Crispy eggplant at Fat Cat x the Mantis
I’ve been on a bit of an eggplant kick this month, and this dish started it. I tried the Mantis menu at Fat Cat at the start of August and was bowled over by this crispy eggplant, with its mix of flavors and textures that keep each bite immaculate. The
base is a butterbean miso whipped tofu, adding an undercurrent of umami; the thickened sauce texture tempted me to swoop each bite around the plate (and I did). The fried crunch of the eggplant holds its own against the whipped tofu, and the tender herbs add a vegetal texture and flavor to it all, all further pulled together by a lemongrass chile jam. Umami, earthy, herb-y — it’s got it all. Add on a few Sungold tomatoes as a summery bonus, and I’m there. I’d go here sooner rather than later, in case this dish proves as fleeting as the 8 p.m. summer sunsets. Fat Cat x the Mantis, 3215 Mission Street, San Francisco
Melon ensalada at Maria Isabel
I couldn’t resist a return to Maria Isabel in August, nearly four months after my first visit. The melon ensalada kinda melted my brain in the best way — I’ve been melon deficient this summer, and this is my cure. Star Route melon slices get the maximalist treatment with curls of cucumber and purslane on top. The jicama encacahuatada sauce transforms the dish even further, along with the hit of the restaurant’s own salsa macha, which adds both a bit of heat and outsized crunch to each bite. If Maria Isabel ever decides to sell its salsa macha, I’d be one of the first people in line. Maria Isabel, 500 Presidio Avenue, San Francisco
Chanterelle mushroom toast at Bull Valley Roadhouse
I don’t know when I aged out of brunch, but it takes a lot to get me out on a weekend mid-morning. But give me a good reason, and I’ll come out — like a brunch boogeywoman? — and likely order my typical brunch holy trinity of water, coffee, and mimosa. On a recent Sunday morning, I was invited out to Bull Valley Roadhouse. I was on the lookout for a not-too-heavy dish, and this chanterelle mushroom toast did the trick. Each element of this toast hit, from the fried egg that retained its runny yolk, to the crisped mushrooms, to the hits of scallions, Parmesan, and chile flakes. I gobbled this up easily, and it made me wonder if I should reconsider my brunch stance, especially with this gorgeous morning light, the twisty drive toward the Carquinez Strait, and time warp-y feel of the Bull Valley Roadhouse interior (and the surrounding Port Costa). Add in some shared deviled eggs and Brussels sprouts, plus the Delta Sunrise — dry prosecco dosed with grapefruit and Gran Classico bitters — and alright, okay, twist my arm, I guess I’m back on my brunch bullshit. Bull Valley Roadhouse, 14 Canyon Lake Drive, Port Costa
Passion fruit tart at Sol Bakery
Have you ever heard the sickening thud of your pastry haul taking a tumble in your trunk? Well, I have, and it’s enough to make me affix future goods in my passenger seat, seatbelt on. But even my terrible photo wasn’t enough to keep me from shouting out the passion fruit tart from Sol Bakery. I know that the guava tart is the most popular item at Sol, but the tart-sweet flavor of the passion fruit won me over combined with the satisfying crunch of passion fruit seeds. Rather than a graham cracker-type crust, Sol’s tart shell leans more toward pâte sucrée, which gives the pastry a lovely bite to it (rather than a dry, crumb-y texture), making it the best vessel for this, imho. If you’re braving the line, please, please, please buy a tomato Danish while there’s still time. There’s something so luscious about the baked tomato slice nestled into the Danish that feels like a bite of summer magic. Savor it all while you can. Sol Bakery, 1696 Hayes Street, San Francisco
