Presidio Social Club

The rest of the USA is having a heat wave. As the fog rolled into SF Bay and over the Golden Gate Bridge we put on our jackets and said a silent "thank you" for nature's natural air conditioning. If you like warmer summers this wouldn't be your ideal summer day but it works for us.

After a visit to the Legion of Honor for an exhibit of Dutch and Flemish Masterworks that was truly a visual feast, we headed for lunch at the Presidio Social Club. Based on a previous visit there with daughter, Megan, I wanted my husband to give it a try. And yes, this was after our early morning visit to the Farmer's Market, that's why you go early––so you can eat again before the drive home.

I ordered lobster bisque and a Jamaican-style red lager beer. Sounds like an odd combination but it was actually quite good. The bisque was absent of any pieces of lobster but the flavor was absolutely captivating–– it had a roasty, nutty, slightly salt-water taste that kept me anticipating each spoonful. There were a few tiny springs of sliced basil, just enough for flavor. The surprise was the few kernels of roasted corn that hung out in the bottom of the soup. When those got added to a spoonful of the bisque it was a wonderful pop of flavor. Although this was a simple bisque every flavor counted and it was delicious.

My husband Joe had the burger and fries. The fries were addictive and some of the best we've had. (Are you noticing how I'm sharing his lunch with him? There is more of that coming up...) I had just a small bite of his burger and it was almost creamy––the meat was smooth and just greasy enough to be tasty. I'm not a burger lover but I'd add this to my short list of burgers I will eat: Shake Shack in NYC is at the top––this burger is number 2––and there is no number 3.

Joe had to try the brioche beignets and Mexican hot chocolate. I'd been dreaming about them since my last visit–– so hungry or not (whose ever really still hungry for dessert?) we ordered them. They arrived hot and liberally sprinkled with sugar & cinnamon. They were totally delightful even though we decided they could have used a bit more time to cook...they were just a tad doughy. But we did find ourselves making that little "hum of happiness" sound as we ate them, enjoyed the spicy Mexican hot chocolate and marveled at how fortunate we are to live so close to a food mecca like San Francisco.

Ever heard of a Watermelon Radish? Or a Black Radish?

I discovered French Breakfast Radishes last year. Slice, salt and put them on buttered French bread and you have a snappy little treat. Those little radishes have a punch of taste that will wake up most people's taste buds.

Yesterday at the Farmer's Market I was looking for those breakfast radishes when I saw a plateful of different colored slices of some small root vegetables––I couldn't tell what they were so I asked. The vendor explained that "The pink and white one is a Watermelon Radish and the other is a Black Radish––it's really peppery." Whoa, who knew? I tasted the watermelon radish and it was slightly sweet. The black radish was indeed peppery, but it snuck up on you so by the time I left the vendor with my purchase, my mouth was on fire....well, to me it was on fire. Maybe you could say my mouth was "alive" and I didn't need more than that one slice to get the idea that this was one different kind of radish.

So now you and I both know about watermelon radishes and black radishes. They are worth looking for and will introduce you to an entirely unexpected taste from the familiar red radishes we all find in the grocery store.

Tastes at the Ferry Building Farmer's Market

Go early Saturday morning. Beat the crowds. Get coffee before the lines get too long. Then head for the Hayes Street Grill booth for scrambled eggs, Hobbs bacon and an Acme baguette. Add a killer view of San Francisco Bay and it is the perfect start to our weekend. Every time we think we should do something different, we pause and say: "Nawwww, you can't beat this so why change it?"

We did add something new this time though. I spotted a new vendor inside with a table full of great looking scones. If he's there next time, he's on our list of key destinations. The cinnamon bun scone was moist on the inside, crunchy on the outside and had just the right amount of cinnamon and glaze. (pictured above)

I considered skipping our visit to the Downtown Bakery booth, but even though I could substitute the new scone source for my beloved donut muffin (today only!), I couldn't make it through next week knowing we'd missed the apricot turnover. That turnover went right into the bag next to the new-guy-in-town scone.

Because everything we taste is made with the best ingredients by people who seem excited and proud of what they make––we end up having wonderful treats that don't send us into sugar shock or carb overload. Besides, my husband and I split everything...half the cost, half the calories and we always have room for more.