Canteen, San Francisco

You may wonder if you’re in the right place as you enter the tiny diner adjacent to the anachronistic Commodore Hotel. I certainly did. Somehow, that was not what I had imagined for the celebrated Dennis Leary restaurant. So I decided to abandon my preconceptions and put my name on the list for Sunday brunch.



You’ll rarely find open tables at Canteen as the dining room has only 4 small booths. Seven people can sit at the green Formica counter facing the busy stainless-steel kitchen. The space is tight, and every available nook is appropriately taken advantage of. The staff of 5 maneuvers with precision cooking and serving their customers, most local habitués. Even though Leary was absent from the kitchen in my 2 morning visits, his well-trained lieutenants seemed to be in perfect control.



The atmosphere is unfussy and the décor tries hard to give the small space a quirky personality. Around the room, a vintage books library, random antiques and office furniture used to store silverware. A classic American diner turned cabinet of curiosities.




The menu

The photocopied menu features an appetizing selection of egg dishes and griddled sweets. Some of the items change every weekend. Portions are not too big and everything is prepared with a great deal of care and talent. My only complaint is the lack of pastries and side dishes. They will prepare you eggs on the site if you ask, but unlike Prune or Maverick, there are no Merveilles or Doughnut holes to complement your meal.

The meal

Everything I tried was tasty and perfectly cooked, nothing sloppy or gratuitous on the plate.



The Benedict with all the accoutrements is luscious and flavorful. A light and airy hollandaise sauce, perfectly cooked eggs and crunchy English muffins make this a delicious brunch dish.



Another good option is the Steak and eggs, roasted sirloin, spud, spicy hollandaise. The medium-rare meat is very tender, the potatoes are tasty and the sauce brings a nice kick to the dish.



On the sweeter side, try the Blueberry French toast with sweet cream cheese. Unlike some French toasts that shamelessly rely on maple syrup for moisture, this one is prepared like a true pain perdu; creamy inside and crispy outside. Served with a generous portion of fresh blueberries and cream.



Although all brunch dishes are thoughtfully conceived and carefully prepared, drinks lack the same attention. Coffee from Mr. Espresso is brewed on the bitter side and orange juice comes from a supermarket container.

In short

Canteen offers some of the best brunch dishes in the city. Served by a friendly staff in a quirky diner atmosphere. The celebrated tiny restaurant by chef Dennis Leary is worth going, even in the morning when he’s not running the show. Makes me wonder how good dinner should be.



Canteen is at 817 Sutter St.
Reservations by phone 415-928-8870

Ad Hoc, Yountville

The story goes that the building currently occupied by Ad Hoc was intended for a very different type of restaurant. While the space was being designed, Thomas Keller decided to open a place to serve casual, family-style food. A place that emulated the feeling of eating at home. Thomas Keller’s home that is.

The idea worked so well that popular demand turned permanent what was formerly an interim project. But in many ways, the makeshift feeling still rings true.

Keller’s third wine country restaurant is also in Yountville (likely the U.S. town with the highest number of fine dining restaurants per capita); just a few blocks from Bouchon and French Laundry. On the nondescript facade, a discreet metal sign hangs from the canopy: Ad Hoc. For temporary relief of hunger.



Inside, the makeshift atmosphere highlights the fact that things are somewhat out place. The ambiance is spacious, comfortable and elegant but lacks a distinct personality. A small bronze pig standing on a vintage butcher’s bench is the only unique element in the somewhat unremarkable interior. But that’s the whole idea. Ad Hoc is truly ad hoc. When we walked in, "Hotel California" played on the restaurant’s sound system. An introduction to a music selection that seemed to come from an anachronistic jukebox. Hits from the 60s, 70s and 80s shuffled from Forest Gump’s soundtrack.



The casually dressed wait staff walks around in jeans, sneakers and brown Dickies work shirts sporting a patch with the restaurant’s name. But the casual wear is no indication of careless service, quite the contrary. As you’d expect, service is sharp and well trained. This is Thomas Keller’s home after all.

The menu

Ad hoc has a bold proposition. The prix fix menu changes everyday to feature a single 3-course meal. There are no options, no vegetarian alternatives or side dishes. You’d be served what the chef has prepared for that day, much like dining at someone’s home. So why is this a bold proposition? In the land of endless choices and ever-growing food restrictions, driving over an hour to find only one option seems to go against the American way of life. I, for one, love the idea.



But I have to admit I felt a small disappointment as, after waiting a week in anticipation, I opened the manila folder menu to find the title: “Sunday Brunch”. Did I just drive 60 miles for ham and eggs? For a moment, I considered calling Bouchon to see if they’d take a couple of lunch walk-ins. But as the song “I can’t help myself” played in the background, I decided to stay. Thomas Keller has never let me down.

The meal

Eating at home means family style. Dishes are served on large plates, portioned for the number of people on the table. The presentation is casual but careful. Although the server explains the chef’s preparation, it’s up to you to dish up your plate. It didn’t take long for me to realize this was no ordinary brunch. What was once brief disappointment quickly became lasting enthusiasm.



First course was Yellow corn grit cakes with smoked trout salad, heirloom tomatoes, and house cured salmon. Beautifully presented in polenta-like cakes, crunchy outside and creamy inside.



Each one topped with perfectly balanced complements. Flavorful combinations that delicately highlighted each ingredient.



Despite the name, what came next was anything but ham and eggs. Ham & Eggs, marinated bailey long pork, slow cooked hen eggs, wilted spinach, buttered country bread, mixed berry jam. The sliced pork was buttery and tender. Toped with roasted red bell peppers that brought a nice sweetness to the dish. The eggs were of great quality and perfectly cooked. A great combination of flavors and colors that, despite the generous portion, left me wanting more.



Even the buttered toast, served with a coulis-like jam, was worthy of the last breadcrumb. “How am I supposed to live without you” by Michael Bolton played in the background.



To finish, Nectarines and cream. Mascarpone cream, lemon syrup, shortbread cookie. An example of how the simplest desserts are sometimes the best. Summer peak sweet white nectarines and Santa Rosa plums served under a large dollop of luscious whipped mascarpone cream. Simply irresistible.

As we finished the meal, the first contemporary song started to play, as if bringing us back to present time. “We’re going to be friends” by the White Stripes; perhaps a sign that we’d be back many times.

In short

Ad Hoc brings together the casual comfort of family-style dining with the coveted high-end cuisine of Thomas Keller. The food is simply exceptional and with only one choice in the menu, you just can’t go wrong. Reservations are usually available for the same week making it a great opportunity to try Keller’s food in an unfussy atmosphere. For dinner or brunch. Either way, you won’t leave disappointed. Cue “On the road again”.



Ad Hoc is at 6476 Washington St.
Online reservations

Mission Beach Cafe, San Francisco

I could tell something was off the moment we walked into Mission Beach Cafe for a Sunday brunch. The following is an account of a series of unfortunate events.

After reading about its award for Best brunch in San Francisco 7x7 magazine, I called the restaurant to get a table for the next day. The attendant responded that although they didn’t take brunch reservations, I could show up at 11, when they started serving food. Before that, according to him, it was only coffee and pastries. In an attempt to beat the crowds (I don’t know how many people read 7x7), I decided to arrive some time in advance.

The small dining room was already full when we got there at 10:30am. And, to my surprise, diners seemed to be already halfway through their meals. What happened to start serving food at 11am?

Only one small table was open, by the entrance, next to the sugar and cream counter. Better than nothing.

Three people buzzed around the tables taking orders, serving customers, busing dishes and coordinating the kitchen; all at once. They acted bewildered, like ants that had lost their lead. Or, as I later learned, like waiters that had lost their cook. Despite my constant attempts to get the wait staff’s attention, it took about six minutes for someone to show up.

When I asked for the menu, the waiter responded “No menu, just here”, pointing to his forehead. He then recited the only four options available; all egg dishes. After we placed our order, a stack of pancakes passed by. Wait, why wasn’t that an option before? A minute later, another waiter showed up panting to take our order again. Thirty-five minutes passed before our food arrived. By then, the coffee (brewed extremely strong that day) had turned lukewarm.

The service nightmare was so bad it barely let us enjoy our food. Truth is, my eggs benedict was actually great. Maybe even worthy of a second chance. When we were leaving the restaurant, one of the owners offered his sincere apology. Things were clearly abnormal that day.



Let’s try this again
(Readers may disregard all previous statements.)

Located at the corner of Guerrero and 14th street, Mission Bay Cafe’s all-glass façade is an invitation to step in. Inside though, the bright dining room feels almost too modern for a neighborhood eatery. Solid wood tables and slim chairs upholstered in sand-colored suede fill the white-walled space. Large framed photographs of a rusted ironworks warehouse contribute to the aloof appearance. Outside, a crowd of habitués waits patiently for a table. A good selection of freshly baked pastries offers those who can’t wait, the opportunity to take breakfast to go.



When we arrived at 10:15am, all tables for two were already taken but a few four tops remained open. The waiter told us we could sit but he would have to move us to the counter if a larger party arrived. Despite the unexpected comment, service was considerably better the second time around.

The menu

The brunch menu (as it happens they do have a menu) has a very appetizing selection of egg dishes, sandwiches, sides and sweets. The type that makes you want to try a few different things. A couple of specials were added by our waiter, enthusiastically described as the contributions from the newly hired chef.

The meal

Compared to most dinner menus, brunch is usually a much simpler fare. However, many restaurants sin by not giving it the proper attention. The result is often disappointing or simply unremarkable (Chez Papa Resto). In my two visits to Mission Beach Cafe, the food was impeccable. Thoughtfully conceived and perfectly prepared. With a similar level of care and talent found at NYC’s Prune.



One of the best dishes on the menu is the Dungeness crab benedict, house made garlic English muffin, avocado, poached egg, lemon hollandaise. In this refreshing variation of the classic, the lush hollandaise is contrasted by the brightness of the lemon and guacamole. Despite the unappealing black plate presentation, everything was tasty and perfectly cooked.



The Scramble of the day was made with shitake and crimini mushrooms, goat cheese and served with the restaurant’s signature potatoes. It’s not often you eat perfectly cooked scrambled eggs in a restaurant, it’s usually either too runny or too dry. But this one was flawless. Soft and moist, mixed with a generous portion of also perfectly cooked mushrooms and finely chopped parsley. There was a bit too much goat cheese but besides that, it’s a very tasty dish.



A more hearty option is the House made empanada of the day, 2 fried eggs, MBC potatoes. Filled with ground beef & spinach when I tried it, and wrapped on flaky golden brown pastry, the empanadas are very filling and flavorful.



Coffee is from Blue Bottle, my favorite for its taste and consistency in the preparation (Blue Bottle trained baristas are serious about their craft). Individually dripped and skillfully prepared cappuccinos and lates are available. Unlike in the first visit, brewing was great the second time around.

In short

Like Maverick, Mission Beach Café offers an inventive take on the traditional brunch fare. The food is flavorful and flawlessly prepared. The coffee is from Blue Bottle, quite simply the best you can get. In San Francisco, this is a hard brunch to beat. So much so that you may even overlook a few service mishaps.



Mission Beach Cafe is at 198 Guerrero St.
Online reservations

Chez Papa Resto, San Francisco

There are morning people and night people. The former are most productive when they wake up and usually don’t stay up late. The latter make the most of the evenings, but you can’t count on them early in the day. Chez Papa is like night people.

I made online reservations for brunch, 10:30am. The day before, I got a call from the restaurant apologizing that they wouldn’t open until 11 and asking if I’d be okay pushing my slot.

The outdoor tables were still empty when I arrived, I couldn’t tell if they were already open, it felt somewhat desolated, I walked in. There was a sense of bewilderment; some things didn’t quite fit the occasion.

Contrary to the charming Potrero Hill Chez Papa, this one features a much larger dining room. The interior design is reminiscent of a nightclub, hanging black chandeliers, dark walls and a long bar filled with about a hundred liqueur bottles. On the far end, an oversized terracotta sofa that I would place somewhere between Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and The Cheesecake Factory. Despite the excessive use or mirrors, it’s not a bad décor. That, of course, if you look at it at night.

The bright morning light seemed to reveal every little detail. What was meant to be subtle, to blend in, was called out as a highlight. The dark hardwood floors showed every single dust footprint, the intricate table wood grain looked overdone, the color palette was suddenly too strong. The staff, wearing terracotta aprons over black, seemed to have just arrived from a home shower after a long night.

The menu

Even the menu felt somewhat confused with the morning wakeup call. Of the twenty plus selections, only two are egg dishes; eggs benedict and omelet. Hardly a Brunch menu. Caesar Salad, Noçoise, Mussels, Chicken Club, Kobe Beef Tartare are some of the other options.

The meal

I had the Eggs Benedict with Jamón and sauce Bérnaise. It was boring. Properly done but lacking enthusiasm. I would have traded the lightly dressed green salad for roasted potatoes or something more flavorful. Gladly, I also ordered a side of homemade sausage that was good.

The French toast was dry and unexciting, a few scattered strawberries and that was it. It looked like an afterthought, threw together quickly without much care.

Coffee was good, brewed from Illy beans but on the weak side. Orange juice, on the other hand, was a joke. Five dollars and fifty cents for a half glass of supermarket juice, from concentrate. Served with a black straw, misplaced from a previous night’s cocktail.

In short

I will still try dinner at the newly opened Chez Papa Resto. I always liked the original Potrero Hill location and, despite lacking its charm, I feel like I owe this one another try. However, I can safely say this is no place for brunch. The ambience, the staff and the menu are not cut for a morning call. Everything is dazed and confused. Feels like a nightclub with morning hangover.

Maverick, San Francisco

Walk by the informal Mission district eatery and you may be compelled to step in for a weekend brunch. But unless you have reservations, you’ll most likely leave on an empty stomach. The small restaurant is usually booked solid every weekend.

The bright dining room is divided in two areas; the first, by the kitchen, has only two high tables with bar stools. The second is filled with about ten regular tables and chairs. The décor is simple, dark wood is the visual theme. Feels welcoming and casual.

Wait staff is attentive; the number of people serving the restaurant even seems more than necessary. But I’m not complaining.

For some restaurants, opening for weekend brunch is a way to make good margins on basic meals. While the chef enjoys some time off, line cooks run the kitchen preparing your pancake and eggs, any style. Most menus are pretty standard if not the same. One may say brunch is the ultimate comfort food. But for Maverick, it’s much more than that.

The menu

Classic brunch staples are redefined with inventiveness. Flavors and textures are explored to bring a more flavorful twist to an otherwise expected meal. Drinks include Blackberry Mimosa with House made Washington blackberry syrup, Segura Viudas Brut Reserve. Even the simpler breakfast plates are well presented and appetizing.

The meal

My favorite thing to order is the Andouille Sausage “Benedict” – Grilled andouille sausage, poached eggs, crawfish and jalapeno hollandaise, English muffin, home frie. It’s a good example of a classic breakfast plate prepared with a inventive twist. The heat of the jalapeno sauce, sausage and crawfish bring a southern flair to the dish. The combination is spot on, in texture and flavors. There’s only one problem, the poached eggs are not always done right. I had it undercooked a couple of times and almost hard when I asked them cooked medium. Even so, I’d order it again.

On a sweeter side, the Pecan Crusted French Toast and Cornmeal Buttermilk Pancakes are good options. Not the boring breakfast type. They are served with Nueske bacon and house made pork sausage, respectively. Both come with good quality warm Vermont maple syrup.

Another good call is the house signature Maverick Doughnut Holes. Served warm, dusted with cinnamon and sugar, they are hard to resist (although not as hard as Prune’s Merveilles).

Coffee is good too, on the stronger side. Brewed with San Francisco’s Caffé Roma blend.

In short

Maverick is one of San Francisco’s top brunch destinations. The contemporary atmosphere and creative menu bring a welcomed upgrade to the traditionally stale morning fare. It proves that comfort food can be inventive too. It’s hard to go wrong with anything, unless of course you don’t have a reservation.

Tartine Bakery, San Francisco

If you live in San Francisco, you probably heard about an amazing little bakery in the Mission district, always packed with lines out the door. And if you are like me (doesn’t like standing in line for a croissant), you may have ignored it so far. I did, until the day I watched Mark Bittman award Tartine the title of “best scone in the world”. It was time to face the crowds.

One morning I took a detour in my commute to stop at the bakery. It was about 7:35am when I gave up finding street parking and decided to partly block a driveway with my parking lights on (the official sign of I’ll be back in a sec). I ran a block towards the corner store to find about 12 people already standing in line. I thought “What a heck, I came all the way here, I’ll wait”. Twelve minutes later, I was still in line and thinking to myself “What a heck am I doing here?” When it finally came my turn to order, I was quick to say “One scone to go” and I was out of there, running back to my car annoyed that I had waited 15 minutes for a damn scone. This was the first and last time. So I thought.

I got in the car, closed the door and drove away. And then I felt it. An irresistible smell of freshly baked buttery pastry. Deliciously intoxicating. “What’s that?” It took me a couple of seconds to realize it was coming from the small paper bag on my dashboard. It all started to make sense. The lines, the wait, the best scone in the world. Next day, I was there again, promptly in line 7:30am. And every day ever since.

Behind the counter

Every morning, Tartine displays a selection of just out-of-the-oven pastries, tarts and desserts. Beautifully baked morning buns, croissants, quiches, cakes and, of course, scones. All carefully made with local organic ingredients.



I haven’t tried everything yet (working on that) but the Buttermilk Scone with Currants is definitely my favorite so far. It’s not your average Starbucks scone. It’s buttery and surprisingly light (or at least it tastes that way).

The Morning Bun is also delicious. Requires a sweeter tooth though. It’s crunchy on the outside layer and soft inside. Perfect as it comes, warm just out of the oven.

The Pain au Chocolat With Valrhona Chocolate is good, but not on the light side. The dough is heavier than the classic, flaky French croissant. Definitely fulfilling.



Another thing to die for is the Chocolate Pudding. It’s rich and creamy like a dark chocolate mousse. Comes topped with a dollop of whipped cream and chocolate. You may think it is big enough to share but only until you have your first spoonful.

Tartine also serves coffee from Mr. Espresso, carefully made by the well-trained barista.

In short

If you have a sweet tooth and dieting is nowhere near your radar, you won’t want to miss this place. You can’t get better pastries in San Francisco, not to mention their amazing bread. Stop there in the morning, get something to go. Forget about the line, the wait. All will be worth it the moment you have your first scone.

Prune, New York

I’ve been told, get there early to avoid the morning crowd. So there I was, at 9:40am, lining up outside the not yet open restaurant with a dozen habitués at about 30ºF. More like 20º, if you ask me. As we curled in the freezing morning wind, passersby looked curious as to why we were lining up anxiously in front of the small restaurant. One said, “This place must be amazing”, other just put “Retards”. It was all worth it.

At 10am sharp, a well-groomed waiter walked out the door holding an aluminum clipboard. He stepped away from the line and announced out loud:

– “We are about to open the door, if your group is all here, we will sit you. In the order you arrived. If you're not all here, you will wait until all arrive.”.

I turned quickly to my side to make sure my friend had not gone anywhere. I looked inside and although the dining room had only a few tables, per my count, we were in. I was ready. I felt like a groupie about to get backstage.

The menu

Prune’s menu is delicious to look at. The kind that you find yourself wanting to come back again and again just to try different things, even before you actually order for the first time. A mix of inventive brunch dishes and confident classics that sound as good as they taste. The bloody marry seemed to be a popular choice as most tables were prompt to order it. I went with coffee and Prune juice, a house made blend.

The meal

The simple things can tell you how good a restaurant is. I ordered the Soft Scrambled Eggs with Potato Rosti. It was perfect. The eggs were moist and perfectly seasoned. Like they should be but most often are not. The potato rosti was crisp on the outside and creamy inside. I would have been happy stopping there. But no, I had to try something else. Something that completely made me understand the line outside that by now looked to be in the one-to-two-hour wait zone.

They came on a white plate, over brown paper. Warm, dusted with confectioner’s sugar and an irresistible smell that would end any carb diet. They were Merveilles. Little scone-shaped pastries deep-fried like a doughnut. Probably one of the best things I ever ate. Buttery yet surprisingly light. So good in fact I devoured every one of them, and left wanting one more.

In short

Prune is the kind of place that makes me want to keep it selfishly secret so the line won’t get any longer. I don’t usually like to wait for a table, but this is absolutely worth it, come rain or shine. The place is charming, service is prompt and the food is simply delightful.
You can try for yourself. But don’t tell anyone about it.