December, 2006

Rating : 10 out of 10

Tariff : Lunch for 2

• 1 soup
• 1 side dish
• 2 entrees
• 3 glasses wine
• tip
• $100

Atmosphere

Rose Pistola is an unassuming restaurant in North Beach, San Francisco. There is a large, attractive bar, booths, and there is a dining area. The restaurant is roomy and simple in decor and furnishings, but don't let that fool you. Somehow, despite utilitarian tile floors and retrofitted diagonal bracing in front of the windows, you have the feeling that you are entering a very nice restaurant. And you are. Perhaps it is the professional service--our host was friendly and personable but obviously took his job seriously; the waiter and the rest of the dining staff were neatly attired and professional as well. But then we mustn't forget the food, which is very, very good, and which is why we keep coming back. The menu changes daily (two times a day!) and the ingredients are fresh, local, and organic.

Food

The complimentary focaccio is soft and has a bit of cheese baked on top--it is delicious, but I would have liked some olive oil to dip it in. We did get a tiny dish with a selection of olives to snack on. Our soup, the butternut squash soup with On a separate visit I tried a salad of greens, strawberries, and gorgonzola dolce that was fresh, sweet, and delightful. Another guest with us on that visit tried the mussels, which were sizzling on a hot plate atop a stand (bowl for shells underneath) with only a dish of melted butter to dip--they were some of the best mussels I have had!

Entrees

One entree we tried was the filets of calamari over polenta topped with a stripe of chunky tomato sauce. The calamari were tender and melted into each mouthful of creamy polenta. The dish is a nice alternative to the large calamari steaks or the deep fried rings diners are accustomed to. My favorite, though, was the rare hangar steak with fried onion rings and salsa verde. A large piece of meat was expertly grilled, cut into chunks and reassembled along the bottom edge of an oval plate with a few splashes of salsa verde. Thin, lightly fried onion rings decorated the top half of the plate. It was fabulous, from presentation to texture to flavor. We also ordered the Brussels sprouts as a side dish and if anyone ever hated these tiny cabbages in their boiled or steamed form--they should give them a second chance--oven roasted with tiny diced pieces of pancetta and lemon the way they are prepared at Rose Pistola. FYI the menu can change regularly to reflect seasonal food choices and offers a modest selection of soup & salads, sandwiches, pastas, wood fired pizzas, and vegetable side dishes, as well as several fish and meat entrees. On a different day one of our party had the Rose's Hamburger, which was a bit too well done on the outside--burnt really. Her companion had the roasted chicken sandwich and it was a success--succulent and flavorful.

Wine

2004 Primitivo, Luccarelli, Puglia

Rose Pistola
532 Columbus Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94133
415-399-0499