Dinner at Delfina (report)

Last night I went to dinner with a friend at Delfina. We shared:

-grilled calamari with warm white bean salad
-dungeness crab salad (a special, not on the menu)
-spaghettti alla chitarra with cauliflower
-Niman ranch beef brisket

Probably the restaurant I visit most in SF is Incanto, so I couldn't help comparing the two. Though the tables are close together, I prefer the atmosphere at Delfina. Sure it's loud, but it felt warm and congenial to me. At Incanto usually I like sitting in the bar area; the main dining room feels a little bit to me like the suburban Connecticut turnpike restaurants my uncle would escort me to for a steak when I had a good report card.

My favorites were the pasta with cauliflower and the beef brisket. The other day I shared and loved the cauliflower side dish with capers at Pizzeria Delfina. This was just as good, and the pasta was cooked perfectly, though I'm glad that we split an order--the simplicity of the dish may have seemed monotonous if I tried a whole plate by myself.

The brisket was deep, rich and savory--my friend took a bite and said "How do they make this? Why can't I make something like this?" Rather than replicate it at home, I'd come back and eat it here.

As for the two salads, both of them were good, but I'd probably try something else when I return. I was curious about the salt cod mantecato with walnut oil and fennel flatbread, but my friend nixed the suggestion. I also want to try the snail and fennel spiedini.

Menu-wise, I'd give Incanto the edge for more interesting appetizers. The execution of pasta and meat seemed equally good, though the dishes seemed a bit more traditional Cal-Italian at Delfina and a bit more experimental (see: lamb neck) at Incanto.

Service at Incanto has been a bit more polished for me. Though we shared everything, our plates were never refreshed, so the brisket had oil on it from the grilled calamari and dungeness salads.

Overall, we had a great time, and I'd definitely go back. It's nice to live in a city like SF where you can have both Incanto and Delfina, and not have to pick one.