It probably comes as no surprise that I, like many Americans, was once a "meat for meals" girl. That's right: eggs and bacon for bfast, ham sandwich for lunch, steak and tators for dinner. In our society it is considered commonplace to have meat with every meal, and the notion of the dinner built around a main meat (much like a main squeeze) is often hard to shake while crushing th
rough the aisles of your local organic foodstuff store. But hurra!, S&B have shown me the light of the all-vegetarian meal, a feat I never would have considered possible a mere handful of years ago. The key to vegetarian dinners, I have learned, is that fit-for-a-king, banquet inspired wonder known as tapas. That's right, tapas, tapas, tapas. Discard the notion of meat-veggie-starch completely and just think delicious, delicious, delicious! That is definitely what I experienced during my most recent excursion to cowtown in order to eat at the most pleasant of pop-up places. Pop-up restaurants are becoming a huge trend in San Francisco, and thus it's no surprise that SF's sketchy first cousin (ie Davis) has picked up the reins on this righteous revival. The pop-up is based a
round the concept of ever-changing menus and locales; a single-night experience if you will, designed to take people back to their first passion: eating. Often times, a casual venue will host a revolving variety of local talent on predesigned nights to give dining the artistic sensibility it so definitely deserves. The comfortable and communal atmosphere of S&B's Meytov Cafe, combined with the always-inventive, tapas pop-menu made the night both delicious and delightful (and the good company was just extra credit!). The mushroom course was dark and decadent; with both sauteed treats and filo wrapped fungus, the dipping jous sent the app over the edge into fungal frenzy. Mmmm... The cafe also contributed a fresh-baked loaf of gouda-hallah, combining the sweet and salty into the perfect pastry. And don't forget the made-to-order ca
rrot ginger soup, silky smooth and stuffed with flavor. Man, you've got to love a good soup. They even pulled out all the stops, slipping a little cream into a usually-vegan dish to make it luxuriously lappable. However, the star of the meal may actually have been that strawberry salsa. Made to top the fresh quesadillas, the salsa was seriously something else. The cilantro and onions clearly set the tone for a savory sauce, and the strawberries delivered. Crisp and bright, brilliantly executed and leaving me dreaming for more. Curried cauliflower and home-made profiteroles, so good I made myself eat two, finished up the courses. The only danger with tapas is the overarching themes and flavor profiles. Flying across the globe, the mischievious meal probably could have used just the tiniest smudge more of artistic direction. But then again, I get the feeling that movements like that are developed during a lifetime of culinary artistre. So, until then, I will gladly sit by and eat things for the good cause of image and perfection. Please, take your time.
Final Judgment: "The ultimate in community culination and pop-up perfection!/ Appreciating the underdog and gorging on vegetables can lead to a near-religious experience! / Vegetarians for President!
PS. For those of you un/lucky enough to be in Davis, check out Sasha's Soup Club to keep your gullet happy! Free delivery! Lemony delicious hummus! And all while feeling deliciously full and healthy, an often underrated extension of the eating process!
