A Fabulous Summer Lunch at Bushi-Tei in SF!

Hey everyone! Yes, it has been a while! This semester is super busy, but I'm hanging in there! Today is a rainy day~ Andrew left to go home and study (I miss youuuuu!) , and I'm making dinner, and then I have a meeting to go to at 8. I don't really want to work on my essay any more, so I thought why not update my blog? :D Yay! It feels awesome! Anyway, here are some pics from a lunch in the summer time! My dad took my sister and I to Japantown for a special lunch and some townhouse shopping for me! This was after I got back from Japan, so it was funny to be in Japantown, SF! XD Pictured above is a Japanese-style cheescake slice from Andersen Bakery! Yum! It was a typical Japanese cheesecake, soft and fluffy, with a light lemon flavor~ A decadent way to start the day!



After shopping, my sis and I met my dad in front of Bushi-Tei, a rather upscale restaurant in Japantown. It's a up the street from Peace Plaza; perhaps people don't know too much about it. This lunch was one of the best food experiences I have ever had! The restaurant interior is smaller than one would expect, but that makes for a cozier, more attentive experience. It's a beautiful place, good for meeting with people for business, like my dad does.
We were served a complimentary cup of soup-I think it was carrot and potato soup? It was so soothing and the scallion bits on top with the drizzle of olive oil added such an earthy touch! I love the idea of getting a free cup of soup with your meal~ It made me feel like special~ :D
My father ordered his favorite, the rock shrimp salad, full size. He, of course, loved it and was so happy he ordered it again.
My sister ordered the Panzanella salad, which is an Italian salad consisting of bread, tomatoes, and other vegetables in a light dressing. She really enjoyed it and it looks lovely! A bread salad is very Italian, and not a dish I have seen in many restaurants, so we were impressed by this!
Now......this salad changed my life. I am so serious. I LOVE this salad! It's the chicken confit salad, with trevisio, brie cheese, in a dijon dressing. OH MY GOODNESS THIS IS THE MOST DELICIOUS THING I HAVE EVER EATEN! The chicken legs are tender and they melt in your mouth, so succulent with their rich chicken juices~ Confit means that the chicken was marinating in it's own (fatty) juices, so it's extremely moist and savory. The sharpness of the salad contrasted well with the rich chicken and brie cheese. I put some brie on the lovely toasts and it was so grand with the chicken and the tasty salad! All in all, an amazing dish; it was rich without going over the top and my taste buds were dancing in happiness~ :)
For his entree, my dad ordered the halibut special of the day! It came with a bistro salad, crunchy shoestring fries, and romesco sauce to dip the fish in. The romesco sauce was chilled, which is normal, and is made of red peppers. I tried a bite of the fish with the sauce and enjoyed it, much to my surprise. It was a tasty summer dish and my dad liked it!
We ordered an extra side of fries because we weren't sure if our entrees came with some! XD So yeah, we had tons of fries and it was delicious! These were fried perfectly, and were dusted with paprika, which was a delicious touch! :D
I ordered the same thing as my sister, the Croque washugyu! This dish is a play on the traditional French bistro dish of a Croque Monsieur sandwich, but open-faced with wagyu beef and onions! It was so goooood and the cheese and onions brought it to a whole new level! Of course, the fries added a lot too~ ;) Fiona and I really enjoyed this and we were getting so full! I was taking pictures of everything we ate with my phone to send to Andrew; I really wished he was there, as he sure did! :D But, that wish did come true sometime later.... ;)
Stuffed, but unable to refuse dessert and the comfort of the restaurant, we ordered some tea. It was one of those overcast and cold San Francisco summer days, and this hit the spot. I ordered the special mint tea, I think, and Fiona ordered some sort of lemongrass tea? It was interesting!
I will be honest and admit that we were underwhelmed by the dessert. This was a little chocolate souffle cake, topped with house-made milk ice cream and roasted strawberries. The souffle was small and a bit dry, and the ice cream was too icey.....but those roasted strawberries.....oh my gosh the sweetness of the strawberries exploded in my mouth! They were the best part of the dessert! Roasting strawberries, what a marvelous idea! People should do it more! :D

So, that was our splendid meal. My family had a great time, but I was really missing Andrew. As I hinted earlier, I actually did get to go to Bushi-Tei with Andrew a couple months later! :D I will do a seperate post on that, since I have to find the pictures first. It was still an amazing meal, not as hefty, but still awesome! Of course, the company was the best! ;) Thanks love!



Bushi-Tei

1638 Post Street

San Francisco, CA 94115

(415) 440-4959

http://www.bushi-tei.com/

Momofraise says: GO NOW! This is my favorite restaurant! The service is attentive and hospitable, and the food is so satisfying! The prices are reasonable! You won't be dissappointed!

PS: I checked the website, and they seem to have a new winter menu! It sounds good, but different!