Finding good ramen in the Mission – and in the entire city of San Francisco, as a matter of fact – is a challenge. But I’m always willing [...]]]> Ken Ken Ramen started off as a pop-up in the Mission and it stayed in the neighborhood when it finally opened its permanent home late last year.

Finding good ramen in the Mission – and in the entire city of San Francisco, as a matter of fact – is a challenge. But I’m always willing to eat my way into a good bowl, which is why I visited Ken Ken Ramen when it was a pop-up about two years ago, and again last week at its restaurant on 18th near Mission Street.

Joining me was my friend V, which stands for vegetarian because she is exactly that. V asked me what I thought about Ken Ken when I went to it as a pop-up, and I told her that I liked it but didn’t love it, and still would travel down the Peninsula for good ramen.

She wondered why I would return to Ken Ken, and I figured the chef and owners would have perfected their bowl of noodles during their pop-up days, considering that we live in an age of instant feedback.

Ken Ken Ramen's Japanese Ramen ($11) with cha shu and slow-cooked egg

The restaurant is large with a bar up front and long counter, nicely furnished with that modern Japanese esthetic. The menu is limited but I give Ken Ken Ramen credit for creativity. For example, with spring warm weather in mind, Chef Takahiro Hori added a couple of cold noodle dishes to the menu.

V actually went with the Vegetarian Hiyashi Chukka ($11), cold ramen noodles (sans broth) with grilled pumpkin, cucumber, slow-cooked egg, ginger, pickles and assorted vegetables. There was a distinct sesame oil aroma wafting from her bowl, and while she enjoyed it, V wasn’t impressed.

The main ramen served up is called the Japanese Ramen ($11), which comes with two slices of cha-shu (braised pork), nori, soft-boiled egg, and assorted vegetables. You can choose from three broth styles (miso, shoyu and shio). I was disappointed that Ken Ken Ramen only makes the tonkotsu broth (milky pork broth) on Wednesday nights.

Again a reflection of the season, Ken Ken Ramen offered up a yuzu shio broth as a choice, and I decided to give it a try. The yuzu provided a refreshing citrus perfume to the light broth, which was what I was looking for when eating ramen during the warm seasons.

But while I enjoyed the light broth, I didn’t feel the same about the home-made ramen. I recall that the ramen in the pop-up days were thin and light, and it looks like it hasn’t changed much. It was still thin, which meant after eating a whole bowl I didn’t feel full.

Side note: Both V and I did enjoy our starter of seaweed salad ($5), which was a generous portion with a perfect, traditional tasting dressing.

Ken Ken Ramen still feels like it’s in the pop-up stage, despite the fancy digs. The ramen feels like it’s lacking something surprising or satisfying, and the service still seems a bit scattered and rushed. Everything is good, but nothing to rush over to get.

Rating: 2 out of 4 camera snaps

Ken Ken Ramen, 3378 18th St., San Francisco. PH: 415.967.2636. Open Wednesday through Saturdays. No reservations. eatkenkenramen.com

Seaweed Salad ($5) was a winner

Vegetarian Hiyashi Chukka ($11) offers up cold noodles for the warm season

A chef working behind a wall of bowls

Then one day the young prince grew tired of apple pie. The cook tried his best to entice Prince James. He [...]]]> There once was a young cook named Ben, who served the young prince James in Cupcakeland. The cook made the young prince his favorite dish of apple pie every day, morning, noon and night.

Then one day the young prince grew tired of apple pie. The cook tried his best to entice Prince James. He made apple strudel. Not a bite. Apple turnovers. The prince turned his nose. Ben even tried an apple poptart, but nothing.

Frustrated, the cook went wandering along San Pablo Avenue and discovered a cupcake store. Inside were colorful little cakes in brilliant colors of yellow, red and golden caramel. Ben tried a few of the mini cupcakes, like the fresh lemon flavor or the cinnamon bun.

The cook, excited about his find, took back to Cupcakeland the store’s most popular cupcake, the salted caramel – a chocolate cupcake with vanilla buttercream frosting that’s drizzled with a swirl of homemade caramel and sprinkled with salt to finish.

The prince took one bite and delighted at the creamy frosting with salted caramel flavor, but really enjoyed the light cake itself, which was still moist and airy. James loved the cupcake so much he decreed that everyone in Cupcakeland should enjoy the cupcakes forever.

The End.

*This story is, of course, totally made up. I really don’t know the true beginnings of the name of this cupcake store, James & The Giant Cupcake. But it’s definitely a story with a happy ending.

James & The Giant Cupcake, 6326 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. Open Wed.–Sat., 10:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m.; Sunday, 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. jamesandthegiantcupcake.com

This is the "giant" size cupcake (lemon flavor) sold for $4

Chalkboard menu adds to the classroom feel of the store

Whimsical drawings fill the wall (above) and mini cupcakes ($1.50 each) offer tasting of several flavors

Cookies & Cream cupcakes ($3 each)

Kid's drawing plays into the storybook theme of James & The Giant Cupcake

Salted Caramel Cupcake. They add the caramel swirl on the spot when you buy the cupcake.

For the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking up a pea soup recipe. And when I had a gorgeous chilled version recently, I was all ready to head that route as I shopped at the farmers [...]]]> I’ve been excited about spring because I’ve been hoping to cook with fresh English peas for quite awhile.

For the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking up a pea soup recipe. And when I had a gorgeous chilled version recently, I was all ready to head that route as I shopped at the farmers market for some fresh peas still in their pods.

But as I thought about dinner, I knew I wouldn’t be satisfied with just soup. And instead of making another dish to go with the pea soup, I decided to change the soup to a pasta dish and recalled a pesto recipe using peas from a cookbook I was reading.

That recipe used the pea pesto as a spread for crostini. I just took it a step further and added it to some pappardelle – the Italian flat pasta that resembles ribbons – and I had myself a meal.

Because I’m trying to eat less meat, I had the pasta just by itself with the pesto, and it was a fantastic, bright dish for spring. But you can definitely add some grilled chicken breast slices for a heartier plate. Enjoy!

The finished dish

English Pea Pesto Pappardelle Recipe
Makes 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh English peas, shelled (from about 1.5 lbs. of peas)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 T fresh mint, chopped
1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese, grated (extra for topping)
1/4 cup + 2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
6 oz. pappardelle pasta
pinch of salt

Prepare an ice bath by placing some ice cubes in cold water in a bowl. Then bring a pot of water to boil and add the peas, cooking for about 2 minutes. Drain and submerge peas in the ice bath. Let cool, then drain.

In a food processor, add peas, pine nuts, mint, pinch of salt, and 1/4 cup olive oil and pulse until you get what looks like a spread. Don’t pulse too much; leave a few rough chunks of peas. Set aside.

Bring a pot of water to boil and then cook the pappardelle with some salt until al dente per package instructions. In a skillet or saucepan, warm 2 T olive oil and lightly cook the garlic, then add the pea pesto. (TIP: If you don’t have a saucepan to fit all the pappardelle, then cook in batches.) Warm up the pesto for a minute then add the cooked pasta (add maybe a tablespoon of pasta water if the pesto seems clumpy) and then add the cheese and mix it throughout, then quickly remove from heat and plate. Garnish with some torn fresh mints and freshly grated cheese.

TIP: You can make the pesto ahead of time, just add more extra virgin olive oil if it seems dry.

Cup of freshly shucked English peas

Toasted pine nuts (top) and peas swimming in an ice bath (bottom)

Pea pesto slightly chunky

It’s part of a slew of new eating destinations in the neighborhood, across from the white-hot State Bird Provisions and around the corner from [...]]]> With the popularity of burger shacks and hot dog stands, Holy Dog fuses the two together and puts an Asian twist on them in a five-month-old spot in the Fillmore District.

It’s part of a slew of new eating destinations in the neighborhood, across from the white-hot State Bird Provisions and around the corner from Social Study café. And with a menu that caters to the late-night munchies, it doesn’t hurt to be near The Fillmore concert hall.

What do I mean about an Asian twist? Imagine ingredients like kim chee, bulgogi, teriyaki, and daikon. Just as long as the specialty burger and hot dog menus is the variety of French fries and chicken wings (with names like the “loco moco” playing off the Hawaiian hamburger-gravy-egg dish).

It’s the kind of place that I really wanted to like, but unfortunately it’s one of those places that looks good on paper and doesn’t necessarily delivery on the plate. I tried the Spicy Pork Belly Burger ($6.50) but what I got was a burger with thin pork slices that were chewy and covered in an orange-red sauce. Sometimes messy is worth going for if it satisfies in the end, but this pork belly burger didn’t.

The Kim Chee Dog, a bratwurst with mustard and Korean fermented cabbage

Shifting to the hot dogs, I went for the Kim Chee Dog ($5.95), which was simply topped with the Korean fermented cabbage and mustard on a bratwurst. (It also comes with onion but I asked for mine without.) While the hot dog was OK, the kim chee lacked flavor and didn’t really add much to the overall eating experience.

Holy Dog has a fun menu (and they serve beer) with friendly owners, but the ingredients don’t live up to their Asian roots and don’t even make a half-hearted attempt at fusion. Maybe it’s better to skip the fancy, specialty menu and stick with a simple sausage or burger.

Holy Dogs, 1552 Fillmore St. (at Geary), San Francisco. PH: 415.441.9299. Open daily. Cash only.

Holy Dog opened last December in the Fillmore District

Spicy Pork Belly Burger

The messy aftermath of eating the pork belly burger

Mural in the dining area at Holy Dog

But typical delays prompted Patterson to focus on smaller projects, notably Plum Restaurant and later Plum Bar in Oakland’s Uptown [...]]]>

The bar at Haven

Chef Daniel Patterson of San Francisco’s Coi wanted to open a restaurant close to his Oakland home, so he signed on to open a restaurant as part of the redevelopment efforts of Jack London Square.

But typical delays prompted Patterson to focus on smaller projects, notably Plum Restaurant and later Plum Bar in Oakland’s Uptown neighborhood. Last December, his waterfront spot finally opened, called Haven.

Haven has similar touches like Plum, with its wood furnishings and open kitchen. The menu, under the direction of Executive Chef Kim Alter, resembles the approach at Plum, which is a creative emphasis on California seasonal ingredients with clean flavors and rustic comfort.

I checked out Haven for the first time this month, dining with my friend and co-worker Angela. To get a nice range of Haven’s offering, I persuaded Angela to go for the chef’s tasting menu even though she finds tasting menus to be too much food for one person. So I’m actually surprised that she went along with my suggestion to try the five-course tasting menu ($65), which isn’t advertised on the menu. (The menu only lists a four-course tasting menu at $55.)

Rabbit loin with barley and served with carrots and sweet potato puree. Served with a side dish of brassicas flavored with miso and furikake

Unlike some recent tasting menus I’ve tried that included several complimentary starters and in-between bites along with the main dishes, Haven’s tasting menu is presented family style (that’s why the entire table has to go for the chef’s menu). Each course isn’t presented on one plate, but instead comes in a couple of dishes, pulled together in what our server described as “layers.” (I may be old-fashioned, but I totally don’t get the “layers” description. Why not just call it a course with multiple dishes?)

The only complimentary taste comes in the beginning with the amuse bouche of potato chips. This wasn’t a bowl of potato chips, but one bite. Angela thought it was lackluster to just start with one chip, but with the first bite, she was engrossed by the flavors added to the one chip.

The chip carried the salty flavors of halibut smelt and freeze-dried yogurt topped with a little dill. Angela said she could eat a whole bag of this and hinted at that to our server (to no avail).

Our first “layer” was a spring pea soup with ricotta. Served chilled, this soup was delightfully light even though it looked rich and thick. It reflected the technique of the kitchen, providing the right texture despite first-impressions.

The rest of the meal was filled with savory delights, like the simple Brussels sprouts with an almost lacquered glaze made of fish sauce, onion caramel, and mint. It was a true example of umami flavors.

Asparagus salad topped by a perfectly cooked four-minute egg

The Brussels sprouts were actually an accompanying dish for a warm asparagus salad with a deep-fried four-minute egg that was perfectly round with a light golden breaded exterior. I broke into the egg to let the yolk ooze all over the asparagus.

Some dishes were complex but restrained. I enjoyed a sunflower seed dish prepared risotto style with sun chokes. It felt like a healthy dish to counterbalance some of the other dishes, but Angela thought it was underwhelming. A squid dish with perfectly roasted potatoes was dramatic with the black squid ink, but it was topped by Chinese greens whose bitter flavor didn’t seem to blend well with the squid or potatoes.

Our main “layer” of rabbit loin was hearty but the rabbit center seemed slightly undercooked (Angela said she couldn’t eat Peter Rabbit so left most of it for me) and our final dessert seemed too heavy for the overall tasting menu, ending with a bowl of banana bread cut into triangles and served with caramelized banana slices and vanilla foam. (Angela did like the sprinkling of salt as a finishing touch.)

Side note: The pacing of the tasting menu seemed really off for us. Our first few “layers” came one after the other, without given us the chance to really enjoy the dishes, not to say the least finish what’s on the plate. We actually had to ask our server to slow down the dishes because our table was getting full and we barely finished one dish before the servers came to try to take them away. By the third course, it slowed down to the right pace.

My favorite dish of the night was also one I probably would never order. A foie gras terrine came out with rhubarb and green strawberries. I typically don’t like to eat foie gras (not good for my cholesterol), mostly because of the overly rich texture and often liver-like flavors. In California, a ban on foie gras will go into effect this summer, so I guess this was Haven’s last hurrah for foie gras.

If this is the last foie gras I ever eat in California, I’m so glad it was here. Haven’s version was unlike any foie gras I’ve tasted in the past, with a dreamily light texture and savory-sweet taste. The combination of light texture and savory-sweet flavor made me feel like I was actually eating scoops of salted caramel ice cream.

I’m sure the foie gras’ success is because of Haven’s diligence in sourcing the best ingredients for its dishes. The entire meal was a delightful extension of Plum, but raised to the next level with a bit more variety and creativity in the technical execution. Patterson’s restaurant (along with a planned artisan marketplace) was touted as the centerpiece of Oakland’s waterfront redevelopment, and with the crowds that seems to be making its way to check out the food, Haven may just be the beginning of a long-awaited revitalization.

Rating: 3.5 out of 4 camera snaps

Haven, 44 Webster St. at Jack London Square, Oakland. PH: 510.663.4440. Dinner nightly from 5 to 10 p.m. (till 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday). Reservations, major credit cards accepted. www.havenoakland.com

Amuse of potato chips coated with halibut smelt and freeze-dried yogurt and dill

Chilled spring pea soup with yogurt

Popular Brussels sprouts glazed with fish sauce, soy, onion caramel and mint. The glaze looked like a lacquer, especially against Haven's dramatic black Heath ceramic dishes

Sunflower seed risotto with sun chokes

Parker rolls are available upon request. We didn't notice that on the menu, but the table next to us ordered them and the server brought them to us as well. The crispy edge encases a soft-as-clouds texture.

My favorite dish of foie gras terrine with green strawberries and rhubarb

The large open kitchen. (It's actually the least exciting open kitchen I've seen lately in terms of decor.)

Final "layer" was the dessert course: a bowl of banana bread chunks with caramelized banana slices and vanilla foam

Just a few blocks from UC-Berkeley, C.R.E.A.M. (“Cookies Rule Everything Around Me”) attracts students and ice cream lovers to its tiny corner shop, where they dispense ice cream sandwiches for [...]]]> Last Saturday we had perfect ice cream weather. But why settle for a scoop or cup when you can get hand-made ice cream sandwiches at C.R.E.A.M.?

Just a few blocks from UC-Berkeley, C.R.E.A.M. (“Cookies Rule Everything Around Me”) attracts students and ice cream lovers to its tiny corner shop, where they dispense ice cream sandwiches for just $2 each made to your preferences. You pick the cookie and the ice cream and it’s put together right in front of you.

There are about 10 different cookies, from chocolate chip to oatmeal raisin, and twice as many ice cream flavors. But if for some crazy reason you don’t want an ice cream sandwich (wrong), you can order by the scoop in a plain old cup or cone.

After standing in line for a scant 17 minutes (the couple behind me gave up saying “it’s just ice cream” … so wrong), I decided on a snickerdoodle sandwiching the matcha green tea. Because the ice cream sandwich is made right then and there, the ice cream is soft and not frozen like typical ice cream sandwiches. This means you have to eat it fast. But that’s not a problem when they’re so good like this.

My matcha green tea was rich with the tea flavor, but then it was eventually taken over by the sweetness of the snickerdoodle, which I totally didn’t mind because I’m a fan of a good snickerdoodle. A FAN.

I already have my next sandwich combination in mind. (Can you say “white chocolate macadamia nut cookie and salted caramel”? Oh yeah.)

C.R.E.A.M., 2399 Telegraph Ave. (at Channing), Berkeley. PH: 510.649.1000. Open from noon every day. www.creamnation.com

Fudge and other cookies without ice cream

The servers have a system down, with the packages ready to slip in an ice cream sandwich straight from the freezer.

Ice cream sandwiches made to order

You can always expect a line at the corner of Telegraph and Channing in Berkeley.

My matcha green tea in snickerdoodle sandwich. It lasted two minutes.

The choices can make it hard to decide quickly

I’d never been [...]]]> Dottie’s True Blue Cafe is one of those San Francisco institution notorious for its long lines, for years forming from its tiny diner in the gritty Tenderloin area. Earlier this year, it moved to a larger space, yet still retained the line and gritty personality on Sixth Street just south of Market.

I’d never been to the original Dottie’s, and wanted to see what I’d been missing all these years. I recruited my friends Ken and Dane for Saturday brunch, and we thought we were smart to go during an in-between hour like 10 a.m. (after the breakfast crowd but still early for lunch). But when we arrived, there was a line about to turn the corner into the alley.

The staff, though, was efficient about keeping things moving, going through the line to find parties fitting the vacancies that occurred (tables for two seemed really popular; tough luck if you’re a larger party). Our wait was 30 minutes.

The new space is spacious but it had a vibe like Dottie’s has been there for years. You know, like someone who’s lived in a space and has gathered so much stuff that every nook and cranny is filled with either a table or some eclectic display, like the row of retro fans on a top ledge or the California redwoods salt-and-pepper shakers at our table.

The menu is an impressive list of egg options and baked goods. The daily specials on a chalkboard hoisted up high had a lot of intriguing dishes. In fact, we all ordered from the specials.

We started with the Whisky Blueberry Crumb Cake ($6) that I noticed on the baked goods board outside. It was definitely large enough to share, served with a dollop of whipped cream.

Slightly warm, the cake didn’t have a Whisky flavor but I could tell there was alcohol in it because of my tingling tongue. Dane liked how it wasn’t really sweet.

Whisky Blueberry Crumb Cake ($6)

For his brunch, Dane ordered the zucchini cakes ($11.95), which was covered with a spicy marinara sauce and topped with poached eggs. His plate came with fresh fruits and potatoes. He liked the crispy edge on the zucchini cakes, but wished there was more crispiness to the potatoes. I also noted how his poached eggs looked more hard than the oozing of yolk I often associate with poached eggs.

Ken got the frittata ($12.95), which I thought about ordering because it had all the ingredients I love: avocado, tomato, corn, jalapeno, scallion and feta cheese. Ken liked his frittata (although he didn’t notice much of a jalapeno kick) and also agreed the potatoes could have been better.

Even though it had all the ingredients I loved, I shied away from the frittata because I wasn’t in the mood for something with eggs. (I just got my cholesterol test this week and was trying to reduce my egg consumption, among other things.) I saw something on the specials board called a “strata” ($12.95) and I wondered what it was.

I was told that it had some eggs but not as much as a frittata, and that it had bread as a base. I thought I’d try it to see what it was (and turned out this probably killed my cholesterol because of the heavy provolone). Strata is actually like a bread casserole, and Dottie’s version was made with spinach and filled with the aforementioned provolone cheese.

Spinach provolone strata (right) and roasted tomatoes (left)

The chunk of strata on the plate was overpowered by the cheese, IMHO, so I didn’t really notice the spinach, and the oil from the cooked cheese just made me feel like the strata was a piece of greasy bread. To counter all this, the order is served with a brilliant plate of fresh fruits and intensely flavored slices of roasted tomatoes. (It also came with Italian sausage that was OK, but nothing memorable.)

The line outside never waned, and instead just got longer as we ate. I’ve read complaints about the slow service, but on this day and with our particular server, I just saw a friendly staff who kept plates moving and people happy.

The food at Dottie’s won’t necessarily introduce you to anything new (although the baked goods is worth trying), but the vibe and large servings appear to be what keeps people coming. And with the funky new space, Dottie’s will surely be creating a buzz for years to come.

Rating: 2.5 out of 4 camera snaps

Dottie’s True Blue Cafe, 28 Sixth St., San Francisco. Opened Wednesday through Monday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (till 4 p.m. on weekends); closed Tuesday. Major credit cards accepted, no reservations. Website

People continue to line up for a table at Dottie's True Blue Cafe's new Sixth Street location

The baked goods board

Frittata with avocado, tomatoes, corn, jalapeno, scallions and feta cheese

Front room of the new Dottie's True Blue Cafe

People waiting outside

Black and white photographs hang on brick walls. The back room is lit by a chandelier.

Zucchini cakes with poached eggs and spicy marinara sauce

Sneaky’s BBQ started out in 2008 as an underground caterer, and it continues to cater private parties with its menu of Carolina-style barbeque and fixin’s [...]]]> Pop-ups are still popular in San Francisco, but eventually a few of them turn into full-fledged restaurants or – like in the case of Sneaky’s BBQ – a semi-permanent restaurant.

Sneaky’s BBQ started out in 2008 as an underground caterer, and it continues to cater private parties with its menu of Carolina-style barbeque and fixin’s (i.e., cornbread, baked beans, cole slaw, mac and cheese). But for five nights of the week, Sneaky’s serves up its barbeque delights inside the Rebel Bar on Market Street near Octavia.

Sides of braised collard greens and mac and cheese

Some might call the juxtaposition of the leather/motorbike décor with BBQ as a match made in heaven, while others might be left perplexed. Especially when you’re quietly eating your BBQ ribs and downing a pint of beer while sitting next to a stripper pole (Rebel serves a primarily gay clientele and features go-go boys on the weekends.)

When I visited one night with my friends Debbie and Cynthia, it seemed more people were coming in for the happy hour than the BBQ. As for the menu, I found the two-meat plate with choice of two sides a great value at $26. And in some ways, it’s enough food to share between two people.

The two meats I tried was the brisket (thickly sliced meat from Creekstone Farms) and the kurobuta pork belly. While pork belly is my favorite, Sneaky’s version came to the table unusually dry. It was disappointing, but the brisket made up for it with its tender slices of meat with a distinct smoky flavor. It was so good I didn’t even bother with the sides of BBQ sauce (a bit runny) that’s served with the plate.

Rebel Bar has a motorbike theme and ... stripper poles (left)

The mix of sides we got were enjoyable, from the crunchy cole slaw to the braised collard greens to the spicy baked beans. (I didn’t try the mac and cheese that Cynthia ordered because I could only do so much to overload my cholesterol.)

Desserts are provided by another local business called Hot Mess Baking, and are limited to cookies, cakes and pies. Debbie tried the chocolate chip bacon cookie and thought it was interesting, but nothing spectacular.

Sneaky’s BBQ is hit and miss, with a few delights (brisket, cole slaw, beans) and one notable disappointment (pork belly). In such a temporary feel, I expected and wanted more from the BBQ, dominating the ambiance so all one thinks about is the food. Instead, it still feels like something someone sneaked into the place under the radar.

Rating: 2 out of 4 camera snaps

Sneaky’s BBQ, 1760 Market St. (inside Rebel Bar), San Francisco. PH: 415.431.4200. Open Wednesday through Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 9 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday. No reservations. Website

More sides of cole slaw and spicy baked beans

Brisket was tender and smoky

Kurobota pork belly

This three-month-old soda fountain and ice cream shop has been written up and creating buzz for its Art Deco design and adult-friendly sodas and shakes developed by Rickhouse bartender Russell Davis. While young and old grab a number [...]]]>

A scoop of ice cream in a cone waits to be picked up

What more can I say about the aptly named Ice Cream Bar in San Francisco’s Cole Valley?

This three-month-old soda fountain and ice cream shop has been written up and creating buzz for its Art Deco design and adult-friendly sodas and shakes developed by Rickhouse bartender Russell Davis. While young and old grab a number up front and wait for their turn to pick an ice cream flavor or sundae, others stroll to the back soda fountain counter to try drinks made with homemade extracts and ingredients like acid phosphates (which creates a sour flavor for a soda).

The huge Tropical Split sundae with roasted pineapples, vanilla ice cream, toffee, and homemade marshmallows

While the phosphates soda was interesting (I tried the classic wild cherry), the humongous sundaes are also worth trying, like the Tropical Split ($9) I got that had amazing homemade marshmallows that were so light and fluffy.

But for me, I just enjoyed the nostalgic vibe of this tiny neighborhood spot, with its soda jerks dressed in classic black-and-white uniforms and caps. So here’s a slideshow of photographs I took during my visits in the last month to Ice Cream Bar. As always, this slideshow is housed permanently in my Exhibits section.

Ice Cream Bar, 815 Cole St. (at Carl), San Francisco. PH: 415.742.4932. Open from noon to 10 p.m. daily. theicecreambarsf.com