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I Never Met A Fat I Didn't Like... Until Now. PLUS, a Quick Review of Beretta
Posted by karen at May 18, 2008 2:59 PM 
Categories: Ingredients, Restaurants, Reviews, San Francisco
Categories: Ingredients, Restaurants, Reviews, San Francisco
My friend Roberto and I went to eat at Beretta, a new hipster Italian joint that took over the Last Supper Club space on Valencia and 23rd. They offer lardo as a charcuterie selection or on a pizza. Lardo, which is the new "in" pig fat this season. It's like this year's guanciale (which gets my vote for the "in" pork fat of 2007.)
I know what you're thinking: "what the %&$% is she talking about?"
Lardo - it's what's for dinner.
LARDO. It's the part of the pig fat right under the skin, but unlike bacon, it has no meaty parts, JUST FAT. You would think it was manna from heaven, ambrosia of the pig-lovin' gods, the way people have been blathering on about it of late. So of course at Beretta we had to order the lardo pizza because I could not WAIT to try this magically delicious fat.
So the pizza arrives and it's not actually a pizza, it's a bready crust with a couple of white slimy things on it and nothing else. And it's like, not that great. And the lardo is just so not that great. Kind of gross, actually! It's not really smoky or flavorful, kind of like eating a slice of rancid crisco. And I LOVE pork AND fat and especially PORK FAT so that's saying something. Should I be disappointed in myself? I still like guanciale, for what it's worth... which I guess is kind of like still liking a cosmopolitan. Which I do. There, I admitted it. They are delicious. Damn you fickle food world!!
Meanwhile... a**-kicking fava bean bruschetta
This is not to say that Beretta itself is not fabulous, because it actually is. This fava bean bruschetta was incredibly fresh and tasty, I could have eaten like 10 more. And the saffron risotto with osso buco was so good, SO GOOD and perfectly, deliciously rendered, that we had to order it again, after licking the first plate clean. And no. It wasn't because their portions are too small.
ridiculous saffron risotto with osso buco- ohhhh mama.
In much the same vein as the lovely Dosa (just a block away), they don't take reservations except for parties of 6 or more and it's really crowded and popular. So go early or find 5 other people with no commitment issues and get a reservation!
The info:
BERETTA - website
1199 Valencia St., San Francisco
big plus: they are open late
big minus: they are very crowded
I know what you're thinking: "what the %&$% is she talking about?"
Lardo - it's what's for dinner.
LARDO. It's the part of the pig fat right under the skin, but unlike bacon, it has no meaty parts, JUST FAT. You would think it was manna from heaven, ambrosia of the pig-lovin' gods, the way people have been blathering on about it of late. So of course at Beretta we had to order the lardo pizza because I could not WAIT to try this magically delicious fat.
So the pizza arrives and it's not actually a pizza, it's a bready crust with a couple of white slimy things on it and nothing else. And it's like, not that great. And the lardo is just so not that great. Kind of gross, actually! It's not really smoky or flavorful, kind of like eating a slice of rancid crisco. And I LOVE pork AND fat and especially PORK FAT so that's saying something. Should I be disappointed in myself? I still like guanciale, for what it's worth... which I guess is kind of like still liking a cosmopolitan. Which I do. There, I admitted it. They are delicious. Damn you fickle food world!!
Meanwhile... a**-kicking fava bean bruschetta
This is not to say that Beretta itself is not fabulous, because it actually is. This fava bean bruschetta was incredibly fresh and tasty, I could have eaten like 10 more. And the saffron risotto with osso buco was so good, SO GOOD and perfectly, deliciously rendered, that we had to order it again, after licking the first plate clean. And no. It wasn't because their portions are too small.
ridiculous saffron risotto with osso buco- ohhhh mama.
In much the same vein as the lovely Dosa (just a block away), they don't take reservations except for parties of 6 or more and it's really crowded and popular. So go early or find 5 other people with no commitment issues and get a reservation!
The info:
BERETTA - website
1199 Valencia St., San Francisco
big plus: they are open late
big minus: they are very crowded
It's like Snails-on-a-crust! Eew lol I didn't know we as a species were still consuming lard in any form. Well, exccept for refried beans - that's a must!
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We should go to the Russian food store on Geary together one day. They sell 5 different types of "lardo", known in Russia as "salo", including some that they make themselves. It's quite popular, especially in Ukraine - where they've even made chocolate-covered salo
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I'm in! A little scared... but in.
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