There are five crucial questions a journalist must ask (and answer) when researching and developing a story: Who, What, Where, When, and Why. These Five W's, along with a bonus "How" for further clarity, will preclude each blog post to provide proper insight into this weird, wild nomadic journey.
The Five W's + H:
Who: Your favorite traveling trio of my fiancé, little Sophs and the dude that's documenting it all (me) What: Top 5 places to drink up Where: Hayes Valley (San Francisco), California When: January 2019 - April 2019 Why: Who really even knows at this point + How: Our previous, nearly coast-to-coast, odyssey just wasn't enough for us as we decided to travel home to Rowlett from Reno (roughly 1700 miles, 24 hours of drive time), and then all the way back across the country to San Francisco (1750 miles and 25 hours). Luckily we had a few weeks break for the holidays in between. Tis the life of travel nursing. (Note: As of this writing, Covid-19—aka the plague—has infected more than 10 million Americans and killed at least 250,000 people here in the United States alone. Because of the pandemic, many restaurants have closed either temporarily or for good. It's especially important to support local businesses during these tough times, and virtually all of the restaurants on this list are locally owned and operated. Also to keep with the times, all of the restaurants listed below feature outdoor eating areas and/or offer to-go ordering. Stay safe out there.) Hayes Valley, San Francisco, CA: Five Places to Drink UpDoppio Zero (395 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102)
On a soggy Hayes Valley day in mid January we found ourselves in a situation where, as things tend to do when moving much of your crap across the country, everything was going wrong. We decided to take a break from our move-in frustrations to head across the street for a drink (or seven) and a late lunch. We settled on Doppio Zero and the superb service, keenly crafted cocktails and primo pizza left us in much better spirits than when we arrived.
Adult beverages were an obvious start and the Barrel Age Old Fashioned (well worth the $2 upcharge to infuse with smoke) with aged bourbon, lemongrass simple syrup and angostura bitters packed a punch yet went down smooth. On the lighter side, the house named Doppio Zero has elder flower liquor, lime juice, lemongrass syrup and fresh basil on a vodka base for a crisp and refreshing sip. You've got a drink now what better way to start your eating experience at an authentic Italian restaurant than with some ... tasty Truffle French Fries? When in Rome, amirite. This shoestring-sliced, truffle oil doused pile of deliciousness is perfect as a snack paired with a cocktail, or as the opening act for your pizza party. You do you! This is a judgment free zone. Red sauce-based pizza is solid at Doppio, but the white pizza is where it's at. The Formaggi is a full mounted four-cheese white pizza oozing with mozzarella, gorgonzola, Fontina, and parmesan cheese. Is it indeed not easy being cheesy? The Fungo is stacked with mushrooms, a reasonable two cheeses (goat and Fontina), sprinkled with thyme and topped with a healthy helping of truffle oil. Absinthe (398 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102)
Located just across the street from the pizza paradise above, Absinthe is home to an upscale menu yet boasts chill neighborhood vibes. Along with some scrumptious French fare, this eatery boasts some of the best cocktails around. Like many other restaurants, this place currently features a more paired-down menu due to plague, so here are some highlights of Absinthe's current menu options:
Drinks - served small (6 oz) or large (16oz), which allegedly serves three adults The Uptown Manhattan: For the darker liquor connoisseur; orange bitters, sweet Vermouth and bourbon exerts a warming sip on the rocks. Ginger Rogers: Gin drinkers rejoice; this fresh and refreshing mix of citrus, ginger, mint and gin is a crisp, tasty drink option. Sacred Heart: For those ready to party right here right now; absinthe, pomegranate, citrus and reposado tequila will rev your engine in no time. Starters French Onion Soup Gratinée: Aptly in the "House Favorites" section of Absinthe's menu, the French Onion Soup is not to be missed. The blend of crisp onions, creamy broth, crunchy pieces of bread and a hearty-helping of toasted cheese is simply delicious. It is, unequivocally, the best French onion soup I've ever had. Add an order of Hand Cut Fries and you may ask yourself this question: are there words to properly define the feeling of dipping perfectly crunchy and salty fries into this cheesy vat of onion soup bliss?
Unfortunately, the current entree menu options are of the newer variety as Absinthe changes its menu for each season, and as mentioned above, this season is more condensed than usual. I have not personally tried any Fall 2020 menu staples so it appears, dear reader, you will just have to try these for yourself.
Papito Hayes (425 Hayes St, A, San Francisco, CA 94102)
As this blog's dedicated readers (hi Mom!) are keenly aware, it's not often that I make one of these lists without including some must-have Mexican food. Papito Hayes features some of the best around, and lively local vibes to boot.
First things first, Papito has some top notch and unique margarita options. All Papito margaritas are made with a house mix and are made ready to order, but come with some customization options. Start with a chili-salted rim for a little kick. Next, you can choose from the tried-and-true House Margarita, up the spice factor with the Charred Jalapeño option, or keep it sweet with the Blood Orange or Hibiscus. Once you decide your favorite, if the plague ever ends, you can even stop in and grab a pitcher for you and your friends. Now it's time to grub. With a plentiful portion of four per order, the enchiladas are the main attraction. The Enchiladas de Camarones with spicy green sauce, fried garlic, jack cheese and of course fresh jumbo shrimp headline this group. Another satisfying option is Papito's big ass, fully customizable and organic burrito. Each Regular Burrito comes with a base of savory black beans, Spanish rice and pico de gallo. From there you can add steak, fried chicken(!), or even just keep it healthy with sautéed veggies (a mix of corn, cauliflower, peppers and mushrooms). Calories be damned? Upgrade to a Burrito Mojado that's baked and topped with cheese and your choice of red or green sauce. Souvla (517 Hayes St. San Francisco, CA 94102)
A Mediterranean gem whose first restaurant was this very location in Hayes Valley, Souvla might be the perfect place for a quick outdoor meal or to pick up grub during these current (end?) times. Even before the plague, when we lived here, getting food from Souvla was seemingly a weekly treat.
The food here can best be described as simple yet elevated. Souvla features a small menu where they create a modest amount of meals to munch, which allows them do each of these foods impeccably well. Take this restaurants staple, their pitas or salads. Select from Pork, Chicken, Lamb, or Sweet Potato (vegetarian), and then decide if you want the rotisserie-roasted protein on a fluffy pita or your choice of salad base. The Superior Farms Lamb Leg was my go-to, with harissa-spiked yogurt, cucumber, radish, pickled red onion and feta cheese. Add Souvla's one and only Greek Fries, infused with olive oil and lemon juice then topped with parsley and mizthra cheese for a filling foray into Greece-inspired grub. La Boulangerie (500 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102)
La Boulangerie might be the most popular spot on this list. Nearly every morning, particularly on weekends, it was common to see a line stretching out of the bakery and around the corner of the building.
Everything here (breads, pastries—even sauces and salad dressings) is made daily—from scratch—using fresh, all-natural ingredients. It's no wonder San Franciscans have been flocking here in droves since the mid 90's. They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day so let's start with the Avocado Toast. House-baked sourdough bread topped with fresh olive oil, basil, cherry tomatoes and a generous helping of sliced avocado is a tasty morning treat that won't wreck your pesky "being healthy" plans for the day. If you'd rather worry about your health tomorrow, these next few paragraphs are just for you. I mean, breakfast is the best time to eat the worst because then you have the rest of the day to make up for it.
Unsurprisingly, the croissants at La Boulangerie (which we'll refer to as La B from here on out) are simply amazing. The house made, traditional Butter Croissants can best be described as melt-in-your-mouth savory. The Chocolate Croissant is best served warmed up to unlock the buttery, flakey exterior and sweet chocolatey filling.
Another absolute shocker: the Croissant French Toast is mouthwateringly delectable. Made with those aforementioned heavenly croissants and topped with berries and your preferred amount of maple syrup. La B also features a full bakery with soft and delicious butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and moist, made-from-scratch Banana Nut Poundcake. (Editor's Note: If you're not hungry after reading this I'm honestly proud of you. Go you.) Bonus: Loving Cup (2356 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109)
Of all of the places on this list, Loving Cup might be the finest and rarest of them all. I've tried a lot of frozen yogurt and ice cream in my time, and this is by far the best frozen treat I've ever had the pleasure of tasting.
What sets Loving Cup apart is that, unlike many froyo and ice cream places, you don't have to settle for shoveling your favorite toppings on top and mixing them together yourself before chowing down in ice cream town. This place hand churns all toppings together to make the most perfect and delicious helping of frozen goodness. My favorite combo was the chocolate froyo base with cookie dough, chocolate chips, salted caramel and Oreos as the mix-ins. Mixing it all together into one swirl ensures every bite is filled with a sampling of each add on. Loving Cup even offers non-dairy yogurt options so everybody can join the fun. I cannot stress this enough: Loving Cup is simply the best. Ever.
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