http://outerlandssf.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CtjhWhw2I8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaNt9-QkiHI
At the suggestion of a co-worker (Thanks, Lori!) I decided to check out a relatively new, but very popular and trendy (read: "hipster doofus chic") place way out in the "outer lands" of the Sunset District. The aptly-named Outerlands is right along the N-Judah Muni line and about five blocks from Ocean Beach. They only have eight tables (ranging from 2-5 persons seating) and three window-counter seats; plus, six "out(erland)side" tables on the sidewalk (weather permitting). Now I am the last person that can ever complain about long lines and waiting times as I do it often enough when I eat at Dottie's True blue café. This place is much the same, there was already a semi-full sign-in sheet and many people waiting patiently when I got there (twenty minutes before they opened); and I noticed that the sign-in sheet went to Page Two even before they had started seating the first group. Luckily, I was seated with the first wave of diners; I got one of the window-counter seats (one of the benefits of dining alone; no matter how "So Lonely" it may seem, Gordon).
The walls are just plain, unadorned wood. The interior is like you are eating at a cabin near the beach. They have this really cool Winnie-the-Pooh hole as their office space, which must be reached by climbing up a ladder and then parting a curtain; they have to sit on cushions on the floor, as the ceiling is not tall enough to stand up in or to accommodate a chair to sit on.
Their "Brunch" menu really doesn't have an awful lot of choices (just six or seven items); however, what they do offer all sounded great and most can be made for stupid vegetarians with the omission of the dead, decaying animal flesh. To start, I went with a Beet and Farro[1] Salad ~ arugula, Parmesan, sherry vinaigrette. For my main meal I had the Dutch Pancake ~ baked in a cast iron pan; sweet ~ topped with spiced apples (and a caramel sauce); with added house-made ricotta. I also ordered a glass of Lemon Ginger Apple Cider and a cuppa Sightglass Coffee, Americano style.
http://sightglasscoffee.com/
I knew from the ingredients that I was going to love the salad. I was correct, as the salad was excellent: beets ~ very good; farro ~ very good; arugula ~ good; lots of shaved Parmesan cheese ~ very good! I still contend 'mericans don't eat enough beets. I love 'em.
The Lemon Ginger Apple Cider (which can be ordered either hot or iced; I went with iced, as I had ordered the coffee for my hot drink) was very good, too. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but this was more cider-y than a lemonade-style drink.
Now as for the Dutch Pancakes ~ Wow! They are baked in the oven (I am not sure if it was a "Dutch Oven" or not, something smelled kinda funny... *sniff, sniff*) and were very fluffy/eggy; plus, the sliced green apples with the caramel sauce was perfect on top. This can be ordered as a "savoury" dish instead, which would have bacon in it for you porky-lovin' fools (I bet it would be very good with both the apples and caramel on top and the bacon inside). They warn you ahead of time that this dish can take up to twenty minutes to prepare, but I had barely finished my salad before the pancake was brought out, so the timing was perfect.
I really don't know what Outerlands offers as condimentary supplements as I didn't really order anything that required any; however, I had come prepared with a few of my own hot sauces just in case and thought about using some on the salad, but thought better of it after trying some of the salad. There was maple syrup provided to use on the pancake, though; I used a little bit, but the tasty caramel sauce really was enough.
The wait wasn't really as "out(er)landish" as I had expected and the food more than compensated for any time wasted. Would I go back there again, Mr. Sumner? Hell, yeah! And I really want to check out their dinner menu, too.
Glen Bacon Scale Rating: Beet and Farro Salad ~ 7.0; Dutch Pancake ~ 7.5; Lemon Ginger Apple Cider ~ 6.9
[1] Farro is simply whole wheat grains prepared with an Italiano twist:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farro
Sorry, no stupid, useless cunning linguist pointer on this word, as there isn't even a definition for it in dictionary.com.
Of course, this word is not to be confused with the card game "Faro", Mr. Zamudio.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHF558u6Q_8
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