food.jpgLast week, Claire and I had dinner in downtown San Francisco, not the most logical place to go for a good meal in this town. Far too many establishments cater to tourists, i.e. people who will probably never return, and that means “kid-friendly” meals as well: greasy fries, overcooked meats, sweet mushy things prepared under the rubric of fast food.

So it’s a relief to find Belden Place, a narrow alley off Bush Street in downtown San Francisco, which is now home to several good restaurants.

Plouf is one of them and if the weather permits, you should eat outside (there are outdoor heaters). This alley gets very crowded with the office lunchtime crowd, but for dinner, it’s not crazy. One has to make reservations or show up a bit early to get a table.

What I liked: the steamed clams and mussels which come in a variety of preparations. There are traditional mussels with white wine, but they also have them in a light broth of coconut milk or pastis. The broth is not overpowering at all and the clams and mussels are very fresh. Most of the dishes are French-Mediterranean with an emphasis on seafood. The pommes frites (french fries) are excellent: thin, flavorful and not at all greasy. I am not a fan of pommes frites and rarely eat them (because I don’t like potatoes) but the Plouf version is fine by me.

The crowd: eclectic mix of fashion people and downtown creative types

Other restaurants on Belden that I like: B44 (a Catalan tapas restaurant owned by the Plouf folks) and Belden Taverna. Click here to see the Belden Place restaurants.

Plouf
40 Belden Place
San Francisco
Phone: +1 415 986 6491

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