BACK FOR REALZ

Some of you may have noticed, but I didn't really actually return when I said I was returning. But I am really back for real. What better way to get back into blogging then by blog about my first experience at Greens in SF, a quintessential SF restaurant.

Often, when you think of vegetarian food, you think of something that is fresh and light. Rarely do you think of things that are rich. At Greens, you get a little bit of both.

Ambience:
The restaurant is located right on the water which is a plus, but the view of the marina and the golden gate bridge is probably better during the day time. Of note, many of the tables that in the restaurant were made out what appear to be actual tree stumps. This was really interesting, but made for awkward seating arrangements if you were so unfortunate to get seated at such a table.

Food:
On Saturday nights, patrons can only dine off of the four course pre-fixe menu for $49, with an option to have a wine pairing for each course for an additional $30.

Andante Dairy Contralto, Mediterranean cucumber and melon salad with lemon and Green Gulch mint.

We didn't really have choice for our first course. It consisted of a salad of pickled cucumbers, honeydew melons, and cantaloupe in a citrus vinaigrette. When the first course arrived, my high expectations were suddenly shattered. I immediately thought of what most carnivores think of when they eat vegetarian. Damn it, I am going to be hungry tonight... At first, I had assumed that the waiter only brought one of three portions. But only one plate came, and the portion was barely enough to satisfy one person. I wonder how they would have presented the dish when one dines alone. Fortunately, the next course tempered my sour opinion.

The Potato and Scallion Croquettes with fontina and chives. Served with romescu, creme fraiche, and herb salad.

The Catalan Farm heirloom tomatoes with burrata, aged balsamic, Regins olive oil, opal basil, ruccola, and warm olive bread.

The Wilted Spinach Salad with DeVoto gravenstein apples, Point Reyes original blue, hazelnuts, mint, cider vinegar, and hot olive oil.

For the second course, I chose a potato and scallion croquette of sorts that was served with romescu and creme fraiche on a bed of flat-leaf parsley. The croquettes were delicately fried and offered a great contrast in textures. The outside was crispy while the inside was soft and creamy. Definitely reminded me of the fried mashed potatoes at Gregoire's in Berkeley. J ordered the Catalan Farm heirloom tomatoes burrata that was tossed with aged balsamic, olive oil, basil, and ruccola. It was also served with freshly toasted olive bread. The tomatoes were fresh and meaty and perfectly complemented the soft and cool burrata. P ordered the wilted spinach salad with gravenstein apples, hazelnuts, and blue cheese, in a cider vinaigrette. This salad was just okay. But I did appreciate crispness of the apples, as well as the nuttiness that the hazelnuts brought to the dish. For our entrees, we had the simple task of just ordering one of everything.

The Spinach Ricotta Ravioli with slow roasted Juliette tomatoes, torpedo onions, gorgonzola dolce, pine nuts, basil, Arbequina olive oil and grana padano.

The Gratin Provencal with Japanese eggplant, sunburnt squash, grilled peppers, scallions, asiago, thyme, heirloom tomatoes, and herb breadcrumbs. This was served with tomato roasted pepper, summer beans with shallots and pepper flakes.

The Chive Crepe with Green Gulch chard and kale, savory spinach, leeks, goat cheese, and lemon herb cream. This was served with white corn, chanterelle and lobster mushroom ragout.

The entrees were the true highlight of the meal. First, we had a spinach ricotta ravioli. The pasta was perfectly cooked. The filling could have used a little extra flavor, but this was made up with the excellent sauce that consisted of roasted juliette tomatoes, torpedo onions, pine nuts, and basil. The sauce was silky and warm just viscous enough so that it permeated through the filling and clung to the ravioli. Next, we had the gratin provencal with japanese eggplant, sunburnt squash, grilled peppers, scallions, asiago, thyme, heirloom tomatoes and herb breadcrumbs. This was my personal favorite entree of the evening. The buttered herb breadcrumbs were crunchy and melted in your mouth. It paired nicely with the soft layered textures of the baked vegetables. Unfortunately, this entree was paired with a side of what appeared to just be blanched summer beans and shallots. These side vegetables rudely interrupted both the presentation and flavor of the plate. The spicy kick from the pepper flakes added a touch of excitement that paired nicely with the gratin's roasted tomato pepper sauce, but I could have done without the vegetables. Lastly, we had a chive crepe with chard, kale, spinach, and leeks. The crepe was drenched in a delicious rich and creamy white corn, chanterelle, and lobster mushroom ragout. This last entree elevated greens into an establishment that is definitely worth returning to. The frigid San Francisco weather and familiar flavors of the corn and mushroom ragout paired with an unconventional base was intriguing and kept me wanting more. But I had to stop myself, because J and I still had three desserts to eat.

Raspberry Mouse

Lemon Granita with Almond Biscotti

Ginger Snap and Peach Ice Cream Sandwich with Berry Compote

The raspberry mousse was not really memorable and the lemon granita was just okay. The perfect end to our meal was a ginger bread cookie with peach ice cream sandwich and berry compote. Simply delicious. Overall, a very good deal for $49.

Rating: 4/5