Brenda's French Soul Food, San Francisco, California

See: http://frenchsoulfood.com

We wanted to try the Red Door Cafe for breakfast, but it doesn't open until 10:00... and we were a little scared off by some of the Yelp reviews where people were turned away for wearing sunglasses and/or being over the age of 40.

So, we risked life and limb to walk from our hotel in Union Square through the Tenderloin to get to Brenda's on a friend's recommendation. We got to Brenda's just as it was opening, and there were already several people waiting to go in -- always a good sign. Brenda's occupies an older building, and the charm shines through. Old Beau Monde coffee cans hold silverware and napkins, and each table is stocked with Louisiana hot sauce and chutney.

While it may be a but untraditional to order an appetizer at breakfast, we started with three traditional beignets (they also offer savory options, and beignets full of local Ghiradelli chocolate -- AND you can even get a sampler to try then all  -- you should do it). The beignets were light, not at all greasy, and dusted with a generous mound of powdered sugar. In a word, delightful. Also, I rarely order coffee with breakfast as it always seems unsatisfying and like an afterthought in most restaurants, but not so at Brenda's. It was delicious, and served in big, bowl like mugs.

We then moved on to our main courses. I had the shrimp and goat cheese omelette, and it may be one of the best breakfasts I've ever had. There was no shortage of goat cheese, and the shrimp were tender and fresh. The omelette was also stuffed with mounds of caramelized onions and topped with a tomato-bacon jam. If I could purchase a jar (or a tub) of that jam, I would, and then I would proceed to smear it on anything and everything that goes near my mouth. My omelette also came with a biscuit and grits. The grits were yummy after adding some pepper, and the biscuit was great with butter and forkfuls of the omelette.

My mom went for the French Toast, which was topped with a butter pecan sauce. Unfortunately I could only squeeze in a bite, but it too was amazing.

I normally avoid taking pictures of food in restaurants, but I broke my own rule for this one (note the sausage links and French toast in the background):

We sat next to a local who said Brenda's has the best breakfast in the city, and I could not agree more. In fact, it's hard to believe we walked back outside into San Francisco and not New Orleans.

Sweet Woodruff, San Francisco, California

See: http://www.sweetwoodruffsf.com

The next stop on my San Francisco food tour was Sweet Woodruff for lunch. It's located in Nobb Hill, and is just a quick walk from Grace Chapel. 

The space is bright and sunny, and the daily supply of fresh vegetables is stacked in the back in a wash of color. Orders are placed at the counter, and you are served at one of the four (or so) tables. It may sound odd to comment on this, but the ice water was spiked with lemon, grapefruit, and cucumber slices, and was incredibly refreshing. Other beverage offerings include some local wines and microbrews.

I had the chicken sausage pot pie, which was served in a bowl topped with a square of puff pastry. Everything tasted fresh and light, right down to the bright orange carrots and green peas. My mom had a cheddar and apple sandwich, on a baguette that was slathered in apple butter. In addition to the cheese and thinly sliced granny smith apples, the sandwich was layered with thick cut, smoky bacon. The only way that one could improve upon this combination would be to make it into a grilled cheese version. 

We also had a side of the house-made, seasonal pickles -- fennel slices, olives, asparagus and mushrooms served in a mason jar. Delightful.

Sweet Woodruff also offers instructional classes (see the website for details), and you can get your food to go if you aren't lucky enough to snag a seat.

Fable, San Francisco, California

I am in food heaven. Heaven. This week, work brings me to San Francisco, and I may accumulate enough awesome food experiences to support several weeks worth of blog posts. My mom had never been to San Francisco, so with the help of some miles, I took her with me.

Our first night we dined at Fable on Castro Street. The space is quaint and whimsical (think framed portraits of characters from various - wait for it  - fables and fairytales). The service was impeccable, and one of the co-owners checked in with us a couple of times. It was not intrusive, it was because he knew we wanted to chat with him about his amazing food.

The bread basket was simple, two crusty rolls with softened, salty butter (this scored huge points in my book). We started with the Caesar salad, which was served as a high pile of whole romaine leaves with croutons and a lemon wedge. The dressing was creamy, and the first taste was of lemon, followed by a hint of anchovy. Outstanding.

I had the crispy chicken with brussels sprouts and potato gratin. I rarely order chicken in a restaurant and felt a little guilty about doing so in this instance, but all that faded away with the first bite. The chicken was moist, and the skin perfectly crisp. The au jus around the plate dressed the brussels sprouts and complemented the cheesiness of the potatoes. My mom had the pork chop with cheddar cheese grits, and I can honestly say I have never had a pork chop that tasted like this. Our waitress explained that it was locally raised and organic, and was cooked medium. The meat melted in your mouth and had undertones of bacon.  I do not even possess the language to describe it adequately -- it was really that good.

For dessert, we got both the bittersweet chocolate mouse (complete with salted caramel whipped cream) and a slice of the parsnip walnut cake with cream cheese frosting. The mousse was excellent, but I was sidetracked by the cake, which was like a carrot cake, but better. The cake was moist and the parsnips added a certain spiciness. It was one of the most creative interpretations of a classic that I've had in some time. Unfortunately I couldn't finish it (so, so full), so I took the rest home and snacked on it for breakfast the next day. And it was still awesome.

Fable is a special place, where people from San Francisco eat. The menu is not extensive, but there is something for everyone, and the atmosphere is warm. This is a must on any San Francisco tour. 

Off Vine, Los Angeles (Hollywood), California

See: http://www.offvine.com

I had the opportunity to travel to LA this week to do some work with some amazing people at UCLA. Even in the absence of good food, that would have been enough for me. But, my colleagues were gracious enough to take me to dinner, and we had a lovely meal at Off Vine. Off Vine is housed in an old bungalow, and serves as a little oasis among the chaos of this Hollywood neighborhood. We were lucky enough to sit on the patio, surrounding by a wall of jasmine blossoms. In addition to a delightful dining experience, I learned a little bit about LA culture. Like, our waiter was a WAM (wannabe actor model). It was like living my own, live version of Vanderpump Rules! Also, when I walked inside to use the ladies room, the very fabulous host with amazing glasses called me "doll". I loved him instantly.

I started with a glass of the Voss sauvignon blanc (they also offered a New Zealand option, but the whole when in Rome thing). Like my favorite sauvignon blancs, this one had elements of grapefruit with a mineral-ey finish, and was perfect for a warm LA evening (did I mention we were surrounded by a wall of jasmine blossoms?). 

We were served fresh bread with an herbed olive oil while we waited for the kitchen to open, and opted for the buffalo mozzarella salad as an appetizer. The tomatoes were bright and crisp. (What is worse than tomatoes that have the texture of styrofoam? And so many of them do!) The salad was drizzled with olive oil and a medley of fresh green herbs... and we opted in to the offering of fresh ground pepper.

I was tempted to order the vegan Stuffed Red Pepper, which is stuffed with yummy deliciousness like quinoa, asparagus, mandarin oranges, and dressed with a truffle oil and orange dressing. BUT, then our WAM told us about the specials, one of which was a seafood risotto. As Ina might say, "Who wouln't like that?" The risotto was a little untraditional, and was served with a tomato cream sauce. The shrimp were the highlight of the dish, while the calamari were chewy and tough. There were also chunks of salmon and fresh asparagus, which managed to play nicely with the rest of the dish. The risotto was cooked well and overall was well flavored.

We shared a chocolate soufflé for dessert, which we had to oder at the start of the meal. Unfortunately the edges were a bit overdone, but the middle was pudding-like and nice -- not overly sweet and you could taste the chocolate. It was also quite large and perfect for sharing among four people.

While this wasn't one of the top ten meals of my life, the atmosphere, wine, and the service made it a great experience (also, it helps if you can dine with some incredibly smart and funny researchers from UCLA). The restaurant also has some really neat history, so it felt like a real LA experience.

As an aside, if you get to go to LA, stay at the W in Hollywood. It. Is. Amazing. The roof-deck bar and views are gorgeous, and every night is Saturday night there, even Tuesdays. My room also had a window seat where I could gaze out at the Hollywood Hills when I needed a break from my laptop screen. And Bliss beauty products in the bathroom! (Don't think for a second that I left any of those behind.)