Jenny and I went to San Francisco recently for our 5 year anniversary (and first kid-free getaway since becoming parents!). It was monumental to say the least and we made every minute count. When we are in the city, especially for only two days, it is difficult for us to narrow down the spots we want to visit. On this trip we visited a couple of our old favorites as well as a few exciting new spots. If you’re looking to take a quick trip to the city here are 5 awesome experiences you can easily accomplish in 48 hours.
1. Hit Up The Ferry Building
If you can find a place to stay near the Ferry Building you are in good shape. Either way - get there. You will find that it is not unusual to spend a good chunk of your day there. You could get started with a cup of pour-over coffee at Blue Bottle, check out the craftsmanship at Heath Ceramics, stop in for Bloody Mary’s and oysters at Hog Island Oyster Co. and maybe even grab a salumi cone from Boccalone and a sourdough baguette from Acme Bread on your way out. If you are in San Francisco on a Saturday the Farmer’s Market at the Ferry Building is a MUST.
Token Selfie Outside of Ferry Building on the Bay side!
2. Enjoy Oysters Outside With A View Of The Bay
One of the first things Jenny and I crave when we make it to the city are oysters along with various other types of delectable sea creatures preferably in their most raw and unadorned state. We love Hog Island Oyster Co. for its convenient location within the Ferry Building (not to mention its ocean front patio). The oyster selection is extensive. The rest of the menu is primarily seafood oriented with both raw and cooked offerings.
Bloody Mary’s at Hog Island Oyster Co.
3. Seek Out A Delicious Ethnic Meal
One aspect we love about the SF dining scene is the variety, quality, and quantity of spots that represent so many different cultures. We almost always try to seek out an awesome Asian meal such as the Deem Sum at Yank Sing or the unbelievable Korean-Chinese cuisine at the unpretentious and price-friendly San Wang restaurant in Japantown. I was introduced to Korean-Chinese cooking by Jenny’s family when we would make the trip up to SF to visit her grandfather and enjoy extensive lunches at San Wang. It blew my mind. On this particular trip we ended up having a Korean breakfast of literally “hangover cure” soup and banchan at New Korea House in Japantown. New Korea House is a Korean BBQ restaurant for dinner but they open early with a breakfast menu of only 3 soups.
Spicy Beef Soup with Vegetables (Ddaro Guk Bap) at New Korea House
Kimchi at New Korea House
4. Try Caviar At A Michelin Starred Restaurant
Jenny and I are typically casual diners, but seeing as this was a 5 year anniversary trip we decided to go big. We are huge fans of Michael Tusk and regularly dine at Cotogna. Recently Cotogna’s sister restaurant Quince just received it’s third Michelin star so we decided it was the ideal time to indulge. The cool thing about Quince is that you don’t have to go the full tasting menu route if you want to sample the caviar but rather you can hang out in the salon and order straight from the Caviar Menu. On this trip Jenny and I opted for the former.
Tsar Nicoulai Caviar (brioche, fresh run farm kohlrabi, smoked sturgeon) at Quince
Agnolotti with Paine Farm Squab and Fava Beans at Quince
Garganelli with Maine Lobster, English Peas, and Scallion at Quince
Milk Fed Lamb with Potato, Nepitella, and Black Garlic at Quince
5. Eat At One Of Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski’s Restaurants
A few years back we dined at State Bird Provisions and this time around at The Progress. There are so many California driven, hyper-local restaurants that draw inspiration from insert-European-country-here that it can become difficult to sort through the average to good spots from those that are truly top notch. I’m always skeptical of eclectic menus that seem to be drawing inspiration from all over the world but at The Progress everything comes together harmoniously. Stuart and Nicole won a James Beard Award in 2015 and haven’t slowed down since.
CA Sturgeon Caviar, Potato Cloud at The Progress
Starters: Smoked Beef, Beer Bread with Housemade Butter, Local Radish at The Progress
Spiced Beef and Marrow Dumplings with Shitake Mushrooms, Lettuces, Ginger and Lemongrass Vinaigrette at The Progress
Monterey Bay Abalone and Kimchi Fried Rice with Octopus at The Progress
-Jimmy
