Yes, here it is-another restaurant review. I may start doing this full-time instead of cooking at home...just kidding. Although, this restaurant, is, I believe, my new favorite. Honestly, I think it is the best place I have ever eaten.
Well, first-my husband has been getting better at finding restaurants for us to try. I suggested that he check the internet for 'Best of...' restaurant guides from magazines, like Bon Appetit, and the result has been that we have been eating at more restaurants I want to write a review for. I decided this time I would bring my notebook, and try to take down a few of the details of the meal.
My husband was flying into San Fransisco, and we decided to leave the kids with grandma and make a date of it. He found this restaurant, and I have to admit, as we approached the locale, we were a bit unsure. We decided to just go in and give it a shot.
We arrived about six, and I think there was one other couple there. The seats were very close to each other, and about eight feet from my seat was the kitchen, situated in the dining room. A dim, bluish light cast an unusual pallor over the dining room, but the dim interior was a nice romantic switch from the over-lit restaurant interiors. Our waiter seemed slightly preoccupied, but was quite adept. We started with a dungeoness crab salad with frisee sprinkled over the top, spanish chorizo aioli, and a crispy slow egg. I have to admit, I wasn't sure what a 'crispy slow egg' was. It was a soft cooked egg that was coated and fried in something crunchy that tasted like cheese. The crab salad was light and fresh, and absolutely delicious with the silky egg yolk mixed in. The chorizo aioli was amazing. I could have written a post about that. The delicious flavors usually associated with chorizo made their way into a light but flavorful mayonnaise based sauce that perfectly complimented everything on the plate. Ahhhh...I wished there was more of it.
Oh, I forgot. A plate of fresh focaccia had made its way to our table in the meantime. It was good, but was quickly overshadowed by what was to come.
My husband ordered the painted hills ribeye with garlic french fries with horseradish pub cheese fondue, and I had the chicken thighs with wild rice and sliced toasted chestnuts. It was accompanied by grilled puntarelle, with a fuyu persimmon sauce and a malt mayo. We also ordered the drunken Spanish goat cheese macaroni as a side. It was kind of a lot of food, but we consumed everything edible on the table. The steak was the best I have ever had. It was a huge piece of meat, not what I was expecting at a high dollar restaurant. It was perfectly cooked, and practically melted in your mouth. It was simply topped with an herb butter, one of my husband's favorites. He was wishing for a bit more kick from the horseradish fondue, but it was a perfect accompaniment. I believe my chicken thigh was brick-cooked. The skin was deliciously crunchy and the inside was intensely flavorful. The persimmon sauce was delicious, even though the chicken didn't really need it. I was savoring every bite. The grilled puntarelle was something I have never had or heard of, but there are so many hybrids out there, sometimes its hard to keep up. It looked like a form of mustard greens, and I looked it up and it turns out its related to chicory, native only to Rome. It was pretty darn good. I am not a big fan of cooked greens, usually they are overcooked for my taste, but this was crunchy and extremely flavorful.
The goat cheese macaroni was phenomenal. If I ever eat at this restaurant again, I won't be able to write about it because I am pretty sure I have run out of adjectives. The macaroni was so creamy, and it was topped with a perfect, crunchy, buttery bread crumb topping.
I am sorry to break the news to you, but you probably will not be able to enjoy the exact feast I did, but I am sure yours will be just as delicious and life-changing. I believe their menu changes daily. There were many dessert offerings, including coconut creme pie, tangerine sorbet, affogeto, vanilla creme brulee, pumpkin mascarpone cheesecake and warm chocolate cake with fleur de sel caramel. I would have loved to try one, but, sadly, I was much too full.
I would recommend reservations, as the place was popping at the seams by 7:00 pm. If you had to wait, though, it would be worth it. Oh, I forgot to mention. The entire meal ran us the cost of eating at Outback...not bad, right?
The Blue Plate Restaurant
3218 Mission St.
San Fransisco, CA 94110
414.282.6777
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