KelsEats

Whoa 2012, slow down! It’s already December and all year, I haven’t written about the one thing that makes my life complete. That single thing that gets me out of bed every morning (seriously). This year would not be complete without posting an article (or in this case, more like a love letter) to my all-time favorite bakery, whose name any regular KelsEats visitor should know by now. Yep, you guessed it! Knead Patisserie.

Before proclaiming my love for this bakery once again, I browsed through my previous articles, wanting to ensure that I didn’t repeat anything I’ve written in the past. Although I’ve publicly given most of Shauna des Voignes’ pastries piles of compliments, there is a noticeable, gaping hole: I left one MAJOR item out of all of my writing. Therefore, I’m dedicating this piece to the #1 pastry Shauna does better than any other patisserie in the world: the croissant…Continue Reading

Tags: bakery, cheap food, dessert, french food, pastries, the mission

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Dear Mr. Pollo,

I owe you an apology. No, it’s not for what you might be thinking – I’ve never written unsavory remarks about you or slandered you to my friends. In fact I only had positive things to say in my previous write-up of your business. But I did make one mistake in that first review – one big mistake. I underestimated you.

See, even after publically endorsing your Pork and Cheese Arepa as one of the best I’ve ever tasted, I still wrote you off in my mind as a simple specialty shop – my go-to place when I’m in the mood for no-fuss Venezuelan cuisine. But then, one fateful night earlier this year, I finally opened my mind up enough to look past your arepas and venture into tasting menu territory. Now, after making countless return visits for your nightly-changing menu, it’s obvious that my initial perception of you was wrong. Completely, embarrassingly wrong, and for that, I’m sorry…Continue Reading

Tags: california cuisine, cheap food, latin american cuisine, the mission, venezuelan cuisine

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San Francisco is obsessed with perfecting the Neapolitan pizza. Actually, a better way to say it is San Francisco is obsessed with adding their own unique twist to the most classic definition of Neapolitan pizza, instead creating variations that almost classify as the original but more closely resemble a close cousin. A16, Flour and Water, Ragazza, Delfina Pizzeria, Beretta, Una Pizza Napoletana, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, Zero Zero…the list goes on. It’s so prolific that, other than a few, well-known deep-dish pizzerias I began thinking that this was practically the only non-chain type of pizza available in this city….Continue Reading

Tags: cheap food, pizza, the mission

2) Big Daddy Bowl, Hapa Ramen

This dish opened my eyes not only to how delicious real ramen is, but also to how thoughtful and complex it can be. Hapa Ramen’s Big Daddy Bowl goes beyond flavorful broth and perfectly-cooked noodles – it brings in a variety of ingredients that add subtle nuances, richness, and seasonality. Of all of the dishes on this list, this is the one that I have gone back to eat the most. There’s just something about the combination of the warmth, the spice, creamy slow-cooked egg, sweet squash, and fried fatty meat that keeps me coming back for more. You can read all of the details in my review of Hapa Ramen.

Tags: cheap food, embarcadero, ferry building, japanese cuisine, ramen, Top 10 of 2010

If you hadn’t heard, it’s the holiday season – a season synonymous with the word “indulgence.” Oh, and the word “drinking,” of course. For frequent diners and homebodies alike, ‘tis the season to throw down hundreds of dollars for that one special meal that just wouldn’t seem sane at any other time of the year. And, having recently indulged in things like foie gras, pink champagne, and extravagant chef’s tasting menus, there’s no denying that fine dining holds a very special place in my heart. But you know what also holds a special place in my heart? A damn good sandwich…Continue Reading

Tags: cheap food, sandwiches

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Following Jonathan Kauffman’s footsteps, my quest to find San Francisco’s best arepa led me to Pica Pica Maize, a relatively new Mission eatery located at 15th and Valencia. Although Kauffman was rather critical of many of Pica Pica Maize’s menu selections, his description of his arepa led me to believe that I would have a similarly satisfying arepa experience. I was wrong. Comparing Mr. Pollo to Pica Pica is like comparing McDonald’s to In&Out – the menu selection may be similar, but the quality of food is radically different…Continue Reading

Tags: cheap food, jonathan kauffman, latin american cuisine, the mission

I want to say thank you to a man, a man, I’m sure, most of you are familiar with. A man whose unmitigated arrogance and exaggerated self-confidence actually led me to one of my most cherished dining discoveries. Bobby Flay, if it wasn’t for that historic episode of Throw Down in 2008, I would have never made Caracas Arepa Bar a dining destination on my visit to New York City. Without you sir, I would have never known the messy, all-encompassing delight of a perfectly cooked arepa...Continue Reading

Tags: cheap food, jonathan kauffman, latin american cuisine, the mission, venezuelan cuisine

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This place is going to be dangerous. Why? Because now juicy, delicious sausages are right off of the 24th street Bart station, and I will have to walk by it at the end of the day when I’m tired, hungry, and too lazy to cook anything for myself. The chances of me eating a sausage every day went from 1 in 300,000 to about 2 in 5. Obesity here I come!…

Tags: cheap food, the mission