I've posted a couple of times before about Vinga, a new Catalan place that's my favorite new SF restaurant since Rose Pistola. It's on Third St. between Harrison and Folsom, the block just south of the back side of Moscone, an awful location that has doomed every other restaurant that's opened there (which is why I'm repeatedly plugging it here). We had another great meal there last night. New dishes we tried included a braised octopus appetizer with sort of medieval-tasting spices, a wonderful grilled lamb smothered in alioli, and an excellent mixed paella with shellfish, chicken, and pork chops with plenty of saffron. Unlike the squid paella I posted about before, which could easily serve three or four, this one would be a reasonable entree for two. The sizzling shrimp appetizer and sausage with white beans were as good as before. Many of the wines on the list are dauntingly expensive but there are an $18 macabeo (white) and a $21 obscure regional red that are delicious and pair very well with the food. Business has picked up--it was maybe a quarter full when we arrived at 8:30--and as I feared service was a bit rougher. No big problems but we ran out of wine and had to keep defending unfinished plates from an overeager busperson. I haven't tried it, but they're now offering a three-course prix fixe lunch for $8. Menu changes daily.
San Francisco, CA
more on Vinga
Maybe one can do better (price-wise) at Patio Espanol, but I don't think much of their cooking. Vinga stand head and shoulders over PE, and their lunch menu was quite a bargain, I thought. We got there at 11:45 a.m. and it was fairly empty. By 12:30 p.m., the place was packed. Our attendant said that business has picked up considerably, which is heartening. On this occasion, I had a salt cod and white bean appetizer followed by a pork loin stuffed with apples and prunes. Both dishes were impressive. My companions chose a mushroom soup (!) and a tortilla for openers, followed by two variants of Chilean sea bass, one in a garlic sauce and the other in romesco sauce. Nonetheless, we were in the mood for a red wine. Having been to Catalunya recently, I wanted to order a Penedes wine, but settled for an elegant Montecillo 1986 reserve ($30) which was recommended by our attendant. We were well pleased. With flan, crema catalana and coffee, our bill was about $75, or $25 per person plus tip. The chef, a Catalan, stopped by to chat and revealed that he makes his own fuet, so that's next on my list. I don't know why, but I get a nicer feeling from Vinga, as compared to Barcelona (the restaurant). Perhaps it's because it's friendlier and less formal. I don't know that the location is so dire, being across the street from Max's and around the corner from Cha Am and Lulu's. I'll keep my fingers crossed for them. Robert L. wrote in message ... >Both the menu and the wine list have wide variations in price. I believe >appetizers are $5-11, entrees $11-28, and wine $18-130 a bottle. > >The prices are pretty normal for the quality and atmosphere. You can get >a similar meal (Spanish rather than Catalan) for less money at e.g. >Patio Espanol, but Vinga uses better ingredients, the cooking's better, >it's a much nicer room, and it's in a more central location. > >GTong wrote: >> >> I read your recommendation and sent two friends who dine out a lot to >> Vinga. They appreciated that the restaurant is trying to do something >> special with food but they believe the price tag will hold business back. >> Dinner for two came out to $40 each and they didn't order any wine. ...