I love tofu skin rolls! They sometimes have a shrimp filling, but this minced pork filling was really good too. $3.20
Grand Palace Restaurant, South San Francisco CA
Yellow flannelbush flower (Fremontodendron californicum, Malvaceae). This California native makes for a lovely and hardy garden plant. This was along the San Francisco Bay Trail.
With tomato, Boccalone pancetta, chilies, pecorino, oregano, and a farm egg. $16
Ragazza, San Francisco CA
Omg, delicious! The buttery thin crust is SO flavorful and the thicker edges are airy and have a wonderful elasticity. The toppings are stellar – a perfect combination of salty, crunchy, smooth and rich. Definitely break the egg and spread the runny yolk on every slice. The sauce is spectacular and the thin strips of pancetta are SO frickin’ good! It’s no wonder this pizza is on the 7×7 list. Although the hostess had a bit of an attitude, I didn’t let it affect my food experience. Noms!
7×7 Magazine’s The Big Eat San Francisco: 100 Things to Eat + Drink Before You Die – 2012, 2013
Peroni beer. $5
I always prefer Peroni when I’m having yummy pizza!
Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables, Orpheum Theatre. Yay, this production was stunning and beautifully sung!
Seafood noodle soup with prawns, fish balls, and squid, accompanied with a plate of bean sprouts, basil leaves, lime wedge, and sliced jalapenos. Large $7.95
Hometown Noodle 2, San Bruno CA
This tasted pretty good, but they were definitely skimpy with the seafood. You got two pieces of each if you count that the fish balls were cut in half. Meh.
Purple blazing star or prairie gay feather flowers (Liatris spicata, Asteraceae), West Field Road. It’s always interesting to post flower pics on this blog because that’s usually when I find out what the actual names are. I can usually get them to at least the family level before I have to do additional research, but there are just way too many ornamentals out there! 🙂
A special traditional boneless beef curry, topped with fresh ginger and cilantro. $8.99
Pakwan, San Francisco CA
I’m sure everyone in San Francisco knows that Pakwan is the place to go for delicious Pakistani food at amazing prices. When we were there the last time, there was a LARGE Pakistani family taking up a third of the restaurant so this prolonged the wait for food, but I think it added to the overall atmosphere. I mean the food must be good if Paskistanis are holding family functions there, right?!
Sunrise from my balcony looking towards downtown, San Francisco Bay, and the East Bay. Life is good.
Fresh tandoori oven baked bread stuffed with ground beef. $2.99
Pakwan, San Francisco CA
This was a new one for me! I’d never tried the beef stuffed naan bread before. They also put a lot of coriander seeds in there. The filling was flavorful but dry. I think I was expecting it to be more moist. Overall, I enjoyed it but I don’t think I’ll order it again.
Metal starfish decoration, Dolores Park. They have these sea-themed park decorations throughout the city. I think they’re kinda cool, but it’s pretty obvious that they’re installed to keep skateboarders from grinding all the surfaces.
Chicken in a traditional tomato based curry from northern Pakistan, delicately cooked in a wok and topped with fresh ginger and cilantro. $6.99
Pakwan, San Francisco CA
This was SO flavorful (especially with that fresh ginger, hehe)! Seriously, the dish was delicious and the chicken cuts were very tender. Mmm, this is why I love curries!
Yellow house and Integral Yoga Institute, Dolores Street. I like the contrasting colors and lines between the two buildings.
Whole beef cheeks with gai lan (Chinese broccoli), poached oyster, smoked oyster sauce, sesame seeds, served with steamed rice. $13
Mission Chinese Food, San Francisco CA
I really enjoy the taste and texture of Chinese broccoli – it’s delicious! There’s a slight bitterness to this dish that I like. It’s not for anyone on a diet though. The whole beef cheeks are super fatty and, therefore, tender and yummy. The poached oysters and smoked oyster sauce add even more textures and flavors to this plate. Noms!
Sprinklers at Dolores Park. Another beautiful San Francisco morning on my way to the gym.
Fresh tandoori oven baked bread with garlic and parsley. $1.99
Pakwan, San Francisco CA
There’s something magical about a fresh, warm piece of naan bread. The ones at Pakwan are light and fluffy and utterly delicious!
Ivy covered house, 17th Street. Ok, I get that some home owners like that old, natural look but this is a bit ridiculous. You can’t tell from the picture, but the only other portions of the house that are visible are parts of the upper windows. I would feel creeped out living in a completely plant-covered home.
House made chorizo, eggs, corn chips, chile sauce and cilantro, house salad with goat cheese and tomatoes. $12
Starbelly, San Francisco CA
Noms, this was SO good! I loved the house made chorizo and the sauteed chilies mixed into the scramble. Mmm, I’m hungry just thinking about this dish again! Definitely not an authentic chilaquiles, but it was packed with delicious flavors.
Pink ‘Coral Seas’ passion flowers (Passiflora jamesonii, Passifloraceae), 25th Street. These passion vines are just around the corner from my house. I don’t think the color combinations are as dramatic as some other passion flowers, but I don’t mind. The solid pink petals are stil beautiful!
Large pork dumpling in a broth with pieces of shark’s fin. $6
Tai Wu Mr. Fong’s Restaurant, Daly City CA
I really wasn’t sure what we would get when I ordered this since California has that ban on shark’s fin, but there was real shark’s fin in there! The shark’s fin didn’t really taste like anything, but it had a firm snappy texture.
The broth was yummy and super hot and the pork dumpling was a beast. I really didn’t know how to use the vinegar and shredded ginger so I would just pour a little on each spoonful. Hehe!
Abandoned building (old lookout?) with graffiti, Sweeney Ridge Trail. I really liked the colors and shapes in the graffiti. I can never read any of them, but I can at least appreciate their overal look.
Cocchi Americano apertivo, ginger, fresh lemon juice, prosecco. $8
Starbelly, San Francisco CA
I loved the beautiful pale pink/peach color of this cocktail. The ginger flavor was subtle, but a great addition to this lovely brunch drink.
Golden Gate Bridge from the Marin Headlands. We are kinda spoiled with breathtaking views here in the Bay Area! 🙂
Filled with combination seafood. These dumplings were delicious! I’m not sure what all the ingredients were in the filling because I can’t read or speak Chinese (we were the only non-Chinese in the entire restaurant), but it was flavorful and had an awesome texture. $6
Tai Wu Mr. Fong’s Restaurant, Daly City CA
Orange Indian paintbrush flowers (Castilleja sp., Orobanchaceae), Sweeney Ridge Trail. The trail was really beautiful and nicely maintained. It was hot up on the ridge and very bright that day.
Vittle Monster 