Spruce - Laurel Heights

Hello Bitches! Woo hoo! We are back, baby so watch out! Did ya miss us? Spent so much time campaigning for our next new Prez that we had to forgo our night job. How are we ever gonna make VinDivine to prime-time (or even cable) if we don't keep it fresh?! Maybe Barack can create a new cabinet post for us. Anyhoo, hope y'all didn't starve awaiting our delicious dining insights!

Y'know what's more fun than watching a bunch of wacky Monks brawl at church? Going to the hot, Esquire's Best New Restauarant of 2008 Spruce with our Fab friends Dave, Shari and the ever resplendent Gina. That's what. Damn life is good!

So, I think this place is in Laurel Heights. It's on Sac between Locust and...wait for it...yep, you guessed it: Spruce. A pretty crafty business decision not to name it Locust. These guys must be the real deal.

We gave Spruce a good year or so to work out the kinks before we descended on it to give it the make or break decision. Ha. Actually it seems like the first time we'd been out of our SOMA 'hood for about that long. Pathetic.

So, down to the nitty and the gritty. I dig neighborhood places. Tucked in between homes in residential neighborhoods. Me likee. And this place is da bomb, especially from a style perspective. Awesome open space, big artwork on the walls, chocolate mohair (yes, mohair) walls, and a great bar scene. They done it up right.

And I hear that about 75-80% of the produce comes from their own private farm. Fancy!

OK, I wasn't taking great notes about what the other folks at the table ordered, my bad. Dave, Shari, Gina if ya wanna pipe in here, bring it!

I had heard nuthin' but great stuff about the Tomato Soup w/ Burrata Cheese, but they didn't have it on the menu. They had Potato Soup instead. Sounds like prison soup to me. So we started with the Rocket Salad with Warm Fromage Blanc and Aged Balsamic, cuz I despise young vinegar. Sickens me actually. Give it to me crusty. Really what got me was Rocket. You usually don't see Rocket unless you're somewhere outside the states. It's spicy Arugula and I love love love it.

For the entreé, Janine  and I both had the Albacore Tuna on a bed of lentils and arugula. And don't start with me, I know when we review we're supposed to order different things. Lord I tried. I went for the Harissa Chicken with Farro Couscous and Dates & Almonds, but they brought me Tuna anyway and I didn't want to hold everybody else up from eating. Cuz' they are the polite types that would wait until everyone was served. I think. Whatever, so I took one for the team. So there. Gina's Chicken looked killer though so give it a go.

Killer wine list too! Actually not a 'list' per se it's more like the the War And Peace of wine lists. Something like 50 pages. And we treated that list like our bitch! Went heavy on the Zins although there's crap from every corner of the world at this joint. Almost too much to process for my feeble brain. A winner - the Brown Zinfandel, Chiles Valley from Napa. Get some!

A couple nits: A) a tad bit on the pricey side, if ya ask me. (but hey, Gina paid, even though we wanted to!) 2) they seem to serve you what they want...I swear to god I ordered chicken, but they served me albacore tuna just the same.C) When the bargain list is 'White wines under $50' you know what you are in for! Not bitching just setting your expectations in this difficult economy;)

Above all though is hangin' with cool peeps in an awesome surrounding. And you will get laid if you bring a date here!

Spruce
3640 Sacramento Street
San Francisco, CA 94118
415.931.5100