4001 Judah @ 45th
San Francisco, CA
http://outerlandssf.blogspot.com/
A couple of years back I was ridiculously depressed for about five days. The only thing that soothed my tired soul was Nick Drake's music. Mind you, I realize staying up until 3 am in the morning and obsessively listening to Way To Blue 70 times in a row isn't the healthiest way to handle depression. However, I fully admit to being sickeningly emo sometimes. Nick Drake's music is emotionally comforting, despite the fact the artist himself was lost within a desolate and dark emotional cloud most of his life. The artist and his music are rare gems that shine beyond his relatively unknown and wholly clouded emotional existence.
Recently, I drove Outerlands, a small restaurant in the Outer Sunset. I had spied the restaurant online and felt something calling out to me. There was a quiet and understated elegance to their menu and being located in a neighborhood not easily accessible made the trip even more intriguing to me. It seemed to have a special significance to it that only those who take the time to seek it out and experience would ever know.
Outerlands is a bold culinary undertaking in a quiet little neighborhood. It's rustic in design, with a Goldsworthy sense of space idealized by owners and visual artists Dave Muller and Laura Porcello. The restaurant is small, with limited indoor seating, but it adds to the warmth of the environment. One must order their food at the counter, but one shouldn't let that deters one from staying upon entry. I ordered the baked macaroni and cheese, the cannellini and cranberry beans and the braised greens with Yukon potatoes because, although my heart resists, my head is insistent on remaining a fat ass.
I plopped down at a table adjacent to a fixed-gear bike parked just underneath a window and proceeded to sip a luscious tempranillo until my order arrived. I surveyed the crowd and most patrons were cozied up in comfortable groups of two or four. A group of eight was crammed into several tables just near the entrance and, aside from being a bit louder than the actual acoustics of Outerlands can seem to take, they seemed pleasantly satisfied with their choice of venue.
By the time my braised greens and beans dishes arrived the warmth of Outerlands had enveloped me and I felt a familiarity I couldn't quite explain. When I took my first bite of the perfectly bitter and boldly seasoned greens a tear nearly came to my eye. Again, I fully admit to being sickeningly emo sometimes, even if out in public. A single and available woman probably shouldn't eat a bean dish alone in a quiet, seductive little restaurant in case the man of her dreams decides to walk in, but, sue me, I'm a rebel. The act of rebellion proved a good move as the cannellini and cranberry beans proved tastier a dish than I expected. Rich and hearty, with delectable pieces of braised pork scattered amongst, it's a dish full of character. Not surprising since the owners are dedicated to using local foods and sustainable foods "whenever possible" picked at nearby farmers markets and paired together for full flavor with the help of their friend and head chef - an anonymous character destined for San Francisco infamy and a history for creating in the kitchens of some of San Francisco's finest dining destinations. I chatted up Dave the owner a few moments, while embarrassingly forking down my creamy, large spiral macaroni and cheese all up in his face, and received nothing but a "Kaiser Soze" like mention of the man behind the apron.
There's a care in their food. I know this may sound rather existentially emo of me, but I felt happy to be human while dining in Outerlands. It's cold in the Sunset. It's dark, it's damp and it's depressing; part of the many reasons Muller and Porcello felt Outerlands was necessary. They offer warmth and food for the soul. The familiarity I felt was finally recognizable. Outerlands is, to me, the Nick Drake of restaurants. Not famously known and artistry one must actively seek out in order to add to their collection and enjoy, he's a rare gift once you discover him. His sound is unique and his music is poetic and memorable in its execution. His music soothes your soul and warms your heart, even when you know his own personal self was lost amidst a clouded and foggy sea of emotional darkness.
by KayJay
[Photos:Premshree Pillai]
