dessert landscapes series, blueberry waffle
blueberry waffle at the Blue Fig, the Mission, San Francisco, CA
blueberry waffle at the Blue Fig
the Blue Fig
990 Valencia St
(between Liberty St & 21st St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 875-9622
Hours: Mon-Fri 7 am – 7 pm
Sat-Sun 7:30 am – 7 pm
dessert landscapes series, cinnamon roll
cinnamon roll a la Starstream Cafe
cinnamon roll a la Starstream Cafe
cinnamon roll by Starstream Cafe
Starstream
1830 Harrison at 14th St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 864-6370
The cinnamon roll by Starstream Cafe, Harrison Street, SOMA, San Francisco
dessert landscapes series, chile chocolate chip scone
chile pepper chocolate chip scone at Starstream, San Francisco
Starstream
1830 Harrison at 14th St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 864-6370
lunching at my favorite cafe, starstream
Roasted fig, fresh basil and stracciatella cheese sandwich with salad of arugula, red onion and fingerling potatoes
Given the choice of trying a new restaurant or going back to one that is tried-and-true, I’ll usually opt for the former rather than the latter. So if a place does manage to keep me coming-back on a fairly regular basis why, that’s an endorsement in and of itself. Starstream certainly is that kind of place, and it certainly has a hold on me. I keep going back. And without fail, every time I do there’s at least one new thing waiting to be tried, something that blurs the line between sweet and savory (a distinguishing factor for which Starstream is known, check out my previous review here). As much as I try to resist that bit of sweet at the end of the meal, I can’t. (It is the best cookie in San Francisco, after all) And then there’s Remi, the owner and chef, who is a true gem.
The following is a lunch in pictures. Joining me on this latest visit was MUS•e•YUM Trustee, L., a former advertising exec. who’s eaten at some of the top restaurants in town and beyond, so he has a refined palate and holds the bar high. L. always presents a neutral and unbiased review. . . it was his first time eating here, in fact. (Not his last, he really liked it!)
On my plate were the roasted fig, basil & stracciatella cheese sandwich and the salad of arugula, pickled red onion and sliced fingerling potatoes . Both of these dishes reflect Chef Remi’s signature approach of bringing savory and sweet together, in a deftly-balanced way. L. also loved his meal, the Pork Conserva sandwich and Citrus Salad. He appreciated how well-balanced all the flavors were on his plate, as well. The brightness of the citrus fennel salad was a real highlight, as well as the iced Bergamot tea he ordered with his meal, very aromatic and rich. We both agree the rolls on which the sandwiches are served are pretty great and well worth mentioning; they’re beautiful, they’re flavorful, and they’re made in-house by Remi, as well. We also agreed the portion size is exactly right. We left completely satisfied, but not stuffed. In fact, as always, I had room for a little dessert, the dark chocolate and red chile pepper scone, dusted with gorgeous crystaline turbinado sugar. The flavor of the scone was nothing short of amazing, the richness of the chocolate totally satisfies your sweet tooth, and it’s accompanied by a real nice “kick” on the back-end, thanks to the chiles. Awesomeness.
And this visit we found out about a bit of exciting news from Chef Remi- . . . so stay tuned for a big story mid-February!
Pork Conserva sandwich and arugula/fingerling potato salad at Starstream Cafe
figarella sandwich at Starstream with the delicious iced bergamot tea
dark chocolate and red chile pepper scones at Starstream
Starstream Cafe, on Harrison Street, SF
Starstream
1830 Harrison at 14th St (near the Best Buy)
San Francisco, CA 94103
Neighborhood: Mission
(415) 864-6370
Hours: Mon-Fri 8 am – 4 pm
Links to articles in the Press:
https://sites.google.com/site/mattegrayinsf/journals/journal-2010
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2010/10/star_stream_belgian_waffles.php
http://www.rundown.com/article.php?article_id=1445
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2010/09/best_chocolate_chip_cookies_san_francisco.php
best restaurant series, starstream
exquisite pizzas and sandwiches of Starstream
I first met Remi at Goody Goodie Cream and Sugar, home of the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie in San Francisco. (Evidence here. and here.) Frankly, Remi had me at the chocolate chip cookie but upon ordering that, she offered me a sample of a product in development: the cocoa nib wafer. This thing blew me away, chocolate made savory. Earthy. Magic. Combining notes of chocolate (without the sweetness), and oil-cured olives, Remi had just taken me to a new place! And how great would this be with a strong cheese and a bold Italian red?! What followed was a conversation about food that only happens between folks that are in love with it. . . wine pairings for cookies, cheese pairings for fruit (and prosciutto), favorite producers at local farmer’s markets. I was hooked.
On a subsequent visit, Remi offered me a sample of a “bun-in-development”. She’d been offering featured sandwiches at Goody Goodie made with bounty from the day’s farmer’s markets (example here) and now had some tantalizing information for me- she’d finalized plans to open a restaurant. Not surprisingly this would be the place she’d been wanting to open for a long time, a full-service restaurant that would afford her the space and tools to showcase her unique talent, her ability to bridge pastry and savory (and, a place with seating!) Owing to the relationship Goody Goodie has with scooter-loving Blue Bottle coffee-making Vega next door on Folsom, the two entrepreneurs envisioned a palate-pushing Roman-styled industrial-chic café and the name would be Starstream.
Yesterday I had a great lunch there with my gorgeous friend, one who happens to be a foodie of the first order! Between us we (naturally) tried a little of everything, from a great citrus salad, to the ‘squashed’ pizza Schiacciata to a flight of sandwich sliders and the famous cookies. The salad: greens dressed in a light citrus vinaigrette with pieces of citrus fruit and notes of fennel, was served on the aforementioned cocoa nib wafer. My pal was blown away by the combination of flavor profiles, from earthy to bright, which really worked. This salad was one of the highlights of the meal, for sure.
citrus fennel salad at Starstream, San Francisco
The pizza: thin and light, the house-made crust is stuffed not with tomato but rather Bellweather Crescenza cheese, arugula & Prosciutto de San Daniel. The flavor is at once bold and light. The sandwiches themselves were wee works of art, each unique in terms of shape and bread kind and style. These included a mortadella with fried quail egg, an egg salad on focaccia (the standout) and the Robiola Di Langa- creamy cheese made from goat, sheep & cow’s milk, micro greens & Fuji apples.
sliders at Starstream, with an assortment of pickled vegetables
The styling details of the meal are part of the fun, right down to the fried quail egg and mini pickle stabbed on top of the mortadella slider. The sandwiches came with an assortment of pickled vegetables that were a gorgeous array of pinks, arty in their presentation and tangy delicious. The lemonade was special, too, made with honey and infused herbs, not overly sweet. (Teaser, Remi told us she’s working on a line of different lemonade concepts for next year, so stay tuned! I thought this was an awesome idea since one of my favorite beverages to make at home is rosemary-infused lemonade, using herbs cut from the garden. Here’s the recipe in case you want to try it, too: Recipe link here.)
The meal ended with Goody Goodie cookies, all of which are available at Starstream as well as the G.G. Folsom location.
From the pastry side, I’ve previously sampled not only the cookies but also the brioche bomb (cinnamon, sugar and orange in a brioche bun) and a spice cake with citrus glaze. Next up, I plan to try the famous Belgian Waffle.
brioche bomb from Starstream
The space itself reflects the materials of the neighborhood, industrial concrete and metal, but somehow it does not seem cold or austere here. The lines are clean and the space is chic. There’s ample seating inside but on a nice day, grab a table on the east-facing sidewalk to capitalize on that morning light while you enjoy your coffee.
Looking ahead, I know Remi has some new menu ideas planned not only for the morning coffee and pastry crowd but also for the lunch-time crowd so do expect more great things to come at Starstream and if you’re lucky, you’ll be one of the first to get a sample, too;-)
Starstream
1830 Harrison at 14th St (near the Best Buy)San Francisco, CA 94103
Neighborhood: Mission
(415) 864-6370
- Hours: Mon-Fri 8 am – 4 pm
Links to articles in the Press:
https://sites.google.com/site/mattegrayinsf/journals/journal-2010
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2010/10/star_stream_belgian_waffles.php
http://www.rundown.com/article.php?article_id=1445
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2010/09/best_chocolate_chip_cookies_san_francisco.php
lunching in san francisco, Goody Goodie Cream and Sugar and coming soon, Starstream
lunch at Goody Goodie Cream and Sugar, 1246 Folsom Street, SF
Goody Goodie a stellar place to get your cookie fix, having in fact won top honors from SFWeekly, but what you may not know is that you’ll also find wonderful sandwiches there at lunch time. The type of sandwich varies from day to day, depending on what is fresh and local, and available at the nearby farmer’s markets. Owner Remi is a foodie of the first order, so you’ll find wonderful combinations of fresh fruit, meats, and artisanal cheeses all layered in her homemade rolls. Pictured here, my sandwich is made with elephant plums, piave cheese (a hard, nutty cheese) and prociutto! And it was so good, I’d never heard of piave cheese in fact, but the strong bite of it paired very well with the sweetness of the plums and saltiness of the prosciutto. Combining flavor profiles in this way (and probably with an artisanal cheese) is Remi’s signature style, so you can expect something unique and surprising on your visit, too.
Remi knows her wine, so I’m certain she’ll be more than happy to suggest a pairing for your sandwich if you ask!
Currently, Goody Goodie operates out of a salon at 1247 Folsom Street (between 8th and 9th) so service is to-go, not dine-in.
But just wait, because dine-in possibilities are on the horizon. Remi is nearing completion (early October) on a new cafe @ 1830 Harrison Street (between 14th and 15th, near the Best Buy) to be called, Starstream. Watch this space for details!
1246 Folsom St
(between 9th St & 8th St)
San Francisco, CA 94103
Neighborhood: SOMA
