san francisco – food

We stopped into John Foley’s Irish Pub and Restaurant for dinner. It was dimly lit loud and raucous, a trend in restaurants that I have never enjoyed but our meal was well worth the noise.

Of course Guinness and Newcastle while we waited for our table

Always a good way to start

then mussels ( I have always favored a white wine sauce ) but this whiskey based cream sauce with bacon in it was wonderful. We were dabbing the bread to be sure no mussel or sauce went untasted.

mussels with a whiskey cream sauce and bacon – I’m liking Irish food now!

Then for our main courses, a lamb shank with glazed carrots, some onion and luscious mashed potatoes with broth dripping and wild mushroom ravioli’s served in a butter sauce with herbs. Lamb shank seems to be an ancient meal, with roots back even beyond the Greeks, and this was slow cooked tender, with just the right herbs to make it a timeless favorite.

I decided on this order. A sip of ale, a bit of lamb and carrot with mashed potatoes and then a bit of bead and butter. Repeat until blissfully satisfied.

savory lamb, rich mushrooms – both delightful

It is said and I believe that hunger makes the best sauce and traipsing around San Francisco’s hills on foot certainly feeds the appetite. I think this wonderful meal stands on proudly on its own in any conditions.

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