Cafe Bastille

22 Belden Place (between Bush & Pine)
(415) 986-5673
www.cafebastille.com

S chose Cafe Bastille for dinner club because in her recollection, the food was good and not too pricey.

I ordered the halibut served with tarragon gnocchi. I was disappointed because I was really looking forward to ordering the salmon because per the menu online, it was served with potato and butternut squash gratin - yum. And of course, the salmon was prepared differently than indicated online. The halibut tasted fine as did the gnocchi, but it was all kind of boring. Not bad - boring. As in nothing stood out on that plate and it was just kind of there. I also got a side of green beans sauteed in garlic which were actually good. But butter and garlic pretty make anything taste good so I wasn't all that impressed.

As with all dinner clubs, I stuck my fork into what everyone else got as well. And since we had a good turnout this time, that meant more tasting for me. Unfortunately, my friends' dishes produced the same lack of originality and flavor that mine did. The ahi appetizer was pretty non-descript, save for the overwhelming spice of Sriracha (wtf?), the goat cheese on the salad dish was supposed to be grilled and really wasn't, and the crab cakes were just lackluster.

The bill was $60 a person and we had wine and all but still...there are far better places on Belden.

The Verdict: Not Worth It

COCO500

500 Brannan St. (between 4th & 5th)
(415) 543-2222
www.coco500.com

I was impressed when W suggested COCO500 - firstly because he doesn't even live in the city and secondly because it was the perfect kind of spot for the night we were having.

We weren't super hungry so decided to just share a few things. P's recommendations echoed in my mind as our server suggested the Fried Green Beans and the Truffled Mushroom Flatbread. The green beans were good, but no better than the tempura fried green beans you can get at sushi places. The flatbread was minimally dressed with sea salt and chili, but no flavors stood out enough to complement the overwhelming expanse of, well, bread. But these two dishes were fun to share. For something more substantial, we ordered the Braised Pork Shoulder served with butter beans, house made pancetta and chicories. While the meat was fork tender, again, the flavors, or lack thereof, were lost, this time, forming a sauce that reminded me of the sludgy film that you find in cans of beans.

COCO500 is a fun place for a date, especially a first one. But the food is just not that great. I think we can do better.

The Verdict: Not Worth It

Rant: Bristol Farms

OK - I'm fuming as I eat. On my break from class, I decided that since I had a big lunch (thank you Chipotle, I love you forever,) that I'd just grab something healthy from the food court downstairs. Options for veggies are limited, so I thought the best place to go would be Bristol Farms where I could just grab a smattering of greens. TWELVE dollars later and an assortment of veggies swimming in grease as my "healthy" option, I am pissed! I'd also planned to grocery shop on this trip because I have zero food in my house until I nearly burned my hand on a $4 loaf of bread.

I never quite learn. The salad, raw fish and soup bar prices are arguably somewhat reasonably priced. But anything else, especially the hot food bar is a greasy disappointment waiting to happen. Yuck!

PS - Why does my tofu taste like bananas? Grr...

Road Trip: New York (Round 2)

M had to go to NYC for work so K and I decided to tag along. Free hotel. What what? While I don't normally even bother talking about restaurants that weren't that great while on the road, two were so disappointing that it would be a disservice to not mention them. The Spotted Pig was good, not great, and certainly not worth the 1.5 hour wait time M and I logged. After having dinner there, M and I continued our night of mediocrity at the "famous" Magnolia Bakery. The cupcake we had was gross. Yes I said it - gross. M said that she usually has a different flavor (vanilla with chocolate frosting,) but I'm sorry. Everything in a place that gets as much hype as Magnolia had better be good. Real good. On a more positive note, below are some places that did fit the bill:

Tonnie's Minis Cupcake Shop (120 W 3rd St.): After lamenting about my subpar Magnolia experience, S convinced me that she knew of a place that truly had the best cupcakes around. No line out the door and the guy working there might have been stoned, but no joke - this cupcake was ridiculous. Moist red velvet INSIDE yellow cake with cream cheese frosting and a dusting of sprinkles (the fine crunchy kind, not the big long ones)...it was so unforgettable, I brought one home for M and K too!

Essex (120 Essex St.): Walking into Essex for brunch was a bizarre experience because it's like a club. In the middle of the day. Music is blasting, hipsters reign supreme and the wait is long. But for $16, you get your choice of anything off the menu and three cocktails - bloody, mimosa or screwdriver. If you go, you have to get anything Matzo Brei - which is essentially, pieces of Matzo mixed into the egg scrambles. Satisfies my Jewish friends' dietary needs and so damn good.

Cafe Boulud (20 E 76th St.): Thank goodness it was Restaurant Week, otherwise I probably would never have been able to afford this meal. K's pork was tiny but all kinds of amazing, and our chocolate cake dessert was probably one of the best I've ever had. Though stuffy and reeking of old New York money, I'd say Cafe Boulud is seriously worth it. And there's nothing like a Padma sighting for a little validation.