Outerlands - San Francisco

Unless you're a die-hard restaurant groupie or live in the Avenues, chances are you probably haven't been to Outerlands. It's aptly named, sitting in the farthest reaches of the Outer Sunset - and though the food is good, the crowds thick and and the setting delightful, it's definitely a neighborhood place. I first heard about it a couple of years ago and have been dying to try it since. We finally got the chance when we stayed in the neighborhood a few weeks ago for the Bay to Breakers race. Knowing the finish line was nearby, I found our VRBO by typing in the address of Outerlands on the map. It worked out well - not only were we walking distance from the finish line and Outerlands, but a cluster of other cool spots including Beachside, Java Beach and the lovely General Store boutique.
Outerlands is open for breakfast and lunch on weekends and dinner only Tues - Fri. It's tiny and they don't take reservations, so be prepared to wait. We arrived around 7 for dinner on Saturday night and waited at least an hour. The pain was eased by their artisan cocktails - this is the kind of place where they gently stir the booze instead of shaking and the drinks are small but strong.
The one on the left was made with gin (and little else) and a pickled shallot, and the one on the right was a rye concoction with citrus.  The rye one was my favorite of the two.  They also make a mean caipirinha with  cachaca, kumquats and mint.
The interior has a charming hobbit-y woodsy look that makes it feel like a secret hideaway.    They're expanding soon into at least one space next door and possibly two - which should mean shorter waits, but may also change the character of the place.
The menu is small but inventive and reasonably priced.   Our party of six tried just about everything.   Don't miss the toasted levain bread - it's phenomenal.  We ordered it with the cheese, but the butter would have been just fine.  The asparagus salad was a standout spring dish - lightly steamed  with preserved lemon, sesame, mushrooms and fresh cheese.  The tips were left whole, but the stalks were shaved into ribbons.
  I had the duck confit for my main.  My only complaint was that there wasn't quite enough of it, and I'm not generally one to complain about that.  It was perfectly cooked though, and the savory, crisp meat paired nicely with the sweetness of the pickled plums.
A couple of people in our party had the shrimp and grits, with ham, snap peas and fresh dill.  A few bites of this rich and hearty dish helped make up for the tininess of mine.
of the few desserts we tried, this Key Lime Cake was my favorite - a small wedge of buttery cake, topped with a lacy caramelized crisp and a bit of cream, garnished with fresh lime and raspberry.   We also had a pot de creme topped with "rosemary caramel corn" that I think everyone else liked better than I did.
We didn't try going back for brunch, but the crowds are apparently out of control - with two-hour plus waits.  Instead, we had breakfast just down the street at Beachside - an offshoot of Java Beach coffee.  It's a cute spot and they serve good waffles and a lovely eggs benedict layered on a freshly split popover - but be prepared for a healthy dose of hipster attitude with your breakfast.  (This is one of those places where they are so "serious" about the coffee that they don't serve their espresso drinks hot enough.)  We went early to beat the crowds, but I would bet they have a line by 9 AM.  They also serve lunch and dinner - the menu mostly consists of sandwiches and fried chicken over slaw or on a sandwich (they also serve chicken and waffles for breakfast.)  The General Store boutique is also in that area - with a smartly curated selection of gifts and jewelry made by local artisans.  We also popped into Trouble Coffee on Sunday morning after the race.  I wasn't crazy about the cup of coffee I had and they also do the super duper hipster attitude thing, but it was really crowded after the race, their pastries looked good, and they have a really cool tree out front that you can sit on and drink your coffee.

We had other good meals on this trip at Out the Door, Pizzeria Delfina and Zuni - and then I got on a plane and flew to France!   I still kind of can't believe it myself.  It was awesome and I will be back to talk about it soon!!

Outerlands 
4001 Judah St (between 45th Ave & 46th Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 661-6140
closed Sunday dinner and Mondays all day
Dinner only Tues - Fri.
Brunch/Lunch from 10-3 on Saturdays and Sundays.
Dinner also on Sat.

My Trader Joe's Favorites

Why hello there!  Yes, it's been awhile, and though I feel a little silly coming back with something like this, it tells you something about where my head is right now. These days it's all about putting a decent, healthy meal on the table in the after-work hours without spending a fortune. Sound familiar? I am guessing it does. These "Trader Joes" lists go around periodically - usually focused on what tastes good, but I'm going to try to tell you the things we like because they're not only tasty, but economical and versatile too.  I'll even tell you a little bit about what I do with them.  Then I'll tell you about the things I buy because I just can't resist, 'cause there are plenty of those too, and everyone deserves a treat now and then.

Let's call this first group the meal staples:

1. organic baby arugula (pictured above) - the small leaves are tender and mild, and it lasts longer than the bagged lettuce.  
2. bags of 4 avocados - reasonably priced at $3.49, and almost always ripe in a day or two.  (Tip: if you need ripe avocados stat, try the guacamole kit.)
3. organic cherry/pear tomato mix - great roasted.  just toss with olive oil and bake on a parchment lined sheet pan at 275 until they start to shrivel (about 1-1.5 hours.) Toss with pasta, put on pizza, mash on a panini, etc.  store in the fridge in a jar covered with olive oil.
4. packaged cooked beluga lentils - great addition to a salad, or toss with chopped fresh vegetables, herbs, vinaigrette and a little goat cheese.
5. frozen mahi mahi - total lifesaver.  Just thaw, pat dry & saute or bake - makes great fish tacos or put it in a salad.  around $5.00 for a package that feeds two.  
6. chevre (aka goat cheese) - the one in the 8 oz package with the brown and black label.  It's nice and soft and always tastes good.   Crumble in salads or spread on bread, or use to stuff sweet, hot cherry peppers. 
7. whole organic chickens - they're not exactly cheap but they're a bargain compared to whole foods prices or the pre-cut packaged pieces.  If I can't get to the Hillcrest Farmers Market to get one from Curtis (Womach) I'll pick a smallish one (under 5 lbs) and either roast it whole - dry brined ala Zuni in a cast iron skillet at 425 for an hour or so - or cut the breasts off and turn them into cutlets, and use the rest to make stock.   
8. the Spanish olive oil - glug glug glug... all over everything. 
9. The instant mushroom risotto - I was skeptical, but it's pretty amazing.  No added fat - just broth.  
10. the organic jarred marinara sauce - take half a cup of the pre-chopped onion (or onion/shallot/garlic mix if they have it) and saute in chicken broth or olive oil until soft.  Sprinkle liberally with red pepper flakes, add a cup of red wine, reduce a bit. Pour in the jar of sauce and simmer a bit to let the flavors blend. Serve over spaghetti with turkey meatballs or sausage. 

and this group will be the treats.  Those things that are good, if not so good for you.

1. the 72% organic fair trade dark chocolate bars.  They have many good dark chocolate options, but these are my fave. In the flat package with the green/brown box. 
2. the salted blister peanuts.  with a bourbon cocktail??  enough said.
3. cheese sticks. with champagne?  Again...
4. the Tarte d'Alsace or Tarte d'Champignon (pictured above) put one of those in the oven and pour yourself a nice glass of cold white wine at the end of a long day.  You won't be sorry.
5. the Truffle Brownie mix - for years I went on and on about the perfect brownie.  Yadda yadda.  Since I tried this I have made brownies from scratch exactly once.  True story.  (p.s. - the Baked recipe is truly the best out there - so now its all sorted.)
6. the chocolate covered raisins.  So good we never buy them anymore.  
7. the ice cream - it's Double Rainbow,  packaged with Trader Joes labeling. I can't get the mint chip, because I can't leave it alone, but we usually keep the vanilla on hand.  The little baby drumstick cones are good too (esp. the chocolate.)
8. the Trader Josef's coffee cake mix - just discovered this one, but it's a keeper.  Great fluffy texture, lots of nutmeg in the topping and no weird ingredients.  
9. also for breakfast:  the pain au chocolat - let them thaw for a minute or two on the counter, then separate and allow to rise in the oven overnight before baking (I think everybody knows about these now.)
10. the chocolate macarons.  Really.  In the fresh bakery section with the coffee cakes and stuff.    

I'll be back in a few days to talk about a couple of recent dining out experiences. Au revoir!

photo from instagram, where I've been spending quite a bit of time lately - user name aliceqfoodie (surprise!)

Hello!

The weeds are getting a little thick around here, you may have noticed.  I didn't really mean for it to happen, it just sort of did, as it does every once in a while.  There are a number of reasons for it, but suffice to say nothing big - just the usual distractions.