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Canteen (California cuisine)  $$

 9.5
JaT Rating

817 Sutter Street, San Francisco, 94109  (Directions)


415.928.8870


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Petite California kitchen cooking up some of San Franciscos palatable meals


Reviewer: Jason
Total Reviews: 992
Reviewed: 2/2/2006
Rating: 9.5
My photo gallery 		Thanks to Ali for submitting Canteen. Its been sitting in my lunch queue since summer. Whenever I go into San Francisco, I carefully pick my restaurants and have been anticipating Canteen for many months. I wondered if I had built unrealistic expectations and if the food would live up to the hype.

With any trip to San Francisco, you have to plan out the parking situation. Canteen is situated on Sutter and Jones and yes, parking is luck of the draw. Luckily it was Thursday afternoon and I scored a 1 hr parking meter right around the block. With good luck on our side and we landed one of the 4 tables at Canteen. Some may find the counter more appealing as you can watch the famous chef work his magic. This place is small, roughly the size of your typical ramen house, we're talking less than 20 seats. I dont know how the dinner seatings are but if you want to score a place at lunch, show up after 11:30. Be sure to call for their hours.

The tables are 2 seaters with fine pine as your top. Next to your tables is a bookshelf of items from the past, Sgt Fury comic books to 1970s edition Guinness book of World Records to the classic Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky. I dont know if you're suppose to leave the books alone but I couldnt resist to read the record holders for heaviest twins or fastest car. Our waitress brought out a bottle of water and 2 glasses. Now, getting water at restaurants is no big deal but when Canteen presents a bottle of water in a clear wine bottle and 2 well drink glass (or double shot glasses for you lushes), I think its clever.

The menu changes frequently so who knows when my meal will appear again. Theres a limited items to choose from and I shared the squash soup ($6.50) and lunch was the salted cod and potato cakes ($11.95). During our wait, the waitress dropped off toasted walnut bread with unsalted butter. Bread was top notch and probably made at a local bakery for Im sure there's no room in the kitchen for a bread oven.

I never go out of my way to order soup unless its clam chowder, mexican chicken with vegetables, or split pea. Soup is more of a filler for me and I wouldnt order it as a main course until today. The squash soup at Canteen is a killer....this is without a doubt the best soup I have ever had in my lifetime. Oh my gawd, I cannot explain the flavor, creaminess, and tart all rolled into each spoonful. Maybe its a good thing the squash soup is served in a bowl or I would shoot this directly into my veins. Perfect 10!

Call me dyslexic but I misread the description for my order as I had envisioned a piece of cod with potato cakes. The waitress brought out a plate of 2 fish cakes with spinach and sides of tarter sauce. Spinach was probably blanched as it was deep green, firm texture, and intense flavor. I detected a citrus flavor to the spinach but cannot confirm.

The fish cakes were the size of dingdongs. Looking at the cakes, looks like a light pan fry to brown and a broil to finish it off. Fish cakes had clumps of fish and little potato. Props to the chef for making a perfect fish cake, well almost, give me a 3rd cake and we'll talk about getting you that jatbar 10 rating. If you've ever been to Old Ebbitt Grill in Washington DC, they make the best crab cakes known to man. If I ever go back to Old Ebbitt Grill, I'll be sure to tell them Canteen makes the best fish cakes known to man.

Canteen exudes charm and displays impressive flavors from their bold meals. Its not surprising I handed out a 9.5 and if you've read my hundreds of reviews, I only hand those to some of the best. I admire the originality of Canteen's menu and intimate cooking experience with the kitchen being less than 6 feet from my table. Although my lunch rang in at around $17, I think its a bargain considering how happy I was eating this wonderful meal. Its a no brainer when it comes to eating at Canteen. Just go and enjoy.
 
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