May Restaurant of the Month in San Francisco -- Prospect!

PROSPECT: a simple 2-syllable word with depths of meaning. As part of our common-day vernacular, one might use this term in regards to a "probability or chance for future success," or perhaps as "a vision of the future; positive expectation".  All things considered, whether as a verb or noun, this word beams of positivity, which is why this makes an impeccable name for a restaurant in the heart of San Francisco.  With so many phenomenal restaurants in the Bay area gathering 5-star ratings, no wonder it's of utmost value to name your restaurant with a word that embodies the idea of success. 

As you may or may not know, I have started on a new contract with IBM out in California and I couldn't be more excited. Knowing that I love all things relating to the state of California, I think it's pretty safe to say I have continuous positive expectations of what's to come with my time traveling to the West Coast.  Nonetheless, it was my second day on the project and my program executive ordered a Team Dinner at one of the Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area!  After a day in the office, all 12 of us took a leisurely walk to Prospect, located just a few blocks away from the financial district.  This restaurant is a true statement of chic, savvy, and posh.  With its loft-like features such as wrought iron light fixtures, tall open windows, and earthy, serene tones, this place is sure to be a segway into relaxation mode after a hard day's work.

The ambiance of this restaurant is very welcoming.  We were instantly seated in a long table in the middle of the restaurant; it was great to feel like we were a part of the restaurant.  So often with upscale restaurants, when a large party comes in, you're put to the "side" or in a special "nook" of the restaurant. Not with Prospect - us 12 amazing IBMers where seated in the midst of the yuppies and business men and women who were out for a casual cocktail or dinner. We were greeted by two great waitresses who took our drink orders. It was hard to choose one, but I ended up being sold on the Pompelmo Frizzante - a refreshing drink made with vodka, sparkling wine, grapefruit, vanilla and lemon. Others around me enjoyed a glass of wine or a martini on the rocks, while some enjoyed virgin cocktails, too! It was safe to say there was an option for every one's beverage preference.

I normally do not have many opportunities to go to restaurants like Prospect, whether in DC or on my corporate travels, but my interest was instantly peaked once I read the options on the menu.  Crispy Pig Trotters? Beef Tongue Carpaccio? Roasted Quail? What did I get myself into?!  I think it's a fair statement to say I have an adventurous palette like my mom. I'll try anything...well, almost anything, at least one time. For the appetizer, I decided to order the Crispy Crabcake – 2 small crabcakes adorned with tomatillo, bacon, spring onion aioli, and tempura scapes. At just around $14, these were probably the most delicious crabcakes I've had to date. I know the Marylanders out there might argue with me, but these were pretty fabulous and baked to perfection.  That was the simple part of my appetizer. Due to the overabundance of generosity my coworkers display, I had the opportunity to try octopus and shaved pigs head for the first time. Yes, you read that right - shaved pig's head! Now, I love a good piece of bacon or pork chops just like the rest of us, but never in a million years did I think I would try shaved pigs head.  The octopus was surprisingly tasty - it was a mildly flavored seafood that was soft and fresh.  But when my boss offered up a try of the Crispy Pig Trotters, I just had to say yes. This starter was shaved pig’s head with roasted peanuts, crunchy shallot, chili vinaigrette, and lime aioli.  I was a little hesitant, but it tasted just like prosciutto. I found out they take a pigs head and de-bone it, mold it, cure it and then shave a piece off. The trotter is the pigs forearm, which was great, too, but I was more a fan of the pig's head. I definitely made my mom proud by venturing out on a limb with my food habits.  But that's what life is about, trying things that are out of your comfort zone and blazing new trails.   

Shaved Pig's Head

Crispy Crabcakes

The wait time in between the starters and the main course was minimal, or at least it seemed that way with all of the conversations between my coworkers.  We are a talkative bunch!   When it came time to decide what I was going to eat for my dinner, I was toying between the Roasted Duck and the Salmon only because I've never had duck before.  The ONLY thing keeping me from the duck was the fact that it was adorned with olives. Call me crazy because I know I'm Italian, but I dislike olives. They are the one food I cannot eat.  So, I settled on the Wild King Salmon, made with fava beans, farro verde, braised artichokes, and drizzled with fava  leaf vinaigrette. Salmon is probably my most favorite seafood, so I knew this was going to hit the spot. To be completely honest, the salmon was a smaller portion than what I'm normally used to, but the meal was satisfying. The salmon was cooked to perfection and melted right in your mouth like hot butter. The braised artichokes were tangy and refreshing, too! I love artichokes so this was the perfect addition to my main course.  All of the meals had beautiful presentation and were cooked just right. All in all, the menu options matched the diversity that inhabits this beautiful city.

Wild King Salmon

Of course, it doesn't stop there.... we all I know I HAVE to get a dessert especially when I dine at such a modern, unique restaurant in a new area!  There were so many different options to choose from; with desserts such as Petit Smores, Sweet Ricotta Doughnuts, and Ice Cream Sandwiches, I felt like Prospect was calling out the kid inside of me, while keeping it upscale and posh at the same time. I'm not afraid to admit that I got very excited about the ice cream sandwiches.  Those were the best as a kid...nothing like eating one of those on a hot summer day after a long day at the playground.  Now, 20-some odd years later, and ice cream sandwiches still have the same appeal, just with a little more sophistication.  These were not your typical ice cream sandwiches, though - they were filled with raspberry ice cream and the chocolate exterior was more of a hardened shell. Mmmmm. Delicious! My other coworker, John, was kind enough to get the Sweet Ricotta donuts so I could at least try one or two....or three.  Not only were the donuts warm and savory, but they had a raspberry and chocolate sauce for the donuts, too!  Doughnuts like these put Dunkin' Doughnuts and Krispy Kreme to shame. 

Sweet Ricotta Filled Donuts!

Raspberry-filled Ice Cream Sandwiches!

This was a great way to start my week off in San Francisco, as well as break me into the various tastes and foods that are in the city. I've been told that San Francisco is THE place for the "foodie" in me and I can't wait to try more. Prospect definitely has an A+ rating in my book.  Between the exotic foods, delicious cocktails, enthusiastic wait staff and sophisticated décor, you can't go wrong. Whether you're looking for a hip place to have a few drinks or an upscale dinner, this place is sure to satisfy your palette.

April Restaurant of the Month - Pizzeria Orso!

I think trying a new restaurant has definitely been my favorite on-going goal that I've had to accomplish each month. It gets me out of the rut of not only going to the same restaurants, but also trying new types of food, too.  Also, it gives me a chance to strengthen my friendships and have quality time with some of the wonderful people in my life.  The restaurant for the month of April is a review of a food that we all love - Pizza!  It's nothing over the top, but Pizza can be a comfort food to many. Or, a food when you're on the go, but want something filling and yummy (not just greasy fries from a fast food restaurant). My friend, Callie, mentioned to me a great little pizzeria in the heart of Falls Church, so we decided to go there and try it out!  Now, most of you know that I actually don't eat dairy or gluten (I'm not highly allergic, I just think it's healthier to keep these to a minimum) - so pizza isn't exactly the best food for me to eat, BUT I had to make an exception for this highly-rated wood-fired pizzeria!

Pizzeria Orso is known as a casual dining restaurant with traditional neopolitan pizza. It is quite a charming place, filled with hues of yellow, red, and oranges. Very bright decor - which I love, because we all know I LOVE bright colors. We were greeted and seated immediately. I'd have to say my first observation was that this restaurant definitely caters to families. There were kids everywhere. My first thought was "please don't sit us next to these kids". (Hmmm...I see a little of my mom in me more and more!) The last time I was in a restaurant that was inundated with families probably would date back to the best Italian place in all of Williamsport, called The Villa.  I mean, let's be real, Washingtonians in my age range don't exactly go to family-friendly restaurants all the time. No, we're all about the newest lounges were you can get overpriced cocktails, appetizers, and sit in comfy white lounge chairs while you discuss things like how much you miss college, how life is so "expensive", and how the jerk on the metro wouldn't stop breathing heavy on you or something ridiculous like that. Or, on the contrary, we like the bars - ones with lots of TVs, where our minds can be so over-stimulated with sports, or ones that have the best happy hour deals ($2 drinks - heck yes!). I mean, you don't exactly see 4-yr-olds running around these DC hot-spots.

They sat us at a cute table and our waitress came over to give us menus. I rarely eat pizza, maybe once a year, so this was going to be a treat for me. The menu had a wide variety of food, such as neapolitan pizza, antipasti, house made charcuterie, fried appetizers, desserts and, of course, a plethora of wine and beer to choose from.  I'm a big fan of restaurants that use food and ingredients from local markets - it's fresher and saves everyone money, while helping local Ma & Pa businesses. Pizzeria Orso's pizzas are served unsliced, and finished with olive oil, and the mozzarella is locally produced by Blue Ridge Farms in Leesburg, VA. At just around $15, I ordered the Verdure Pizza, made with tomato, mozzarella, onion, crimini mushroom, peppers, basil, eggplant, capers (hold the capers, please!).

Me with my Pizza

The Verdure Pizza!

I loved this Pizza - it had all my favorite ingredients piled high with an excellent crust and perfect amount of cheese. What's even better for us nutrition freaks (like Me!) is that it's not this overly enormous pizza. It's just the right size to get your fix but not feel like you have to go hike the Appalachian mountains to make up for it. Plus, I've got my veggies and calcium, right? Let's just not talk about all the bread involved :).  This pizza was delicious and I don't really know how to word this, but it was very easy to eat.  Do you ever have a pizza where the cheese falls off in one big sheet? Or, the sauce is so overpowering that it ruins the crust? Well, this was not. Every bite had the perfect blend of cheese, sauce, savory crust, and veggies. Of course, like every other American out there, I thought I'd for sure eat half and box the rest up. Yeah, that didn't happen. 7 slices in and my grandmother would have been beyond proud that I left my plate looking like it came right out of the dishwasher.  Growing up, my mom never let us leave the table unless we were done. My poor brother would shove food in his cheeks for HOURS just so he could leave the table (oh the good ol' days of being a kid!).  But, the pizza was SOOOO good that I just had to savor every bite and finish the entire thing.  The great thing was the portion was a medium size - it wasn't like a pizza you order from Papa John's or anything.  It was small enough to eat in one sitting (Yes, this is me justifying the fact that I finished a whole pizza).

Callie's Pizza - The Crudo

Additionally, Callie ordered a very yummy pizza, The Crudo, a pizza made with tomato, mozzarella, basil, arugula, Grana Padano, and prosciutto di Parma.  The combination of cheeses was superb and the added flavor of the prosciutto gave this pizza an extra kick.  Depending on your pizza style, there's definitely an option for you at Pizzeria Orso.  I love my pizza with tons of veggies and cheese, but if you choose to have a classic, more traditional pizza, you can have that, too! Overall, for the pizza alone, Callie and I both gave it a two thumbs up and we want to go back there again.

...Now, of course it doesn't stop there. I had to indulge a little in the desserts, too.  When I choose to write about a restaurant, I have to give my readers the full review from entree to dessert.  Not to mention, who doesn't love a little excuse to eat something sweet after a meal? There were about four different desserts on the menu, but the one that was most intriguing to me was the Lemon Doughnuts filled with Nutella.  1) I secretly love donuts. I don't always have them, but when I do it's a nice treat. 2) Lemon flavor is one of my favorites - so refreshing, tangy, and sweet! Furthermore, the waitress raved about these lemon doughnuts, so I had to try it out!  A cute little canoe-shaped plate came out with three warm mini-donuts, stuffed and topped with Nutella icing and sprinkled with powder sugar. THEY WERE DELICIOUS! They were so mouth-watering good, completed melted in your mouth. I've never really had a dessert like this before. Normally, I'll have a piece of cake or creme brulee, but never Lemon Doughnuts!

Overall, I was a big fan of this little pizzeria.  It's great if you're looking for something quick, inexpensive, yummy, and moderately healthy. I recommend Pizzeria Orso in Falls Church, VA. Next time you want a piece of pizza, grab a friend and head on down to this little secret hideaway!