Green Eating: Take a Gastronomical Tour of San Francisco

It is nearing the end of my end of summer West Coast jaunt and though I am saddened, my wallet is empty. In my days in the city I did my best to show PG readers the best and the brightest in new San Francisco green cuisine. That's no easy feat either with so many choices at hand. But with the help of my two best friends and fellow foodies Cathy and Susan, I was able to truly leave my gastronomical mark in this great city.

The Ferry Building's Green Gems

I spent much of my time in San Francisco's Ferry Building, the motherland of the area's local bounty. The farmers' market on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday makes for truly good eats. The produce is innovative, out of the ordinary, and rare with choices like kohlrabi (a member of the cabbage family), sunflower sprouts, and micro beets. Try a sampling of locally sourced organic cheeses from renowned Cowgirl Creamery on a sweet baguette from Acme Bread Company. The Slanted Door is known for its exceptional cuisine, but my favorite thing there was the local spearmint laced bourbon cocktail, the Bourbon Smash.

The Plant Café

Branding itself as a minimalist organic café and juice bar, this Pier 3 destination is so much more. Start off with the seasonal bruschetta with a simplistic yet divine heirloom tomato atop salted local cheeses. Try the PLANT Burger made in house with lentils, mushrooms, beets, cashews, and bulgur wheat, while sipping on a glass of local biodynamic producer Robert Sinskey's Abraxas. The restaurant specializes in local produce, allowing you to indulge with negligible impact.

Dosa Southern Indian Cuisine

Dosa melds the traditional spice combinations that Indian food addicts crave with the clean simplicity of the Southern Indian tradition. My favorite was the Tamil Vegetable Curry with cauliflower, green beans, potatoes, and cherry tomatoes with coconut rice. Also try the dish that served to name the restaurant, the dosa, a savory rice and lentil crepe served with fresh coconut and tomato chutney. The restaurant also has an intensive green commitment built from the ground up including all Energy Star appliances, ultra-high efficient equipment for heating, ventilation, and cooling, a solar water heating system, and booths, banquettes, and custom sofas constructed with FSC certified wood.

La Boulange Bakery

I'm a connoisseur of the parfait. I make them constantly at home and often indulge in them when I go out to breakfast or brunch. La Boulange Bakery has a good one made with homemade granola, tons of seasonal fruit and thick creamy yogurt. The yogurt isn't overly sweet which can often be the case, but instead is sweetened with a bit of good honey.