La Cucina of Union Street

(No website available, still.)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN9vdliZymQ


Sono tornato a La Cucina of Union Street (see 'blog-entry from February 19th, 2011). Well, it was not raining this morning like my last visit back in the wintertime, but it may as well have been with the way the fog was hanging around thickly. They even had four sidewalk tables set-up outside (well, that only makes sense as "inside sidewalks" aren't really available), but there weren't many brave takers yet this early in the morning (9:00am).

They have a pretty decent breakfast menu selection and offer a few weekend specials, too. (Here is where it would be handy for them to have an official website with a menu listing.) I was debating on the Italian Omelette, but ended up going with: California Omelette ~ Avocado, artichoke*, jack cheese, onion, and tomato; served with cottage fries (and for Mrs. Huneycutt's edification, that would just be home/house fries, but on a smaller scale) and choice of toast. I also had a large glass of orange juice. As I got there a little earlier than they opened, I went and got a cuppa coffee from Union Street Coffee Roastery on the corner.

(No website available for the coffee shop, either; however, they do have a defacedbook page. Really?!)



I went with sourdough toast ~ it seemed to make sense with the omelette choice. And once again I substituted the cottage potatoes for their weekend special cheesy hashbrown potato thingy (that is the official terminology) that I had on my last visit. The omelette had lots of artichoke quarters and avocado in it; this is always a good thing, Martha. I was not disappointed in my choosing the side of hashbrowns ~ it was very tasty again.

La Cucina offers only Tabasco®** (the standard red) and Tapatío® as condimentary supplements; I did come prepared with a few from my own collection and used some Sylvia's Restaurant® Kickin' Hot ~ Hot Sauce (Thanks, Sean!) on the omelette and the very last drops of my Trees Can't Dance ~ Belizean Habanero Sauce*** (Thanks again, Greg & Cindy!) on the potato thingy.

While walking around waiting for the restaurant to open, I saw a pair of Wild Parrots of San Francisco flying overhead.


Glen Bacon Scale Rating: California Omelette ~ 6.6; Weekend Special Cheesy Hashbrown Potato Thingy ~ 7.0; Union Street Coffee ~ 6.9


*(Artichokes are probably one of my favourite fruits. I have been eating them ever since I can remember. It may be an Italiano thing; I don't know, I just know I like 'em.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpHgrWbvjGA

About an hour and a half south of San Francisco is Castroville, in northern Monterey County. They call themselves "the Artichoke Capital of the World" ~ I always say they missed a great opportunity to call themselves "the Artichoke Heart of the World". They hold an annual artichoke festival, usually in May now; Marilyn Monroe was even named as the festival's first "Artichoke Queen" in 1948.)

**(It may seem like I'm constantly picking on Tabasco® brand hot sauces by always mentioning that they are carried at most restaurants and then I go and use my own hot sauces instead. This really isn't the case, though. Tabasco® products are definitely good, as their ubiquitousness would attest. It is a very viable condimentary supplementation; and their Chipotle and Habanero versions are actually mighty tasty. I just prefer hot sauces with a little more depth of flavour.

Besides, with all the mentions of Tabasco® in my stupid 'blog, they ought to be paying me some kinda royalty.)

***(This was a very tasty salsa/hot sauce; I really enjoyed using it up. I still have another bottle of their African Hot Sauce left. I also had another different style that has been used up a while back now.

Who knew that a British hot sauce company could make a product that has so much flavour? But I suppose even the French are capable of making a decent Beer once in a while, too.

http://www.treescantdance.co.uk/index.aspx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg8h2hzY8IA )