Acquired Taste Magazine had the opportunity to head down to San Francisco for a week to check out their food scene and we were not disappointed.  We managed to check out a few spots, some well known, and some off the beaten path, and we’re going to show you the ones we liked best.

Our next stop led us to a small restaurant in the Richmond District called Namu. Some locals we met mentioned that Namu was one of their favorite spots because not only was the food great, but the atmosphere was very low key. From the outside we could tell that the place wasn’t your typical Korean restaurant, as it gave off a cooler, younger, Californian feel. We sat at the bar which overlooked the kitchen and as we awaited our food, we noticed quite a comradery amongst the front and back of house staff. Our server later mentioned that the restaurant was run by 3 Korean American brothers, Dennis, Dave & Dan Lee. It was then clear that the playfulness we saw was that of brotherly love.

That love definitely trickled down into the food. The menu they offer is that of Cali-Korean Cuisine with some Japanese influences. Although I’m a huge advocate for traditional Korean fare I was really impressed and dazzled by their modern twists. From their braised oxtails & trotters, to their take on handmade ramen noodles with a pork miso broth & even the korean beef shortrib tacos. Probably the only traditional items we had were the banchan, or housemade kimchee. To finish off the unconventional meal with a bang, we ordered their yuzu french toast, which tasted surprisingly very Asian inspired. These young guys really know how to cook.

If you’re ever in San Francisco’s Richmond District, make sure you check out Namu.

Words & Photography by Chuck Ortiz.

Acquired Taste Magazine had the opportunity to head down to San Francisco for a week to check out their food scene and we were not disappointed.  We managed to check out a few spots, some well known, and some off the beaten path, and we’re going to show you the ones we liked best.

Our first stop, led us to a charming neighborhood restaurant in the Noe Valley, Incanto.  We’ve read countless reviews about this restaurant, we’ve seen Incanto Chef, Chris Cosentino, numerous times on the Food Network but I’ll be honest in saying that the main reason why we went is because of our love of offal cuisine.  Offal is a culinary term used to refer to the entrails and internal organs of a butchered animal.  Each and every course was made to perfection.  The marinated sardines were extremely light and freshing, the smoked eel with boccalone was a uniquely great dish and the spaghetti with sardinian cured tuna heart was like something I’ve never had before.  Not to mention, the wines our server suggested were a perfect match.  All in all, the only offal dish that we had was our last course, the ‘calf’s sweet breads and kidneys’ and it was well worth it.

If you’re ever in the Noe Valley, make sure you head over to Incanto.

Words & Photography by Chuck Ortiz