expect a whole lot of touristy types. And, heaven forbid that one person in your party is "urbanity-challenged" -- it can guarantee a shitty experience. So, as I drove through the city, my blood-pressure beginning to normalize, I considered our options.
Citizen Cake... had a great lunch there with Sam, but the kitchen had changed hands since then. Oh, and parking might be a bear.
Absinthe? Love it. Maybe even adore it. But it's one of our "date night" spots, so didn't want to taint it with the sour taste of the day.
Zuni... Zuni! Readily available parking. Oysters. And my near-favorite Bloody Mary. Yes. Zuni would do.
As we pulled into our (FREE! EASY!) parking spot, I realized that in five years of living here, C had never been to this quintessentially San Franciscan place. He'd never experienced the burger, or the caesar, or the brick-oven roasted bird with that heavenly bread salad. Oh, this would be fun.
My hopes were dashed as I peered through the window and saw a packed house. Opened the door, and asked the hostess how long the wait was for a two-top. "45 minutes", said she. "30 minutes", I told C -- I couldn't risking him wanting to go elsewhere, could I?
We shimmied up to the bar, where I ordered my precious Bloody and C's Iced Tea. We kept eagle-eyes on the tables in the bar, hoping one would open up before our name was called. Once, twice, we were thwarted. Until the kind hostess whispered -- "quick, go grab that one!" And we did.
We knew what we were having, even before we sat down. "9 oysters, please -- split between Miyagi & Kumamotos. One Caesar to share. Two Hamburgers, medium-rare, one with gruyere & grilled onions. Oh, and of course, Shoestrings, please" Our waiter loved us. No hemming and hawing here.
The Oysters ($2.05-$2.55 apiece) were fresh, clean-tasting -- plump, creamy Miyagis for me; delicate, briny Kumamotos for C.
The Shoestring Potatoes ($6) were addictive. Perfectly crisp, salty, fatty. Oh.
The Caesar salad ($9), as ever, is one of my favorites -- though not an enormous fan of anchovy-heavy dressing, Zuni's is delectable. Perhaps it's that they house-cure the fish?
(Photo Courtesy the Bunrabs)
And of course... the Hamburger ($11.50 - $13.75). The one you either LOVE or HATE. No in between. For me, it's perfect. The meat is tender & flavorful, and the focaccia soaks up all the luscious juice. The pickles and onions that are served alongside rank amongst the Best Condiments Ever.
By this point we were, understandably, quite full. But a look at the dessert menu was in order to see if the fabled Caramel Pot de Creme was on the menu. Alas, it wasn't. But the Espresso Granita ($6.25) was calling my name. I have tried, unsuccessfully, to recreate that granita several times. In my kitchen, it never comes together quite right... it's missing that ethereal texture, and the consistent flavor throughout. {Sigh}.
Total for this Saturday lunch, including tax and tip came to $95. We might have been a wee bit generous with the tip because, well, hey, let's face it -- Zuni saved our day. Plus, our poor waiter, new on the job, must have had the two worst tables in the place flanking ours.
<rant>I mean, who the hell comes to Zuni on a Saturday afternoon without reservations, sits down at 2:15, orders a full meal, and expects to be out by 3:00 to catch a flight??? What the hell? And then she was a BITCH about it to the poor waiter, complaining to the manager about him and everything. </rant>
Anyway, I love Zuni for lunch. And I know a lot of you have had less than great experiences at Zuni for dinner. So, seriously, give the place a try for lunch or brunch, and let me know if it changes your opinion.
Zuni Cafe (no website)
1658 Market Street
San Francisco
415.552.2522
Technorati Tags: Food | Food & Drink | Restaurant Review | San Francisco | Zuni
