Review - Pasion

After taking in the permanent exhibits at the de Young Museum during its lively First Tuesday, A and I wandered up to Sunset, and on the recommendation of a friendly shopclerk, found ourselves at Pasion for its 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. happy hour.

 The space itself is bright and chic; the servers & bar staff friendly, though always moving! We visited the bar side of Pasion before the rest of the restaurant opened for dinner, and it was fun to catch glimpses of the ongoing preparation for that evening.

That said, the food did much to distract us! Lured in by promises of half-priced "bar bites" and sangria pitchers, we were quick to claim a pitcher for our table, along with a crispy-meaty-wonderful Cubano sandwich, some delicious fried plantains with an aji verde aioli, and a large plate of mejillones (mussels.) The mussels were plentiful, and a little taste of Canada (sourced from PEI) with a savoury tomato sofrito sauce and chorizo sausage to accompany them. Both the aji verde and sofrito were new to me, having not been exposed to much in the way of Latin American cuisine in the past, but I know they'll be tastes I'll wake up craving one day soon. We enjoyed the sofrito that accompanied the mussels so much that we ordered extra garlic bread to enjoy the last of it. (Extra bread, our helpful server advised us, would cost $1 for the two pieces we requested, but it was a small price to pay to enjoy the dish to its fullest.)

 It was easy to see that a lot of care went into the preparation of the dishes and their components; everything was plated beautifully and tasted fresh and delicious. Our sangria was a lovely accompaniment to our appetizers of choice, as well, though the cocktails that the bar staff were preparing also looked tempting. Next time!


 

Wandering - Tartine (SF)

I found Tartine just before noon on a Wednesday morning; like so many popular places in SF, it eschews notable signage, displaying a plain black sign with no lettering over tall windows. It was by chance I found it (well, chance and a nearby bus stop, en route to yet another apartment viewing) but I'm very glad I did.

Though the pastries were tempting, reminding me a little of the jewel-toned and rich chocolate desserts I first became acquainted with at Edmonton's Duchess Bake Shop, I snapped up a slice of the ham and cheese quiche, and was very happy with my choice. The quiche was delicious. Balanced, texture and flavour-wise, the ham added a salty undertone that fit, but which didn't overwhelm the other flavours. When I make quiche at home, it's often too soft (my baking curse continues!) but Tartine's doesn't suffer a similar fate. It's fluffy but not inconsequential, and made for a tasty, light lunch as I sat outside at one of their patio tables and watched the world slip past Guerrero and 18th.

Even mid-week, there were lines to contend with, but the staff were friendly and helpful, and the line moved pretty quickly. I'll be happy to return, and maybe indulge my sweet tooth the next time around!