And PorkyBelly scores 2 for 2.
Forgive the lack of pictures. I’m just too GenX not to feel a little bit of shame when taking photos of a meal for “the 'gram”, even if this isn’t really the 'gram.
Ended up doing Lers Ros for lunch Saturday and Brenda’s for Sunday brunch. Dinner Saturday was an unmitigated disaster, but that was entirely my fault for trying to do ramen at Japan Center on a Saturday and getting exasperated at the people. This wasn’t the best time to try and lounge around a crowded indoor space wearing masks for some unknown length of time when you’re already getting close to hangry (yes, hangry).
On the plus side, Lers Ros is as close to L.A. Thai food as I’ve had NOT in L.A. It’s really hard to find a Thai restaurant in most places that is anything except the standard list of curries, pad thai, pad see ew, etc.
I had the lek tom yum haeng, aka “dry tom yum”, aka Lers Ros’ version of Sapp’s or Love 2 Eat’s jade noodle dish, only with plain rice noodles instead of spinach vermicelli. It REALLY hit the spot. The stir-fried shredded pork was flavorful and, once mixed with the tiny bit of broth and sugar and peanuts, had a great, salty-sweet things going on that really hit the spot. The fried pork belly had a fair bit of meat on it in addition to the crispy skin, but was a touch dry. The fried fish cake was a nice, mildly fishy component.
My partner had the pork Rad Na, a delicious, rich gravy over seared, seasoned rice noodles. It’s actually a dish I’ve been trying to learn to make at home. Can’t quite get the noodles right. (any tips for workign with rice noodles? My attempts have fared poorly). It’s VERY homey, full of the same shredded stir fried pork over a base of chewey noodles with little bits of char on the bottom. Delish.
Skipipng the dinner disaster, we hit Brenda’s French Soul Food for Sunday brunch, and there’s a reason it’s listed all over as one of the best brunches in S.F. I did the fried chicken benedict. Cornmeal coated chicken with a crunchy coating and still very juicy interior over a split cream buiscuit (the tender ‘sponge for butter’ kind, rather than the layered flaky type), perfectly poached eggs and hollandaise with JUST enough cayenne in it to be interesting but not overpowering. The partner had the andouille omlet, and, of course, a flight of beignets, plain, chocolate, apple, and crawfish. The crawfish was OUTSTANDING. One could easily get two or three of those, finish with a plain or chocolate (the chocolate filling was VERY generous) and call that a very satisfying lunch. The apple one was… fine. Everything else, from the eggs to the chicory coffee, was wonderful. Honestly, that crawfish beignet alone might have been worth the two hour drive into the city.
They don’t seem to take walk-ins (at least, not during brunch rush) so reservations are mandatory.
Once again, FTC comes through with solid choices.
Incidentally, the trip to the city was prompted by the partner’s brother-in-law recommending the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit that’s playing around various places these days. Frankly? Unless you are offered free or highly discounted tickets, skip it. Calling it ‘immersive’ is a stretch. It’s essentially a 180 degree film of some artsy CG manipulations of Van Gogh’s paintings. There’s very little else going on. No context, no particular insight into the painter, his works, or their aesthetic qualities. Just a digital remix of the paintings on an hour+ film loop. Exit through the gift shop, naturally.