San Francisco, CA

Pescheria ~ 1708 Church Street, 415.647.3200.

Had dinner tonight with my friend, K. We had intended to go somewhere else when we stumbled upon Pescheria. We were very pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful dining room that decorated in a minimalist tone with beautiful blue and green tiles, as well it is very casual - very "neighborhood chic"! Unfortunately, we did not have a reservation (highly recommended) and could not get a table; lucky for us, there were two seats at the bar, which is simple and very cozy . We normally hit the wine list immediately but this time around, we noticed everyone was drinking cocktails so we decided to go that way. I ordered a Processco cocktail which was favored with a bit of orange bitters, very refreshing! K. ordered a limoncello cocktail - she was worried it may be too sweet but was pleasantly surprised that it was not, as well it was very refreshing. We both started with the Insalata di spinaci - which was made with Bloomsdale farms organic spinach, oven-dried tomatoes, black mission figs, Lauren chenel goatcheese. The spinach was slightly wilted and the fresh figs added a nice texture and taste with the dressing. K. ordered the Halibut d' Alaska con patate tartufate e fagiolini, which was a Pan seared halibut, with a truffle potato puree and served with baby green beans. I ordered the Butterfish al Cartoccio with Chanterelle mushrooms, baby spring vegetables and a lemon/herb butter, this dish was cooked in parchment paper. Both dishes were very fresh. All meals are cooked with organic vegetables and they grow their herbs in the back - you definitely can tell the difference with the freshness. I did prefer the Halibut over the Butterfish, as it had a lot more flavor as well the texture was a little more firm. The Butterfish was good but I found it a little on the bland side and a bit overcooked. For dessert we ordered the Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp and the Chocolate Panna Cotta. The crisp was fantastic - cooked perfectly and still crispy! The Panna Cotta was lacking in the chocolate department and the texture was that of a jello product as well it was served with some cherries which were soaked in something particular - did not go that well with the chocolate. The espresso was fantastic! I did look at the wine list and was very pleased as there is a nice assortment of wines and red covering just about all wine regions as well they are reasonably priced. Overall, I was very happy to find a new restaurant to eat at in Noe Valley and one that is considered fine dining but also very casual, as I said, "neighborhood chic". I will definitely go back there and highly recommend that you do as well, you will not be disappointed. I give them a 4 fork rating!

San Francisco, CA

UPDATE ........... TOAST ~ 1748 Church Street, 415.282.4EAT

After a long bike ride Saturday morning, we decided on our way back into town that we could go for some grub at Toast! Once again, the wait was minimal but this time we did sit inside. We got a different waitress, she was just "Okay" - Leonard is the best! L ordered a greek scramble which had tons of feta, spinach, olives, tomatoes and artichoke hearts. It came with a side of fruit which had some very favorable pineapple, almost as sweet as the ones I had in Thailand. I ordered a Greek Salad. The eggs were as good as always! And the salad was GREAT! The dressing was perfect, just enough olive oil and balsamic to make it a little creamy and the seasonings were so tasty!!!! The drawbacks were that she forgot my baguette that went with the salad and she tops off your cold coffee with hot coffee - we are spoiled by Leonard, he gives a fresh up every time! We still give it a 5 forks rating and will go back - back to Leonard's section!

San Francisco, CA

TOAST ~ 1748 Church Street, 415.282.4EAT

We never go out for Breakfast/Brunch - well I should never say never, we occasionally do but then I hear about it all day, how one should not have to pay $15+ per person for a plate of eggs! Two weeks ago we discovered a new place in our neighborhood - Toast! We loved it and it was not your traditional $15+ per person for a plate of eggs. Instead it was great service and exceptional eggs. Now, before I even thought about writing about it or even really telling anyone about it we decided to give it a whirl this past weekend. Let me say they lived up to all of our expectations! WE may start eating Breakfast/Brunch more often. We arrived at peak eating time and only had to wait 10 minutes for a table outside. We even got our same waiter, Leonard, who is fantastic. Not over the top and in your face, knows just the right time to come up and ask if everything is okay (not when your face is stuffed full of food)! And the biggest bonus point for me ... instead of topping off your cold coffee with hot coffee as you watch the cold cream try to float back up to the top of your cup, he brings you a fresh cup every time - FANTASTIC! The food .... really good, fresh ingredients and the portions are perfect. I hate when you go to a place and order eggs and there is enough on just your plate to feed 5 of your closest friends and you end up stuffing yourself silly or tossing it all out. We had a veggie omelet (we both had this last time) which had a nice easement of stuff: mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, spinach, black olives, artichoke hearts, onions and cheddar. It comes with potatoes or fruit, we had fruit and it was a big bowl of fresh fruit! I opted for a slight sugar rush and had the Coco Loco, which is a full stack with sliced bananas, macadamia nuts and coconut. I expected all of these goodies to be thrown on top - NOT. Instead the nuts and the coconut were baked inside and sliced bananas scattered on the top. They were really yummy and hit the spot! I definitely give Toast 5 forks and it will become our new favorite neighborhood breakfast spot. Hurry in before everyone hears about it!