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OUT & ABOUT from the Resident and Fellow Affairs Committee

Glen Rosenbluth, MDAssociate Director, Pediatrics Residency Program

Brunching by the Bay

Since I moved to San Francisco in 2002, I continue to be amazed by all of the wonderful food San Francisco has to offer. For me, brunch is the most important meal. Here are some of my favorites, from the “old standbys” to the “best around.”

My starting point for San Francisco brunch was a local low-key place called Darla’s (9th at Irving). Darla’s had just opened six months before I arrived here. Not surprisingly, Darla’s is run by Darla, who immediately introduced herself to me and my friends, then remembered our names every time we came back (at least twice monthly during my intern year). I still go back to Darla’s for the company and comfort food, though I have explored well beyond.

Chloe’s (Noe Valley) is a favorite of mine. Despite the incredibly enticing menu, I can rarely convince myself to get anything other than the Melted Brie and Tomato Croissant sandwich. They also make amazing Croissant French Toast and their egg scrambles with creative ingredients are always a highlight. The downside of Chloe’s is the wait. On a weekend morning be prepared to wait at least a half-hour. But it’s definitely worth it. Caveats: Cash only and not much space for strollers.

If you’re into the greasy-spoon diner concept, I recommend Pork Store Café on Haight Street. Sit at the counter and you can watch the incredible efficiency of a good line-cook. The teamwork is impressive – like a seasoned surgical team in the OR! When you want the coffee/eggs/bacon/home-fries/toast-kind-of-breakfast, this is the place to go.

Wandering further east, you can’t beat Universal Café on a sunny Mission day. Located on 19th Street at Bryant, it looks like it’s in the middle of nowhere, but it’s the place to be if you want to sit outside. The menu changes seasonally to take advantage of fresh local ingredients. Be sure you try the house-made sweets (house-made doughnuts; toasted carrot cake with cream cheese; sour cream pecan streusel coffee cake).

For that high-end extra-special brunch, it’s all about Absinthe on Hayes Street. By my standard, it’s the best brunch in the City. Seriously. Be careful though – between cocktails, cheese plate, and simply amazing food, the bill can add up quickly.

And one final suggestion for those willing to venture outside San Francisco. Moving here from New York, the part of brunch I missed most was bagels and lox. For the salted/cured fish (and meat) try Saul’s Deli in Berkeley. That’s where you find the whitefish and lox and herring-in-sour-cream that remind you of New York. And if you want a bagel in the Bay Area, stick to House of Bagels on Geary.

Bon appétit!

Where members of the Resident and Fellow Affairs Committee recommend their favorite scenes outside UCSF.