08/27/09

Memorable and Tasty Comfort Food

by r3r

I honestly had trouble deciding what to order, because almost everything on the menu was talking to me. Don't go looking for a light healthy meal - instead go for a night off from the diet, and enjoy the food. I had the server help me decide on nearly everything - and she made some good recommendations. The only thing I wasn't too fond of was the dessert - the strawberry crisp a la mode. The strawberries didn't taste as fresh as I had hoped. Everything else, though...very good.

• Pros: Delicious; Interesting Decor
• Cons: I ate too much

02/17/08

Hold the salt please

by sweetfe2

I checked this place out with a few friends. We ordered 8 to 10 different dishes. The menu was interesting. The ingredients fresh. Presentation was very good. The interior in trendy - funky in a good way. The service was excellent. Everyone was friendly and helpful. Unfortunately they have a heavy hand when it comes to salt. I tend to be sensitive to that, but after the meal I asked the other less salt sensitive co-diners and they all agreed everything was way too salty. If they could curb the salt this place would be a keeper.

• Pros: friendly staff, interesting menu
• Cons: the food is way too salty

12/11/07

Spork is Great.

by utastelikebbq

I have been to Spork twice now. First time I ordered every appetizer on the menu. That's just how I roll. I suggest anything with cheese. The goat cheese in particular was perfection. Next time, I got this delicious noodlely thing. The waiters were great and the food was great. Great and great.

• Pros: great cheese, great service
• Cons: kind of expensive for the portion size

Hip Mission restaurant serves up Cal-American comfort food with a fun twist at this modern diner.

by Contributor

The Scene
The name of this trendy restaurant aims to lightheartedly elevate the reputation of the underappreciated dining utensil and give a nod to KFC, the space's previous inhabitant. The décor is reminiscent of an old-fashioned diner with clever details such as water poured from clear plastic coffee pots. Vinyl booths and pop art are warmed by candlelit tables and a lively Mission crowd clearly out to have a good time.

The Food
An inventive menu features modern takes on classic comfort-food dishes. Appetizers steal the show with bright, sparkling flavors including an indulgent gnocchi gratin smothered in sheep's milk mozzarella and served with a contemporary spork. Yellowtail sashimi topped with a dollop of citrus custard proves how amazingly tasty raw fish, lemon curd and wasabi vinaigrette can be. For a creative entrée, the inside-out burger comes with a lone bun sandwiched between two small meat patties topped with Tillamook cheddar.

05/17/07

Best New Restaurant To Open In The Mission In Years

by missionlocal

I have lived right around the corner from this spot for 10 years and had high hopes that something good would happen here once the dreaded KFC finally flapped its greasy wings and flew the coop. No more chain restaurants on all of Valencia! How cool is that?

I did a little snooping around before they opened and found out that chef Bruce Binn, a graduate of the California Culinary Academy, had worked at some of the best restaurants in San Francisco (I'm talking Delfina, Slow Club, Bix, Citizen Cake, Postrio) and had just returned from a stint in New York working alongside David Bouley who for the uninitiated is one of the absolute top chefs in the country.

Needless to say my expectations for the food immediately shot up the charts but I have to admit that I was a bit concerned that with a pedigree like Binn's this could end up being another one of those great restaurants (i.e. Range, Bar Tartine) that was largely out of reach to many of the neighborhood folks.

So it was with a mixture of excitement and trepidation that I paid my first visit to Spork on the night they opened. Would the food be as good as the chef's resume suggested? Would it be the kind of place that I would want to visit on a regular basis as opposed to a destination restaurant catering to big spenders? Would the design, service, and vibe fit the surroundings?

In a word:Yes! Yes! and Yes!

So what makes Spork so great? Well first and foremost is the food. The inside out burger is destined to become a classic (think In 'n Out burger on heroin), the meat & potatoes is the apotheosis of refined comfort food, and the sea bass is moist, delicate & delicious.

In addition to completely nailing the food part of the equation, the Spork crew has done just about everything else right as well. The decor is invitingly minimalist, the staff is super friendly & professional (and cute as hell), the prices are fair and the whole place is effortlessly hip without an ounce of pretension.

Spork rocks!

• Pros: Truly outstanding food in a hip friendly environment at reasonable prices
• Cons: Only open for dinner

05/14/07

Bring Back KFC!!

by rachelellyn

In recent memory I cant recall a restaurant less deserving of the hype, and I am well versed in SF dining. The wait was over an hour despite the fact we called, we told a table would be available, and then were told it would be only 20 minutes once we got there. To the host's credit, he did give us some free sparkling water while we waited. However, the hardly made up for the wait. This was followed by the fact that the food was less than average and the service was worse. Unadventerous and not that tasty are a few words that come to mind. (And mind you by the time it came we were starving.) Skip Spork- its not worth the money.

05/07/07

great place to dine before hitting the bars

by fauxbelgium

Cheap, very good, unusual food, friendly staff and goo dmusic in a great modern setting. This about sums it up. This place was a great surprise: it looked like a chi-chi, snotty place unearthed from the marina and mistakenly placed in the Mission. A quick look at the menu inspired me and my friend to take a look inside.

the ambience and atmosphere of the place quickly favored us to sit down and order. The food was also very original and the bill ended up being surprisingly low.

Overall a great surprise and a must-try.

• Pros: original food, great ambience
• Cons: dessert list is small and desserts uninspired