Why oh why didn’t anyone tell me that San Francisco is California’s own North Pole? I only brought a thin jacket with me, and I was a walking and talking ice-cube as I waddled and hobbled around San Francisco yesterday. My butt cheeks are seriously frozen in place and I feel like if I sat down too hard it might crack like glass!

But despite the crazy, temperamental weather, I had a wonderful time yesterday again. I feel this euphoric high rippling through my bloodstreams, and it’s not just from having a good time or food. It’s this relieving sense of…release. I think for the first time in many years while I struggled with an ED, I am truly learning how to relax and actually truly enjoy a vacation.

We go to places without really planning it out, stop by any restaurant that catches our fancy, and I’m allowing myself to just go with the flow. I don’t worry before meals, or obsess after meals. I do definitely enjoy my meals thoroughly, but once it is over I just forget about it and enjoy the next moment. I am filled with such hope…Can it be that this is really the start of my liberation from the control of ED? Am I really…being set free? Oh, I certainly hope so!

Yesterday was another whirlpool of activities. We set out to the Mission District to look at some murals, but we got hungry so stopped by this cozy-looking Mexican restaurant that looked pretty nice and clean.
Regalito’s decor was really stylish and chic, with my favorite shade of green:
Everything on the menu looked so good and they even was serving brunch, but I finally settled on a dish I have been wanting to try for ages:
 Pollo con Negro Mole: roasted free-range chicken thigh with Oaxacan mole – chili, dried fruits, nuts, and spices. Rice on the side.
Holy shit. Amazing! The sauce was sooo flavorful! If I remember correctly there should be chocolate in this sauce, and I could definitely taste a deep, cocoa undertone.
My cousin and aunt ordered several dishes to share:
 Sopa de Tortilla: Chicken broth, tortilla strips, toasted chile ancho, queso fresco, avocado

Unfortunately, the soup was way too sour…it tasted sort of like a Mexican-style tom yum soup. I thought it was supposed to taste that way, but Clara swears it shouldn’t.
 Guacamole con Tostadas: Avocado mashed with Salsa Mexicana and fried corn tortilla. Not my favorite.

And the Enchilada Verdes:
 Corn tortillas dipped in green chili sauce, filled with roasted chicken, with queso fresco, crema, onions, and cilantro
 This was good! I actually stole almost a whole piece. I love the green chili sauce, and it went so well with the tart cheese and sour cream.
They also served up rice and beans and tortillas on the side, so we made these little tortilla wraps:
After lunch we walked around for a bit admiring the famous murals, then hitched a ride on the Bart up to Union Square. We went to visit to MOMA, but for some reason I was so sleepy! After a heavy meal my body just wanted to doze off, so I laid my head on a bench and napped for 20 minutes.

But once I was awake, I was refreshed and invigorated once again! Surprising what a short nap can do for you! We went to a park nearby and rolled around the grass for a bit and then started walking up to Chinatown.

But on the way our eyes caught side of this little store:
It seems to have become tradition to have a mid-day snack of froyo!

Clara got the medium-sized froyo to share with her mom:
  Strawberry-banana froyo with cheesecake bites, mochi, and strawberries

I got the smaller-sized:
Strawberry-banana froyo with blueberries

Okay, bad, baaaad idea. I was immediately frozen in spot once I finished my cold froyo. Cold froyo on a windy San Francisco evening? Someone smack me for being so dumb! But I immediately bought a hot cup of coffee in McDonald’s so that warmed me right back up!

I was actually looking for green tea powder in Chinatown, but was disappointed to find nothing but a lot of dirty markets and Chinese restaurants:
But it sure is much bigger and better than Washington D.C’s mini-mini-mini Chinatown! More like Chinashop.

After that we started walking up towards Fisherman’s Wharf. Oh my God, it’s even colder out there with blustering wind! I tied a scarf around my neck and piled on two jackets, but I found myself shivering from time to time. But luckily we stopped by several shops along the way, and that warmed my frozen butt and hands before popping out into the cold again.
One of the shops we stopped by was this huge candy store to buy some saltwater taffies. And what a surprise!
Free complimentary caramel popcorn! It smelled amazing, and all sticky and crunchy. I didn’t see them giving out free popcorn to other people…I guess they were just mesmerized by my beauty and charm? Yes indeed, that must be it!

On the bay, we also snacked on some fried calamari and fried clams:
Yuck. It was disgusting. Way too salty, and left a unpleasant greasy snot in my tongue. I let my cousin finish it.

Even though we weren’t that hungry from all the snacks, it was getting late and we started wandering around looking for a place to eat. This one particular spot caught our eye:
Yo, it boasts homemade gnocchi! And there were tons of people lining up for a table! That means it had to be good, right?

We ended up waiting and shivering in the cold for about half an hour before we finally got a spot by the corner…outdoors. Ai yi yi! But we were tired and just really needed a place to sit, so we huddled into the cold seats out in the open with the wind blowing into our faces. The waiter served us some Italian bread and focaccia with olive oil/ balsamic vinegar dip:
My cousin wasn’t that hungry after all the snacking, so she decided to just share a dish with my aunt:
 Spaghetti alla Carbonara
 Spaghetti with pancetta, egg, Parmesan cheese, and scallions

Too bad it was all dried-out…and cold! Cold food on a cold night? We got a little ticked off, so we complained to the waiter. The waiter tried to make excuses that all carbonaras are like this, but I interrupted, “I already know what a carbonara is! I’ve made it before and it isn’t supposed to be like this!”

The poor waiter had nothing more to say. He took the dish back and returned with a creamier, hotter dish. I felt sort of bad, but hey, we’re the customers and we pay for good food!

My aunt and cousin also ordered a small Greca salad to share:
 Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, red bell peppers, red onion, and feta cheese in lemon-herb infused olive oil

I didn’t eat this, but stole some bites of feta.

Now, I know all of  you are gonna groan and moan about the dish I ordered…but I swear I wasn’t gonna order it at first! The gnocchi definitely caught my eye, but I wanted to try something else, a polenta dish with sausages. So I asked my waiter which dishes he would recommend, and he said immediately without a moment’s hesitation: “The gnocchi. Get the gnocchi. It’s the best.” Well, what was I to argue with the expert?
 Homemade ricotta gnocchi with sausages, asparagus, and green peas in creamy gorgonzola sauce
 I’m so glad I listened to the waiter. It was fabulous! This time the gnocchi was perfectly cooked, and so chewy and pillowy, just the way I like it!
The sausage in there was all spicy, and it went so well with the crunch of the asparagus and the soft peas. I finished the whole dish, and licked it clean, literally.

Whew! Now that I have all these food and fun under one post, I sure have enjoyed and pampered myself yesterday! Well, I’m in for two more days of treat, then it’s back to Virginia…I leave Monday night. Sad! But I’m even more determined to enjoy all the time I’ve got left here!

Have a super duper Sunday everyone! I’m off to eat lunch at this place I’ve really really wanted to try…because it’s another huge challenge for me that I’ve been building up my courage and anticipation on! Anybody can guess what that place is? Hint: It’s greasy and can be only found in the west coast. Hee.

Related posts:

1. I’ll Study Here for the Food
2. I’m a Cow, Hear Me Moo
3. From being to IN control
4. Transit to America
5. Conquering Good Eats in NoCal, Part I

Tagged as: beans, cheese, chicken, chili, corn, cream, deep-fried, fear food, froyo, fruits, mexican, pasta, rice, salad, sausage, soup, tortilla