NOPA

There are restaurants in San Francisco whose popularity baffles me. Of course, Chez Panisse comes to mind, but there are many other, usually "ingredient-driven" restaurants that have what seems like an inordinate number of advocates. NOPA is one of those, a newer player on the scene. It is the only real 'dining' establishment on the strip of Divisadero St. that marks the beginning of the so-called Nopa neighborhood, aside from some suspect Thai and Nepali restaurants. Well chosen location, as it is generally packed on most nights.

We first went there last year for a late-night meal. NOPA does do a couple of things well. They're open til 1am, a rarity in this sleepy town, and they give you an amuse-bouche. Aside from that, it's an extremely mediocre restaurant. It's the type of 'California cuisine' restaurant that we've tried to stay away from. That first visit yielded a forgettable duck dish and a fish dish with roasted sunchokes that I didn't finish (an accomplishment for me). However, the saddest part of the meal was a starter of arancini, those normally delicious fried risotto balls, that came out cold and with a bland tomato dipping sauce. Though the food wasn't really bad, the execution was poor, and it was the type of food that's easily made at home and thus feels very overpriced. We swore never to return again.

Last night, however, we were jonesin' for some good burgers. In DC, we loved going to Palena to eat their awesome $10 burger. It was the perfect combination of a home-style food made by a talented chef, and the price was right. Since we live near Nopa, and didn't feel like waiting for Zuni to switch to its late night menu, we headed over to try their supposedly great burgers. The wait for a table was an hour and a half when we got there, but we were able to get a seat at their free-for-all communal table after a half hour. The service was actually decent, considering how packed the place was, and we had our orders for medium-rare burgers and a side of grilled escarole. We also ordered a delicious lager called Toast (Slightly Burnt) from Moonlight Brewery. It had much more complexity than most lagers I've had, but still paired well with the food.

The amuse that night was a small crostini with a nice tarragon flavored Dungeness crab salad. This was by far the culinary highlight of the night. The burgers were mediocre, especially for a $12 burger. Mine was mid-rare on one side, but closer to mid-well on the other. Lauren's seemed almost mid-well throughout. The bun was dry, the fries that came with it were standard Sysco brand, and the accompanying harissa-feta dip was grainy and bland. It's sad when the best thing on your burger plate is the pickled onion. I wanted to send the burger back, but my empathy for cooks in the weeds on a Friday night stopped me. To top it all off, they charge you $1.50 for cheese, but don't specify it on the menu, or when the server offers it to you. That is simply unacceptable.

Though we actually quite enjoyed our side of grilled escarole with capers and breadcrumbs, we're in no hurry to come back. I feel like NOPA is one of those places that has been affected by the lax standard of San Franciscans. The ingredients are good, but there's nothing beyond that. The dishes are uninspired, the menu isn't cohesive or focused, and the kitchen seems to be lacking experience. In addition, NOPA's decor is tacky and has very corporate-looking mural. It's a perfect example of the crappy interiors of most San Francisco restaurants that other bloggers have complained about. I really wish that NOPA was good. I like their philosophy, and I actually had an excellent spanish tortilla with romesco at a fundraiser from their chef. However, it has to fall into that category of California cuisine restaurant that's not worth wasting money on.

Sorry about the lack of pics. I get self-conscious taking photographs of food sometimes.

NOPA
560 Divisadero St (Nopa)
San Francisco, CA