San Francisco Vacation

I strongly believe traveling is one of the best things a person can do for themselves. Traveling always changes me in ways that I cannot quite explain. I think the most powerful force is seeing that there is a whole world bustling along outside of my quiet little universe. I get into a routine of work, play, and cooking, preoccupied with worries and reaching my goals that I tune out the world. Visiting someplace else, particularly a major city, is a nice reminder that I am not at the center of the universe.

There is no substitute for experiencing a place firsthand. A city is more than just some famous landmarks and buildings. The air, smells, grime, sounds, and changes in light are just a few of the variables that create an experience.

And, we cannot forget the food. Trying new foods is one of my favorite parts of traveling. Neither Z. nor myself had ever been to San Francisco. We had two places we really wanted to try: Blue Bottle Coffee and 21st Amendment Brewery. Our Market of Choice carries a few varieties of beer brewed by 21st Amendment Brewery and we have thoroughly enjoyed those so we were looking forward to trying the beer closer to its source. Their IPA is one of the best IPAs I have ever had. Unfortunately for us, the brewery is located in the vicinity of AT&T Park. There were sporting events both days we were available to visit the brewery so we did not go in the brewery but we did walk past it and peer in!

Blue Bottle Coffee came highly recommended to us by a friend who lives just outside San Francisco. We were not disappointed! Blue Bottle served one of the best Americanos I have ever had (the Americano from the Wandering Goat of Eugene is still my favorite). The coffee was a rich shade of mahagony with a layer of crema floating on top. The taste was dark and incredibly smooth. We always visited the Blue Bottle in the Mint Plaza. I fell in love with this location. You walk into a space that is elegant and simple, very understated. The whole place was geared to one thing: serving a great cup of coffee. The enormous windows let in lots of soft light while the vintage-looking crown molding lining the ceiling provided additional architectural interest. The color scheme of soft gray and white contrasted nicely with the dark wooden floors, creating a sophisticated atmosphere. I saw no syrups, pumps, or drinks with silly names that I would be too embarrassed to order.

Around the corner from this particular Blue Bottle Coffee was a Vietnamese sandwich shop. I am not even sure if this place had a name. We ate there twice. Z. and I both thoroughly enjoyed the bánh mì. We discovered this place shortly after arriving in the city. We emerged from the underground subway near our hotel and immediately began roaming the streets looking for a place to eat. The sandwich shop was the first place we found that fit the two criteria we had for all our meals: 1) It sounds good and 2) we cannot get it at home.

 
If you have never enjoyed bánh mì here is what I think makes a bánh mì special:

• For me, bánh mì exemplifies Vietnamese cuisine with its focus on fresh ingredients that have contrasting textures and flavors.
• The bread. Each sandwich is made from its own individual loaf that is the Vietnamese take on the French bagette. The crust is rather chewy while the interior is light and soft.
• The meat. Pork seems to be the predominant and most prevalent topping. My favorite combination is cold cuts, such as steamed pork with pâté. The earthy, minerally quality of the the pâté complements the sweet steamed pork. Z. had what looked like grilled, uncured bacon. He loved it! The other options available were vegetarian, grilled pork, and grilled chicken.
• Pickled vegetables, usually pickled carrot and daikon radish. These provide great crunch and acidity. Sometimes, as in the case of the veggies on our San Francisco sandwiches, they were also a tiny bit sweet. What a delicious combination of crunchy, sour, and sweet!
• Mayonnaise. As far as I know, there is always mayonnaise or butter on the bread. Spreading mayonnaise on a sandwich that already has pork pâté may seem odd but it works. The mayonnaise with the pâté topped with the pork provides a delightful unctuousness that is cut by the pickled vegetables and bright cilantro.
• Garnished with chili pepper and sprigs of cilantro. I love chiles and the varieties of peppers that have always been on my sandwiches. They are flavorful and spicy without being overwhelming. 

We also ate at an Indian restaurant called Bindi. Pleasant and a great choice but the main dishes were nothing spectacular. We had chana masala (Z.'s version is way better) and paneer tikka masala. This is the second time I have had tikka masala in the last few months. The combination of spices, yogurt, and tomato is wonderful. I am looking forward to learning how to make my own tikka masala. If you do go to Bindi, I highly recommend the garlic cilantro naan.

We also partook of some delicious charcuterie from Boccalone located in the Ferry Building in the Embarcadero neighborhood. We were reeled in by words, "Tasty Salted Pig Parts" on the sign. We enjoyed a platter of mortadella, pancetta, and capocollo which was served with some thin, crispy bread sticks and cured olives. Delicious!

San Francisco surprised me in a few unexpected ways that I would like to share.

• I knew the San Francisco Symphony and Opera would be amazing but finally hearing them in person was life changing. The strings had a tough, focused string sound that was unbelievable and inspiring. 
• Architecture. The buildings were amazing. There were the big, imposing skyscrapers that grace any big city. I loved the older buildings with their interesting architectural details and variety in colors. The opera house, symphony hall, one of the theaters, and city hall were all clustered near other creating an imposing and grand scene.
• Doughnuts. I could not believe how many doughnut shops there were or how many restaurants served doughnuts, including the sandwich shop where we ate bánh mì. 
• Chicken shops in Chinatown. As we strolled through Chinatown I saw several shops that only sold raw chicken or chicken parts. I had no idea that chicken was so prized.
• Polite panhandlers. 
• The cable car was awesome! This is a great way to get a view of the city. The first time I saw on the bench that looks out of the cable car while Z. stood on the outside platform. I really enjoyed the trip but Z. was on cloud 9. The next time, I also rode on the platform. If you ride the cable car, ride on the outside, it is a totally different experience!