Do you remember the jingle for Rice-a-Roni, that mixture of rice and vermacelli that came in a box adorned with San Francisco’s cable cars? I’m old enough that I grew up with their jingle embedded into my childhood brain: “Rice-a-Roni, the San Francisco Treat.”
I’ve been spending a few days in San Francisco, and I’ve found some far more interesting San Francisco Treats while wandering in the city’s Hayes Valley neighborhood:
Blue Bottle Coffee
The garage door goes up, and the line-ups begin at this “odd but convivial coffee kiosk” on tiny Linden Street. It’s not news to Bay Area coffee geeks that some of the city’s best coffee comes from this take-out-only java joint. Even the decaf – an afterthought at many cafes – is delicious. There’s no place to sit, but you can sip your brew while browsing the nearby boutiques.
315 Linden St., 7am-6pm Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm Saturday-Sunday.
Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolates
What’s even darker and richer than Blue Bottle’s excellent coffee? The “Liquid Chocolate” at this carefully crafted chocolate shop. Yes, the truffles are gorgeous, but their upscale take on hot chocolate, which you can choose with milk or water, and with several different flavors, is a serious hit of drinkable bittersweetness. I loved the mildly chili-scented “Venezuelan” version.
401 Hayes St., noon-7:30pm Tuesday-Saturday, noon-6pm Sunday-Monday.
Chantal Guillon Macarons
Now that we’re fully caffeinated, let’s stop for some sugar, shall we? I’ve been slow to hop on the macaron bandwagon, but these delicate creamy treats have changed my mind. The salted caramel is an intensely buttery, sugary, and slightly salty confection, while the chocolate is rich and delicate. Mmmm.
437A Hayes St., 11am-7pm Tuesday-Saturday, noon-6pm Sunday-Monday.
Have your own treats to share? Link to your blog post or leave a comment below.
[mrlinky owner=wanderfood postid=04Jan2012 meme=2888]
Happy New Year, and Tasty Travels!
Carolyn
Photo credits:
Macarons courtesy of Chantal Guillon Macarons
Blue Bottle Coffee photo ©Carolyn B. Heller
Christopher Elbow Chocolates photo by Maureen Lunn (flickr)