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Chris is obviously more photogenic than me |
When making the reservation at
Incanto I remembered the Chef
Chris Consentino was a participant in Top Chef Masters but I had forgot he had won. He was very recognizeable by his hair tapered int a Mohawk and a huge amount of energy and focus So all of a sudden I was very excited to go and try his food. I went with my friend Robert who has been part of many of my restaurant experiences in San Francisco. When going with Robert I always have to remember he does not eat red meat so I have to make sure there is a variety of dishes so he can enjoy the experience also.
Incanto is embedded in a neighborhood in South West San Francisco and thrves on the local neighborhood and folks that have a mission to go there like us. The restaurant could be described as a cross between an Italian and French Farmhouse and the emphasis is on the Beast and Italy. The Beast includes all edible parts with a focus on Pork. Our server Renata was extremely knowledgeable about her restaurant and the outstanding San Francisco restaurant scene so she was a great person to be served by. I am a simple diner so a huge part of the meal is that you have a choice of water with or without gas and nice variety of artisan breads with an
Olive Tapenade.
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Octopus good as it looks |
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What a way to die |
Lets get to the meal, this is a challenging restaurant to go to because the menu is focused and the variety is tempting so you have to approach it like it is your last meal. Robert ordered Grilled Octopus and I ordered the
Blood Sausage with Oysters, Spicy Greens and a Fried Egg in a savory sauce. The grilled Octopus was served with razor thin
Radish, Avocado,Guava (I think) and chili and a light vinegar sauce. The Octopus was tender but what happened after about 10 seconds in your mouth was what was extraordinary first you get the bite of the vinegar, the smooth cool of the Avocado then the peppery taste of the Radish and then the subtle heat of the chili. My appetizer was the opposite in the health meter but equal in the creativity. I even commented to Robert that 10 years ago this would never been on a menu but here it was. I had never had Blood Sausage so this was a very pleasurable introduction, the oysters were plump juicy and delicious and when combined with the spicy greens and the fried egg the dish had flavors that I had never tasted overall it was delicious and a cholesterol buster.
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Bucatini |
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Pork with BrusselsKraut |
Oh that was just the starter for the entree Robert had the Spinach
Bucatini with pesto and pine nuts, Bucatini is a long very thin macaroni that looks difficult to make and cooke well, he told me it was delicious. I had the Braised Pork on a bed of Brusselskraut with Peaches so kind of a sweet and sour. The Brusselskraut was the star essentially a shaved sour Brussels Sprout with a sweet fresh Peach it was delicious.
Chris was good enough to come out and meet us and get a picture he told us he owns
Boccalone which is everything Pork that is cured. So in summary great service, delicious food and an approachable Chef overall a pretty good evening.