Source San Francisco

Much hype and excitement was posted on the Internet in the run up to the opening of SOURCE, the newest vegetarian/vegan restaurant in the Bay.   VEGANSAURUS had been there..rated it.  Skirted by the swanky design district on Division St, it's a bit out of the way from my place in the Mission, but the walk there was interesting, as SF's streets always are..

Arrhh...!  too much choice on the menu!  I performed my usual 'menu traumatics', asking three members of staff what I should order ('pizza's amazing...'lurve the green goddess salad....') and then I completely ignored their suggestions and opted for the Jamaican Jerk Cluck.  I did however order the rosemarie (their spelling) salted fries with Gilroy sauce (a favourite of the cashier..he practically swooned...do men swoon? well, best word I could come up with right now). 

Source is owned by two brothers from New York.  One greets everyone with a warm smile and a free nibbly (french bread and truffle oil).  The other, Mitch, is getting busy meanwhile with the long armed pizza spade and the dragon shaped (?) pizza oven. 

Andrew gave me lots of attention, which of course I lapped up, and told me all about his journey from the East coast to find home for Source.  He wants Source to be a fun place for people to come and eat great food.  It was early when I arrived, not quite dinner but way past lunch, so Andrew could have the time to share a little of his story.  I'm sure he'll not get time to hang with the diners when the place is buzzing.  The atmosphere at Source is upbeat, the bros chose their staff well.  The decor is simple clean and minimal.

My order came super quick.  Nice and generous portions. Tick!

The fries - salty, stick-thin and perfectly oily, were the best I've ever had.  The Gilroy sauce (at a guess so called because of the Gilroy Garlic Festival) was VERY garlicky, creamy and INCREDIBLE.  I squirted some, agarve sweetened, tom sauce on the side too, to give it a try...yum. Tick. Tick. Tick!!

The jerk cluk and veggies filled the plate, the pickle (they call it chutney but I think its closer to its 'heavy on the vinegar' cousin Mr Pickle) was really good... I would have liked some more.  The jerky was not really 'jerky' as I had imagined it, I thought it would be hot with spices but I likened it as more of a stew.  The texture of the imported Taiwan soya 'chicken' would defy a carnies belief that it wasn't 'real'.  Personally I'd prefer Tempeh as the texture was a little too reminiscent for me but the flavours of the stew were, flavoursome, rich and lovable.

DESSERT..  I was full and hardly any room existed in my stomach but I HAD to try a dessert...just so I could blog about it!  Andrew removed my angst, of another five minutes spent faffing about, deciding what to order, and conjured up a 'live' chocolate, caramel moussey thing which had me sighing with UTTER desire and pleasure.  It was thick and sweet, the cacao nibs brittle and bitter.  My eyes had spied the creme filled cookies up at the counter (supplied by WHOLESOME BAKERY) and usually I'd have ordered one of those too. I was glad I didn't.  Twas not needed.  Satisfaction was reached.

I wanna go back.  I want to live in San Francisco so I can make Source one of my regular haunts.  It will be interesting to see how Source goes down with the spoilt for choice residents of SF..I wish them EVERY success.  I walked home very happy, and in slight pain, from eating too much.