Television is fine for entertainment but never depend on it for a restaurant recommendation; friends are a much better source. After expressing disappointment in Nob Hill Cafe, a friend mentioned that she had been to the restaurant and thought she'd go again if she lived in the neighborhood, but would not go out of her way to return. I feel exactly the same. Nob Hill Cafe is probably an exceptional neighborhood restaurant, but what I saw on television set me up for a very different evening. It's an Italian restaurant and pizzeria. I was primed for the restaurant, but got seated in the pizzeria; feeling a bit like a business passenger being seated in the economy section of the airplane, between two overweight passengers. Yes, the seating was so tight that when the waitress unfolded my napkin and handed it to me, I told her it would never fit between me and the table! She promptly refolded it and said perhaps I'd prefer it on the table, this girl was a class act and didn't skip a beat, so the service was exceptional.
Starting off with good San Francisco sourdough bread was the best possible start for my dining companion. Since we were in the pizzeria, it seemed appropriate to actually try their pizza Even though other starters were available none really stood out enough to make the cut. The sausage mushroom pizza was quite good with a nice chewy crust, but the center was soggy. Still, they divided the toppings in half, as we had requested, and they get plus points for that.
How many times do I have to review pasta with Bolognese sauce? The answer is more often than I would prefer to, but Bolognese sauce is a very good item by which to judge a kitchen. This one was meaty and flavorful, not too complex, but not pedestrian. For a meat sauce this was a good one, better than most; for a Bolognese, it was lacking several classic ingredients and no way near as rich tasting as it should be. Admittedly, I have eaten too many great sauces in Bologna to allow any glowing praise for local endeavors, but I hope to find a better version one day in San Francisco. I haven't given up all hope quite yet.
Gnocchi is another dish that helps to determine the competency of an authentic Italian Restaurant. Nob Hill does a really decent job with their handmade version; not gummy and on the lighter rather than the heavier side of the sliding scale. These were good gnocchi and they afforded me the opportunity to try the Bolognese. Freshly grated cheese was another plus for this restaurant. They serve nightly specials and the prices are fair. Maybe I will go back.
Starting off with good San Francisco sourdough bread was the best possible start for my dining companion. Since we were in the pizzeria, it seemed appropriate to actually try their pizza Even though other starters were available none really stood out enough to make the cut. The sausage mushroom pizza was quite good with a nice chewy crust, but the center was soggy. Still, they divided the toppings in half, as we had requested, and they get plus points for that.
How many times do I have to review pasta with Bolognese sauce? The answer is more often than I would prefer to, but Bolognese sauce is a very good item by which to judge a kitchen. This one was meaty and flavorful, not too complex, but not pedestrian. For a meat sauce this was a good one, better than most; for a Bolognese, it was lacking several classic ingredients and no way near as rich tasting as it should be. Admittedly, I have eaten too many great sauces in Bologna to allow any glowing praise for local endeavors, but I hope to find a better version one day in San Francisco. I haven't given up all hope quite yet.
Gnocchi is another dish that helps to determine the competency of an authentic Italian Restaurant. Nob Hill does a really decent job with their handmade version; not gummy and on the lighter rather than the heavier side of the sliding scale. These were good gnocchi and they afforded me the opportunity to try the Bolognese. Freshly grated cheese was another plus for this restaurant. They serve nightly specials and the prices are fair. Maybe I will go back.
1152 Taylor Street (between Sacramento & Clay)
San Francisco CA 94108
Monday - Friday Lunch 11am - 3pm
Monday - Friday Lunch 11am - 3pm
Saturday & Sunday Brunch 11am - 3pm.
Dinner Nightly from 5pm - 10pm.
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