The Gourmet Graduate

Resident epicure, Jessica Liever, reveals how to eat like a Foodie on a graduate student budget.

Fall 2009

2223 - One of the best deals in town. This restaurant is a great, unknown gem—tiny and not very well labeled. In the heart of the Castro, they focus on local food with Asian, Caribbean, and California influences. The best part is that on Tuesdays, appetizers are $6 and entrees are $12, about a 50% savings off their regular prices. The food is delicious (think a queso fresco stuffed papusa piled high with spicy pork, served with cabbage slaw, black beans, and cilantro aioli, or roasted mussels and clams over creamy polenta in a saffron broth with sourdough crostini) and the portions are large. Definitely make reservations.

Ebisu and Hotei - Sister restaurants in the Inner Sunset serving fresh sushi at very affordable prices. Julie Aqunias recommend Ebisu to me and I’m so glad she did- if you like spicy tuna, their tuna poke roll will rock your world. Service is friendly and the price is right. Ebisu also just underwent a renovation so the atmosphere is quite nice (a bit fancier than Hotei, but both are great).

Arizmendi Bakery Cooperative - This tiny worker owned shop in the Inner Sunset serves fresh, local, and delish baked goods and a different daily pizza (think shiitake, portobello and button mushrooms, sesame-ginger-garlic vinaigrette, or early girl tomatoes, arugula, gorgonzola cheese, garlic oil, fresh basil). Their pizza schedule is on their website so you can plan ahead. Grab a slice and take it to Golden Gate Park, and forget your dissertation worries over gooey deliciousness while soaking in the beauty and fresh air of the outdoors.

The Plant Cafe Organic - I was lucky enough to be a friend’s plus-one for the opening of this delicious restaurant (there is a less-formal outpost in the Marina). They serve a variety of foods ranging from jumbo seared sea scallops with fresh citrus and aioli, strawberry shortcake to die for, sandwiches/salads, and many vegetarian and vegan options. Their concept is great: bring organic, relatively healthy food to the (slightly yuppie) masses at a price people can afford. I recommend going for lunch as it is cheaper than dinner, and you can walk or take the F- Bus from school (it’s at Pier 3). An even cheaper option is to go next door to their bakery/take-away outpost and grab something to go (they serve Blue Bottle Coffee too!).

Ferry Building Farmer’s Market - While the shops inside are mostly out of my price range, many of San Francisco’s upscale restaurants and independent local all-natural sausage and meat companies set up grills and make gourmet sandwiches for around $10. The market runs 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays (it is open earlier on Saturdays). The Thursday market has more specialty lunch stands and less produce than the other two markets, but you can still stock up for the week. The later you go, the more the farmers discount the produce as they want to get rid of it…either way, you’re supporting local, hardworking people and eliminating middleman fees. Again, like The Plant Café Organic, you can walk or take the F-Bus from school.

Ferry Building itself - There is an outpost of LuLu (Cal/French/Mediterranean restaurant in SOMA) called LuLu Petite where you can get salads and sandwiches to eat there or take away. If you like seafood, the San Francisco Fish Company sells very expensive local, sustainable fish, but makes phenomenal fish sandwiches (crab cakes with remoulade sauce on fresh brioche) that also come with a side of coleslaw. If bread and cheese is your thing, stop at Acme for your carbs and the Cowgirl Creamery for your fromage and you’re set. Taylor’s Automatic Refresher has been around more than half a century as a burger place in Rutherford in the wine country; they also have an outpost in the ferry building. The sweet potato fries with creamy garlic dipping sauce are not to be missed. Taylor’s has many veggie options too. Wherever you eat at the ferry building, order it to go (weather permitting) and enjoy your foodie delights on a bench overlooking the water so you can savor the food and the deal you scored with a beautiful view.

Bon appétit