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Shikha la mode

Eating Life to its Fullest in San Francisco, CA.

Home » Renovated and Delicious: Reviewing State Bird Provisions

January 30, 2014

Renovated and Delicious: Reviewing State Bird Provisions

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You may recall a not-so-great restaurant review I wrote last year about the then-tiny and cramped State Bird Provisions. Admittedly, I was so disappointed that I found it incredibly hard to believe that people wait in line for 3 hours for such a place and never gave it a second chance.

But when a coworker gave me her reservation for a late Sunday night dinner, I decided that round 2 was in order and off I ate.

In the second half of last year, State Bird closed to remodel and essentially doubled the size of the space. The renovation has served it well; more diners can be seated and servers can wheel their food carts around with much more ease (and just as much borderline pushiness) as before.

The best way to dine here is to come in a group of at least four people so you have an ample opportunity to eat from the menu and the food carts. A good strategy is to divide and conquer – try a few dishes from the menu and intersperse it with cart items that strike your eye. Portion sizes aren’t huge, but with a larger group, even a few bites of 11-12 items (which is what our dinner consisted of), will leave you very full.

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Menu Highlights: The smoked sturgeon pancake is a staple on the menu for good reason. I loved it the first time I ate here and loved it now with the horseradish kick and beets.  The oysters were delicious as well, topped with spicy kohlrabi and sesame.

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Cart Highlights: The Hamachi, avocado, and seaweed was so good that we ordered two of them – the quality of the Hamachi rivals any Japanese restaurant I have ever eaten at! While I didn’t eat the ribs, my friends had great things to say about it.

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Desserts: When you eat with me, you eat the entire dessert menu, because that’s how I ultimately decide how much I like a restaurant. The coffee toffee ice cream sandwiches were fantastic – not too frozen but not too melted either, a tough thing to achieve with sandwiches. The buckwheat bao with carrot jam and coconut cream is proof of pastry chef Nicole Krasinski’s talent – it’s the most original and delicious dessert I’ve eaten in a long time.

While there are a few shortcomings  – the servers are a little too pushy, and even with a reservation we had to wait an additional 20 minutes – I stand corrected from my original review. The revamped State Bird Provisions is worth a visit, but only with reservations and a hungry group of diners.

American dim sum.

State Bird Provisions

Off the cart: Duck liver mousse with almond cornbreads – a forgettable dish

State Bird

Off the cart: Garlic bread with burrata, my favorite cheese!

State Bird

Off the menu: Mendocino sea urchin and ginger-scallion pancake with soy-lime glaze

State Bird

Off the cart: Oysters with spicy kohlrabi kraut & sesame

State Bird

Off the cart: Pork riblets glazed in their own juices

State Bird

Off the menu: 1/2 dozen cast iron quail eggs with apples and sunchokes


State Bird Provisions
1529 Fillmore Street (at Geary)

Open for dinner
Reservations not required, but highly recommended
415.795.1272

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Bao, Buckwheat, Dinner, Nicole Krasinski, Pancakes, Restaurant, Review, State Bird Provisions, Sturgeon, Winter

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Joanne says

    January 31, 2014 at 4:27 am

    Seems like everything was pretty great!! I decide whether I like a restaurant based on their desserts also lol.

    Reply
    • Shikha says

      February 3, 2014 at 2:45 pm

      Great minds think alike! State Bird definitely delivered on that front.

      Reply
  2. Kristi @ My San Francisco Kitchen says

    February 1, 2014 at 5:56 pm

    Yum, all of the food looks great! Nice of you to give it a second chance!

    Reply
    • Shikha says

      February 3, 2014 at 2:46 pm

      I think so too! Have you ever eaten there?

      Reply
  3. John@Kitchen Riffs says

    February 2, 2014 at 10:53 am

    Sounds like an interesting place. Smoked sturgeon pancake? That has my name on it! Fun post — thanks.

    Reply
    • Shikha says

      February 3, 2014 at 2:47 pm

      Oh man, I could eat that sturgeon pancake all day, it’s so good. Definitely give it a try!

      Reply
  4. Liliya says

    February 7, 2014 at 11:17 pm

    Very delicious !

    Reply
    • Shikha says

      February 11, 2014 at 10:58 am

      Thanks Liliya, and thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
      • Liliya says

        February 11, 2014 at 11:02 am

        You are very welcome:)

        Reply

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About

Shikha here - a pastry chef, runner, and writer based in San Francisco. I've worked in several Michelin-starred restaurants and blasted a lot of hip hop during prep service. Now I develop recipes, write, run races, and teach classes so you too can eat life to its fullest.

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