this post is filed under Cuisine - Contemporary, Location - San Francisco
A few days after I got back from Vancouver, Geoff came down to SF to visit for the first time in a long time. Our first dinner was at Foreign Cinema, a place in the Mission. The place is themed around, you guessed it, a cinema. After entering, you walk through a long corridor before entering a large, open room. Usually, they'll have a movie being projected onto a massive wall while you eat. There is also an upstairs section which I didn't get to check out. It's a very interesting setting and hard to describe - you should go check it out yourself if you can! I'm sure the film buffs love this place.
baked fromage d'Affinois, finnish potato and roasted garlic - $10
beef carpaccio, dijon sauce, waffle chips, fried herbs & capers, cress - $10
sea scallops & mussels, saffron-fennel broth, romesco, aioli, arugula, chapons - $22
The food is a vague mix of French, Italian, and some Mediterranean... I it's guess best described as Californian, like so many restaurants nowadays. The fromage, under the heading "Urban Picnic (unleash the appetite!) is delicious. It was just a simple presentation of cheese, potatoes, and garlic, but the three ingredients went together extremely well. The baked fromage was extremely smooth and creamy, with a fairly mild flavor - a great complement to garlic and potatoes. I loved the dijon sauce on the carpaccio; I'm always glad to see something more than olive oil. After trying the original carpaccio at Harry's Bar in Venice, I really feel that carpaccio deserves some type of aioli/mayo sauce, and this dijon fit the bill. The waffle chips were a bit too salty though. The scallops and mussels were a nice twist on bouillabaisse, using seared scallops which I thought was a great idea. The saffron lended some color without overpowering the dish, and the broth was delicious. I also loved the romesco (like a red version of rouille using some nuts and red peppers) which can be seen on the big crouton.
Foreign Cinema is definitely worth a visit. It's also a great option for bringing guests or out of towners - the place has a unique character to it. The whole them is interesting and a lot of fun.
Hi Arthur - this place sounds fascinating! (I think I love films more than food...) I just had a quick look at their site and found that they were showing MP's Holy Grail! I'd love to visit one day (Harry's Bar too)...
posted by keiko on March 7, 2005 07:59 PM
It is a very interesting place indeed, though I'm not a huge film guy myself (perhaps I'm too young to remember many of them). As for Harry's Bar, I sure wish I had photos of what I ate there; sadly, I went before I started the site. I do hope to return some day though. My mom loves the Harry's Bar cookbook (and I love the results) - make sure to check it out if you haven't!
posted by Arthur on March 8, 2005 09:55 PM
Arthur, congratulations on the big mention in The Washington Post. Keep it up!
posted by Deep End Dining on March 9, 2005 11:27 AM
Thanks a lot! It's 1PM and it's already my biggest hits day ever - it's quite exciting. :)
posted by Arthur on March 9, 2005 12:59 PM