Buffalo Stew at Tommy's Joynt, a Fall Classic

Tamara Palmer

Buffalo stew over rice ($8.45).

​Do you ever drive past a sign so often that eventually the sign commands you to obey it? That was us and the buffalo stew mural on the side of the 63-year-old
Tommy's Joynt, which finally worked its magic and drew us in for a bowl this weekend.

Tommy's has been operated by the same family since it opened in 1947. Mind you, the last time we were in this particular building, neon, ginormous boomboxes, and side ponytails were making their first appearances in the world. But it felt like we hadn't missed a beat as we stepped even further back in time.

To our palate, buffalo tastes like lean beef. And while the cubes of stew meat at Tommy's aren't fatty, they're substantial in flavor and heft compared to the buffalo we've sampled elsewhere. Served with a tangy/sweet tomato-based sauce over white rice, it's something to keep your insides warm and fueled for the rest of the day or night, a good choice for this changing weather.

Tommy's Joynt: 1101 Geary (at Van Ness), 775-4216.