Top Tastes: Five Best Dishes Now – Curry, Waffles, Fried Chicken Waffle Sandwich, Duck Pate, Ice Cream Sandwich

Breakfast through dessert, here are five of the best dishes at new eateries and restaurants around San Francisco:

WAFFLES at LINEA CAFFE, Mission (3417 18th St. at San Carlos)

Look for the tiny, wood-walled shop behind Duc Loi, a bustling Asian grocery in the Mission, with sidewalk table seating only. You’ll find micro-batch roasted coffee from Andrew Barnett, founder of Ecco Caffe. Then there’s salads, like kale, fried shallots, orange and pecans in a guacamole dressing ($10), tossed to order from GreenSalads.org. Most importantly, there’s hot-off-the-iron Lt. Waffle yeasted waffles cooked in Belgian cast-iron waffle makers. All at Linea Caffe, from Mission Street Food’s Anthony Myint, who, it seems, can do wrong.

These are arguably the best waffles in town, crisply-delicate and meant to be eaten straight off the iron. I drive out of my way for a buckwheat waffle ($9) laden with salmon roe, crème fraîche and dill. But my favorite in opening weeks is a sweet, earthy, fluffy waffle ($8) graced with gianduja (hazelnut chocolate), coconut jam, and macadamia nuts.

CHICKEN FRIED SOUL SANDWICH at SOUL GROOVE, Civic Center (422 Larkin St. between Golden Gate & Turk, 415-734-7598)

Though I’d known Soul Groove as pop-up chicken and waffle sandwich maker, the signature sandwich failed to make a real impact on me. I’m a massive chicken and waffle fan back to my heavy concert-going days in Los Angeles in the 1990’s, complete with late night Roscoe’s runs off of Sunset Boulevard. I’m picky about chicken and waffles, loving both greasy-authentic and elevated-gourmet versions (and always doused in hot sauce and syrup). A recent brunch at Soul Groove’s brick-and-mortar cafe near Civic Center delivered some pretty damn tasty dishes, and a chicken and waffle sandwich improved from the early days at events as a pop-up.

The kitchen was quite backed up at brunch – taking over 40 minutes to deliver dishes in a half empty cafe. But they did “make good” on the hassle by offering free biscuits and apologies. A brunch special of tequila-glazed pork chile verde, poached eggs, and Louisiana-style red beans and rice tasted like mama was in the kitchen – heartwarmingly good.

Most importantly, that Chicken Fried Soul Sandwich ($6.50) seems to have found itself: maple-cinnamon-redolent waffles couch bacon-wrapped, buttermilk-fried chicken dripping with jalapeno coleslaw and maple BBQ sauce. Sigh. 

Conveniently, all is available to go and easy to order at the counter.

DUCK PATE at STONES THROW, Russian Hill (1896 Hyde St. between Green & Vallejo, 415-796-2901)

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Stones Throw is Russian Hill’s new neighborhood go-to, the space more open and warm than in its previous incarnation, the high ceiling now lined with rafters.

The restaurant offers a generous wine, beer and cider (yes!) list. Though the menu at first glance reads “typical” (beets, pork belly, gourmet burger), Chef Jason Halverson (formerly of Michael Mina) ensures an elevated spark to comfort food, like blissfully fatty pork belly ($14) given chewy-crisp from fried pig’s ear, vivid with orange segments and creamy with avocado. There’s almost silken braised octopus ($15), meaty with chorizo, sunny with Meyer lemon. Desserts ($8) call to childhood joys in the form of oatmeal cream pie or peanut butter and jelly donuts.

I was most taken with a dish I would have normally skipped over, given the commonness of pate. Luxuriant duck pate and mousse ($8) is textured, artfully layered, and brightly flavorful with French’s Mustard and cornichons. Slathered on a warm soft pretzel and downed with a bottle of dry-hopped Finn River Cider from Washington, it, indeed, tastes like comfort.

BENGAN BHARTHA and Other Curries at GUDDU DE KARAHI, Outer Sunset (1501 Noriega at 22nd Avenue, 415-759-9088)

Myself (and many food lovers) were sadly disappointed when Chef Zulfiqar “Guddu” Haider left my favorite Tandoor-loin (Tenderloin) Indian/Pakistani eatery, Lahore Karahi, taking his beloved tandoori fish with him. The fish is back ($13), and it’s now sustainable tilapia, sizzling and popping with flavor from coriander, yogurt and spices at his new Outer Sunset spot, Guddu de Karahi.

Since Guddu opened in October, I’ve happily been working my way through Chef Haider’s new menu, whether for takeout or eat-in. The tandoori fish is as gratifying as ever, particularly just off the grill in the humble, welcoming dining room. But curries are equally made with love, tasting fresh, and greaseless, especially scooped up with alternately blistered and chewy naan – pretty much as good as it gets.

Try a lush bengan bhartha ($7.50), a fluffy curry of onions and tomato sauce subtly smoky with roasted eggplant, or a beauty of a creamy chicken tikka masala ($8.99) capable of reviving interest in the far-too-popular-for-its-own-good curry.

IT IS IT at THE VESTRY, Mission (777 Valencia St. between , 415-551-7306)

Despite a sadly bland Toulouse sausage ($13) and hit-or-miss cocktails, it’s dessert that delights at The Vestry, the accompanying restaurant and bar to the Mission’s perfectly-sized newer live music venue, The Chapel.

After a glass of wine and the dissolving crisp of lovely squash blossoms ($13) oozing carrot-ricotta puree, splashed with the green of pesto, dessert calls. The Vestry has re-imagined, and dare I say, improved upon a Bay Area classic food item: the It’s It ice cream sandwich. Aptly named It Is It ($7), creamy vanilla ice cream holds firm-yet-soft between house oatmeal cookies, glazed with chocolate. Consider it the non-packaged (read: fresh), gourmet version of a beloved Bay Area product since 1928.