Culinary Muse

Summer in the City

I realize that the rest of the country is sizzling, so it may be a bit unfair to flaunt our lovely, cool, SF summer fog. But flaunt it, I must. My new morning walk takes me down the hill, through Chinatown, across Broadway, a brief stop at Caffe Trieste for cappuccino, along Grant, another brief stop at the French American Bakery for an anise biscotti and then up the hill to Coit Tower. If I am there early, it is just a few ladies practicing Tai Chi and me. Any later than 9:45, and I am joined by lots of tourists, mainly from Germany or France. Weak $ = more tourists. Good for them, and us (at home).

Sunday Morning in San Francisco

Every Sunday morning, while others are in church praying (for us, we hope), we walk through Chinatown along Stockton Street, make a right on Vallejo and then a hard left on Columbus and end up at Caffe Puccinni. Sometimes the tables are full, sometimes the place is empty. It all depends if we arrive by 9:30 or as late at 9:35. We have made it into the inner circle of regulars. By now, Senora knows our order and tells us what we will be having. An iced tea for Mr. Muse, a double cappuccino for me, two almond biscotti, sometimes a breakfast bagel with scrambled eggs to share. There is a jukebox with Sinatra, Pavarotti and, of course, Puccinni.

We leave after an hour and head home along Stockton Street. One stop for bananas (39 cents a pound) and one stop at Gourmet Delight for cheap chow mein to go. I always say the same thing as I walk out the door with my white Chinese take-out carton stuffed full for $2.00. You will never go hungry if you live close to a Chinatown.

Caffe Puccinni, Columbus Avenue between Vallejo and Green

Gourmet Delight, 1045 Stockton

ARIAS WITH YOUR CAPPUCCINO

Today we were driving around running ‘car errands’ when I detected that the blood sugar was dropping fast for both of us. I suggested Caffe Puccini as a joke because anyone’s chances of finding a shady parking place in front (necessary because dog was in car) are one in a million. Oh right. I forgot that Mr. Muse has parking karma as does our dog. There it was. Right in front. I just laughed and jumped out of the car.

There is nothing fancy or chic about Caffe Puccini, my favorite coffee house in North Beach. Great espresso drinks, no attitude, good pasta, no attitude, respectable biscotti, homemade desserts and did I mention no attitude? Other North Beach coffee houses may have been here longer but I get tired of the looks of distain from the barrista when some of us in line are not hip to the special jargon of the house. Enough already with the rolling eyes and the knowing glances exchanged between the coffee guy behind the counter and the table full of beat poets who have been there since the 50’s. But I digress….

What you get at Caffe Puccini is opera on the juke box, good food fairly priced, big cappuccinos and the feeling that it won’t take you 45 years before the owner will acknowledge your presence. CAFFEE PUCCINI, 411 COLUMBUS AVE., 415.989.7033.