Bauer Slams Gitane; Roth Loves La Nebbia

[Photo: Gitane/Facebook]

Bauer checked in at Gitane this week, which "remains one of the most romantic settings in the Bay Area." But a waiter's upselling quickly killed the mood. "It began to feel like we were dealing with a modern version of the door-to-door salesman who was rejected but keeps coming back." Bauer ordered a lot, but "flatline flavors dominate," from "unsatisfying" merguez sausage to "overcooked" pollock to "mealy" prawns and "gummy" couscous. Though the food is "competently prepared for the most part," "it seems overpriced." The one thing that inspired Bauer was the interior, where "everything is sparkling, bright, romantic and exciting." That is, "until the check arrives."Two stars. [Chron]

Anna Roth visited new La Ciccia spinoff La Nebbia, where "the well-crafted menu has many treats in store." Structured around a selection of wines that as "as affordable as they are interesting," the food here is "as delicate as the wine, "a sensation of flavors unpacking themselves on the tongue." Pizzas boast a "marvelous crust," lasagna dishes are "worthy" and the "intensely pleasurable" smoked pancetta with burrata, melted endive and truffle had Roth begging for the last bite. The ambiance makes for "a good place to fall in love or pour your heart out to a friend," but it's also "in tune with its neighborhood," balancing young couples with Noe Valley families. All told, it's the "spiritual cousin of the kind of osteria you might stumble across on a side street in a Tuscan hill town." [SF Weekly]

Jonathan Kauffman checked out Cholita Linda's Temescal brick-and-mortar, where windows "tall as giraffes" and a dining room "laid out like picnic grounds" hide surprises like a Cuban sandwich with a "rush of cumin" and "jolt of sharp mustard." "At least one order of the fish tacos is a must:" while the shredded cabbage and drizzles of crema are welcome, "the reason we return for her tacos is the smear of chiles and spices underneath." [Tasting Table]

Wendy Hector headed to the Golden State Warriors' homebase, Oracle Arena to survey the food options for local basketball fans. As it turns out, the "dining options are tremendously varied." Kinder's BBQ, located in carts in Section 232, seemed to be the fan favorite, and the pulled-pork sandwich, "soft bread covered in a sauced pile of pork and slaw," was Hector's favorite bite of the night. "Sweetness, smoke and tang" made the sandwich sing, not to mention ease of use. Elsewhere, a chicken banh mi sandwich was "fresh and flavorful," though the chicken was "oddly texture-less." A chicken po'boy saved the day, "sport[ing] beautifully blistered, golden-fried chicken." Hector's ready to "explore this world of nouveau sports cuisine" further, but so far, she's optimistic about her options. "If you're going to pay insane prices for concessions, you might as well get some bang for your buck, right?" Right. [Examiner]

Luke Tsai visited "tiny" breakfast and lunch spot 10th & Wood, an "arty-looking restaurant" with food that stands out. The signature "po-mi" (a cross between a New Orleans-style po'boy and a Vietnamese banh mi) is "executed with thoughtful simplicity," and the fried fish was a favorite, with "thin, perfectly fried" cornmeal-crusted tilapia fillets boasting "pure, unadulterated crunch." A "very solid" biscuit breakfast sandwich is the highlight of the morning, and a "power chicken" sandwich was "redeemed by an array of tasty toppings and condiments" that reminded Tsai "of a baked-apple Brie." A diverse crowd gives this spot "a friendly neighborhood-y feel you don't always find at places where people from many different walks of life occupy the same space," and dinner service is on the way, which will transform the space from grab-and-go to more of a sit-down experience. [EBX]