Alphabet Dining, Letter H : Hard Knox

Chicken-Fried Steak, Chicken & Waffles, Cornbread Muffins, Jumbalayah

 

It's A Hard Knox Life

      We're more than a third of the way through the alphabet! For letter H of our ABC Dining, we ventured to Hard Knox in the Richmond district. Hard Knox serves (spoiler: delicious) Southern Comfort Soul Food. 

Food

Cornbread Muffins

     We started with these DELICIOUS cornbread muffins. I wanted to eat a billion of them. 

Chicken 'n Waffles 

     I ordered the delicious and amazing dish you see above - Chicken 'n Waffles. Three pieces of fried chicken, served with a buttermilk Belgian waffle and serving of maple syrup. Aka heaven. The thing I really love about chicken n waffles is that instead of eating the chicken with any special sauces or ketchup, you can justify eating it with the maple syrup - because, hey, it's right there any way! May as well! 

     The quality of the fried chicken at Hard Knox was top. It was cooked perfectly, with plenty of meat on the bone. They give you the option of all white, all dark, or mixed meat. It was hearty without being greasy. Perfect!

     The buttermilk Belgian waffle was thick and puffy and delicious.  The carbs in the waffle really complimented the protein of the chicken for a great meal, and the sweet maple syrup tied it all together. 

Jumbalaya Rice

      Greg, visiting from Hawaii, ordered the Jumbalaya Rice. This delish dish consisted of shrimp, chicken, and beef sausage sauteed with onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes in a Cajun tomato-based sauce. Very good and not too spicy at all.

Country-Fried Steak

      Rayna ordered the Country-Fried Steak - breaded cubed beef, fried and served with country gravy, with a side of mac & cheese and greens. Fun fact: Rayna came late, so we ordered her 2 sides for her. She arrived before her food, and said she was hoping for macaroni and greens. Jackpot!! 

Fried Catfish, Macaroni and Yam Fries

      Alex N. ordered the Fried Catfish - Two farm-raised catfish filets, seasoned, then fried with a cornmeal batter, with a side of macaroni and yam fries. Another hit!

Fried Pork Chops, French Fries and Stewed Cabbage

      Chester ordered the Fried Pork Chops - Two 6 oz. center cut pork chops marinated in their special seasoning and fried, with sides of fresh-cut french fries and stewed cabbage. Another southern comfort culinary delight.

Overall Experience

     
     Service - prompt, friendly, knowledgeable on the menu.

     Food - delicious, hearty without being greasy

     Ambiance - casual, interesting, down-to-earth feel

    Long story short, I loved my experience at Hard Knox! This is my top restaurant of recommendation for Southern comfort food in the city. 

     

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Rickybobby

     For another date night after a windy SF day, Nick and I ventured over to Rickybobby. We were so glad we did! Walking in, RB is a smallish, casual restaurant, with cool art on the walls. They were even projecting Top Gun (yes, the movie!) over the doorway. Classic.   

Duck Salad with strawberries and pistachios

     I love when restaurants give you unexpected combinations of ingredients! Nick ordered the Duck Salad, complete with delicious fresh strawberries and crunchy crumbled pistachios. The dish healthy, yet hearty. The strawberries gave it an added sweet kick, and somehow the duck and lettuce complemented each other nicely. So good.

Seafood Gumbo

     It had been a windy day in the city, so I opted for the warm Seafood Gumbo. It was delicious!! With corn, rice, oysters, shrimp, green beans, and sausage, it really hit the spot. It was hearty, warm and so tasty. It was slightly spicy, but nothing too crazy. I'm a lightweight when it comes to spices, but really enjoyed this dish. I highly recommend it. 

Overall Experience

     The ambiance was comfortable and casual, the service was prompt and friendly, and the food was delicious and noteworthy. What else can you say? I definitely recommend Rickybobby.

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Dad's BDay Dinner!! Kokkari Estiatorio

Balvenie 17 year Peat Cast Scotch, Seabream Fish, Chicken, Sorbet, Baklava, and Chocolate Cake

     For my dad's birthday this year, we devised a list of the top restaurants for us, taking into account the cuisine type, neighborhood, and recommendations from friends. After much deliberation, we settled on Kokkari Estiatorio in the Finanical District. Here is our story.

Ambiance

Kitchen

Large wooden windows

Our cool Grecian plates

      The atmosphere of Kokkari is a great balance of warmth and sophistication. The tall wooden windows look out over a sea of Grecian fish plates and cloth-covered tables. Giant tapestries cover the walls, and large gourds and plants cover the floor. It's a great setting for a Greek meal.

Mezethes | Starters

Balvenie 17 year Peat Cast Scotch

     
     This is how my dad rolls. He loved his Balvenie 17 year peat cast scotch. Him and the waiter had a whole convo about how smoothly it went down. It made for some cool pictures as well!

Horiatiki - Classic Greek salad of tomato, bell peppers, cucumber, onion, oregano, olives, and feta

     The Horiatiki, or Classic Greek Salad, was crisp, fresh, and colorful! It was great next to the lamb riblets (below), which were a bit more austere. Traditionally, Greek salad does not have any lettuce. Instead, it's filled with a healthy combination of tomato, bell peppers, cucumber, onion, oregano, olives, and blocks of feta.

Arnisia Plevrakia - Grilled lamb riblets with lemon and oregano

     I was expecting more from the grilled Arnisia Plevrakia, or Lamb Riblets. There wasn't much meat on them, even for an appetizer, and they were missing the usual flavor party that I've come to expect from lamb. Perhaps this is a more traditional, Grecian presentation of the dish.

Dolmathes - Grape leaves stuffed with rice, dill, and mint

     The Dolmathes were absolutely delish - I highly recommened these! My roommate in college used to make them, and they never disappoint. They are kind of like sushi, save the fish and with more of a wrap. Rice is covered with delicious grape leaves, and dowsed in dill and mint. They are packed with flavor and really fun to eat. Like little tasty sleeping bags for the rice!

Kirio Piato | Main Course

Seabream Fish, de-boned, with spinach and lemon

     For my main course, I ordered the Seabream Special, which came with spinach and was de-boned at the recommendation of our knowledgeable waiter. It was utterly delicious! The white meat was buttery and melted in your mouth. The only setback was a small section of the fish which had been overlooked in the de-boning process. I quickly realized why the waiter suggested to get the dish de-boned, because the bones were tiny and white, so they blended in with the meat of the fish and thus could be very dangerous if ingested and swallowed. I had to eat the rest of my fish very carefully.

Souvla Tis Emeras - Seasoned Chicken + Potatoes with Lemon

     For his main course, my dad ordered the Soulva Tis Emeras, which was perfectly-seasoned chicken and potatoes. He and I both agreed that the potatoes in this dish were hands down the best potatoes we've ever had! I'm not sure how these were seasoned and/or marinated, but they were packed with hearty flavors. The chicken was also seasoned very well - not overdone, but definitely enough for a lot of great flavors. The darling, white potpourri-looking bag was a half lemon to squeeze over the plate. This touch of zest and detail really added to the fine-dining experience at Kokkari. 

Glyka | Dessert

Baklava, Sorbet, Chocolate Cake

     As good as the entire meal was, the dessert really was the cherry on top! We went all-out and ordered the Traditional Baklava, a Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake, and a Yogurt Sorbet. They were all AMAZING. I highly recommend all three, and here's why.

Traditional Baklava, with walnuts, honey, and a side of vanilla-praline ice cream

     I went straight for the Traditional Baklava, a personal favorite of mine. It was the first of the three mind-blowing dessert experiences at Kokkari! I literally couldn't help but put on an amazed, wide-eyed, raised-eyebrows face after my first bite. It was freshly-made, warm and flaky. The crunch of the walnuts against the sweet honey flavors easily swirled and melted in your mouth. The cool vanilla-praline ice cream could not have been a more perfect partnering.

Sokolatina - Flourless dark chocolate cake with sweetened whipped cream

     The Sokolatina is a flourless dark chocolate cake. It is delicious and extremely rich! Goes great next to the icy Yogurt Sorbet Gratina, below.

Yiaourti Granita - Yogurt sorbet with seasonal fruit granita and mint syrup

     I've saved the best for last. The Yiaourti Granita, aka Yogurt Sorbet Granita. Let me just take a moment of silence for this hidden wonder of the world. Seriously, if you go to Kokkari, and order nothing else, order THIS. You can thank me later. Every single bite is automatically, involuntarily followed by an amazed face, no matter how many bites you take. I will try to describe such an innate wash of deliciousness best I can. First, it will help to know that granita (in this case red, above) is a semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water and flavoring. In our dish, I believe the mind-blowing red flavor was a sweet watermelon and/or a hint of strawberry. The shocking and delightful thing is in the strength of the flavors that hit you. You are utterly ambushed by the taste of fresh, crisp fruit flavors, while simultaneously enjoying icy sweet sugar. The yogurt sorbet and mint syrup is a great tart juxtaposition to the sweet fruity flavors in the granita. Truly heavenly. 

Overall Experience

Traditional Greek Coffee, made over hot sands

     My dad and I really enjoyed our experience at Kokkari. We were there for a total of about 3 hours, but the time flew by thanks to the great food, service, and ambiance. The only real setback I experienced was the section of my fish that was not properly de-boned. That was a bit scary, but the rest of our experience was very pleasant.
     The food was delicious, and it's presentation was very nice. I loved how they put the half lemons of our main courses in little white potpourri-looking satchels, so the lemon juice didn't fly about.  The appetizers and main courses were very good, and the desserts were AMAZING.
      To me, the service and ambiance of a restaurant is as important as the food itself. Both the host and our waiters were very warm and welcoming, and our waiter was very knowledgeable about each dish and the various scotches. 
     The ambiance of Kokkari is as welcoming as it's service. From wall tapestries to tall wooden windows and giant gourds, it really feels like you could be in Greece. 
     I absolutely recommend Kokkari Estiatorio, especially their desserts - just double check that fish!

Dedicated to the best dad ever - Love you Dudu! :)

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