SPQR

Emily and I tried SPQR this week and left thoroughly impressed. Located in Pac Heights, this restaurant used to be Chez Nous of Bay Bread fame. A sister restaurant to A16, SPQR is owned by co-executive chefs Nate Appleman and Daniel Holtzman. Nate and Daniel went to culinary school together and envisioned this restaurant to be strictly Roman style meaning that it is heavy on antipasti and pasta.

FOOD

Antipasti. There are three sections of antipasti available - cold, hot, or fried. We sampled four impressive selections. The house-made pork sausage was by far my favorite item of the entire meal. We also tried the brussell sprouts (fried), chantrelle mushrooms (hot), and spicy octopus (hot). The portion size is tapas-like, so ordering many selections and sharing with your companion is ideal.

Pasta. Emily and I shared two pasta plates -- Gnocchi alla Romana and Amatriciana Spaghetti. Roman Gnocchi is different from what most people are used to. They are larger than the typical small potato or ricotta filled dumplings. They look like hockey pucks - two per order. Roman Gnocchi is very delicate and egg-like in consistency. It is served with Pancetta and cheese. The Amatriciana is a simple dish with a slightly spicy red sauce and is highly recommended.

Desert. We tried the Almond Milk Granita and Panino, both of which were excellent. The Granita was topped with espresso cream. The frozen almond milk was to die for. The Panino looks like a dark piece of toast. It is stuffed with caramelized milk and pear. These two deserts, while seemingly very different, worked well together.

AMBIANCE

We were seated at the back of the restaurant at the Chef's Bar which basically is a counter top facing the hole-in-the-wall sized open kitchen. Watching the four chefs navigate the tight workspace provided a ton of entertainment. Also, fans of the television show, Hell's Kitchen, will enjoy Daniel working the pass. He instantly passes judgment on each dish and sometimes the chefs are on the wrong side of his quality standards. Although he is not maniacal like Gordon Ramsey, he definitely doesn't hold back if the dish is lacking or is the wrong portion size. When we go back, we will have a preference to sit here again. The action is fun and the experience is highly educational. Plus, you get to see most of the menu items while you are ordering.

For those of you looking for a stuffy and calm dinner environment, try somewhere else. This restaurant is walk-in only, so on peak nights you should arrive around 6PM to avoid disappointment. It seats around 50 people.

Our waitress, Katherine, speaks highly of the brunch menu which is available on Saturdays and Sundays.

Overall, SPQR was a great experience. I recommend it highly. Go with a few friends so that you can sample more of the menu items. It is appropriate to share at this restaurant.

SPQR
1911 Filmore St (btwn Pine and Bush)
San Francisco, CA
(415) 771-7779

Reservations are not accepted.

Lunch: Monday - Friday 11:30AM - 2:30PM
Dinner: Daily 5:30PM - 11:00PM
Brunch: Saturday & Sunday 9:30AM - 2:30PM

Oahu Vacation

Emily and I had a wonderful time in Oahu. Trip highlights:

• I recommend the Oahu Revealed book, though with Oahu the guidebooks matter less than Maui.
  
• We stayed at Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club which was a wonderful resort. It is located on the West Shore side of the island. The Ko Olina Beach Club is a purpose planned resort meaning that it is designed to be family centric. Construction is being done on towers 3 and 4 currently which can make for a less than ideal relaxation setting due to noise. However, I still think that this resort is ideal even with the construction nuisance because of its beaches. Originally formed in the 1970's as a gated master-plan community for Japanese retirees, the developers of the Ko Olina area created four coves using dynamite - something that would never be allowed today. As a result, the Ko Olina beaches are the best in Oahu. The water is calm and beautiful. The beaches are not overcrowded because there is less outside traffic to the beaches due to the lack of non-resort parking spaces. When the final construction is done, the Ko Olina Beach Club will be an ideal destination - even better than it is now. New features include a second, gigantic outdoor pool including water slide and a huge pool bar. The barbecue grill stations are more popular in Oahu than they were in Maui. You should utilize these stations when possible.
• We recommend Dollar Rent-a-Car for the cheapest rate in Oahu. You should reserve a Compact car (Dodge Caliber or similar) and upgrade when you arrive. If you work the system enough, they will offer a discounted upgrade. You should be mildly interested in the next levels up, but balk on the quoted upgrade price. Magically, the counter agent will punch some buttons on his/her computer and offer you a better deal.
• Make a trip or three to the North Shore. If you are a surf fan, this is the center of the world. Otherwise, there is plenty to eat. Read on for details.
• The world famous Shrimp Trucks/Shacks at the North Shore are not to be missed. Oahu Revealed recommends Romy's Shrimp Shack. WARNING! Romy's is not as good as Giovanni's Shrimp Truck. Giovanni's is a graffiti covered roach coach. Do not miss the Shrimp Scampi there. I have never tried crack before, but I can only imagine that Giovanni's Shrimp Scampi results in a similar high because after I had it, I was "jonesing" for some more all trip long. There are two Giovanni's locations. One is located on Kamehameha Highway and the other is located in the town of Haleiwa. I would try the original one (Kamehameha Highway) first to get the entire historical flair. You can always stop by in Haleiwa later one to try shaved ice (read below) and have some more scampi. I think the Haleiwa Giovanni's is $1 more expensive for the shrimp plates, but I'm not 100% sure of this. I also recommend the Garlic Hot Dog.
  
• Matsumoto's Shave Ice. This is world famous shaved ice (kinda like a Snoopy Sno Cone) with home-made flavored syrups (warning: the color of pineapple is blue - that is not a mistake if you order it). You can also add red azuki beans, vanilla ice cream and condensed milk to the equation. You should avoid the shaved ice imitators in town - they're just not as good.
  
• On the way to or from the North Shore, you should stop by the tourist trap known as the Dole Plantation - yes, as in Dole Pineapples. Avoid the train tour unless your children turn blue in the face from holding their breath. I recommend the Pineapple soft serve and free food samples. DO NOT BUY PINEAPPLE HERE unless you feel obligated to paying 2X more for fruit than you do in the mainland. In fact, avoid buying anything in general (except for lunch and ice cream). T-Shirts are $20. BBQ sauce is $9. Wow!
• We made the cross-island journey to Boots and Kimo's in Kailua. They are famous for their pancakes with macadamia nut sauce. I have not tried heroine before, but I can only imagine... If you go on a weekday (highly recommended due to the weekend wait), go after 9:30AM. Otherwise, you will be sitting in rush hour Honolulu traffic. Be prepared for a 30-90 minute wait, the restaurant is small.
  
• The Kualoa Ranch is about 25 minutes Northwest of Kailua. It is famous for being the location setting for Lost, Jurassic Park, 50 First Dates, etc. If you want to do the horseback tour, you need to reserve in advance.
• In Waikiki, we found some great casual food spots. Rainbow Drive-In offers breakfast and mixed plate items. I recommend the chicken cutlet. Drive slowly and have detailed directions. I missed the restaurant even though it is on a main road. Leonard's Bakery specializes in malasadas (a Portuguese donut).
• Try Jurison's Inn in Waipahu. They have a great mixed plate menu. The Mochiko Chicken is really, really good.
  
• All over the island, there is a Denny's like chain called Zippy's. The chili is not to be missed.
• We didn't try any fine dinning places in Oahu partially because I didn't want to dress up.
• For excursions, we recommend Hanauma Bay for snorkeling. You should consider going to Wal-Mart to buy your own snorkle gear. It will most likely be cheaper. Consider eating beforehand or bringing your own food. The food options are limited and expensive ($5 for a grilled cheese sandwich).
• The Kualoa Ranch is about 25 minutes Northwest of Kailua. It is famous for being the location setting for Lost, Jurassic Park, 50 First Dates, etc. If you want to do the horseback tour, you need to reserve in advance.

In hindsight, we would definitely spend a week in Oahu again. We liked the Ko Olina Beach Club so much that we envision staying there next time and hoping over to Maui for a quick 4-5 day trip. A week in Maui is entirely too expensive and a bit too long.