Rated: ♣♣♣

I am in love with milk-based coffee drinks, and I’m pretty sure I have recently developed an addiction to coffee. K and I have become furniture scavengers ever since we purchased our house. After checking out an estate sale in the Sunset, we were on our way to Quickly to pick up some milk tea. On our way there, we ran into a brand new gourmet coffee shop called Brown Owl Coffee. And with my recent obsession with birds and coffee, I had to try out this place. If you’re interested in eating a little something with with coffee, they also serve baked goods made from local bakers.

I ordered a latte, while K got a drip coffee. The latte was strong and dark, the way I like it. Though, the froth was a little too foamy for my taste. K loved his drip. The first thing he noticed was the roast (which Brown Owl does themselves). The flavors tasted like cocoa and spices. A very unique cup of coffee.

Brown Owl Coffee
1131 Taraval St
(between 21st Ave & 22nd Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94116
Neighborhood: Parkside

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Rated: ♣♣♣♣

While doing some damage at the SF Westfield mall, Cupola quickly caught my eye. At the very top of the shopping center is a brand new Italian restaurant from the Lark Creek Steak Restaurant Group serving up gourmet pizzas and pastas. If you’re planning on dining here, be prepared to wait. We waited about an hour for a table of 3, but you can also make a reservation. Though, it seems kind of silly to make a res for mall food, but here, it’s necessary and worth it.

Believe it or not, we were trying to eat light, so we decided to skip the pizza and order gnocchi with lamb ragu, fried calamari salad and warm mozzarella with broccoli rabe.

We started off with Warm Pulled-to-order Mozzarella with broccoli rabe and crusty crostinis. So rich, creamy and amazing. The toasted chili flakes were a nice compliment to the heavy dish.

Next, we had the Fried Calamari Salad. A generous portion of deep fried calamari was topped on a bed of well-dressed arugula, red onion and thinly sliced lemon. The calamari was fried perfectly without tasting too greasy.

For our entree, we split the Potato Gnocchi with braised lamb, red kabocha squash, honey thyme vinegar and pecorino cheese. As if I couldn’t be more pleased, they bring me this dish. The gnocchi was light and airy, the lamb tender, the sauce sweet and creamy while still savory. The dish was completely amazing and I’m definitely ordering this again when I come back.

Overall, I was thoroughly wow-ed by Cupola. For mall food, this was pretty darn good. Though, I’ll need to eat the pizza in order to tell if this is legit. Can’t wait to come back!

Cupola Pizzeria
Westfield Shopping Centre
845 Market St, 4th Fl, Ste 400
San Francisco, CA 94103
Neighborhoods: Union Square, SOMA

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Occasionally on The Culture Bite, I’ll write a house post to share how the furnishing is coming along. Today, I wanted to share our downstairs family room because it’s finally coming together. Slowly, but surely. K and I spend most of our time down here entertaining, watching movies and playing games. We wanted this room to be comfortable and cozy while still being stylish.

1. Room and Board couch, $1399
2. Persian rug from thefoundary.com, $350
3. Organic chairs from thefoundary.com, $350
4. Side table from Room Service (Hayes Valley), $145
5. Hanging floor lamp, free!
6. Wicker chest, free from my aunt when she moved to Washington DC.

My favorite part of this room is the hanging floor lamp. K and I found it on the sidewalk waiting to be picked up from the garbage man. Yes, K and I have dumpster diving lamp next to our Room and Board couch and we absolutely love it.

We’re still looking for a media console to go with our brand new 55″ TV we purchased after Thanksgiving. We’re currently in love with this one from BDI, but we’re waiting it out until we find something similar and more affordable. Stay tuned for more!

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Rated: ♣♣♣

When most of my Mexican food intake consists of ordering from a truck, I sometimes want to sit down at an incredibly themed Mexican restaurant with loud colors and frozen margaritas. That’s exactly what you’ll find at El Toreador in West Portal.

This West Portal landmark has been around for forever. They also have the most random things hanging on their wall and ceiling like cowboy hats and stuffed parrots.  I love the old autographed celebrity photos on the wall. Not only is this place quirky, it’s also a part of history.

The best part about this place is the house chips and salsa. The salsa is completely different than any other kind of salsa I’ve ever had. It’s smooth, rich and spicy. No chunks whatsoever, and I actually like that! The only bad thing about this is that this is served prior to your meal. So, if you do not have any self-control (like me), you’ll end up getting really full on this before receiving your entree.

For lunch, I had the carnitas burrito. K got the scrambled egg and chorizo burrito because he absolutely loves chorizo and will order anything with it in it. My burrito was stuffed with carnitas (deep fried pork), rice and pinto beans with salsa and guacamole on the side. The caranitas was moist, but cubed. Usually, I like my carnitas shredded, but if it’s moist, I’m not complaining. K’s chorizo burrito wasn’t too bad. The egg and chorizo was ground really fine. We would prefer the sausage and egg to be a little chunkier so we can taste each ingredient separately. I didn’t find any hot sauce on the table, so I lathered up my burrito with the house salsa that was served with the chips. I’m sure I wasn’t the first person to think of that.

I love El Toreador. It’s fun, wacky and serves some pretty good Mexican fare. Enchiladas seem to be the hot item on the menu, so I’m sure to order that on my next visit.

El Toreador
50 W Portal Ave
(between Claremont Blvd & Portola Dr)
San Francisco, CA 94127
Neighborhood: West Portal

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Rated: ♣♣ (This review is solely on their hot chocolate.)

K and I have sipped a ton of hot chocolate in our time. From instant packets of Swiss Miss to Cacao Sampaka in Barcelona, we’ve probably consumed enough hot chocolate to fill a swimming pool. I was told that CocoaBella Chocolates in the Westfield Shopping Center in San Francisco has a  notable sipping chocolate.

The little chocolate stand at the front of the shopping center sells little pieces of gourmet chocolate, but if you walk to the back of their stand, you can order a full cup of rich, piping-hot liquid chocolate. They have a handful of flavors to choose from – peanut butter hot chocolate, spicy hot chocolate, mint hot chocolate, and a few others. You even have the option of ordering dark or milk chocolate for your drink. I tried to order the peanut butter, but they ran out, even before 12pm! So, instead I got the hazelnut and K got the mint. Ten dollars later, we each had 2 tiny cups of the thick drinking chocolate. I was a little disappointed by the size, but then concluded that I probably shouldn’t be drinking anymore than what I had.

After my first sip, it tasted like I was drinking liquid Nutella… and that’s a good thing. Though it was a little too watery to my liking, the flavor was still pretty good. The hazelnuts weren’t too overpowering and the texture of the drink was really smooth. K’s mint hot chocolate was okay. The mint was more of a fresh mint than a peppermint. It almost tasted like I was drinking regular hot chocolate after brushing my teeth with toothpaste. Not a great flavor.

Overall, I was disappointed with CocoaBella’s hot chocolate, especially since they’re charging $5 per cup. If you’re looking for some stellar sipping chocolate, try Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolate in Hayes Valley for $4.50. Their chocolate is rich, velvety and topped with a home made (and complimentary) marshmallow.

CocoaBella Chocolates
Westfield San Francisco Centre
865 Market St
San Francisco, CA 94103
Neighborhoods: Union Square, SOMA

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Rated: ♣♣♣♣

If you were to ask K what his favorite pie was, what would you guess? Apple pie? Peach pie? Pecan pie? No, no, his favorite is chicken pot pie. And you’ll get a really good one here at The Liberty Café. This cute little bakery slash restaurant on Cortland St. serves up French cuisine using local Californian ingredients.

Ever since we got the house, K and I cut back on eating out. We’ve been trying to recoup our savings as well as acquire furniture! Well a few nights ago, we finally made a dinner date and tried The Liberty Café. We’ve been meaning to come here for years since everyone in my family has gone and raved about their famous chicken pot pie.

When walking through the door, we were first greeted with two very friendly waiters. I had a reservation, so we were quickly seated at what I think is the best seat in the house – a table nestled within the front bay window perfectly strung with white sparkle lights. We were about to order one pot pie each, but was quickly warned by the waitress that the portions were large. Wow, how nice of her to warn us! With one chicken pot pie though, we still managed to eat an obscene amount of food. But everything was so tasty, I did not regret one bite.

We started off with the night’s special, tuna tartare. Little pieces of fresh tuna were mixed with shallots, capers, micro greens and a little quail egg split in two. The dressing was very light and I think I tasted a hint of mustard. The tuna was also served with crusty crostinis. I was really impressed with this dish. I noticed that the chef put a lot of thought into the ingredients of the dish because the the shallots and capers were diced very small so that their pungent flavors wouldn’t over power the tuna.

Next, was the star of the night… chicken pot pie! The pie was perfect. The gravy wasn’t too salty and it had a thick consistency. The carrots, potatoes and peas still had a slightly firm texture which meant that this pie was made to order. These babies were definitely not pre-made and frozen. Our side of kale was super tasty too. You can’t go wrong when it’s sauteed in garlic!

Alas, we come to dessert. Banana cream pie with 6 whole inches of homemade whipped cream. The bananas were thick cut and fresh. The crust was thin and flaky, and though the whipped cream looks heavy in the picture, it was light and airy.

Well, I think K and I found our new date spot at this well-established café in Bernal Heights. The place is quaint, romantic and yummy. Check out our cleaned plates!

The Liberty Café
410 Cortland Ave
(between Bennington St & Wool St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Bernal Heights

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To be honest, K and I hardly cook in our brand new kitchen. It’s really bad actually… We typically hang out at my parents house and eat meals like this, this and this.

One day, K and I made a real effort to get off work early and cook a dinner for ourselves. First meal on our list was pizza! We made a pizza margherita that night, and I surprised by how easy it was. Check out the recipe below:

Ingredients

Note: You will need a pizza stone for this recipe. I used this one.

1 large ball of fresh mozzarella cheese
1 bag of pizza dough from Trader Joe’s
6-8 fresh basil leaves

– Sauce –
2 cans peeled tomatoes
4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 tsp oregano
5 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of chili flakes

Directions

Brown the garlic and chili flakes in the olive oil in a sauce pan. Add in the tomatoes and salt, and let it stew for 20 minutes. Take a potato masher and break up the tomatoes until it’s a thick and slightly chunky consistency. Add in the oregano, bay leaf and basil and let the sauce stew for another 15 minutes. Let the sauce cool down before smearing it on the pizza dough.

Place dough on a floured surface and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

After it has rested, stretch the dough out to a round that’s 14 inches in diameter on a floured surface, then brush the dough with olive oil. Carefully transfer the dough to a pizza stone. Try not to press the dough into the stone. I made that mistake and lost some of my pizza crust. Take heaping spoonfuls of the sauce and spread it over the dough. Extra sauce can be reserved for some tasty spaghetti!

Pinch off 1 inch chunks of the mozzarella and sprinkle it over the pizza. Take your fresh basil leaves and evenly space it over the pie.

Pop the pizza with the stone into the oven and let it cook for 18-20 minutes or until the bottom of the pizza is golden brown. The pizza should be crispy on the bottom and gooey on the top. Enjoy!

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Rated: ♣♣

Is there something extra special about Special Xtra? I’m sad to say, I personally don’t think so. I first heard about Special Xtra from SF Gate’s 92 Best Dishes in SF list. The same day I read the article, I rallied up my team at work and took a field trip to a little alleyway in the Financial District.

We each ordered the Macau Iced Coffee which was listed in SF Gate. Then we watched in anticipation as the barista mixed our drinks. She added (what seemed like) almost a cup and a half of whole milk, some simple syrup and a double shot of espresso made from Blue Bottle Coffee. The drink is served unmixed for aesthetic reasons, and I will admit that it looked very tasty.

After a quick stir and a giant gulp, I was disappointed. It tasted like a cup of milk with a hint of coffee. I liked that it wasn’t too sweet, but it didn’t have much coffee flavor at all which was a shame. I was mainly disappointed because I was expecting something similar to a Vietnamese Iced Coffee and got something totally different. I personally enjoy being able to taste and sense all of the aromas and flavors of coffee, and this drink didn’t do it for me. But hey, if you’re not a coffee drinker or you like weaker coffee, this drink could be amazing for you.

I would prefer to take my $3.50 and spend it on a Vietnamese Ice Coffee from Curbside Coffee (truck on the corner of Spear and Folsom). Their coffee is liquid crack.

Special Xtra
46 Minna St
(between 1st St & Shaw Aly)
San Francisco, CA 94105
Neighborhood: SOMA

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Rated: ♣♣

As you might have learned from here, here, here and here, I have an obsession with fried chicken. Any time there is fried chicken on the menu, it’s mine. It’s a very bad addiction, and I swear I’ll get help next week.

But first, let me review the fried chicken sandwich from the Brass Knuckle food truck. Now, I would say I’m rather an expert at fried chicken sandwiches (cocky much?) from experiences at such places like Bakesale Betty, 4505 Meats and the BBQ line at Town Hall (during past summers). I’ve heard some talk about Brass Knuckle after the Eat Real Fest in Jack London Square this year and I knew I had to try. I’m not sure I’m thrilled about having the Truck Stop (alley on Mission between Fremont and 1st) only a few blocks away from me because it’s almost too easy to get delicious and unhealthy foods from the hottest food trucks.

So, when I learned that Brass Knuckle would be at the Truck Stop, I rallied up my team and we each ordered the Fryin’ Maiden, a buttermilk fried chicken sandwich with a jalapeno slaw. Oh before I forget, their entire menu is “rock star” themed. At first bite, I was a little disappointed. The chicken was juicy, but flavorless. It could’ve also used some extra slaw, though that didn’t taste like anything either. It was basically flavorless shredded cabbage with chunks of non-spicy jalapenos. Bakesale Betty’s still has the number one fried chicken sandwich in my book.

The sandwich came with a complimentary bag of french fries. This, I loved. Though, I’m pretty sure these were frozen french fries. They tasted like the generously salted golden fries at McD’s. Who doesn’t love that?

Overall, a disappointing meal. I wouldn’t order the Fryin Maiden again, but I’m interested in trying the Notorious PIG. That’s a pulled pork, bbq sauce, waffle sandwich!

Brass Knuckle Food Truck

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Yeah, you read that right. The best discovery this holiday season, thanks to my brother, is Speculoos Cookie Butter from Trader Joe’s.

This spread has the texture and look of peanut butter, but the taste of a cinnamon snickerdoodle cookie. The label describes the “butter” as reminiscent of gingerbread and made of crushed cookies. It also suggests you smear this on pancakes or waffles. How great does that sound? I’ve been eating mine with Ritz Crackers. Something about the salty cracker and the sweet spread just works.

And if you’re wondering what Speculoos is, it is a shortcrust biscuit baked for consumption on St. Nicholas’ feast in the Netherlands on December 5th.

This is a seasonal item at Trader Joe’s, so stock up now before it’s off the shelf!

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