When you visit a great restaurant city like San Francisco there are always people who make recommendations for different restaurants.  “You just gotta go to _________!”

My sister Cherie’s husband, Ray, travels a lot on business. My experience is people who travel a lot for business get to try out a lot of good restaurants in different cities.  Ray recommended we have a meal at Scoma’s during our weekend. We were planning to have dinner at the Fisherman’s Wharf location on Saturday – but it wasn’t meant to be and we ended up at Postrio’s instead.  On Sunday, we took the ferry to Sausalito and decided to have lunch at the Scoma’s location there.

Scoma’s in Sausalito is housed in a quirky building perched out over the bay. There are spotless, starched white linens on the tables and a fresh iris on each one, adding a pop of color. I don’t know how old the building is, but it feels old – early 1900s old.  Think of a house that’s been added-on to over and over.

We lucked out.  Our  wait for a  table on Sunday for lunch at about 1:00 pm was less than five minutes. Oh happy day!  The place was lively with couples, families, business people, girlfriends hanging out together.  Linda, our server, was terrific. Friendly, fast, efficient and knowledgeable.  Oh, and fun.

We started by ordering two appetizers.  The Cajun Shrimp and the Fire Roasted Artichoke. The shrimp were colossal and juicy-fresh.  There is a certain amount of heat I associate with anything that’s called “Cajun” on a menu.  Remember, my husband Ernie is from India. He enjoys heat. Not the “take the top of your head off” crazy heat I see on Man vs. Food on the Travel Channel. But a pleasing, linger in the back of your throat warmth I’ve come to appreciate.

Unfortunately for me at least, the Cajun spice on these shrimp was very mild and definitely meant for American palates – not for people who really enjoy a little “caliente.” A small arugula salad with a light vinaigrette came with our shrimp.

The Fire Roasted Artichoke with Garlic Aoli was addictive. Have you ever wanted to order the largest, most decadent dessert on the menu, and just indulge and call it dinner?  I’ve never done it – too much sugar.  But that’s close to the joy Cherie and I felt scarfing down this artichoke.  And, how cool is this…  it’s a green veggie – so it’s healthy.  Couldn’t stop.  The artichoke was perfectly cooked with a light smokiness. The Aoli was fresh and creamy-smooth. A wonderful pairing.

I probably could’ve eaten another Fire-Roasted Artichoke and called it good – but onward.

We went back and forth on what to order for our entrees.  Cherie ended up getting the Alaskan Halibut.  I ordered the Stuffed Sole with a filling of Shrimp and Crab and a Lobster Sauce.

Cherie’s Alaskan Halibut was served on top of what tasted like escalloped potatoes with Broccoli Rabe on the side.  She enjoyed her lunch and said the halibut was flaky and light.  My Stuffed Sole was what I expected – very mild and delicate.  The Lobster Sauce on top seemed suspiciously like Lobster Bisque ladled on top. Since Lobster Bisque is one of my favorites, it’s one of those soups I know right off the bat when I taste it. 

The Stuffed Sole was accompanied with white rice and garlicky Haricot Verts. I skipped the white rice.  The garlicky green beans seemed like the most adventurous offering on the plate. Maybe I’m picky. It tasted fine, if a little bland for my tastebuds.

Don’t get me wrong, Cherie oohed and ahhed over everything. It’s a lovely dining experience with a lot of history in this amazing Bay area. The views out the window of the water and sky are amazing.  So it’s really a matter of preference on how you like your food seasoned and the kind of dining experience you crave.

If you like American foods without a lot of fuss, adventuresome sauces or surprises – you will love dining at Scoma’s.  However, if you like discovering little hole-in-the-wall places with the most authentic Vietnamese Pho or a Greek bistro where the shouts of “Opa!” and flames shooting from plates of Kasseri cheese ring out, Scoma’s might not be your cup of tea no matter how much it’s steeped in San Francisco tradition.

When Linda came by suggesting dessert – well, you know how it is.  You don’t need dessert.  But Cherie and I had been sugar-free all weekend.  And hey, if you’re going to have dessert – why not indulge at Scoma’s, right? So we ordered one dessert with two spoons.  Cherie ordered Coffee and I got Mint Tea. Yeah, I know.  Tea again.  It’s my thing.

The picture above doesn’t  do  our Apple-Blueberry Crisp with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream justice.  By the time I snapped it, we already dug in and enjoyed a few bites. I’d totally forgotten to take a picture.  In my estimation, it was perfect. I’ve had desserts combining blueberries with peaches – but never blueberries with apples.  The healthy buggers are in our frig at home almost every week – they are known for reducing cholesterol. They’re also a yummy taste of my Michigan roots.  This Crisp combined hot, cold, tart, sweet, smooth and crispy.  What would be better?

If you want to experience San Francisco seafood, Scoma’s is certainly a legendary place to do it.  Our lunch was relaxed and elegant and much of the food was very good.  There was creativity in the Fire-Roasted Artichoke and the Blueberry-Apple Crisp.  Next time I go to Scoma’s, I think I’ll get the most decadent meal ever for me: the artichoke, a bowl of Lobster Bisque and the Blueberry-Apple Crisp, all to myself.

Postrio’s on Post Street was the perfect spot for my sister Cherie and I on Saturday evening.  The picture to the right really doesn’t do it justice.  We actually sat on a rather cozy mezzanine level looking down on the dining room you see in the picture.

Actually, we thought we were going to end up at a different restaurant that evening.  However, when we got there – we saw almost no diners inside and so we decided to keep walking and find something else. A few doors away – we stumbled upon Postrio and walked in.

When we walked in my first thought was “expensive.” A sparkling bar, brass, red brick, white linens and gracious crown moldings. All add to a sense of cozy elegance. After all, it’s a Wolfgang Puck restaurant with a second location in The Venetian in Las Vegas. But as I discovered, it doesn’t have to be.

Our waiter, Ifal, pictured left was warm, friendly and knowledgeable. I haven’t visited the Postrio’s in Las Vegas – I will now after dining at the San Francisco location. I call the cuisine where we ate “California Southern.”  Well, mostly.

Cherie and I shared a salad of arugula, peaches, red onion, rye croutons and chevre in a light lemon-poppy vinaigrette ($10).  What you see is half a salad after a couple bites.  Ifal had our salad divvied up onto two plates so we could both enjoy without picking at one plate.  The sweet Georgia peaches made a piquant contrast to the tangy chevre (goat cheese).  Just right.

I wanted something homey and not to horribly adventurous, honestly.  I ordered the Roasted Eggplant Gratin ($14) for dinner because I love eggplant and it sounded somewhat similar to Eggplant Parmesan.  Served up in a gratin dish this was a medley of eggplant, diced tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach.

The menu said the dish was topped with a Bechamel (white sauce) and Mozzarella.  I only tasted the Mozzarella.  Who’s arguing?  If I was in my kitchen I’d top  a dish like this with Mozzarella so I was happy with that part of the Roasted Eggplant Gratin.

Taste is such a subjective thing.  I’m sure the chef feels this recipe is just right.  It was tasty and homey, exactly what I was in the mood for, but for my taste – I would’ve liked more garlic in the Gratin. When I think about ingredients like these – my thoughts go to Italian food and in my humble opinion, you just gotta have garlic with Italian ingredients.  If you’re not a big garlic lover, my Mom for example, you’ll love it as is.

Cherie, ordered the House Smoked Baby Back ribs ($17).  On her plate were four meaty, tender ribs in a spicy, not at all sweet, sauce.  The sauce wasn’t overly spicy but it did deliver a kick of pleasant heat at the back of your throat a minute later. Her plate also included Haricot Verts (French green beans) and a flavorful salad made with sweet potatoes and an acho-sherry vinaigrette. Never met a sweet potato I didn’t love.  A great way to enjoy ribs without going hog wild.

There were also wood-fired pizzas available ($13-20.), a lobster club sandwich ($26), a braised lamb shank ($22) and several other selections.

I felt the prices at Postrio were very reasonable for the quality received.  Especially when you consider we were dining in Union Square, a very pricey area.  Heck, I can go to Chili’s in my neighborhood in Las Vegas and a half rack of ribs (4) is $17.99 (I know – I know, Puck would probably be offended and disturbed if he knew a writer was comparing one of his menu items with Chili’s.)   Hey, I’m just being pragmatic here. Everything on our plates was of far better quality then that chain restaurant with the plastic chili pepper on the sign.  Clearly, I’m not a fan of Chili’s -  but I know somebody’s gotta eat there or they couldn’t keep the doors open.  This is real food like your Mom or Grandma would make.  It’s not jacked-up with a bunch of cloying, overly sweet sauces on top of deep-fried meat parts.

I’m just saying there is good food available at a moderate price point when you get away from the big chain restaurants and seek out something just a little different.

After we paid our modest check and walked out the door at Postrio, Cherie and I felt we made a good choice.

The food was honest and tasty in reasonable portion sizes – not huge platters. Although the menu is clearly American the portions are more European in scale, rather than the American massive that’s become the norm. We both appreciated that.  Postrio’s is a great find as you walk up the hill away from Union Square toward Nob Hill.  If you’re visiting San Francisco, or live there, it’s a lively, fun, enjoyable stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Postrio’s

545 Post St

San Francisco 94102

Phone:  415-776-7825

(In the picture above I’m wearing a couple of my Chinatown finds – the hot pink pashmina and the brooch. Fun!)