Macro Series III

Crumbs. Donut World. San Francisco, CA.

HoodScene (Excelsior)

 I've been told that the when the Mission District's young and chic hit the town (read: Mission) they usually draw their southern schmoozing border at Beretta for cocktails, only occasionally venturing south of Cesar Chavez for mac 'n cheese at Blue Plate. Those few intrepid city explorers who drive (or better yet, bicycle) south past Pupusa Peak will find a world to themselves. A world of $20 foot reflexology and $3 tapsilog plates. A world free of ironic mustaches and macchiato pretense. A world where Schwinn gears spin at liberty, free from the confinement of fixation. Yes, ya'll this is still San Francisco. It’s called the Excelsior. No reservations necessary.

My first year of existence was spent in the Excelsior, in a house on London Street. My grandmother has been living here for the majority of her life. When she was a youngin' the hood was mostly Irish and Italian, although these days the slew of Chinese B.B.Q. shops and Taquerias peppered along Mission are evidence of a much transformed ethnic demographic.

Sure, it’s foggy most of the year and dentures seem to outnumber residents under 30 by a sizable margin but this slower paced section of the city has it's definite charm.

 I was cruising Excelsior's business strip (Mission Street) on a sunny Sunday afternoon when I spotted this unassuming store front beckoning me with tropical cuisine.

I took a quick peek at the menu - is this for real? Sure I wasn't expecting much but these pre-dot.com-bust prices had me giddy. Perhaps I've been living in San Francisco too long, a city that conditions the mind to believe $8 is a fair deal for a cup of juice. To think how far I’ve come since the days of haggling over a 15 cent overcharge on a Cafe sữa đá!

 Nowhere on the menu is there the claim of grass fed hormone free beef, and attempting to calculate the profit margin could conjure up unsavory thoughts about product sourcing. Lets leave that to the haters. This patty satisfies. It’s charred sufficiently and seasoned well, two straightforward steps that other places charging 5x as much seem to screw up on the regular. No Acme bun. No humboldt fog. No daikon sprouts. No secret smug sauce. My $1.85 cheeseburger was dressed simply with the holy trinity of mayonnaise, ketchup and cheese product. That's how the Excelsior do.

Stay Humble.

HoodScene (Bayview)

This stop on HoodScene brings us to the sunny southeastern section of San Francisco, a neighborhood called Bayview / Hunter's Point.

 Rewind about 70 years, when WWII brought thousands of blue collar workers down to this part of the city to work at the naval shipyards. From 1940 to 1950 the area's population quadrupled to 50,000. The African American population alone rose from 7 to 11,080. After the end of the war and subsequent closing of the shipyard, most of the folks who moved to the Bayview for work found themselves jobless.

Geographic isolation, racial segregation and toxicity left over from the shipyards all contributed to the marginalization of the Bayview and it's residents. Over the last few decades, this neighborhood has made news more for it's poverty, crime and drugs than anything else. Let's take a break from the blight and cook up some smiles.

Frisco Fried and Auntie April's are the two Chicken and Waffle players on 3rd street.  I felt it was my moral obligation as a global eater to officially and impartially sample each rendition and share my experience for all ya'll to read. Or you can just look at the pictures.  

Still with me?

Marinated and freshly dusted fried chicken @ Auntie April's. Supremely tender and moist, without any of the dark meat sogginess that occasionally causes problems with under-fried thighs. Hate that. Peep that perfectly browned and blistered 4mm crust.

Documenting the precise moment where sweet joins savory. The proper intermingling of hot sauce, butter and syrup is the first step to mastering the art of Chicken 'n Waffle consumption. You want vinegar laced spice and crunch in each bite. You want sweet grade B maple with that salty fried bird. I'm also firm believer that the square shaped nooks in Belgian waffles were made to hold as much butter drippings as possible- so fill said nooks accordingly. If you've been counting calories up to this point, then you've lost count.

A six block stroll south on 3rd street gets us to Frisco Fried, a decidedly new school spot decked out with orange walls, signed 49ers jerseys, multiple deep fryers and of course, a selection of jellyroll inducing soul food. The fried chicken here was indeed nice and crisp, although the tenderness and seasoning of the bird fell short to Auntie's. While perhaps playing second fiddle in the experience, it's important to give the waffle it's share of the spotlight. Both versions were the softer and fluffier type which I'm usually not crazy about, but my dining partner and I agreed the waffle at Frisco had a bit more excitement going on in that batter. Nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla?

 In the end I gotta give the nod to Auntie April's for her execution of fried chicken. It's really some of the best of its kind, served up in a casual, pay-at-the-counter neighborhood spot with absolutely decent pricing. I'll most definitely return to both eateries for further intensive research on the topic...as soon as I'm done digesting...

Stay Fowl.

Global Guest: S.F. Oyster Nerd

Who are you?

My name is Gregory Michael Babinecz, a.k.a. the S.F. Oyster Nerd.



When and how did this oyster fixation spawn?

After graduating college I moved home for a couple months and got a job at a local fish market near Philadelphia. One of my job responsibilities was to shuck oysters and clams for patrons to take home. It was there where I gained exposure to several different varieties of oysters and shellfish. I next spent 1 1/2 years in Central America working and traveling and realized the food I missed the most were fresh oysters. Upon returning stateside I moved to out west to San Francisco where I won a shucking competition in the fall of 2010 that landed me a part-time job at Waterbar restaurant. I’ve been cracking open oysters a couple times a week ever since.


So what is it you like about these brackish water rocks?

They are the flavor of the land. American palates tend to crave sweet, salt and fat while oysters are much more subtle with flavors and nuances you have to work for. In this era of ketchup, mayo and mustard squirts, oysters are one of last bastions of unadulterated nature.


For the oyster novice, lets talk oyster species.

Your two main species available in the United States are Virginica (east coast) and Gigas (west coast). From these two species we have hundreds of varietals, depending on where they are grown.

In general Virginica oysters tend to be brinier with a stronger mineral finish than Gigas. You can also pick up citrus notes and Umami. Virginica oysters are also a lot easier to shuck and generally prettier to look at.

Gigis oysters are more vegetal than their east coast counterpart. I feel they’re more complex, with anything from watermelon rind to fresh cut grass notes.

The Kumamoto is a third species, and it’s the oyster enthusiasts love to hate. In my opinion the Kumamoto is the Belevedere or Grey Goose of oysters- in a bad way. Many people think it’s the end all be all of oysters, but do you order Chardonnay every single time you go out to eat? As far as flavor profile, the Kumamoto is buttery and creamy with honeydew melon and cucumber notes. All in all a difficult oyster to dislike, yet certainly not the only one to enjoy.



What are your hard and fast oyster eating rules?

First off, always chew your oysters. Would you chug a bottle of 1961 Cheval Blanc? No. You would smell it, sip it and savor it. Do the same with your oysters. An oyster has a beginning, middle and end. By merely ‘shooting’ and oysters and swallowing it, you are only getting the flavor of the ‘liquor’ (juice inside the oyster)- which is good in its own right but certainly not the entire experience. If you want to taste your oysters, then eat them straight up or with just a touch of mignonette* or lemon to cut the brine. Also, be adventurous. Try new oysters whenever possible.

* Traditional French style accompaniment to oysters made from champagne, champagne vinegar, diced shallots and cracked peppercorn.


Oyster nutrition?

You’re looking at about 7-10 calories per oyster, with B vitamins and tons of zinc. They’re also fat free.


Do you mind throwing out a few oyster suggestions for the intrepid crudo consumer to seek out?

Certainly.

The Sunken Meadow from the Wellfleet area of Cape Cod. Artisinally grown with a lobster stock finish.

Tomahawk from New York for it’s chewy, ‘snappy’ texture.

The Wild harvested Marion from Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. Big and bold with earthy black truffle flavors.

Drakes Bay from right out here in West Marin. When they’re good, they’re really good.

Shigoku from Puget sound, Washington. Ultra manicured with a nice brine and sweetgrass finish.

Finally, let’s play oyster word association

Hood Canal.
Mass McDonalds production type sh*t.

Cape Cod.
Delicious.

Long Island.
On the up.

BBQ Oysters.
Gulf oysters.

Cocktail sauce.
Scrotum kick.

Flipped and rinsed oysters.
Swan Oyster Depot.


Thank you S.F. Oyster Nerd.

Stay Bi (valve) Curious.

Macro Series II

Char + Cheese. Charlie's Coffee Shop. Los Angeles, CA.