Two Brunches, Then on to Mountain View

We awoke early to very Seattle-cliche conditions. Gray and drizzly.

A trusted friend (gfrancie) recommended The Butler & The Chef in SOMA for a new love of mine, eggs benedict, so we made an early beeline to beat the brunch crowd. This restaurant was a little piece of France in SFO’s South Park. I went for classic benedict with Niman Ranch ham. Mr. T got a crepe which led to a half-hearted discussion about the authenticity of buckwheat in crepes.

We checked out of our hotel, packed our luggage into storage, and wandered over to Union Square to kill time before plans with my friend Deborah.

Yeah, I love gumbo too, dude.

Starbucks in Union Square was hopping — the Nike Women’s Marathon wrapped up shortly before, so runners, their support, and tourists escaping the drizzle packed the place. We found a window-seat to peruse the NYT. Soon, it was time to catch the BART to the Mission for brunch at Foreign Cinema.

Sadly, the main draw for me — their Persian Bloody Mary — was all sold out (signature?! how could that be?), but I drowned my sorrows in a Sunday Bloody Caesar. I got my RDA of Cali-Mexican with the Rajas Scramble: roasted pasilla peppers, tortilla chips, salsa fresca, and queso fresco. Mr. T was all about the Yellowtail Tartare & the Caramel Sticky Bun. (Who says things have to match?) Fine brunch, and fueled some odd shopping through the Mission.

We killed more time, then took the BART back out to the airport for our car rental & transfer to Silicon Valley, where In-N-Out awaited. Huzzah.