Pop Up: Parada 22, Comida Puertorriquena

 Mary;


We've been wanting to try this Puerto Rican pop-up restaurant, which is only open on Friday and Saturday, 6 to 10 pm, at Boogaloo's site at 22nd and Valencia. We had two other people joining us this evening, Barbara, who eats like an omnivore, except that she says she's developed a sudden aversion to fish as she's hit her elder years. And Heiner, my German friend who is visiting us from Bali. He's unlimited in his appetite with the exception of an allergy to shellfish and raw fish. Poor guy can't eat sushi!

The menu is simple: pork, chicken and beef prepared several different ways, and served with your choice of white or red beans, a salad and maduros, which are ripe, sweet plantains. We had a hard time choosing among a lot of great sounding possibilities. I wanted the beef with caramelized onions, but didn't want the beans or rice. So the server suggested the beef and caramelized onions in salad form. Took his suggestion, and was delighted for several reasons. First, I got avocados, which blended in wonderfully with the onion and beef flavors, but even better was the salad dressing I ordered: Cilantro and Garlic. Yum. Very garlicky taste, and moderated by some sort of creamy base. I had to ask for the recipe, which means I need to call their main restaurant. I seldom ask for recipes but I kept imagining this sauce as a spread, a dip for veggies, or by the spoonful directly applied to the mouth. Yum Yum. The main course salad was an easy-on-the-pocketbook $12.

Heiner ordered the white beans as a side, Habichuelas Blancas, $4.) in a medium sized bowl. They are cooked with green olives, potatoes, carrots, sweet peppers and pumpkin. The server suggested the Yuca al Mojo, $5, when Heiner asked for french fries. That's cassava root with onions, garlic & olive oil mojo. He had to fend off everyone wanting to taste his "fries".

Barbara wanted chicken and ordered the Pollo Encebollados: marinated boneless chicken sauteed  with those delicious caramelized onions. She ate with gusto!

We asked each other what number we would give this restaurant on the 1-10 scale. We averaged 7.5 all around. The only dings were that the beef was a little overcooked, and the waiter couldn't explain the ingredients and cooking methods of some of the main dishes. Would I eat here again. Definitely. Would make it a dinner go-to place not only for ourselves, but for our out-of-town guests too. I couldn't understand why it was only half filled by 7:30 when we left. Should have been a line out the door. Glad there wasn't.

Shirley:

Sometimes you just know by reading the menu, that it's going to be good. I have had some minor experience with Puerto Rican fare, so I kind of knew what to expect. The combination of Taino, Spanish and African flavors and cooking methods resulted in a meal that was so good, that I wanted to lick my plate.
I love the variety of "pop-up" opportunities that are becoming so popular in our city. What a wonderful way for a businesses to try out a new location, without the high risk of a complete lease. Parada 22 popped up about a year ago, utilizing the evening space that serves as Boogaloos during the day. A few flags and signs were added to the existing decor and whatever else was provided by their other Haight street site, and it was ready for business.
Because everything on the menu sounded so very good, I decided to start with the first item on the Main list and tried the Pernil Asado. A roasted pork marinated with garlic, oregano & sofrito, served with rice and beans, salad and maduros (plantains). The food was plentiful, especially the pork and priced at an easy $14.

The Pork! - fall-apart-with-a-fork-tender, but not stringy or dry, delicious complex flavors. I tried to graciously share tastes with everyone, but it was not easy to watch bits of it move in a direction other than my mouth.
Salad - Standard greens mix with a nicely balanced vinaigrette.
Yellow rice - made with broth and annatto, a simple taste that created a base for the other flavors.
Red Beans - a wonderful combination of slow cooked kidney beans and smokey ham and onions. It was served in a little bowl with some of its cooking liquid. It could have been my main course, it was that good.
Maduros - sweet plantains, twice cooked, soft and tender on the inside, just a little bit crispy on the outside. Yummy.
Flan - because Barbara was with us, we split desert. It was light and creamy, not too egg-y and not too sweet. It also disappeared very quickly. 

Definitely encourage your friends to join you for a delightful meal. There are some great little shops nearby to browse and spend money in and Valencia is just a good place to hang out with friends, new and old. I got to spend a little time with Mary's friend, Heiner, and my dear friend Barbara and the dastardly duo. After an afternoon of painting, it ended the day just right.

btw - I think Boogaloos serves the morning shift in Parada 22's location on 
                                                                   Haight.


Jesse:

 Our evening started out well with a parking place right next door to the Puerto Rican,  Parada 22. We congratulated ourselves on our parking karma and were delighted before we even got out of the car. Unfortunately, we were right in front of Laku's. Normally this would be a good thing but Mary and Shirley had hungrily hurried off to the restaraunt leaving Heiner, Barbara and I alone in front of Laku's whimsically wonderful display window. We got stuck. 

     Heiner fell in love with the little shoes and finger puppets sticking out of pockets in tiny hats for infants. In we went. As luck would have it, the owner was just opening a large bag of finger puppets, entrancing us all. We had pretty much picked out our favorites when Mary appeared to hurry us along. Didn't work. She fell in love with a bunny and had to wear it home. So, if you're hungry, be careful where you park on this part of Valencia St.

     Finally arriving at the restaurant around 6pm, I was surprised to find that we were the only customers in the place. By 7:30 there were 5 other tables filled. So no need to get here when it first opens.

     The menu looked really good though and we excitedly made our choices. The waiter was very friendly about food allergies and thanked me several times for writing them down for him. I felt I was off to a good start. I felt even better when he told me that only a couple of dishes were off limits for me. Woohoo.

     I ordered the Biftec Encebollado for $14.50, a marinated sirloin steak sauteed with carmalized onions and served with rice, beans, a small salad and maduros. It reminded me of my favorite dish at Mom's Cooking. Mom's Cooking is sadly no longer in business, but was a wonderful bar and restaurant on Geneva, with great food. It was like eating at your Mexican grandmother's table. But I digress.

     The food came quickly and we dove in. Shirley ordered the best dish on the table. Pernil Asado, wonderfully rich, flavorful, tender pork. Even Barbara's chicken, the Pollo Encebollado,  was very tasty and for me, at the moment, I have to say I'm burnt out on chicken. Way too much chicken at home lately, but this, this I would happily eat. 

     I can't say the same for my dish. The beef was tough and not very flavorful. The onions were yummy but that was about the only thing going for the beef. The salad dressing was very good, the maduros were sweetly delicious and the rice and beans were excellent. They had been cooked with ham and could easily have made a satisfying dinner by themselves. 

     I think the waiter was not very thorough when he recommended dishes that would be OK for me to eat. There was a little something in one of the dishes, I ended up with a headache. Luckily not too bad. I should have asked more detailed questions. What was in the marinade? What were the maduros fried in? I have been spoiled lately by extremely knowledgable wait staff. 

     The bathrooms are tiny, decorated by very colorful black, white, red and yellow tile that give it a happy feeling. I've seen cleaner and I've seen a lot worse.

     I give Parada 22 an overall 3 out of 5 stars. Just don't order the beef and you'll be very happy.

POP-UP PARADA 22
3296 22nd Street, (corner of Valencia)
824-4085
(Friday & Saturday evenings only)

Home site:
1805 Haight Street
750-llll

Beretta

Shirley:

I believe, in this case, that the word "serendipity" is not trite or overused or pretentious. Beretta was such a great experience, gastronomically and environmentally, that I would sing its praises if I could carry a tune. There were four of us eating that night, we ordered a lot of dishes, tasted a bit of everything on the table and moaned with delight over every mouthful.
Visually, someone paid attention. A great black bird over the front door, the iron gates on 23rd that delineate the outdoor eating space, molded ceilings, all were touches of good design and pleasing ambiance. Our seating filled our request for least noisy table, the waiter was pleasant but not pandering, and the delivery of plates (family style) efficient.
The menu was not extensive, but well planned. There was something for everyone and once food started coming, forks were flashing across the table, to taste really well made dishes.

 
I ordered the brussels sprouts with capers and sage, and a pear, gorgonzola and rosemary pizza. So gooood! I would have been a happy camper with that alone, but I also had bites of lasagna, lamb chops, meatballs. Even a simple arugula salad made my taste buds happy. And because we were with Barbara and she cannot pass up the dessert menu, we ended the meal with the lemon sorbet and a really nice cup of coffee. Not only was every item tasty and well executed, they all married well.
Would I go back? Would I recommend it to a friend? You bet. In fact, my daughter, informed me that, as good as their food is, they are best known for their excellent cocktails. Although I rarely drink, there may be a mojito in my near future.
On my absurd scale of Bleck-Ick-K-Yum-OMG, I definitely give it a OMG and hope to come up with a better rating system in the future.

Mary:

  I ate one of the best restaurant meals I’ve ever had here the other night. Everything tasted so quietly wonderful: probably the best blend of flavors and knowledge of the palate that I’ve experienced. Hats off to the chef who knows how to balance ingredients and spices. The meal produced delighted exclamations and then silence while we dug into the remarkable dishes. 

Originally we passed up Beretta for two reasons. We thought it would be too expensive and it was Italian food so I thought, carbs, carbs, carbs. What can I eat? Turns out there were plenty of choices.  

Meatballs in spicy tomato sause. (Bolognese) $8.

Brussels sprouts with capers & sage. $7.

Arugula & fennel salad with shaved parmesan. $7.

The pizzas were off limits for me, although I had a bite of Shirley’s sublime bosc pear, walnut, gorgonzola and rosemary pizza and wished I could eat more. Same for the lasagne.

Our total bill, including tip, was $130. That covered four people, three eating off the Antipasti menu and one off the Mains, a glass of good Merlot, two desserts and a cup of coffee. So much for our concern about expense.

We recalled some of the history of this building as we ate. It had been Artemis Café, the Last Supper Club, among other eateries. Which one was it when the fire engine lost control and plunged through the front window (fortunately not injuring anyone.)? There was a toy fire engine on a shelf behind the bar for the duration of that establishment. Then there was a turnover of cafes that didn’t last. Beretta’s has been here for 5 or 6 years and short of some cataclysm it will be here for many years to come on the basis of it’s service and great food (and great drinks—though for us that was just heresay. But not hard to believe.)

Our table was in the back and to the side, so we had a little shelter from the noise. The high, metal ceilings and abundance of hard surfaces amplify the bustling sounds. We could talk to each other by raising our voices. So my only criticism is that Beretta is not the place to come to converse casually with friends. It is the place to come to enjoy skillfully prepared and sumptuous food. They are always busy, weekday evenings as well as weekends. Come early to get a table without a wait. They open at 5:30 and we had a choice of several seating options when we arrived at 6 on a Friday night. After that, enjoy the waiting benches outside, and the always-interesting people watching on Valencia Street.

 JESSE:

 My first impression of this place is wow it's 6pm, they've only been open thirty minutes and it's really crowded already. That's hopefully a good sign.

     The interior colors are dark and smoky. Four huge chandeliers light the main dining area. Long naked light bulbs suspended above the bar along the left of the dining area provide a nice sparkle against the dark interior. I like the overall effect. 

     It's mostly a young, good looking crowd but I do see a smattering of older people here and there. The energy nearest the bar seems to indicate, for some, the possibility of romance later tonight.

     The noise level is pretty high so we ask for a quiet table. I don't think there is a quiet table here but we did get one out of the way and could hear each other if we spoke loudly.

     The menu looks great. In fact it took us awhile to figure out what to order because everything looked so tempting. I was apprehensive at first because the menu was such a wheat/gluten festival but upon closer inspection there were several items I could eat.

     Our waiter was great. I showed him my list of food allergies, he unflinchingly answered my questions regarding dishes and we quickly decided upon my order.

     From the antipasti menu I ordered the lamb chops with arugala and organic yogurt, at $15. The yogurt comes on the side so it's perfect. Mary loved the yogurt by the way. I also ordered the brussels sprouts with capers and sage, $7. They made it without the butter for me and it was still delicious.

     As the food came out of the kitchen we grew more excited with exclamations of "Oh my God, taste this sauce!" "Wait until you try the brussels sprouts" Tasting the pizza, my friend's expression turns to anguished pleasure. 

     They even had a dessert I could eat! Woohoo! That's rare. A Myers lemon sorbet for $7. It was sublime. Very delicate flavors of lemon, mint and ginger. An almost buttery texture. I forced myself to slow down and savor each bite. The best sorbet I've ever tasted. 

     I can't remember a time when we were all that excited and happy about our dinner. This place was a real treat. I've already recommended it to my family. I give Beretta 4.5  stars  

     Finding food this good, being that excited by a meal, makes writing this blog meaningful. I hope you too will enjoy food this well crafted.  Bon Appetite.

     Ooops, I almost forgot about the restroom review. I'm not surprised though, it's a forgettable bathroom. Very boring but clean. I give this boring bathroom, three stars.

Beretta

				Beretta Beretta serves inventive cocktails, thin crust pizzas, and contemporary Italian comfort food in the mission district.
				View on berettasf.com	Preview by Yahoo

Baretta

1199 Valencia Street

695-1199

WeBe Sushi Reviews

Shirley:

Well, it took a while, but tonight we ended up at WeBeSushi. Beretta was not yet open and El Valenciano has changed to a bar/nightclub venue. I've eaten at this WeBe many times and although it may not be the best or most exotic Japanese fare, it would make Ray Crock proud. The food is good, the service efficient and the visual miscellany on the walls amusing and intriguing.

I ordered the "Early Bird Special" for the first time. It includes soup, a choice of spinach or seaweed salad, a bowl of rice and 5 Nigiri of choice. I ordered three different varieties, doubling up on a couple of them. It was all just as I expected, with the exception of the salad. I was served spinach instead of seaweed, but because I knew it would be fine, I did not ask for a correction.

My impressions:
.Miso soup - good with some bokchoy added for the phyto-nutrient fans
.Spinach salad - barely wilted greens with a nicely balanced dressing
.Bowl of rice - superfluous but non-offensive
.California roll - default is real crab, always a plus
.Spicy tuna - makes me happy every time
.Hamachi - buttery and fresh
.Pickled ginger - always good. The stuff can sometimes taste soapy to me, but never at WeBe
.Water - pleasant taste of lemon
.Squid on the wall - a whimsical representation carved into wood

The place is small, or for a more poetic description; intimate. The entire operation is geared toward a good, solid, uncomplicated, uneventful dining experience. I am San-Francisco-Sushi jaded and consider WeBeSushi to be a regular "go to" eatery; convenient, consistent and casual.

On a scale of Bleck-Ick-K-Yum-OMG, I would give it a Yum.

Mary:

WeBe is already our go-to neighborhood sushi restaurant. It is cozy and quaint and the food is good. We by-passed Baretta’s to get here because it was too expensive for our wallets that night and not yet open. We were too hungry to wait. We agreed to shuffle the linear order of the restaurants we visit if dollars or time they open are factors; but we’ll return so we get to all of them. (Not the new ones that open in our wake, though.)

One of the things I’ve always loved about WeBe is the décor. Its very green walls are loaded up with Japanese wood block prints, carved wooden sea creatures and memorabilia, old photographs and printed fabric and lanterns. When the conversation lulls, I find myself scanning the walls and occasionally noting a new addition to the prints. Tonight it is a framed triptych of geishas.

WeBe has a casual neighborhood feeling--wooden tables and chairs seating maybe 25 at most. The diners are dressed as if they were out in the neighborhood and made a stop here during shopping or after errands. They’re playing 60’s music tonight, the Platters. I like that in a sushi joint. The wait staff is generally efficient, although tonight our waitress consistently places the orders in front of the wrong person.

I order a spinach salad for $3.75 and two orders of sashimi: one Maguro for $7 and one Tako for $6. The octopus is new to me. I like the texture, but the taste is a bit bland. The tuna is wonderful, buttery, soft and tasty. The spinach salad doesn’t disappoint. I know this restaurant well enough to make my way around their menu safely and that’s a plus.

I find it a bit difficult to review WeBe. Assessing it takes me out of the casual expected enjoyment of a favorite habitat to somewhere else that distances me a bit from the homey nostalgic ambiance that I enjoy so much here. But WeBe does well in the assessment process. We’ll definitely be back again as we have many times before.

As we walk out the door I notice a the new sign on the window. Gives you a taste of the casual, homeyness of the place. 

                             

     

JESSE:  Tonight we ended up at We Be Sushi. Which is one of my all time favorites on Valencia St.  When they first appeared, I quickly became a fan. Then, they even delivered !

     Tonight we had to skip a few restaurants on our list just because we arrived too early. Most places open at 5:30pm and we arrived at 5pm. Being very hungry we were delighted that We Be Sushi was open.

     We Be Sushi is a tiny, narrow place with maybe 16 tables. In my 25 years of eating here, it's a good idea to get there when they open if you can, because it fills up quickly and there can be a wait. It's a popular place. They don't have really fancy, creative rolls but are more known for their consistently fresh, and inexpensive sushi. A friend of mine described them as excellent working woman's sushi and I agree. 

     They also have  great  decor. I never tire of exploring their walls, which are jam packed with Japanese artwork of many different styles. It creates a rich, vibrant, and very colorful environment. I love it.

     I decided to try something different tonight and ordered the Three's Crowd Roll for $11.50. It includes maguro, hamachi and sake. Translation is tuna, yellowtail and smoked salmon.  Loving all three, I was really looking forward to it. I also ordered a Hamachi Maki for $4.50,  which includes hamachi and green onion. 

     The waitstaff is usually consistently attentive but for some reason tonight they were a bit off. There were a couple of errors in our orders and I had to repeatedly ask for more ginger. Tonight allergies were not an issue. I am fine with raw fish, rice and wasabi. I just stay away from the soy sauce and the delicious miso soup they always serve to begin the meal. 

     I reluctantly have to say that the Three's Crowd Roll was bland. It desperately needed something to give it even a wee bit of punch. It filled you up but left the palate wanting more. The Hamachi Maki on the other hand, was delicious, as always. 

     I love We Be Sushi's bathroom. It's a slight adventure to get to. You go to the rear of the restaurant, through their tiny, fascinating kitchen, down a small step arriving at a toilet with an odd sign above it. We debated whether the sign meant no dribbling on the toilet, no dribbling on the floor or no peeing while standing. 

     Anyway, their bathroom is fine. Clean and with other amusing artwork on the walls.

     Bathroom rating is 3.5 stars out of a possible 5.

     Restaurant rating is also a 3.5 stars.

t-shirt is from the 80s

We Be Sushi

538 Valencia Street
565-0749

South End Grill

  Shirley:

It's one of those ideas that spring out of conversations with friends. The 'we should write a blog about this' kind of offhand remark that gets forgotten or dismissed due to lack of time, motivation or priority in the things-to-do-someday list. But, we kept eating out on Valencia, often at the same sports, so we decided to eat our way down one side of the street and up the other. So many meals, so little time. In fact, we assume that we will not be able to sample all the eateries before new ones crop up. We will make a valiant effort to keep up.

So tonight we began this tasteful adventure at the South End Grill, positioned at the corner of 26th Street, with the Salvation Army and the Dovre on its companion corners. We walked in a few minutes before opening time and caught them slightly unprepared for business, but they were definitely welcoming and accomodating. 

The artwork on the walls defined its character well; a fun, friendly joint described by its owner, Steve, as an 'easy going neighborhood kind of place.'

We sat at the table of our choice and looked forward to our meal. The menu offered bar food that would wash down great with a cold beer, hearty main courses and a whole list of mac 'n cheese options. I had a plain ole burger and would say it was mediocre. Both the service and kitchen execution were un-even, the food averaged out to okay, the prices moderate, the choice and volume of music good and the ambience comfortable. If I lived in the neighborhood, I would not hesitate to grab a meal there on the quick.

But, as I wrote earlier, we were very early and we had approached the place expecting a dinner restaurant and I don't believe that's its real personality. It was easy to envision the open space 

crowded and busy and noisy, a 'Cheers' sort of atmosphere of familiar faces and pub-like companionship. I liked the place. The food was so-so, but I liked the anticipatory feeling of impending activity, like the calm before a really good storm.

That's it for my first post to this calorie laden, taste bud challenging, senses taking experiment with fine friends and good times.  Enjoy.

Jesse:

Friday night, 5:30. I'm hungry. I'm on Valencia Street with my buddies and we've decided to eat our way up and down Valencia Street. Who in their right mind would refuse something like that? Right? Not me. I've lived near Valencia Street for over 30 years and it has always offered good food.

Remember when the Slanted Door started out on Valencia, near 17th Street? Limos would pull up in front of El Toro and discharge lusciously dressed men and women who would ask the first person on the street they could find, 'Do you know where the Slanted Door is?' Their food was and still is so wonderfully delicious. Or when La Rondalla had their Christmas decorations up everywhere, all year, and the hunting photographs were on the walls by the booths. Not the greatest food in town, but I loved that place. Anyway, I digress.

It's still Friday night at 5:30. I know it's really early to be eating out, but hey, you can always find a table and it's when our watercolor group ends. Despite my best intentions of not being a stereotypical retiree, I do like to eat early and I love painting watercolors. But I am a bad-assed watercolorist, and I don't paint flowers. Not that there is anything wrong with painting flowers. Some of my best friends paint flowers. It's just not for me.

So, our first target is South End Grill, Bar, Pub & Club. It's so early we're the only ones in the joint. It takes awhile before Steve, the owner, appears. We tell him that we tried calling to make reservations but no one answered the phone. We weren't even completely sure they were open. He laughs, 'Reservations? We don't take no stinkin reservations. The neighborhood knows our hours.'

OK, that's cool. Steve and the restaurant do have a nice, relaxed neighborhood feeling. I hope the food is good because I like this place already. In fact, while we were waiting for someone to appear, we all fell in love with the art on the walls. The paintings are of San Francisco streets, which are near and dear to my heart. That's what I paint. Woohoo! There's a huge painting on one wall. It's of Valencia Street. The longer I look at it, the more surprises I find. It even shows Kenny playing his guitar on the steps of the Social Security buildig. He's wearing his signature wild, colorful long coat. He's the homeless guy who has been playing on Valencia for as long as I've lived here. Haven't seen him for a while, though.

So...now, down to business. Food. We're seated by Steve and I tell him of my food limitations. He's very attentive and willing to make substitutions in order to serve me the best dinner he can. Awesome.

I order the the hangar steak for $18. It's normally prepared with a gorgonzola butter sauce and french fries. I can't eat the fries or the cheese/butter sauce, so I ask Steve to leave it off the steak, and order brussels sprouts as my vege. He is happy to do it.

As much as I like this place, I have to say the steak was pretty tough. When I mention it to Steve, he says the sauce would have softened it. I think even with a great sauce, a tough steak is still a tough steak. Durn. I would not order it again. I see on their on-line menu that they normally offer a rib eye prepared this way. A rib eye steak for $18 is a pretty good price and much more likely to be tender. If I return and it's on the menu, I would give it a try. The Brussels sprouts with bacon are a different story. They are delicious. Perfectly cooked. A beautiful bright green, soft but still a little crunchy and lots of flavor. The salad is very good as well.

My overall assessment is 3 out of 5 stars. Decent food for a decent price, but uneven quality.

For those of you who care, and I know you're out there because I used to date one of you, their bathroom was very clean and decorated OK. I give it a 2.5 out of 5 stars. I've seen a lot nicer and I've seen a lot worse. Oy, have I seen worse in this town.

I have to say that what really stands out on their menu is their extensive mac 'n cheese choices. They have ten varieties. If I didn't have any diet limitations, I'd try their crab mac with garlic, parmesan, cheddar and jack cheeses.

I feel we really didn't do this place justice because we didn't try a mac and cheese entree, but perhaps you can. Go ahead, try it, and please let us know what you think.

Mary:

I'm glad to have a chance to eat at South End Grill. I've driven or walked by it often and been curious. 

The first thing I see and walk over to is the large, wonderful painting of Valencia Street, painted from the perspective of the center of the street, next to the South End Grill. You can see all the way to Market Street, and it seems propitious as we start our gustatory journey with this first restaurant at the South end of Valencia.

I order the salad with apple bacon and blue cheese and dressing. $5.50. It's delicious--a great blend of flavors and crispiness.
I'm anticipating a great meal now, and the Brussels sprouts are top quality cooking. They are also $5.50 and they are delicious--more bacon, beautiful color, cooked just right. So when the bok choy comes, $4.50,  I feel let down. It's over- cooked and flavorless. A little hard to chew. I wish I could eat the mac 'n cheese. I watch the delivery guy on his way out the door to bring containers of it to people's houses. Clearly, food wise, this place has made its reputation off their large mac 'n cheese menu.

I could see finding well cooked favorites off this menu by trial and error, and returning to enjoy the variety.




(Note: as of the end of January, 2015, this restaurant is closed and the premises are being remodeled. It looks like another restaurant will be coming in.