The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

I'm going to TARINE tomorrow!!

FaithHope's picture
FaithHope

I'm going to TARINE tomorrow!!

Hey everybody, me and my best bread buddy are going to Tartine...just cause.

Hey, I might not be on this side of the nation again?  We are planning on leaving early in the morning because everyone says there is a long line?

So, any suggestions for our trip?  We might stick around San Fran till 4:30pm and then go back to get a loaf!  Ain't drivin' all the way out there and then not get a loaf!!!!

Not too familiar with the area, been to the Wharf, and the chocolate square. Anywhere else we should go?  We would LOVE TO VISIT BAKERIES but don't really know anyplace else but Chad's. 

Thanks so much!!!!  I'm excited!!!

Faith

 

 

Wheat Rules's picture
Wheat Rules

You can pre order and pre pay for your Tartine loaf...that way you don't have to risk them running out or wait in line. I'm going next week....can't wait!

clazar123's picture
clazar123

Thorough Bakery is a little out of the way. It is in the middle of the block and very blended into the neighborhood but is a wonderful bakery and they have GREAT coffee. Hidden in the back is a very small patio with a few tables. After being out and about in the city all day, it was a quiet oasis. I believe it is run by SFBI students.

China Town-I love to buy pashmina scarves for $5-$10 each. Great presents in all colors.

Red Blossom Tea Room in China Town for tea by the pound (not cheap).

Japan Town for a very interesting shopping experience. Have a real kimono made! They have a version of the Dollar Store (Daiso) but everything is $1.50. Bring your own bag or buy one ($1.50 for a nylon one) because they charge but it is amazing what is in that store. There is a great noodle restaurant and a wonderful bakery. I don't know the names-I just wandered around.

Union Square for very high end stores.

Buena Vista café/Bar for the best Irish Coffee in the world!

Polk Street:  

I would skip the Swan Seafood Bar unless fresh oysters are your thing (not mine). They are expensive but people rave about the oysters I  found the other seafood good but VERY pricey-even for SanFran.

Panchos Salsa Bar and Grill. Great,fresh made Mexican food. Momma is making tortillas as they are ordered! Small, walk-in restaurant, reasonably priced, great food.

Toast is a pretty good place for breakfast anytime.

All kinds of bars along Polk street.

Rather than driving, buy a bus pass! When we fly in to SanFran we buy a bus pass (1-3-5 or 7 day),board the Bart to get from the airport up towards the Golden Gate and from then on take busses,metro train or cable cars . Great city to get around!.

GO to the Cable Car museum-esp if you are a mechanical person or want to see some great actual film footage of the 1906 earthquake. It is free and contain the main cable and power station of the cable system. It is quite an amazing system and miraculous that it still works.

Have fun! San Fran is one of my favorite destinations. The Holiday Inn Golden Gateway on Van Ness is a wonderful place to stay-no place is cheap!

FaithHope's picture
FaithHope

Wow!  Thanks everybody for the tips!!!  Japanese town sounds interesting!!!!!  Being half Japanese, I LOVE Japanese food!!!!  Ok, I'm going to try and call right now!! ;)

FaithHope's picture
FaithHope

Just called, like the website says, you have to order 72 hours in advance. :(. But, she said they should have plenty! :). And FYI, she said Bar Tarine's bread comes out at 11:30!  Woo hoo!  Maybe we'll have to go there too? ;)

Song Of The Baker's picture
Song Of The Baker

Hope you get to Tartine!  I recently visited SanFran and was rejected from a Tartine visit due to it being closed the very day i went there!  What are the chances??  You might enjoy my recent post on this trip:

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/36490/san-francisco-trip-rejuvenation

Please do call a day ahead to make sure they are open!

John

tchism's picture
tchism

Enjoy your visit! When we were there parking was a problem. We had to park several locks away and walk back to the bakery. Expect a line and a wait.

FaithHope's picture
FaithHope

The Mill, sounds awesome!  I will look it up!!

Yes, parking! :/  Well, I guess it will be good to walk...since I plan on eating a lot of bread!! Hahaha!! ;)

thanks everyone!

FaithHope's picture
FaithHope

Well...I went, and.....it was AWESOME!!!!  Woo Hoo!  Cross it off my list of one of the most coolest things ever!!

I could hardly sleep all night!  Can you believe it?  Really, I am a nut!!! ;)

Some people are excited for Mickey Mouse, or Cinderella....I am excited...for CHAD!!!!!!!!

He probably thought I was a total nut, but when I saw him pop in while we were eating our breakfast, I thought I was going to throw up!!!! Hahahaha!!!  Not because of the food, but I was like....OH MY WORD, ITS HIM!!!!  Should I jump up and run?!!!!  Then he left, and I could have kicked myself for not jumping up and running to get a pic!  Then...I saw him leaning in the back, I yelled to my friend to hurry up and finish so we can 'gracefully' make our way over to the restroom, which happens to be practically in their kitchen!  We, I, ran/walked over there and I kinda just asked for a picture!  He was sooo nice!  I felt like I was five years old!!  Ahhhhhhhhhhh, it TOTALLY made my DAY!!!!!!  Hahahaha!!  I was so excited!  I love bread, and I have been following Chad and the whole Tartine thing for the past few years, so...it was exciting!!  Just had to share it with all you guys, you are probably the only ones who would 'get it', everyone else would think I'm crazy! ;)

We got a Morning Bun (AWEHASOOOME), and a choc croissant, and a coconut cream pastry thing that was...unbelievably awesome!  Hum, maybe I'm using awesome too much?

 

We ate lunch there too...later, and had the pastrami pressed sandwich. Perfect. Horseradish, ah, it was soooooo good!!!!  Ahhhhh, it was so very fun!  Wish you all could have been there!!!!

 

After breakfast we did head over to Craftsman and Wolves. Even though we didn't want to eat another thing, we had to try the Rebel Within. Wow!  I don't know how they got that egg in there, and it was cooked so perfect?  But it was moist, and delicious!!!!!  Too bad we didn't have room for the Devil Within! ;) Next time!

 

 

 

Of course we went back to Tartine at 4:30 and picked up our bread!  It was like, like...Christmas!!!!!  Ahhhhh, we carried the hot bread back to the car and took a lot of pictures and videos, and then we used our big knife to cut it open, we even brought our own butter! Ha, bet everyone who was watching thought we were crazy eating our big hunks of bread!!

Well, I'm using the word awesome too much, so it was...WONDERFUL!!! ;) Super crunchy perfect crust, not too thick, just right. Had a beautiful crumb!  Mmmmmmmm, it was like, heaven!  The Morning Bun was sooooo good!  Thanks everyone for your recommendations!  The croissant was so flaky, it got all over your lips!  It was....super delicious! 

We had to wait in line every time, but it went quick. And the staff was very nice, and worked quickly to get everyone through. It was very homey feeling, just what I expected it to be!  It was just....ahhhhh, great!  A dream come true!  I've ALWAYS wanted to go and visit there. You know when you watch the Tartine video and Chad is sitting on the steps eating his bread, and you just wish you had that hunk of bread?  Well, I got to try it, and it was...as awesome as everyone says!!

Loved it, had a great time!  We also drove through Japanese town, went down to walk at the Wharf, went to Britex  Fabrics, which was cool, and...oh we went to try Bar Tartine, but missed it by 15 minutes! :(  Everyone who was still inside looked very happy though!

Thanks everyone for your helpful tips, we had such fun!!!!  Ahhhh, I finally got my Tartine loaf...it was worth the wait!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RobynNZ's picture
RobynNZ

Hi Faith

Makes me happy to read your enthusiastic post and see your big smiles (baked goods like great too!) Can't see myself in the Mission district, so thanks for sharing your visit.

Here's a link to an  eggs in a biscuit recipe posted this week, must be the latest trend. Marc is Japanese, I think you'll find other things in his archive interesting too.

Cheers, Robyn

David Esq.'s picture
David Esq.

Glad it was everything you hoped, and how great to have met Chad!

FaithHope's picture
FaithHope

PERFECT! Thanks Robyn!  I love Marc's stuff, hadn't seen this post. I was kinda figuring you would have to par boil the egg, must be a bit tricky, but I'd like to give it a try! Thanks so much for the link! :)

gerhard's picture
gerhard

Glad that it exceeded your expectation, we have been to Northern California several times but never did a bakery tour I think we should next time.

Gerhard

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

did you like visiting Tartine? LOL

I keep thinking "cheap thrills" ... That is, for a "real" serious baker.

Your joy is infectious. Thanks for sharing!

David

gary.turner's picture
gary.turner

I was just listening to Janis Joplin's "Cheaper Thrills" album. She was a Texan, of course, but made her name in SF. Think I'll put "Cheap Thrills" on as I knead a little dough.

cheers,

gary

FaithHope's picture
FaithHope

Haha, yeah, exactly!  Really, I wish I could have gone back again this morning and tried all the other stuff one more time! ;)  Here are some more pictures!  I love that we could watch them from the window! :)

 

 

 

 

This coconut cream thing was soooooo good!  You would think you couldn't eat it all, but...we did!  The cream was so light, yet full of flavor!  The crust was super flaky and yummy, it had a thin layer of chocolate, and a thin layer of caramel, man...it was so good!  PERFECT!

What I liked about this, also Bar Tartine...NO SIGN!!!  Just the little one in the window!  It was great!  You don't even NEED A SIGN!! ;)

Oh...well, my friend had to go back to the restroom again.  So being the great friend I am, I accompanied her, for safety reasons of course!  THEY WERE LOADING THE DOUGH!!!  I would have ran up and got a picture with this girl too!  I think her name is Anna?  Anyways, I think she is "JUST" as cool and man, she was working HARD all day from morning till when we left around 4:45!  I got a video of her scoring and loading!  AHHHHHH, it was great!  I'm sure they are so annoyed to have 'us' in the way, but....it was so cool, like, I could have just pulled up a chair and been happy to sit there alllllllll day!!!!

Oh yeah, here is the bridge, just in case all you other people wanted to make sure I was really there!  Hahaha!!!

Thanks everybody for looking!  It's more fun to share bread stuff, with bread people!!! :)