It's All About The Dogpatch

At the risk of seriously dating myself, I can remember a time when the only reason anyone ventured this far down Third Street was the occasional visit to The Ramp. This was absolutely considered the end of the earth by most San Franciscans. My, have things changed. Granted it's been 12+ years but we're not gonna talk about that.

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Now it's an actual neighborhood called Dogpatch and it's the hottest, hippest destination in town​. This restaurant is well-positioned as the hub and an absolute must - especially if you're under the spell of the omnipotent wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizza. With toppings like wild nettle, nectarine, whole milk and mint or roasted mushrooms, stracchino and shaved garlic there's no end in sight for this enchanting trend.

But pizza is far from the only reason to visit Piccino​. I had a creamy, charred corn soup with relish, and a cheddar cauliflower, arugula, farro salad topped with almond gremolata that made me want to cry. Everything about this place is so hip it hurts. Starting with this understated-yet-oh-so-perfect centerpiece of onions. And their website, seriously I don't know what's more impressive - their food photos or their commitment to being the hub of this delightfully eclectic neighborhood.

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​I went for lunch. And while I'm dying to go back for dinner, I can name a few reasons why a noontime visit is the way to roll. The daylight will give you lots of time to explore and take in the flavor of what makes this neighborhood so great. It will also give you time to get over the nervous breakdown that is sure to occur as you attempt to find parking in this neck of the woods.

After lunch, check out neighboring MAC (Modern Appealing Clothing) then pop into the Piccino Coffee Bar next door, fuel up with a ​cup of Sightglass and head out to this place for dessert. I know everybody is doing handcrafted chocolates but Poco Dolce is really doing it right plus it's fun to taste it at the source. Next head off to this place and try your hand at making wine, or just sippin' it or just to check out a cool venue for a private event.

Once you calm down enough to consider getting back into your car, swing by this place and grab an amazing cut of meat to whip up for dinner.​ Not a bad way to spend the day at the end of the earth if you ask me.

TrueBurger

I can hear all the screams of protests from other burger joint lovers - and Burger Joint is actually the name of a top-contender and Sparky's is another, but I do not care. I still declare TrueBurger the best burger joint in town - hands down!

If you like a hearty, perfectly-cooked burger with no fancy garnishes or accoutrements, this is your place. Call me crazy but I'm such a purist when it comes to burgers, I don't even order them with cheese. If the beef is outstanding and cooked exactly the way you like it, you don't need no stinking cheese.

What you need is certified Angus beef, ground on-site daily, atop those delicious toasted egg buns - also made on-site daily, with a touch of garlic mayo, lettuce, tomato and onion. Absolute heaven.

I could not figure out what they did to that patty to make it so mouthwatering - apart from actually listening to you when you order it medium rare, until I watched the YouTube video on their website. Apparently smashing the patty on a hot griddle will produce a perfect crust on the outside while preserving a super juicy inside. That technique makes me want to sell the BBQ and invest in a gas range with a built-in griddle.

The fries are spot on too. I know the cheesy fries are a big hit with some people but again, my preference is no funny business. If fries are cooked right, all you need is salt - maybe a little ketchup.

There are lots of other enticing menu items that made their way to my table, including the Bacon Cheesy Trueburger, Spicy Cole Slaw Dog, Chopped Caesar Salad and Whole Spiced Dill Pickle - all with a resounding two thumbs up! There's one thing I missed and need to go back for - the milkshake with TOASTED marshmallow. What could be wrong with that?!

Here's my one warning. The only libation available is beer but they do have an outstanding one if beer is what you like. If you want to make a budget-friendly night of it, with that minor limitation in mind, you might want to try this Grand Avenue crawl:

Start at Room 389 for cocktails - a cozy neighborhood bar with stiff drinks. Head to TrueBurger for an amazing dinner. And then depending on your mood, you're off to Plum Bar for an after dinner drink and/or those incredible donuts or you're kickin it up a notch with a DJ and dancing at ERA Lounge.

Either way, TrueBurger is sure to make a true believer of you too.

Playing with fire at Penrose

With Oakland outcrop #3 well underway and rave reviews rolling in, there's clearly no stopping restaurateur extraordinaire Charlie Hallowell - he is on fire!

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And just like the ubiquitous open-hearth concept, the buzz for each and every venue just gets hotter and hotter. With reviews like this one in the March issue of 7x7SF, I'm not telling anyone anything new by declaring NOTHING about this franchise is flash in the pan.

Every detail is so enticing, so hip and so spot-on it kills me. The space is perfect - stunning actually, the drinks are perfect, the vibe is perfect, the food is perfect - the grilled flat bread is so much so it will make you cry. Hell, the name is even perfect.

Pizzaiola and Boot & Shoe Service both elicit very similar reviews, which usually translates to a very similar wait time - long. But I've said it before and I'll say it again - this is definitely food worth the wait!

Wine Nirvana

I just returned from an incredible weekend in Healdsburg with a group of girlfriends - a couple of which I've known since high school or an unmentionable number of years, all coming together to celebrate a birthday and celebrate we did.

This particular area of the wine country is arguably one of my favorite places on earth, so I'm a bit biased. But when I stumbled upon this place, I found a new reason to celebrate and I definitely agree with this headline in Food & Wine Magazine -  Medlock Ames Winery IS nirvana in Sonoma.

Everything about it is über hip but with a small-town vibe firmly intact. A virtual feast for the wine/food/design lover that I am. We had the pleasure of a private tasting in the "speakeasy" portion of the tasting room, the original location of the century-old Alexander Valley General Store, and by the time it was over I was ready to move in.

A low production winery, fewer than 5000 cases per year, deep-seated in organic and sustainable practices with style and good taste at every turn. A few of the highlights include: they pair their tastings with Bellwether Farms cheeses and homemade chutneys, they churn out 50+ hand-crafted pizzas from their wood-burning oven every Saturday, they make good use of the fresh ingredients from the breathtaking grounds and gardens in artisan cocktails, oils and preserves and the wine is good, very good.

I'm a new fan of their 2009 Chardonnay - "Balanced by minerality, this is a wine of great structure and poise."

Here are a few more reasons to love this place. You have not lived until you've tried the hot Chicken Gruyere sandwich at Oakville Grocery - grilled chicken, prosciutto, hot and gooey cheese, caramelized onions and Dijonnaise on a toasted, sourdough baguette. If you're out wine tasting at lunchtime, swing by Jimtown and try one of their hot signature sandwiches with prosciutto, blue cheese and this fig & olive spread.

I blogged about this place last year and it's still hopping - especially our very capable and cheery waiter Joe. He introduced me to this wine - my second new favorite chardonnay.

The shopping just gets better and better - unique jewelry, clothing and housewares shops line the square. Studio Barndiva was open for browsing rather than closed for a private event - love that gallery and the restaurant too.

And luckily the treatments at the Spa at Hotel Healdsburg have a way of getting better. I discovered some yummy new products on this visit that "extend the spa experience" - the Meyer lemon and sage shampoo and lavender, jasmine and blood orange conditioner are to die for.

Ahhhh...nirvana indeed.

Burma Superstar

I’m hooked on this hip and vibrant addition to the Temescal Triangle – I love both the atmosphere and the cuisine.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the heavy hitters too – a.k.a. Pizzaiola, Dona Tomas & SR24 – the pioneers that put this triangle on the must-try foodie map.  But I’m just saying, it might not be a bad thing to pass up that hour long wait for a table and venture a few blocks south.

You will be richly rewarded with a bustling, yet cozy space and a slew of menu items that are equally as enticing.

Start with either the Tea Leaf or the Rainbow Salad – with a dozen or more ingredients all bursting with flavor and tossed table side, this will open your eyes to what a great salad can be.

Order anything with Burmese Style Curry – I love the shrimp. Go for “spicy” – just make sure you order some of that yummy Coconut Rice to balance it.

And finally, this is one Asian restaurant where you’ll definitely want to save room for dessert – the Coconut Pudding Fritters served with coconut ice cream and fresh fruit is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.