San Francisco’s Got Soul
July 10th, 2009 by Sophie
If, like this writer, you were wandering around the Fillmore Jazz Festival last weekend, you probably stopped off at one of the food vendors’ booths and picked up some overpriced Southern street fare ($6 for a handful of garlic fries?! I would have dropped another six had I not got waylaid by the peach cobbler…). Although “soul food” is traditionally the cuisine of African-Americans from the south, it has since spread to other parts of the country and indeed the world, including several hotspots in San Francisco itself.
Best for… Cornbread and Mac ’N’ Cheese
Hard Knox Café
2526 3rd St (between 22nd St & 23rd St)
415.648.3770
or
2448 Clement St (between 25th Ave & 26th Ave)
415.752.3770
Some of the sides are uninspiring, with far-too-candied yams and canned-tasting red beans, but it was lucky then that my $7 veggie plate, which came with three sides, had one more to save the day, the oh-so creamy mac ’n’ cheese. I was actually able to leave half of it on my plate because it was so rich! Upon ordering, you are given two little corn muffins, still warm from the oven (or microwave…). These are perfect – slightly sweet, buttery, with a crisp exterior and warm, moist innards. Pull them apart and enjoy with more butter or by themselves – they’re good enough.
Best for… Fried Chicken
Farmer Brown
25 Mason St (at Market Street)
415.409.3276
Home of the All-U-Can-Eat brunch on weekends for $15, Farmer Brown serves slightly upscale southern food in a hole-in-the-wall spot on the edge of the Tenderloin. Everything here is extremely tasty and creative, with bourbon-poached pear served with the pork chops, but the reason the line often snakes down the street is the fried chicken plate ($16.95), served with macaroni and cheese and collard greens. Top off the meal with a slice of pecan pie ($5) and you’ve got yourself a serving of southern soul.
Best for… Brunch (Beignets and Biscuits)
Brenda’s French Soul Food
652 Polk Street at Eddy
415.345.8100
Brenda’s offers four different types of beignets, including one filled with Ghirardelli chocolate which is particularly popular. Other brunch fare include inventive omelettes, served with grits and biscuits, and big, fluffy buttermilk pancakes. The biscuits here are big and buttery and draw people from all over town. I have seen people ordering half a dozen and taking them home – “for the in-laws”, one woman explained.
Best for… Southern Vibe
1300 on Fillmore
1300 Fillmore Street
415.771.7700
Eat brunch, sip cocktails and enjoy a late dinner at this joint which celebrates the vibrant jazz history of the Fillmore District. With a jazz band playing classics in the background, and walls covered with photos of the greats, the influence of the South is present in every inch of the dining area and every bite of the (admittedly pricey) food. Try the grits – they’re sensational.
Best for… Dessert
The Elite Café
2049 Fillmore Street at Pine
415.346.5192
The dessert selection at the Elite leaps off the menu page, and is bound to look even more appealing after a few of their inventive cocktails. The Bananas Foster comes with Tahitian vanilla ice-cream in a crispy filo shell, but the stand-out favourite is the Blueberry Bread Pudding with lemon ice-cream. Pair that with a Kaffir Lime Gimlet and you’ve got yourself an eleven pm sugar buzz!
(Photo credits- http://www.flickr.com/photos/frankfarm/2547398242/sizes/l/ by Frankfarm on Flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/pengrin/457145290/sizes/o/ by pengrin on Flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/2746337102/sizes/o/ by mswine on Flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/foodinmouth/2398195656/sizes/o/, by foodinmouth on Flickr).
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I tried the Beignets at Brenda’s French Soul Food, they are amazing!