This past Easter I was lucky enough to hop away from LA for a weekend of fabulous food and friends. After 3 new food truck tastings (review to come soon!), premium mixology cocktails, and a whirlwind of crisp Bay air & fun, the hand model and I finished it off with an Easter Brunch at Starbelly in San Francisco's Castro district.
This humble cafe has a homey inside, complete with warm woods, cool blue, bright orange & soothing brown accents, and even a homegrown herb garden on the outdoor patio. On a busy, Easter holiday Sunday morning, the service was friendly, but a little slow (it took 45 minutes for our food to arrive). Some dishes left a little somethin' to be desired. But, I'd love to return on a non holiday where I can take more time to relax and enjoy my meal – as opposed to shoveling it down to catch a flight home.
The Grubdown:
- the perfect balance, just the right amount of heat, could be a tad more crunchy, and I wished the sour cream dollop was a poached egg instead Chilaquiles with House Made Chorizo, Corn Chips, Chile Sauce, Cilantro & House Salad $12
- like a cheesy ground beefy casserole Sunnyside Joe's with Prather Ranch Ground Beef, Aged Cheddar, Spinach & Potatoes $11
- pretty standard with too fatty bacon 2 Farmhouse Eggs, Potatoes, Toast & Bacon $10
The best way to describe Starbelly's food is clean and simple with local organic ingredients. The star of the brunch show was definitely the Chilaquiles for its smoky taste and thick juicy Peppers. The only downfall was when I dug into the big dollop of Sour Cream on top, thinking it was a beautifully Poached Egg about to drizzle some warm, sticky Yolk all over my plate – unfortunately it did not, but the cream helped cool the heat. And the fresh Organic Salad with Cherry Tomatoes & Crumbled Goat Cheese was the perfect balance to this sinful dish.
I had a bite of my friend's Sunnyside Joe's casserole too. The Ground Beef and Cheese really stood out, but it tasted more like a bland beefy Hamburger Helper, as opposed to breakfast.
I also snuck a piece of Bacon from my hand model's Farmhouse Eggs plate. The Bacon was way too thick 'n fatty, and overall the dish was good, but nothing really stood out.
On the other hand, the handmade gourmet Pizzas ($11-16) that were passed around while we waited, definitely made my mouth drool. I can't wait to return to try them next time.
Lastly, I absolutely loved the old fashioned Champagne glass touch that the Mimosas were served in.
3583 16th Street (at Market), San Francisco, CA 94114. (415) 252-7500. @StarbellySF
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