How to Survive the Valentine’s Day Great San Francisco Pillow Fight

09Feb10
2010 Update: This year’s Great San Francisco Pillow Fight is on Sunday, February 14th at precisely 6pm in front of the Ferry Building at Justin Herman Plaza on Market and Embarcadero. See you there! The article below is reposted from February 2009.
-Gene
Valentine’s Day is usually meant to be spent with your honey booboocakes doing nice romantic stuff, but when do people ever do things normally in San Francisco? Instead, they engage in hand to hand combat with over 5,000 complete strangers.
Being somewhat of a new annual tradition (I believe the first organized Valentine’s Day Pillow Fight was in 2006, correct me if I’m wrong), this was the first time I participated in this battle of epic proportions. My friends and I actually got there a little late, so we missed the countdown and kickoff, but when we arrived the war was in full effect as the sounds of screaming and laughing people filled the air with straight up pure joy. It was just 5,000 strangers all in one place, smacking each other with pillows.
It wouldn't be a San Francisco event...

It wouldn't be a San Francisco event...

...without the protestors!

...without the protestors!

Now, I learned a few things after getting caught in some good melees:

  1. Always hold your pillow up by your head, for protection and rapid retaliation. Carrying down at your waist leaves you vulnerable to stray swings and you won’t be fast enough to strike back before you get hit again.
  2. Keep your mouth covered. Not closed, otherwise you won’t be able to scream “Attack!” at your unsuspecting target. But use a mask, scarf, bandana, anything, to keep from inhaling feathers.
  3. Don’t wear a hat, glasses, headband, or anything else on your face. They will get whacked right off, and if you’re wearing glasses, it will be painful. I stepped on at least a couple pairs of lost glasses, those poor people. They didn’t see that one coming, and they definitely weren’t able to see anything, period, after that.
  4. Stick and move. Stick. And. Move. A stationary stance almost guarantees a gangbang. If you see a good melee going on, whack your way inside, get off some good shots, and jump right out.
  5. If you find yourself being gangbanged, all you have to do is look for the nearest person with some sort of identifiable feature and turn the attention to them. For example, if one of the gangbangers is wearing pj’s, just yell “Get the guy in the pj’s!!!!” Watch as everyone magically turns their attention and gives that guy a beatdown. Bonus tip: You can just yell to attack anyone, anytime. Just walk around and yell “Get the guy with the big pillow!” or “Get the Power Ranger!” and watch as that unsuspecting person gets demolished in seconds. Just don’t get mad when someone calls you out, all’s fair in love and war.

Hopefully with these helpful tips, you’ll be looking like a seasoned vet next year, and walk away with less bruises and definitely less feathers in your mouth.

I’m sure the reasons people came are just as diverse as the actual people. Some came to let out a little frustration and relieve some stress, I definitely saw a ton of drunk college kids stumbling around, actual kids were there perched on top of their parent’s shoulders doing a ton of damage and taking none in return, and the rest were just there simply to have a good time doing something fun and unique. One thing’s for certain though, for those few hours in the cold February night, everyone forgot about the global economic crisis and the fact that they may be laid off any day. During these hard times, we Americans need any reason to remember that life can actually be pretty fun.

She's just a girl with a pillow and a dream.

She's just a girl with a pillow and a dream.

See you all next year!

Great San Francisco Pillow Fight
Justin Herman Plaza
Market St. & Embarcadero St.
San Francisco, CA 94105
http://www.pillowfight.info/

Also check out:
St. Patrick’s Day 2009 at the Irish Bank – Recap


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Mitchell’s Ice Cream: A San Francisco favorite since 1953

08Feb10
Grasshopper Pie, Pistachio, Avocado, Ube

Grasshopper Pie, Pistachio, Avocado, Ube. Diana I./Yelp

The U.S. enjoys an average of 48 pints of ice cream per person, per year, more than any other country.  That’s over 30 million pints consumed in San Francisco alone!  This is a fact I’m sure the Mitchell family knows all too well.
Mitchell’s Ice Cream has been a San Francisco dessert destination for nearly 60 years.  Their super-premium ice cream is made fresh daily from only the best ingredients from here and abroad.  It’s no wonder Mitchell’s always has a line out the door, even on the coldest San Francisco night.
Mitchell’s is especially known for their exotic tropical flavors like Ube (purple yam), Buko (baby coconut), and Langka (jackfruit). But if tropical fruit isn’t your thing, they’ve got all the traditional flavors and then some. My personal favorites are Chocolate Caramel Crackle (chocolate ice cream with swirls of caramel and chocolate covered toffee) and Grasshopper Pie (mint ice cream with fudge, chocolate chips, and oreos).  Other popular flavors include Mexican Chocolate (blend of dark chocolate and cinnamon) and White Pistachio (roasted pistachios). Get your ice cream in a cup, cone, cake, or cookie sandwich — either way is sure to please.
The shop has been through some changes, but Mitchell’s still stands at its original location on San Jose and 29th.   Best of all, Mitchell’s is open until 11pm everyday so you have plenty of time to get your ice cream fix.  Be prepared to take a number and wait outside, or call ahead and pick up a pint or half-gallon to go.
-Anne
Mitchell’s Ice Cream
688 San Jose Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 648-2300
http://www.mitchellsicecream.com

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Meet Anne, Hoodscope’s newest addition

07Feb10

I’d like to introduce the newest addition to Hoodscope, Anne, a very close friend of mine. She’s a media maven, music aficionado,  fashion enthusiast, and self-professed dessert queen. Seriously, she would eat dessert every meal of the day if it weren’t socially frowned upon or if it didn’t lead to an early grave. Now, a few words from Anne:

I’m Anne and I want to share my love for San Francisco with you.  You can catch me on the K Ingleside, uncovering the sights and sounds of San Francisco and noshing on the best desserts the city has to offer.

Expect a lot of cool stuff from Anne! You can email her at anne@hoodscopeSF.com and follow her on Twitter at @annearcelo. Say hello!


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7×7 Magazine’s Big Eat SF: 2010 vs 2009

03Feb10
7x7/Ed Anderson

Little Skillet Chicken and Waffles. 7x7/Ed Anderson

7×7 Magazine just updated The 2010 Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die list, and at first glance I would say it is better than last year’s. Thankfully, the majority of the must-haves from 2009 stayed on, and a bunch of new must-try’s made the 2010 list.

In 2009 I completed 42% of the list, a feat I find fairly significant, considering I was unemployed for the majority of the year. This year I’m well on my way to surpassing 42, since many of the standouts that I have already tried remain on the list.

For those new and old to the list, I have compiled the major differences between 2009 and 2010. Read more after the jump!

Continue reading ‘7×7 Magazine’s Big Eat SF: 2010 vs 2009′


Filed under: 7x7 100 Things to Try Before You Die, Restaurants, Reviews   |  3 Comments
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Shin Toe Bul Yi – Home-style Korean Food in Parkside

31Jan10
Chicken Small Pieces Little Spicy (Deep Fried)

Chicken Small Pieces Little Spicy (Deep Fried)

Sitting on the corner of Taraval & 30th, right in front of an L-line stop, is Shin Toe Bul Yi – a tiny Korean restaurant of no more than a dozen tables. The space may be small, but thankfully the flavors aren’t. They serve classic, simple, Korean dishes that are full of flavor set in a very homely and welcome atmosphere.

Unassuming

Assorted banchan

As is customary with most Korean restaurants, they serve complimentary banchan, a selection of multiple small dishes. The dishes will sometimes vary, but will usually include kimchi, tofu, sprouts, assorted vegetables, or seaweed. If you prefer certain dishes over others, or finish, they will glady replenish your stock throughout the meal.

Spicy tofu soup

One very nice thing about Shin Toe Bul Yi is that in addition to the banchan, they give you a big bowl of spicy tofu soup. I personally love tofu soup and will often order some with meat and vegetables, but the fact that they serve this simple complimentary dish just makes the experience even better because it allows me to try something else on the menu! The soup isn’t too spicy, so if you like your food with some heat like I do, just ask them to make it spicier.

Continue reading ‘Shin Toe Bul Yi – Home-style Korean Food in Parkside’


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Ocean Taqueria: Customizable Goodness as Big as a Human Limb

31Jan10

And you thought we were exaggerating.

And you thought we were exaggerating.

Choosing Mexican food usually means heading to the Mission, where the choices are plenty and the competition is stiff. For residents in Ingleside and the Sunset, the choices aren’t as many, but there are a few taqueria standouts. One of these is Ocean Taqueria, a hole-in-the-wall on Ocean Avenue that serves good, fresh Mexican food. The meal of choice here is the burrito, which comes in many different forms, shapes, and sizes. You can order the Baby Burrito ($5 — no distinction in size or shape from a standard burrito), or go all out with the Jumbo Burrito ($10.50), which is about the length of a grown man’s forearm.
Ocean offers different types of tortillas, including flour, corn, spinach, and tomato, as well as a variety of meats. Stick to the carne asada or grilled chicken, which are grilled to order, making it into the burrito hot and fresh off the fire. If you like, the cooks will grill the meat with red and green peppers and onions, a nice option most taquerias don’t offer.
Ocean also lets you customize your burrito exactly as you want it, rather than defaulting to a regular set of ingredients. You get to choose from different types of beans, rice, lettuce, salsas, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, cilantro, onions, and jalapeños. Ocean Taqueria is a little gem tucked away on Ocean Avenue, a nice alternative to the Mission for people in Ingleside and the Sunset.
Ocean Taqueria 1941 Ocean (at Keystone Way), 586-7013

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SF Food Wars Mini Cupcake Clash; Only the cute and adorable survive

19Oct09
Cinnaholic Sweets / “Blueberry Dragon Fruit Chocolate Ganache Cakes”

Cinnaholic Sweets / “Blueberry Dragon Fruit Chocolate Ganache Cakes”

I make no secret of my disdain for cupcakes. They are the most overrated thing since, well, take your pick – the Lakers (self-explanatory), Apple (doesn’t make you cool), fixed gear bikes (there are hills in San Francisco), Entourage (you’re not Ari Gold), and froyo (it’s fucking froyo). However, that doesn’t mean cupcakes aren’t good. In fact, they can be quite tasty. Local food and travel blogger Caitlin from Roaming Tales may have put it best:

They look pretty but they generally taste rather boring – dull and dry with excessive amounts of icing to compensate. I have had cupcakes from these famous bakeries and I have had well made homemade cupcakes and my attitude is the same. Give me real cake any time.

Proper cakes are far more interesting – they are usually much moister and have greater complexity of flavour and texture. Cupcakes have their uses – they’re great if you are catering for a fifth birthday party – and I’m not saying they actually taste bad (if I had to pick a favourite flavour it would be red velvet). However, there isn’t a cupcake on the planet that wouldn’t taste better as a full-size cake.

Now with that out of the way – I love eating cupcakes. They’re cute and tasty, most of the time. At SF Food Wars’ Mini Cupcake Clash event, they gave 22 teams the opportunity to showcase their best confectionery creations.  I skipped breakfast and lunch, and set out to Stable Cafe where a horde of hungry cupcake lovers were anxiously waiting in line.

Awaiting the treasure trove of treats that are about to greet us

Once the event was underway, I took my time visiting every table, examining and enjoying each cupcake.

Continue reading ‘SF Food Wars Mini Cupcake Clash; Only the cute and adorable survive’


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Big Nate Serves Up So-So ‘Cue, But at Least You Don’t Have to Leave the Couch on Weekends

19Oct09

Yeah, it's big.

Yeah, it's big.

Following a Hall of Fame-size career in the NBA, Golden State Warriors legend Nate Thurmond opened Big Nate’s Barbeque in SOMA more than a decade ago, serving up a simple menu of Southern barbecue that hasn’t really changed since then. The meat selection is straightforward: Memphis pork, beef links, beef brisket, chicken, and pork ribs. Side dishes include greens, country beans, potato salad, and coleslaw. The beef brisket ($8.95 for a half order — half orders here are Thurmond-size) was drenched in mildly sweet barbecue sauce, and the beef was incredibly tender. But the sauce was a bit overwhelming — it masked a lot of the natural flavor of the beef, which was lacking in smokiness. Devoid of tartness, the bland coleslaw seemed like an afterthought.
The beef brisket: Bland and drenched.

The beef brisket: Bland and drenched.

Thankfully, the Memphis pork ($8.95 for a half order) was smoky, with just enough fat in the meat to keep it juicy and tender. We had it with the spicy barbecue sauce, which started out subtle but by the end of the meal had built to a wicked heat, a welcome surprise. The potato salad had good texture, with large chunks of potato and a bit of crispness courtesy of celery and pickles.
But maybe what we like best of all about Nate’s is the free delivery on weekends, which is a great option if you don’t want to step away from all the sporting action on TV.
Big Nate’s Barbeque 1665 Folsom (at 13th St.), 861-4242

Original Article on SFoodie: ‘Big Nate Serves Up So-So ‘Cue, But at Least You Don’t Have to Leave the Couch on Weekends’


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Axis Café is Just Like Your Living Room. Only a Hell of a Lot Nicer

19Oct09

See? Just like home, but without the thrift-store couch and murky bong.

Potrero Hill’s Axis Café calls itself “the neighborhood living room,” which is immediately evident when you walk in and see the roaring fireplace — even in the middle of the afternoon. But unlike, say, our living room, the décor here is industrial chic: huge windows, vaulted ceilings, and concrete walls. Comfy couches and armchairs take up space between the tables, and it’s perennially breezy thanks to the large outdoor patio. The California-style food (soups, salads, and sandwiches) is fairly sophisticated, at least for a coffee shop. Everything’s fresh and presented well, though it’s relatively pricey.
Topped with crème fraîche and a bit of crostini, tomato basil soup ($4) was light and flavorful. The grilled cheese with tomato ($7) was buttery and crisp on the outside, gooey on the inside. Its blend of Swiss and cheddar stood up to the flavor of the sourdough, and the tomato added freshness. Of all the deftly made coffee drinks, our favorite is the simplest: Axis’ house blend drip ($1.75) comes with free refills, something we’d like to see become a habit at other coffee shops. If you’re looking for more of a kick than caffeine can provide after a day of work, Axis has a happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m. that features $2 off glasses of wine and $3 beers. Monday evenings at 5 p.m. it’s family night, with toys and games for kids to play with. It could be nice — in the comfort of someone else’s living room, when it’s not you who has to pick up the scattered game pieces.
Axis Café 1201 Eighth St. (at Wisconsin), 437-2947.

Original SFoodie article: ‘Axis Café is Just Like Your Living Room. Only a Hell of a Lot Nicer’


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The Bread Basket, Your DC Hookup for Filipino Pan de Sal and Ensaymada

14Oct09

Ruby C./Flickr

Bags of warm pan de sal, ready for buttering. Or not.

The Bread Basket is a longtime staple in Daly City, a well-loved source of fresh-baked Filipino breads, pastries, and desserts. The signature item here? Pan de sal, traditional Filipino rolls, usually eaten for breakfast but scarfable any time of day. They’re similar to American dinner rolls, only fluffier and sweeter. The ones here ($2 for 15) are pillow-soft — they melt in your mouth, especially when just out of the oven. They’re good enough to devour on their own, but split and spread with a little butter, the rolls’ subtle sweetness really comes out. The pan de sal and other pastries emerge from the Bread Basket’s ovens between 7 and 9 a.m. daily, definitely the best window for satisfying your cravings. Also check out the ensaymada ($1.50), sweet rolls topped with butter and sugar. Like the pan de sal, they’re light and fluffy, and the sugar-encrusted tops are almost creamy, sweet without being cloying. You can also order the ensaymada stuffed with ube (sweet purple yam), macapuno (young coconut), or cheese. And while you can score other Filipino pastries and desserts here (cakes, muffins, empanadas, pies), the bread and rolls are the standouts.
The Bread Basket Bakery 7099 Mission (at E. Moltke), Daly City, (650) 994-7741

Original SFoodie article: ‘The Bread Basket, Your DC Hookup for Filipino Pan de Sal and Ensaymada’


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Sweet Beat: Italian Gelato (in Some Very Un-Italian Flavors) at Marco Polo

12Oct09

Randy F./Yelp

Durian (left) and mango gelato.

A gelato craving might make you think of heading straight to North Beach this weekend, but Marco Polo Italian Ice Cream in Parkside provides authentic, homemade gelato with an array of unique flavors, minus the trek across town. The tiny, no-frills shop serves gelato made daily in its kitchen with fresh ingredients. You won’t find shiny displays, cute cups, and uniformed employees, but you will have some of the best gelato available in San Francisco. Flavors offered include the traditional: vanilla bean, pistachio, chestnut, cantaloupe, coconut, guava, dark chocolate, and banana walnut — we particularly like the vanilla bean and pistachio. Both pack a lot of natural flavor and have just the right amount of sweetness, and the texture isn’t overly smooth. Marco Polo’s best flavors, though, are the ones made with Asian ingredients. Popular choices include green tea, lychee, red bean, soursop, taro, black sesame, and everyone’s favorite stinky fruit, durian. Try the red bean and black sesame, naturally sweet and tasting like the real-world ingredients that flavor them — the red bean even has piece of bean in it. Don’t be put off by the sesame: It has an interesting grainy texture, and isn’t too sugary. And even though it looks like wet cement, it definitely doesn’t taste like it.
Marco Polo Italian Ice Cream 1447 Taraval (at 24th Ave.), 731-2833

Original SFoodie article: ‘Sweet Beat: Italian Gelato (in Some Very Un-Italian Flavors) at Marco Polo’


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Golden Island Cafe: Hong Kong-Style Sago Sweets in the Outer Sunset

05Oct09

The sampler: From left, mango sago, mixed fruit, sago with coconut milk, and ice cream.

A unique alternative for late-night cravings in the Outer Sunset, Golden Island Café serves a variety of traditional Hong Kong-style desserts. The specialty here is sago, tiny translucent tapioca pearls served with shaved ice and fresh fruit. There’s a variety of options — strawberry, mango, kiwi, lychee, cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew — and you can order with our without coconut milk. We suggest ordering with, since the taste can be fairly bland otherwise (sago’s pretty neutral on its own). The version with shaved ice, fresh fruit, and coconut milk is light, fresh, and sweet — mango’s our personal favorite. If you can’t decide, a sampler platter comes with sago with coconut milk, mango sago, ice cream, and mixed fruit, all for $5. There are other tasty desserts here, too, like red bean or sesame paste with sweet tofu, and black rice with coconut milk. Nothing’s overly sweet the way ice cream can be, just an appealing sweetness that leaves you feeling satisfied rather than regretful. Cash only, but most items can be had for under $5. The place stays open daily till midnight.

Original SFoodie article: Golden Island Cafe: Hong Kong-Style Sago Sweets in the Outer Sunset


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John’s Snack and Deli, the FiDi’s Original Mom-Style Taco Fusion

03Oct09

nerd.love/Flickr

The BBQ chicken taco.

Long before Kung Fu Tacos began selling Asian-fusion tacos out of a truck in the Financial District, John from John’s Snack and Deli was serving Korean fusion from an unassuming convenience store in the same ‘hood. At first glance, John’s looks like a tiny market with little more to offer beyond Lotto tickets, gum, and cigarettes, but behind the counter lies a small kitchen that serves mom-inspired Korean dishes. Some days, John’s mom is actually behind the counter, preparing food for the lunch lines that form daily.
Regular offerings include kimchi burritos, tacos, and kimbap sushi. The kimchi burrito ($5.95) is stuffed with bulgogi beef (you can substitute chicken or pork), sautéed kimchi, lettuce, salsa, onions, cilantro, and rice. It’s wrapped tightly in its tortilla, packed densely so you get a little of everything in each bite. The bulgogi is slightly sweet and the kimchi only mildly spicy, while cilantro adds a nice clean finish to each juicy bite. Tacos ($2.95) offer up the same ingredients (minus rice), tucked into small, soft tortillas. Kimbap sushi ($3.75) is a maki-like roll of kimchi, sausage, or Spam — we did say the dishes were mom style.
The BBQ chicken taco.

Kimbap sushi, a meaty take on maki.

Specials change daily, and might include kimchi fried rice, japchae noodles, or soups. To find out what’s on for the week, check the Web site. If there’s something you want but isn’t listed, John says he’ll try to accommodate your request if he can. Service is fast and friendly, but try to avoid the peak lunch rush between noon and 1 p.m.
John’s Snack and Deli 40 Battery (at Pine), 434-4634. Mon-Thu, 6 a.m.-6 p.m.; Fri, 6 a.m.-4 p.m.

Original SFoodie article: ‘John’s Snack and Deli, the FiDi’s Original Mom-Style Taco Fusion’


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Java Restaurant in the Inner Richmond; Serving Indonesian Comfort Food for Over 30 Years

28Sep09

When you have local favorite Burma Superstar down the street from your restaurant serving similarly-influenced cuisine, it would be easy to get lost amidst all the buzz. For family-owned Java Restaurant, they’ve managed to do just fine. So fine, in fact, that they have been in business in the same location in the Inner Richmond since 1977. That’s 32 years, which is probably older than many of my readers. It also means they must be doing something right to stay in business for so long, no small feat in the city with the highest number of restaurants per capita in the U.S.

Though it bears the name “Java,” it isn’t a coffee shop. Java is actually an island of Indonesia, which is the style of cuisine served at Java Restaurant. Indonesian food is essentially fusion food, taking influence from India, China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Popular Indonesian dishes that have become assimilated across Asia include satay and rendang, which are especially prevalent in Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine.

At Java Restaurant, they serve a wide variety of Indonesian dishes that aren’t only good, but affordable. At my most recent visit, I tried a bit of everything and came away very satisfied.

Continue reading ‘Java Restaurant in the Inner Richmond; Serving Indonesian Comfort Food for Over 30 Years’


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Sashimi, Sangiovese, and It’s-Its: SF Weekly’s Dish Party Was a Blowout

25Sep09

Things only got blurrier as the evening progressed.

Last night, about 1,200 partiers gathered on the Metreon’s fourth-floor City View terrace to sample food and drink from several San Francisco restaurants and local wineries. The second annual charity event, Dish, was presented by SF Weekly and Park Merced. Partial proceeds benefitted One World Children’s Fund, which supports community-based organizations around the world serving vulnerable children and their caregivers.
Shrimp ceviche from Sam's Chowder House.

Shrimp ceviche from Sam's Chowder House.

Filling the expansive hall were 30 restaurants sampling items from their menus, including Fish & Farm, Circolo, Out the Door, Papalote, XYZ, Tres Agaves, Coda, Pacific Catch, and many more. We did our best to navigate the crowd and sample as many good eats as we could.
One of our favorites was the yellow fin tuna sashimi served atop a tiny slice of mini cucumber from Circolo. It was incredibly tiny but still managed to pack a lot of cool, crisp, and refreshing flavors. We also enjoyed the cheese pupusas from Balompie Café, which had a nice fluffy dough and hot gooey cheese, perfect. We also tried chicken tamales from Roosevelt Tamale Parlor, which were good, not great, though the house-made guacamole was. Not too chunky, and it had a nice subtle avocado flavor, just enough to not overpower anything it was served with.
Burritos from Papalote.

Burritos from Papalote.

Though most restaurants served bite-size portions, Papalote served full-sized burritos cut in half. The veggie burritos were packed with a lot of flavor from the seasoned rice and beans, and definitely filled us up compared to some of the other offerings on hand. For dessert we had incredibly tasty tiramisu from Gold Mirror. It was light and airy, with balanced hints of liquor, espresso beans, and cocoa.
A selection of wines from Frey.

A selection of wines from Frey.

The selection of wine, beer, and liquor was just as varied as the food offerings. Ten wineries were there to showcase their work, but our favorites were from Frey Vineyards and Treasure Island Wines. Frey Vineyards from Mendocino County features all-natural, organic wines. The Sangiovese was rich, yet soft on the palette, with hints of mixed berries. The Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon from Treasure Island Wines was also a favorite, with its medium body and floral bouquet. Also on hand sampling beer and spirits were Peroni, Sobieski Vodka, Damrak Gin, Pama Pomegrantate Liqueur, and Ty Ku liqueur.
The coup de grace: It's-Its.

The coup de grace: It's-Its.

Overall it was a successful event with a crowd that seemed to enjoy the food and drinks, music, and spectacular views of the downtown Skyline reaching up into the moonlit fog. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, It’s-It stole the show by giving away its addicting ice cream cookie sandwiches.

Filed under: Events, Financial District, SOMA, sfoodie   |  Leave a Comment
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