Foodie Digest

Spring is here! Time to grab a back pack, water, and the dogs and wander along the water. We usually walk until we get hungry then start looking for a place with a dog-friendly patio. We tend to end up in North Beach but a shortcut up Broadway brought us toward Enrico’s and, more importantly Naked Lunch. I remembered reading about Naked Lunch but was surprised to see it open on a Saturday.

I took a look at the menu, saw something that would appeal to each of us and said “let’s eat here”.

The staff was great. I ordered two sandwiches and a salad, filled up two water glasses and was prepared to hunker down on the sidewalk seats right in front. They said “you can sit at Enrico’s”. Enrico’s has flipped and flopped on their dog-friendliness, but the Naked Lunch guys assured me that when they are open Enrico’s is not and the space is all theirs. We grabbed out waters and the dogs and sat in the cool shade. They brought out all our food at once and refilled out water glasses for us. They were all super friendly and the place (it’s really just a takeout counter) has a great vibe. We had:

Spring Asparagus Salad with Wild Arugulas, Manchego, Preserved Meyer Lemon, Chives. This was well seasoned and topped with shards of manchego and threads of meyer lemon. The asparagus was prepared perfectly and the dish was incredibly well balanced. It was an appetizer-sized portion and a great start to the meal.
Artisan Foie Gras Torchon & Duck Prosciutto Sandwich with Tomato, Butter Lettuce, Black Truffle Salt.

Holy crap. This was an outstanding sandwich. $15 may be a bit spendy for a sandwich but it’s downright reasonable for this much foie gras. The creaminess of the foie was complemented by the tomato in an unexpectedly delightful way. The crispiness of the bread was a great contrast to the foie. We commented to the Naked Lunch team how utterly amazing this sandwich was and he described it as their version of a BLT. Dead on. The proscuitto was a nice substitute for the bacon and the foie? That’s the new mayo. I think this sandwich makes a regular appearance on their menu. Good thing; it’s worth the visit.

Braised Artichoke & Manchego Sandwich with Spinach, Sweet Onion, Preserved Meyer Lemon, Herbs.

I’m a fan of Manchego cheese. I also like artichokes and lemons. I’d finished half this sandwich before John even started with his. The bread here was perfect for the sandwich with a slight hint of rosemary. Good to know if you’re not a rosemary fan (like my dining partner).

Overall thumbs: Two thumbs way up. The food was amazing with super premium ingredients in an uber casual atmosphere. My favorite.

Tastiness Rating: High. The food was innovative, well-imagined and incredibly well-prepared.

Service Rating: Good. Service is friendly and casual.

Dog friendliness factor: Huge. Not only do they have outside seats in the shade, they were psyched to see the dogs.