Farmerbrown

September 9, 2011 @ 12:30 PM

Eating at Farmerbrown was like taking a trip to New Orleans.



Farmerbrown definitely has the Southern vibe. The place is decorated with urban arts and graffitis on the rusty corrugated walls.  It has the gritty urban look but definitely clean.   Both the ambiance and service are relaxed and friendly.  During brunch, Farmerbrown treats the brunchers to a lively jazz band. Farmerbrown's fried chicken and the works are worth trekking the dirty and coarse Tenderloin.

Live Jazz during brunch

When Enrique and I arrived at half past noon on a Saturday, the place was packed and there was a 40 minute wait for a table. We opted to sit at the comfortable long bar and got a very attentive and friendly service from the bartender.

Brunch is AYCE for $16.50 and quite a good deal! The buffet menu was short but each dish was done well. And unlike at many buffets where the food end up sitting under the heatlamp and become dry, there is high turnover of the buffet food at Farmerbrown.  The FRIED CHICKEN is the star of the show with the following:

*Stoneground grits
*Biscuits and gravy
*Pancakes and syrup
*Bacon, Scrambled eggs and Fried potatoes
*Yogurt and granola
*Melons and Banana Bread for dessert

FRIED CHICKEN:  Big chicken breast pieces along with occasional thighs and wings. They were piping hot. The skin was crispy while the meat was moist and tender without the greasiness. The best part, there was no trace of grease.  They were cooked welll and tasted really good but lacking in spices.



Enrique's "pretty" plate of biscuits and gravy, eggs and fried chicken.



My plate of fried chicken breast, pancake with syrup (lots) and a bowl of grits.

You can spice them up with Tabasco or Farmerbrown's Honey Jalapeno Sauce.

STONEGROUND GRITS: These grits at FB were creamy and so flavorful. I even tasted cheese but I was not sure.  I loved it and could eat a few bowls of these grits!

YOGURT AND GRANOLA: Served individually in mason jars. Nice healthy option.

Yogurt and granola, banana bread and another chicken wing for me!

BANANA BREAD: True to the Southern tradition,  these bread slices were  moist, full of nice spices and just tasted lovely! They were actually addicting. Enrique blurted out after our meal, "It's good! Let's go back again!" Unfortunately, I only had room for 2 mini-pancakes, yogurt-granola and banana bread after a big chicken breast and wing. I did not get to taste the biscuit and gravy and the rest of the buffet food. Enrique tried everything, except the yogurt.

Our tab was $41 including 1 non-alc drink before tip.

THINGS TO REMEMBER:

*Farmerbrown is  just a block away from the Powell station. It is best to take BART than drive
* Bring plenty of change for the meter and park as close as possible to FB.
* There is a parking lot behind FB for $15 which is almost as much as the cost of brunch per person.
* FB is located in the Tenderloin which can get quite intimidating for tourists or even locals. Best to not go alone at night.

Foodie Girl's Rating: 4  Stars

Key:
0 Star:  Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to  bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Some are good. Some are okay. Some  are bad.
3 Stars: Like! I will return!
4 Stars: Love! I will be dreaming  of you at night!
5 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Gracias Madre

Gracias Madre is not for vegans only.  But even carnivores will find the non-meat and non-dairy dishes at Gracias Madre not only sufficiently good but bursting with flavors, refreshing, filling and delicious!

DECOR/AMBIANCE:
Gracias Madre's space is attractive. A colorful mural of Mother Earth who resembles the virgin mary greets diners at the entrance if they want to dine semi-alfresco style as an option. Her statue is also present inside the restaurant. Despite the hovering of Mother Earth the restaurant  is rustic and relaxed. The place is a little dark but the a long sunny open kitchen in the back provides light.

COMMUNAL STYLE EATING:
The heavy wooden chairs and tables are meant to be shared communal style but we did not have to. At 1:30 pm, the restaurant was busy but had plenty of space.

MEXICAN/LATIN AMERICAN VEGAN FOOD:
My gf H and I shared the following. We had the

ENSALADA DE HIGOS: Farm lettuce tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette, topped with toasted hazelnuts nuts and grilled figs, served with grilled Acme bread and queso blanco $9

**A very simple, fresh and well-made salad bursting with flavors. I honestly make this greens-fig at home almost every summer night minus the hazelnut. But I still enjoyed it for its simple but lovely flavors. The bread with queso blanco was the treat for me. The vegan cheese had a nice light nutty flavor to it.

 TAMAL: Stoneground heirloom masa steamed in the husk filled with sautéed zucchini and onions, served with beans and escabeche $ 11                      

**Really good and bursting with Spring flavors. The tamal was moist and the veggie filling, escabeche (functioned as the salsa) and beans all complimented each other. The result was a symphony of light flavors.

EMPANADA: Homemade pastry filled with grilled plantains, served on a bed of spicy mole sauce, topped with cashew cream $7

** For this alone, I would likely go back next week to order a couple more. This empanada is not the traditional fried or baked kind. The dough is soft and nestled on a bed of delicious mole sauce and vegan cream. Sweet plantains and savory sauce. Oh so good!!!!

DRINKS:
GREEN AGUA FRESCA: This was my gf H's order. It was very green, It is made with veggies including kale and celery. Too earthy for me. I tasted it but I am glad I did not get it. :) H finished it though. So she might have liked it. $8 for a large glass.

 VIRGIN MARGARITA: Refreshing drink that tasted like a real margarita w/o the alc. Nice! $5

Go now! And experience this bounty from Mother Earth done justice by the culinary skills of the folks at Gracias Madre. GM is a good alternative for lard-free Mexican food but the flavors are not compromised. I am happy to know that I can eat good Mexican food without having to suffer a heart attack later.

CHECK AND VALUE: $53 including 19% tip.
Pricey but I can understand why. Good quality ingredients made with lots of culinary talent and love. The 3 dishes got us pretty filled without making us feel overstuffed.