ethan111's Profile
Cyrus -- Downhill or as Good as Ever?
We went last night and I am so glad we did. The food was more creative than we expected, and the service was, as most have reported, top notch. Let's put it this way, I left the restaurant wondering if 20% was enough! Some of the highlights included foie gras with persimmon and pomegranate; milk poached chicken with cauliflower and brussels sprouts, uni froth. In each case, the pomegranate and the uni forth were dish-changers! Jewels like this were found in each and every dish. Our 8 course experience took over 4 hours, but felt like a blur. We left completely satiated and intoxicated by the experience.
Cyrus -- Downhill or as Good as Ever?
Great to hear. Thanks The Dive and Celeryroot. Appreciate the feedback.
Cyrus -- Downhill or as Good as Ever?
Hi all. I have a reservation for Cyrus later this month and just noticed that recent reviews on Yelp have been pretty negative. I don't know how much stock to put into those reviews, but I certainly trust this board and would greatly appreciate any local / current insights here. Many thanks in advance.
NOPA, SEBO and one of Beretta, Flour & Water, A16
Added to the list -- thanks so much!
NOPA, SEBO and one of Beretta, Flour & Water, A16
I was lucky enough to visit Flour & Water, Beretta, and Starbelly. I thought all of the pizzas were excellent. Flour & Water's option of having a Farm Egg on top was a nice addition -- especially for the white pizzas which can be a bit dry for me. F&W's crust was doughy, somewhat naan like --different from Beretta and Starbelly. I found the vibe at F&W to be a bit uptight whereas Beretta and Starbelly were more festive. Highlight at Starbelly was a wonderful squash pizza. Another plus at Starbelly is the option of having "small" beers, which allows for some sampling.
On the coffee front, I managed to get to Four Barrel, Blue Bottle and Ritual. Four Barrel was the clear winner for me, with Blue Bottle number 2. Ritual's space was dark and somewhat depressing; it made enjoying the coffee difficult. Four Barrel's space is wide open, airy and has a very comfortable feeling. Thanks again for all of the great rec's, and happy holidays!
NOPA, SEBO and one of Beretta, Flour & Water, A16
Thanks so much for the recs. Four Barrel coffee sounds like a winner. Is Pizzeria Delfina really that good? If it's in the same league as F&W without the hassle of long waits, maybe we'll go there.
aurora's wine markup?
anyone have a sense for how much aurora's wine list is marked up? thanks in advance!
NOPA, SEBO and one of Beretta, Flour & Water, A16
Thanks, Steve. We land sunday and definitely plan on going straight to the farmer's market. It will be our only shot, and I'm definitely in need --- the produce in new york is so bad. I think I would move to SF just for the peaches! And I totally hear you on the pizza prep; looking forward to checking it out. Thanks for all the great advice. Trip isn't until last week of december but I'll be sure to report back.
NOPA, SEBO and one of Beretta, Flour & Water, A16
Steve/Adam- thanks so much for your responses. Going to drop Fish and SEBO --- life is too short! Which means I can double down on the Italians. I'll probably drop A16 --like Adam, I'm not a big fan of the Marina. Btw, i'm sure you know this, but the chef there is about to open a spot here with Keith McNally -- the artisinal pizza scene here is really accelerating. Steve-- you're a funny guy. thanks for the advice on north beach; i'll make my visit there a quick one, and check out four barrel. true, some new yorkers may freak out about eating pizza with a knife and fork, but not me... I'm up for the experience!! As for what I'll be ordering, i always gravitate towards pizza and pasta. Do you have a view on Boulettes Larder when it comes to breakfast vs. lunch? When I was last there (for lunch), I found myself wanting to try all 3 meals! Gents, really great feedback, thank you --- it's terrible to waste a meal on these trips! Best.
NOPA, SEBO and one of Beretta, Flour & Water, A16
Hi, long-time reader, first time poster... the posters here write such wonderful, thoughtful commentary; it's a real treat reading it. coming from nyc at the end of the year with two friends to check out SF for three nights, so i've started putting together a potential list of spots.
1) For dinner, thinking NOPA, SEBO, and one of Beretta, Flour & Water, or A16. Which of the 3 italians would you pick? We're young 30s looking for great food and a great vibe. Last time I was in SF, I was at NOPA and loved the ambiance. Two of us don't eat meat.
2) We''ll be in town on a Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, so I was hoping I could ask for help in selecting the best night for each spot? I guess SEBO has to be Monday or Wednesday, since we want to try the sushi
3) We've planned for two lunches. Boulettes Larder and Fish. I was at Fish ages ago and remember enjoying it, but was wondering if this board thought Fish was a good call (esp. during December) or if we should be spending our time somewhere else like Bar Jules or Zuni.
4) On my last trip, I became obsessed with Blue Bottle. Is Ritual Coffee worth a special visit? Also, I have to be in North Beach one of the afternoons. Is there a high caliber coffee spot around there?
I know these aren't very exciting questions, but I really appreciate the help. Much, much appreciated!
