with all of the traveling i have been doing, i thought it would be fun to devote one day solely to searching each city for some of the best eats (and drinks). with help from friends on twitter, locals and chef friends i can seek out some of the dishes each city is known for, as well as some hidden treasures.

this week was the first of a day of tasty treats as i roamed through san francisco for just over 12 hours, eating and drinking all along the way. i of course realize that there is no way to enjoy all a city has to offer in just one day, especially a foodie town like san fran, but at least i could get a little taste of what makes it such a great culinary destination.

i started out before lunchtime with my friend jen biesty who is now the chef of a great place in sf, scala’s. i had a multiple page list of places to go, as did she, so we figured we would hit the ferry building first and try to narrow it down from there.

lucky for me the farmer’s market was in full effect. now we have some awesome markets out here in the midwest, but our growing season is a bit shorter since it tends to snow most of the year. we have a little time to wait before we get some local stone fruits, but the market in sf was filled with them. cherries all around (i love cherries), nectarines, plums, pluots, peaches, apricots, and little green plums…you name it. i got to taste my first loquat which tastes like a cross between passion fruit and apricot with the inner texture of papaya. it’s fun to wander around farmer’s markets and sample what is in season.

time to hit the inside of the ferry building, which was hustling with folks grabbing tasty snacks for lunch. there are amazing mushrooms (you can even buy a mini mushroom farm for your house), caviar, cheeses, fresh breads, meats, cookware and books, wines…. all things that make me happy.

we hit boccalone first since pork for breakfast seemed like the best way to go. chris cosentino (also chef of incanto) creates beautiful charcuterie that you can get sliced and take to go in little cone cups. how brilliant is that! the prosciutto was to die for and a new product, spreadable andouille, was perfectly spiced.

next we came across cowgirl creamery featuring hundreds of cheeses including their own (cowgirl can be found at most whole foods… very creamy and tasty). the st. pat and inverness are two seasonal cheeses that cowgirl produces and both are delicious. the st. pat is made from whole milk (unlike triple cream used in many of their other cheeses) yet is still super creamy and has the perfect earthiness and tang. cave-aged marisa, made in wisconsin’s carr valley, was one of the highlights…a great sheep’s milk cheese with robust flavors and a great parm-like texture.

i could have stayed all day just eating cheeses but when you are in san fran, oysters are a must. hog island oyster co. is the place to go in the ferry building when you are in the mood. the actual hog island is located about an hour north of the city and the restaurant has a couple of the oysters raised there on the menu. kumamoto’s were sweet and delicious while the sweetwaters were for those who love a strong salt-water finish. the morro bay was my favorite with a very creamy texture and a nice balance of sweetness and brine. we also had some baked oysters, which i love… some harissa, bagna cauda and casino, all of which were delicious. the clam chowder was something i had to try since i grew up in new england. this version was very light and milky with a bunch of beautiful fresh clams. no canned juices used here.

onward we went to the staple slanted door. i think the most responses i got on twitter recommended their shaking beef so i had to give it a try. at this point, ryan scott had decided to join us so we started the celebrations with some cocktails. we were lucky enough to be the first tasters for the tuesday bartender’s cocktail-off where they each have to use the ingredient of the day, today being crabapple marmalade. it is fun to see how each person can take one ingredient and make such variations. the winner, michael, created a nice and frothy drink with egg whites and had great acidity from lemon and an eight-year sour mix. the drinks were fun and the food was all boldly flavored with an asian flare. the hamachi with crisp shallots and the spiced green beans were the winners for me.

we headed to the mission for another very popular recommendation, la taqueria. there are a number of places to get tacos in the mission but this place wins with their tortillas. they reminded me of gorditas (taco bell, i know that is a bad comparison but i mean it as a compliment) with one soft tortilla that is steamed and one that is dipped in oil to crisp up. that bit of crunch made all the difference. ryan and i opted for the tongue tacos, but if that is not your style i am sure the carne are tasty too. ryan’s description was “the mexican version of an in-and-out burger.” who knows what he was getting at exactly but it sure was tasty.

we were getting a bit full at this point, but before our midday drink break, we hit the newcomer humphry slowcomde ice cream shop where interesting flavors are the specialty. i am a big fan of salted ice creams so the salt and pepper was a must. i think my favorite was the bourbon/cornflake that we ate with a scoop of blue bottle coffee. “breakfast gone happy” i like to call it. could be because i have been stuck on bourbon since the derby, but that is a different story. from this point on was when the day started to involve a bit more wine/beer/other drinking so my notes are a little tough to read, but i will do my best.

delfina was up first for dinner owned by james beard award winner, craig stoll. the room is inviting and quaint and the food is rustic yet refined. the highlights for me were the tuna crudo with meyer lemon, cucumbers and chive blossoms as well as the perfectly textured gnocchi. the seared duck with cherries and house sour kraut was fantastic as well.

next stop was right next-door at delfina’s pizza. a more casual and kid friendly atmosphere with great italian style thin crust pizza. we stayed pretty simple with the margherita and broccoli raab pies. both were tasty with a simple, refreshing sauce, the perfect amount of gooey cheese and a great thin crust (sorry chicago, i will forever be a thin crust fan). you could tell the wine was starting to kick in, as the crayon coloring became the main event. ryan won top colorer.

time for another drink break at conduit, known for their tasty cocktails. the moscow mule by mixologist reza was a tasty way to cool down after all that pizza. then came the brilliant idea of a vodka taste tests (i do love my taste tests). my notes on this are a little rough but i do recall being surprisingly turned off by my old stand by, belvedere while chopin was the big winner. guess i have a new martini favorite.

one last stop for the night was nopa. we arrive some time around 10pm and the place was hopping. i felt like we were in nyc where restaurants get busy around 9:30 or so. the room is great with some communal and some private tables as well as a balcony hovering under the high warehouse-like ceilings. we had to wait for a table for a bit since the place is so popular and i admit i almost wanted to bail, but i am glad i stuck it out. flatbread with sausage and arugula, pickled beets with goat cheese and some tasty french fries filled our table and made me somehow hungry once again. i was sorry to have missed hitting zunis for their famous roasted chicken on this trip (i have had it before and i get the hype), but the chicken at nopa was some “damn good chicken!” (thank you again ryan for your deep insight). tasted like they brine it overnight causing it to be super moist and seasoned throughout.

all in all a great day in san francisco, roaming the neighborhoods with great friends and finding many tasty treats along the way. i know i missed a lot of the places i wanted to hit, but i think my eyes were bigger than our stomachs when i made out my list. next time i have got to make sushi and dim sum a priority. until then, thank you san francisco for a great day in the city.

next stop…. denver.