ediblesf.com | 15 : EDITOR'S ORDERS WOOD-FIRED WHOLE FISH Fleetwood in Calistoga Heather Hartle Honestly, I wasn't expecting to be so wowed by this dish, but it completely caught me off guard. The whole Pacific striped bass arrives straight from the wood-fired oven, crisped and golden, surrounded by a tangle of squash ribbons and bright pickled onions. What sets it apart is the Moroccan spice blend — cumin, turmeric, and ginger — that adds a warm, fragrant depth without overpowering the fish's delicate flavor. The fennel-avocado dressing is silky and unexpected, and its presentation is both refined and inviting, like something you'd stumble upon at a sunlit seaside café. Add warm pita and tzatziki, and you're golden. 1880 Lincoln Avenue, Calistoga ANCHOVIES & BUTTER TOAST Delfina Rachel Levin Anchovy Bar is the city's best-known restaurant for little fishes and those who love them. Like me and my Anchovy Club, a monthly umami-packed potluck some friends and I started a decade ago. Usually, we cook at home — except for a quarterly reservation out (at Anchovy Bar, of course). There are, however, other anchovies in the sea. I recently demanded we add Delfina to the mix, if only for one appetizer: Anchovies & Butter on Toast ($12). A simple set of just that — anchovies, hailing from one of two makers in the tiny Amalfi Coast fishing village of Cetara; butter (cold, high-fat European-style churned in Oregon), peeled like carrots; and stacked atop thick cuts of Italian Acme, sprinkled with EVOO and salt, and gently toasted. Four of the best bites in all of San Francisco (or eight, or twelve, or sixteen…). Even as a tin and jar-carrying member of the Anchovy Club, somehow it’s not as easy to replicate Delfina's genius as it sounds. 3621 18th Street ENDIVE SALAD Good Good Culture Club Annelies Zijderveld My fondness for chicory suggests that, in the right hands, its punchy flavor can be tamed while still outshining the latest green darling of the salad world. Good Good Culture Club's approach features a hot mustard vinaigrette that doesn't quite clear your sinuses but certainly wakes up your taste buds, coating endive and radicchio leaves that snap in your mouth. That's all well and good. I crave this salad for the additions too — Thai basil leaf pesto drizzles, juicy bursts of Cara Cara orange, pepitas, and tofu that's smoked in-house, grated over the top for a subtle husky flavor note that brings it all together. 3560 18th Street SAVORY GRAIN PORRIDGE Kantine Irvin Lin Though I’m known for my baked goods and wrote a baking cookbook years ago, I’m secretly Team Savory when it comes to breakfast. My current favorite is the savory grain porridge from Kantine, the Scandinavian-inspired café on Market Street and Laguna. It’s a satisfying warm bowl of three different grains, wild mushrooms, kale, and farmer’s cheese. I always opt for the additional crumbled bacon and runny egg on top for an extra salty and savory punch. But even without those extras, it’s a surprisingly complex bowl of flavors and textures that never disappoints. Bonus: I never feel sluggish or slow after eating, I just feel like I’m ready to take on whatever the day has to offer. 1906 Market Street Illustrations—Mars Barnett
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