Saturday, September 07, 2013

The House

Soft Shell Crab at The House in San FranciscoOn the hunt for something new I had expanded my search to include the neighbouring areas of Union Square.  I was rewarded with this interesting find which showed up with 4.5 stars on Yelp! from 2700 reviews.  Users raved online about their 'top' Asian fusion fare and about their top-notch seafood specialities.  I clearly had to try The House right away!

The House restaurant

I walked about a mile from my hotel to get to this part of San Francisco, discovering a part of the city I had not seen before.  San Francisco, with its old brick and mortar buildings intermingling with newer steel and glass towers, has a lived-in feel. I remember my first impressions of the USA several years back when I got into Durham, NC; the towns with their fresh new houses of painted wood walls looked as artificial to me as one in a film set.  Having lived in India, with its cities dating back thousands of years, that was a big contrast. San Francisco, like New York, Boston or Philadelphia, have more character in my eyes.

North Beach

I finally arrived at The House, a small restaurant that shared space in a building with an adult store and near a topless speakeasy. Incidentally, speakeasies began as places that sold liquor illegally during the Prohibition era - the name came from the notion that you didn't speak loudly about these places in public. I guess patrons now refer to these places discreetly only because they don't want it known they were in a strip club.

The North Beach neighbourhood

Pavement in front of The House

There were a few people waiting outside when I reached The House and after giving the hostess my name, I joined them on the pavement.  Thankfully, they were able to get me a table pretty fast.  I recommend making reservations and getting there on time - they apparently give away your table if you are more than 10 minutes late!

The House restaurant

I nibbled on the pickled cucumbers and nursed a glass of Californian Pinot as I waited for my starters.   I had chosen their daily special: Soft Shell Crab Tempura with a side of bibim guksu, cold Korean sesame noodles.  The crab was fantastic, very crispy outside and juicy inside.

Pickled Cucumbers at The House San Francisco

Soft Shell Crab Tempura.  The House SF

My mains was a Miso Marinated Cod with a California Roll.  Another clear winner!  The cod was melt-in-the-mouth delightful and a medley of flavours.  The unusual combination of cod with sushi worked for me too.

Miso Marinated Cod with California Roll.  The House SF

Overall, I was delighted with the food at this little restaurant.  I could see why so many locals seem to go gaga over their food. Other fan-favourites are the Wasabi Noodles, and the Flat Iron Steak.  Always remember to ask for their daily specials - they have a long list of them in addition to the items on the menu.

1 comment:

kebhari said...

Nice place and beautiful photography , scrumptius food.