The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Pt. I

The big day is finally here! The 2010 Big Eat SF is online and ready for digestion. Each item will get its own moment of taste-tested glory in due time, but to start us off I'm going to give my initial thoughts in three installments: 'exciting additions,' 'sad departures,' and 'unfortunate returns,' better known as, 'really?! 'cause it sucked the first time.'

Let's start with the good news:

• Beef brisket sandwich at Il Cane Rosso:
• I've been dying to eat at Il Cane Rosso since I first got wind of the Delfina/Coi love child. In the last two months, I've waited in line three times, inching towards the cash register to make this dream a reality. All three times, I've chickened out of actually placing an order, opting instead to subsist on free samples of pear slices, hummus and exocitcally flavored salts. My problem is, nothing has ever called to me as 'the dish' that's going to deliver on the build up. BUT now I have my trusty list to give me direction. It'll be a big day when I stroll right into the Ferry Building, side step the samosa stand, Out the Door spring rolls, and fresh persimmon slices, and head straight for victory. Not sure exactly when it will happen, but we're all very excited.
  
• Burgers at Fish and Farm, Spruce, and Taylor's Automatic Refresher:
• I recently discovered the magic of a gourmet burger. Sure, burgers are the poster child of American obesity, but when you pay 15 dollars for one with house made secret sauce and artisan pickles, that guilt just melts away like organic gouda on a grassfed beef patty. The other great thing about eating schmancy burgers in California is the requisite In-N-Out comparison from everyone a the table. Be excited guys, you're getting THREE this year.
• Scottish Egg at Wexler's:
• Ok, this one has an unfair advantage due to the insane picture that 7x7 features within The List itself. Whoa. I have never had the good fortune to eat one of these delicious looking bombs of joy that my faithful friend Wikipedia defines as "a shelled hard-boiled egg, wrapped in a sausage meat mixture, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried," and to be perfectly honest, probably never would were it not for the list mandated trial. But, thanks to that photograph, now its all I can think about. Mmmmmm deep friend meat encrusted eggs...
• Fried chicken and waffles at Little Skillet:
• This needs no explanation. Fried chicken? Waffles? Syrup? LITTLE SKILLETS? Done and done.
• Menage a trois at Ike's Place:
• Whenever I go to Ike's Place, I'm too overwhelmed by choice. After waiting 45 minutes, I end up battling hunger pangs that cloud my better judgement to resist adding mozzarella sticks or jalapeno poppers to my sandwich du jour. "You've waited this long," my stomach growls, "why the hell not?" I'll tell you why not. Because it's disgusting. And it would have been included in their novel of a menu if the combination was remotely delicious. The list is like my Ike's Place sponsor--helping me make smart decisions, and keeping my sandwich clean. Damn, it feels good to be on track again.

And So It Begins...

What's so great about great food? Food done right engages all five senses. Taste, smell, sight, and touch/texture are obviously at play, but a truly great meal should also involve the sound of conversation with whomever you've chosen to share the experience. It is the only survival essential that is social, cultural and infinitely varied. Everyone has to eat, so why not make dining a fun, eye opening, exciting activity as often as your paycheck allows?

Since moving to San Francisco last August, I've concocted many arguments to justify the large percentage of my income that I spend eating out. Though it's easy for chefs to rationalize their raison d'être -- they're artists; they're saving the world through sustainable agriculture; they're sharing the cuisine of their home town -- it was hard for me as a diner to achieve the same level of personal fulfillment from eating the fruits of their beautifully plated labor.

And then I discovered The List.

7x7 Magazine's Big Eat SF is a 'list of the 100 things to eat in San Francisco before you die.' Though many may browse the list to find the best soup dumplings around, or a great spot for a friend's birthday dinner, I decided to enslave myself to its edict. Why take a list of randomly compiled suggestions so seriously? Well, in doing so I was able to turn dining out into a game. By entering into the ultimate battle vs. the culinary scene of San Francisco, there was suddenly a new purpose behind every meal. Eating out was not only satisfying as a sensory, cultural experience, but every list-dictated item that I ate became a personal victory. I proudly displayed my achievement among pictures of friends and family at work, feeding my type A personality's anal retentive tendencies and hunger for task completion by highlighting every dish I consumed. To be perfectly honest, I got almost as much satisfaction from highlighting my conquests as I did from actually eating them. But that's neither here nor there.

By November of 2009, I had 84 dishes crossed off. No big deal. But then I learned that they'd be publishing a NEW list in February 2010, sending me straight back to square one. Touché 7x7, but I accept the challenge.

One girl. One year. One hundred things to eat. Bring it.