Prelude to a Stroll (Kelly's Brew Pub)

Tonight is the annual Nob Hill Shop n' Stroll- when Central is closed down to traffic and stores are open late to tempt holiday shoppers to peruse their wares. I thoroughly enjoy this tradition, though I don't often purchase anything. I'm more than content to have a good dinner and then wander around Nob Hill (in many layers of warm clothes) people-watching, window-shopping, listening to carolers, and stopping somewhere for a warm drink. While there are numerous Nob Hill restaurants that I like, I've been craving a turkey burger all week...so we'll be eating at Kelly's Brew Pub (on Wellesley).

Kelly's is well known around the area for decently priced, delicious beer that's brewed on location. They have a huge list to select from, and for the weirdo in the group, there are also bottled beers you can order, as well as wine. (Side note- Kelly's offers a "brew it yourself" party where you can brew your own special beer and have it bottled...cool, right?) I like all types of beer, but from Kelly's I especially like their apricot ale. Even better is half a glass of apricot ale mixed with half a glass of hard cider (they call this the Fruit Basket).

Now here's the part that you may find surprising: I don't particularly love the food at Kelly's. With the exception of a few things, I've found myself disappointed in the menu. That said, I do think that their turkey burgers are the best in town, and I can't ever seem to get enough of their sweet potato fries. If you're a person who likes wings, they have a good wings appetizer. The burgers are also good, but you have to specify done-ness if you don't want a patty of overcooked meat to show up in front of you. Other than these offerings, I wouldn't suggest you stray. It sounds harsh, but I tried a lot of things on their menu before I found the turkey burger...and had it not been for the good beer, I'd have given up on them long ago.

I suppose that it's worth mentioning that the beer also makes up for the service at Kelly's. Yes, there have been a couple of good servers there...but that seems like such a long time ago. I can overlook bad service once my beer is in front of me, but if they are terrible from the get-go, I'm never thrilled. This is something you just have to be aware of if you go.

However, even with the negative aspects, I'm still looking forward to my Kelly's dinner tonight...and the merriment that will no doubt follow.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye (Farina Pizzeria)

I think mushrooms are magical, though not the way you think (get your mind out of the druggie gutter!). I think they taste the way I imagine nature tastes...rich and earthy. I have always been a mushroom fan, and I think that heat brings out their flavor amazingly well. I'm a sucker for mushroom sauces, soups, hors d'oeuvres, you name it. But recently I have found my newest favorite vehicle for this magical fungus: pizza. Now don't misunderstand, I'm not talking pizza from Pizza Hut or even Dions here. I'm talking about pizza that's been crafted to accentuate the mushroom, not just a pizza with a few mushrooms thrown on top. More specifically, I'm talking about the pizza at Farina Pizza.

Farina Pizza just quietly opened in EDO (Central and Edith) by the owners of Artichoke Cafe. It is a pizza and beer spot for those of us who can't often afford the luxuries of the Artichoke...or for those of us who are looking for something tasty but not fussy. Farina, while I haven't seen any advertisement for its opening, is a hopping place on a Friday night, and is just the ticket for dinner with friends after work. Be warned that it is a loud restaurant, but still homey and comfortable. The older dinner companions who were with me were adverse to the noise, though I didn't have a problem with it...different strokes I guess.

And even if you are bothered by noise, the pizzas easily make up for it. There's a whole host of preconceived pizza ideas on their menu, and you can also create your own. I wouldn't bother with your own though...Farina's creations are above and beyond delicious. This comes back to my above discussion of the mushroom- the Pizza a la Fungi (or some similar name) is spectacular. It doesn't have red sauce on it, and consequently, you can really taste the rich mushrooms and the caramelized onions that grace its top. I almost stabbed one of my dinner companions' hand with a fork when he reached for the last piece of it...that's how good it was. We also tried the Margarita pizza and a few of the meat laden pizzas. All were tasty, with thin, crispy crust and extremely flavorful toppings. But none of the others held a candle to the Fungi. Don't question it, just order one.

Farina also has salads on the menu, and a friend told me that they are amazing as well. I suppose if they were all out of mushrooms, I might try a salad... However, I know that not everyone loves mushrooms or pizza necessarily (though really, who ARE you people??), so you have some other options. Plus any meal that can be washed down with home brewed beer can be considered a good one. Wine is also offered, but is served in those "funny glasses with no stem" (so stated by a noise-repelled companion). Either wine or beer will complement the pizza nicely though.

Considering that I am now daydreaming of mushroom pizza as I write this, I highly recommend you try Farina Pizza as soon as possible. Raise a slice of piping hot Fungi pizza in my name...