Paul Reidinger writes the first review of wine-centric Heirloom Café, and though he loved the halibut and the smoked trout salad, he wasn’t so hot for the burger — the aforementioned off-menu item served with Epoisses cheese “whose ripe pungency gave pause. At first bite I wondered if the meat had spoiled — the cheese was that strong.” And like most Reidinger reviews, that and a mention of the roving, $3-per-taste cheese platter are about all we get in terms of the food. The rest is a treatise about how the deep Mission is gentrifying. [SFBG, Earlier: Slideshow, Menu]
Kauffman writes a dual review of newish brewpubs Public House and Social Kitchen & Brewery, liking the beer best but the lamb sliders and corndogs a close second at the former (he advises against the marrow bones). At Social Kitchen Kauffman sounds a bit more enthusiastic about the grub, noting the mussels and the Loco Moco burger in particular, but still he’s more into the beer. He was especially charmed by the five-beer tasting that arrived automatically from the waiter at the start of the meal: “By the time they returned to take our drink order, we had argued over our preferences, mulled over the tasting notes on the menu, and started feeling the buzz. Extra appetizers were inevitable.” [SF Weekly]
And Josh Sens from SF Mag sounds like he’s in the Bauer camp about Lafitte, writing that “most of the food is a study in underseasoning.” He notes the well-mixed drinks, some “compelling” vegetarian entrées, and offers the compliment, “Everything at Lafitte is competently cooked.” He also concedes the place is still young, but in the same breath knocks the service, calling it “so abysmal that diners who suffer from abandonment issues might consider dining with a shrink.” [SF Mag]
