I am a regular at Stay Sweet SF as I have to refill my hojicha oat in addition to getting some bars including his seasonal matcha strawberry for gifts. Also, I like saying hi to Mark.
From time to time, I remember that Angler has a fab prix-fixe lunch. It is $50 for 3 courses AND you can choose the soft serve as your dessert, which just happens to be the best in town. I went on a scorching hot day and was cursing myself for sitting by the open flame. However, the lunch more than made up for the high temperature.
I recently returned for a girl's lunch with a friend during our frosty weather and it was lovely sitting by the fire. She ordered the roast chicken and she says it's the best roast chicken she has ever had. She also agreed that the soft serve is the best in town.
Tano is another pastry pop up that took me forever, mostly because you have to line up an hour ahead before opening to get in quickest and they sell out later if you do not. I am NOT a fan of waiting in long lines. So when they announced that you can order for pick up one time, I placed my order immediately. I got their ube and guava cream salt breads, coconut makrut lime scone, black sesame cream puff, sesame toffee chocolate chip cookie, and milo malt double chocolate chip cookie. My expectations of salt bread were closer to a croissants, so I was confused. Granted, this was my first time having salt bread. I think it's fair to say that I am a croissant flakey girlie rather than a salt bread girlie. I thought the scone was excellent, as I am a Brit and prefer my scones with this dense biscuit texture and I loved the flavor. The cream puff and cookies were also excellent, but how can you go wrong when you do black sesame correctly when it does not overwhelm? I would rarely recommend anyone lining up for at least an hour, and this is no exception. So when you see them offering order ahead for pick up, that is definitely the way to go.
Although I am at the Ferry Building most Saturdays getting my produce for the week at the farmer's market, the long line at Parachute Bakery is enough to deter me from lining up. One morning however, the line was short enough that I went for it finally. The croissants and kouign amanns were mostly sold out (which I am told by my pastry chef friends that they are to die for), but the caramel + hazelnut cube was excellent. But it was the Parachute chocolate entremet that blew my mind. Its texture, the crémeux, the Valhrona chocolate shell. Perfection! While I am not a cookie monster, the black sesame + yuzu cookie was delightful. I can't say no to yuzu or black sesame, so curiosity got the better of me when I ordered. I also tried their banana salted caramel einspanner. While I do love einspanners, I am not the biggest fan of banana, so it was just ok for me. If you were a fan of banana however, I think you will love this drink.
So many pastries, so little waist line... And I'd like to keep it that way.
I finally made my way to Patisserie on California. For those of you really in the know, you would remember him from his Pâtisserie Phillipe in Soma. And those in the business, you would know that Pierre Hermé was once his commis. Thank GOD this is far from my house because I would have diabetes and would be overweight. Definitely more of a IYKYK situation. But the lines are real and only open on weekends, but you can order ahead by DMing them via Instagram. I got the Vichyssoise soup + strawberry tartlet + apple tart. Proper use of French butter. Best apple tart in town easily. Do yourselves a favor and try this as soon as humanly possible, so you can also understand my lament. I also thought these were some of the most reasonably priced pastries in San Francisco.
Hilariously, I was catching up with friends one weekend and they were telling me about the Vietnamese coffee they had in Vietnam with the salted egg on top. Then I got an email in my inbox one day about Nâu Coffee pop up, and their next one was by me. Naturally I had to go. I had a feeling that there would be a long line, so I showed up 30 minutes before it started. There were already ~20 people in front of me by then. By the time I got to the front to order, it had already been 45 minutes. The line got obscene, even by SF standards, so people that came later were in line more than an hour to get their coffees. These long lines are super not sustainable, and definitely not friendly to regulars or want to be regulars. So be forewarned. I got both the pandan and the black sesame coffees. While I liked both fine, there is no way I will stand in this line again for coffee.
Hilariously, I was catching up with friends one weekend and they were telling me about the Vietnamese coffee they had in Vietnam with the salted egg on top. Then I got an email in my inbox one day about Nâu Coffee pop up, and their next one was by me. Naturally I had to go. I had a feeling that there would be a long line, so I showed up 30 minutes before it started. There were already ~20 people in front of me by then. By the time I got to the front to order, it had already been 45 minutes. The line got obscene, even by SF standards, so people that came later were in line more than an hour to get their coffees. These long lines are super not sustainable, and definitely not friendly to regulars or want to be regulars. So be forewarned. I got both the pandan and the black sesame coffees. While I liked both fine, there is no way I will stand in this line again for coffee.
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