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Dogpatch delights

Besides being the home to two of my favorite people, the Dogpatch neighborhood houses some pretty tasty eats.  I feel like everytime I go over there, a new gourmet destination has sprouted up from the asphalt. 

Dogpatch, for those of you that aren't familiar, is the nebulous territory between the ballpark and Bayview, and Potrero Hill and the bay.  I've long maintained that like those teen movies, Dogpatch is the nerdy girl that you just know will be prom queen by the end of the reel (or meal, as it were). 

The addition of the lightrail makes it easier than ever to get over there, and it's a good thing.  That's because Dogpatch is home to my most favorite wine bar in the city:  Yield.  There are many reasons to dig Yield.  Number 1:  all their wines are either sustainable, organic or biodynamic.  Number 2:  The space is cozy and intimate, yet somehow managed to accommodate a party of 20 when I was there the other night.  Number 3:  They won't force you to get sloshed on an empty stomach -- their small but thoughtful menu includes organic flatbread, the wine pairing trifecta of nuts, olives and cheese, and Poco Dolce tiles (bonus round:  Poco Dolce is also a Dogpatch business).  Number 4:  Every quarter they have at least one night where they donate the net proceeds of the evening to charity, which is just completely rocktastic. 

Before Yield, though, and before the lightrail, I was traipsing over to Dogpatch as early as I could drag my booty out of bed to get in line at Just for You (a.ka. Mabel's Just for You Cafe).  My standard order is two eggs, Louisiana hot sausage and cornbread, with an order of beignets for the table.  The sausage was what got me hooked, the cornbread sealed the deal and the introduction of beignets once they moved to Dogpatch* made me jones for their food like a no good street junkie.  The service is sweet, the signs are sassy (no cell phones, no kissing, no strollers), and owner Arienne Landry is as good as they come, donating her time and cash to causes like Hurricane Katrina, and treating her staff to donuts (because even at the best breakfast joint in town you don't want to eat the food you are cooking every day).  

If you can't get it together before Just For You closes for the day, you have nothing to complain about.  Sitting kitty corner to the breakfast mecca is piccino, the cutest little postage stamp of a cafe that you ever did see.  Piccino does everything well, but the main reason to go there is for their perfect, petite pizzas.  Not only are they the ideal size for one person (give or take a slice), but in addition to the traditional margherita, salsiccia, pepperone (as they spell it), etc., they have a red and white pizza special each day.  I recently had the white combo of spring onions, pancetta and peppercress.  Heavenly. 

The latest player to the Dogpatch game would be Serpentine, which is from the same stellar team that brought you The Slow Club.  They've transported Slow Club's burger, one of the best in the city in my opinion, as well as their crispy, perfect french fries.  Don't let that last plug fool you, though, as Serpentine turns out some damned refined entrees like seared yellowtail and pole beans after whetting your palate with lovely soups, salads and charcuterie.  Another plus?  The oh-my-God-was-that-really-that-good cocktails.  Fun fact:  Erin Rooney, owner of both The Slow Club and Serpentine, started her career at 42 Degrees, the old-school fine dining legend that resided in....yep, Dogpatch. 

If I haven't given you enough reasons to get yourself to the patch, consider this:  The folks behind A16 and SPQR have chosen Dogpatch as their location for their third establishment, due to open within the year.  I just might need to move over there. 


*Just For You was originally on Potrero Hill.  It had one table and a counter.   And a really long ass line.