Troya (Fillmore)

DATE NIGHT: August 17, 2012 @ 5 PM

Troya on Fillmore is the sister of the original Troya on Clement Street. Troya Fillmore took over the previous Citizen Cake  but did a good job of transforming it into a space that is classy, bright and airy.  The decor consists of red brick walls,  exposed pipes on high ceiling and naked bulbs for lighting. The understated decor was minimal but elegant.

At 5PM on a Saturday, the place was empty but as we were leaving at past 6 PM, the place started to get packed.

LENTIL SOUP WITH LEMON AND OLIVE OIL $6
One look a the menu and I knew this was what I wanted. Sure enough, it managed to fight my tastebuds numbed by the nasty cold  and I was able to taste the lovely spices. It was smooth, so flavorful and so comforting!

FLAT BREAD
I even tried to eat my soup with the complimentary herb flat bread. These flat breads were thin, crispy and I managed to taste the dill.  I ate just one since it was not worth wasting my carbs on something I could not fully taste but these delicious flatbread were much appreciated.

BOREK $7
 I got these as my main meal thinking it was one big piece of savory pie.  They turned out to be 3 little itty bitty phyllo dough pies stuffed with spinach, currants and pie nuts. They were good! I could have easily eaten a dozen of these little ones!

FETA CHEESE "CIGARS" W/ HONEY AND PISTACHIO $7
Aside from the soup, this turned out to be the dish that I enjoyed the most.  Enrique commented "eggrolls!" when they were placed at our table. Wrapped in phyllo dough and deep-fried, they did resemble eggrolls but what you will get in each cigar is  hot gooey melting cheese that you will dip in honey and ground nuts before taking a blte. Delicious savory sweet small dish!

ZUCCHINI FRITTERS WITH MINT & YOGURT $7
I honestly thought it was just okay. They even tasted bitter to me  but it was not fair to judge this given I could barely taste or smell anything because of my cold.

EGGPLANT AND BEEF MOUSSAKA $16
A huge plate of traditional eggplant casserole with bechamel sauce. I had a little bite from Enrique's plate and it tasted good. He liked it as well but he complained that it was mostly eggplant and the ground beef was pretty skimpy.

TOTAL: $53 with 2  sodas and before tip

Troya in Fillmore is a  pleasant bright and spacious place to share Mediterranean tapas with your friends and loved ones.   Definitely order a bunch of little plates to have a full appreciation of Troya's cuisine.  I would not mind going back someday when my senses are all fully working to really enjoy the food next time. Troya is a also great as a pre-Sundance Kabuki movie dinner where we headed after our meal to see "Borne Legacy."

Zare at the Fly Trap

DATE NIGHT: April 27, 2012 @ 4 PM

I admit that what brought me to Zare was the desire to check out 7x7's 2012 Big Eat To Try Before You Die:

# 25. PISTACHIO MEATBALLS at Zaré at Fly Trap $13
These giant and meaty meatballs were almost as good as I imagined them to be. The savory-sweet honey-pomegrate sauce complimented the beef and pistachio meatballs. Delicious but they now belong to "been there, eat those" food memory file. I prefer the traditional Italian meatballs.

DECOR/AMBIANCE:At 4 PM, booked through Opentable, my man and I were the first ones at Zaré. The restaurant is elegant and old-wordly. The burgundy walls, wood accents and comfortable nail studded beige leathers chairs provide a romantic venue for date nights. A communal table is also available for groups.

FROM THE BAR:
CARDAMOM MY DEAREST $10: St. George's, Cardamom and Lemon.
*I was warned that this is a sweet drink which exactly what I wanted. Strong, sweet with a very nice hint of cardamom. Fabulous and I loved it!

BREAD SERVICE:For $6, we got few slices of sliced bread and toasted lavash bread with 2 small dips of olive tapenade and another herb dip. We enjoyed this  but I really thought this should have been complimentary. I cannot remember the last time we have been charged for bread. For example, Cotogna's (which I will forever refer to as "crackbread")  and dip were plentiful, generous and FREE!

EATS:
BRAISED LAMB SHANK  with bean stew, pickled carrots, spring onion $30 Generous portions. Enrique  also reported as tender and good.

It came with complimentary olive dip and lavash bread for wrapping. This was indeed a BIG meal!

CRISPY SAFFRON RISOTTO with black trumpet mushroom, herbed emulsion $21The trumplet mushrooms were so juicy and fluffy. Oh soo delicious. Nice texture contrast to thehot  crispy fried risotto slices. I really loved it that I took the last piece of risotto home with me.

TOTAL: $120 including 2 Perriers and tip

VERDICT:The Pistachio Meatballs might have been what brought us to Zaré. Although meatballs did not "wow" us but the totality of the whole meal and dining experience did. The variety of Mediterranean flavors and textures provided for an exotic yet highly enjoyable meal.

Service was superb--friendly, attentive and efficient. A total gem in itself.

There are so many restaurants in SF that I still would love to try. However, if I ever find myself again on the corner of 2nd and Folsom at SoMa and wanting a splendid cozy dinner,   Zaré will be it for me. Satisfying, filling, delicious and comforting food--something I imagine I will think of again on a rainy, cold evening in San Francisco.

GOOD TO KNOW:
1. Plenty of parking on Folsom
2. Happy Hour 4 PM to 7 PM
3. Zare opens at 4 PM for dinner which makes it a perfect early pre-dinner for movies, theatres or other date night activities.