Little Skillet 330 Ritch (near Townsend), 777-2777.
Street food? These days, anything you can snarf while seated on a curb is smokin' hot. That's why today, the third day Little Skillet has been open, the line snaked down alleyesque Ritch Street in far eastern SOMA. Think Farmer Brown: Same owners, grinding out neo-soul cooking through a takeout window. SFoodie's verdict? The waffle was more stiff than delicate, but the fried chicken next to it was juicy, ever-so-slightly pink at the thigh bone, and had crisp breading that stayed put. A pulled pork po' boy suffered from a too-thick bun, filled with a clump of soft meat fibers and vinegary slaw. House-made chips tasted as if the guy doing the frying was hoping he didn't have to change the oil, but, well -- he had to. Angel biscuits (the beaten kind) were nicely springy, but the best came last: a hefty, deliciously clammy red velvet cupcake iced with the most understated cream cheese icing you ever swiped a finger through. We predict Little Skillet (now open weekdays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.) will soon shine, once the new-kid-on-the-alley frenzy wears off. Though we doubt the line out front will ever shrink.

Seeking foodie glamour

With plans to roll out a daily farmers' market, the struggling Westfield Metreon may be counting on catching a glint of the Ferry Building 1:PlaceType>'s foodie glamour to stir up buzz. A kickoff event planned for next Friday, May 15, is set to launch the Island Earth Farmers Market, a collection of some 50 vendors who'll be peddling produce, wines, baked goods, and prepared foods like organic dim sum, empanadas, and pastries. Free curbside service will let office workers shop during lunch, then have their swag loaded into their cars on the way home

Organizer Mark Brett told SFoodie the market will sprawl over two rooms on the ground floor along the Metreon's Mission side, once home to the Discovery Channel store. Vendors include Catalan Family Farm, Alive! raw foods, Panorama Baking, Phoenix Pasticceria, and biodynamic Frey Vineyards. There'll be crafts, too, including glass and jewelry

In fact, Brett may feel more at home with nonfood vendors - he's never actually run a farmers' market, but has managed mall kiosks as well as road and trade shows. We get the feeling the folks at CUESA (organizers of the Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market), aren't exactly worried about the looming competition.

Though its perch on top of the Moscone North complex might be hard to find the first time you visit, B Bar is worth seeking out at happy hour, when this Boxed Foods spinoff offers some of better values in the generally not-cheap neighborhood, as well as a great view and both indoor and outdoor seating. While officially located at 720 Howard (between Third and Fourth), it might more helpfully be described as in the Yerba Buena Gardens complex, between the Metreon and the Center for the Arts Theater, above the waterfall. If you know where Samovar Tea Lounge, B Bar is just at the other end of that rooftop plaza.
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At happy hour, Orson (508 4th near Bryant) offers "classic cocktails" (i.e. well drinks) for $5, your choice of a martini, Manhattan, margarita, or southside (a Chicago specialty made from gin, lemon juice, mint, and simple syrup). These drinks are good, but note that the regular specialty cocktails, such as the "black Manhattan" made from top-shelf rye and Averna, still cost $9, and are arguably worth the higher price.

There aren't any discounts on the food, either, but the duck fat fries ($7) are definitely a good value. These are a perfected, grownup version of the McDonald's style, thin and crisp with a creamy center, and the browned-butter béarnaise dip served with them is amazing stuff. Orson's happy hour runs from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

Several posters in a recent Chowhound thread concurred that The Butler & the Chef Bistro (155A South Park) makes SF's best croque-monsieur, the classic French grilled ham and cheese sandwich. Their praise was so enthusiastic--"very rich and tasty ... always love it," "truly a fantastic representation," "puts [the competition] to shame ... in a totally different class ... absolutely no contest"--that the next time I was nearby at lunchtime it was an easy choice.

I can see why they like it. This is the apotheosis of the style of croque topped with Bechamel or Mornay: the top of the sandwich is coated with a generous layer of an almost fluffy, very rich-tasting sauce, like a savory custard. If that description's making your mouth water, you'll probably love this. Just be prepared to use a knife and fork--the creamy topping is definitely not finger food.

However, croque means "crunch," and one of the things that I like most about a croque-monsieur is that texture. While the bread in Butler & the Chef's version is toasted and by no means limp, it isn't what I'd call crunchy, either, so it didn't satisfy my croque craving. Chacun à son goût.


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For years, I've been reading reports in local papers and online about the free appetizers at Eddie Rickenbacker's (133 2nd St). Since I couldn't find any mention of the deal on the pub's menu or Web site, I called to ask, and the bartender told me happy hour runs from 5 to 7.

Since at some bars the free food runs out before happy hour is over, and I've walked by the place and seen it completely packed, I got there right at 5. The server said there were no happy hour drink specials. The mojito had the place of honor at the top of the specialty cocktails list, so I gave it a try. The $10 price tag seemed a bit steep for happy hour, but it came in a pint glass, was made with fresh lime just and fresh mint, and tasted full-strength. With the mojito, I got the half a taquito and dollop of guacamole pictured below.

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Doesn't it seem backwards that a Mexican restaurant in Manhattan would open a branch in San Francisco? That's the story of Maya (303 2nd St.), a spin-off of chef Richard Sandoval's New York establishment of the same name. His upscale take on regional traditions clearly found a local following, since the SF branch celebrates its tenth anniversary this month.

Maya's prices are generally quite steep compared with your average Mexican place. For example, at dinner, appetizers are $8 to $15 and entrees $17 to $26.

Happy hour (5-7pm Mon.-Fri.), though, is a great deal even by Mission District standards. Order a $5 cocktail, glass of wine, or sangria, and you get an assortment of free appetizers. (Click the image for a larger version.)

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Rolling with the economic punches and getting a little less epic, pricewise, Epic Roasthouse (369 Embarcadero at Folsom) has launched a new Holy Cow! happy hour at its upstairs Quiver Bar, featuring a bar menu packed with goodies costing $3 to $5 and a slew of $5 specialty cocktails. Highlights include the Farewell to Arms (Oronoco rum, grapefruit, vanilla, and lime) and the Sazerac (Old Overholt rye, Herbsaint, Peychaud's bitters, and a sugar cube), $7 martinis made with Russian Standard vodka, $5 wines by the glass, and a selection of $2 bottled beers. On the edible front, check out the soft homemade pretzels with smoked sea salt, served with grain mustard sauce ($3); and slow confit of chicken drummettes with molasses and blood orange barbecue sauce and celery root slaw ($5). The Holy Cow! happy hour is in effect Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. For info, call 369-9955.

Serious foodies are supposed to prefer salt-packed anchovies, but rinsing and filleting them is a pain. If you're going to serve them whole and marinate them, their superior texture might be worth the trouble, but if you're going to chop or mash them up for a sauce or or dip, it's a lot of work for a small or perhaps undetectable difference.

The lazy cook's alternative is filleted anchovies packed in olive oil. The best price around for good quality is at Costco (450 10th St.), which sells a six-pack of Crown Prince for $5.89. These are caught wild off the coast of Morocco, cured in salt, then cleaned and packed by hand in olive oil.

Here's a recipe for people who really love that anchovy flavor:

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There's much to praise about Charles Phan's newest restaurant venture Heaven's Dog (1148 Mission). But if you want to go straight to the heart of it and don't have the time or means to carry out a full sit-down reservation, here's an idea: Belly up to the bar, lounge or adjacent noodle bar and order some pork belly buns or a veggie variety with crispy tofu and shiitake ($8).


These addictive morsels are a clear tribute to those served at the New York restaurant Momofuku, the great success which, if media reports are to be believed, was almost singlehandedly built on the back of buns.