Central Kitchen

Was unseasonably cold in California while we were there — I am not sure why but we definitely were feeling it while seated in the restaurant. The food was good, not great. (not as good as people said in other reviews).

This restaurant converts their patio into their dining room making for a nice open eating area. The service is friendly and welcoming. I love that they take your phone number so you can go next door and grab a drink while waiting for your table. I guess they do that since they don’t have a bar in the restaurant to wait at.
I thought the food was just mediocre. Small portions made for more of a tasting menu type experience, but none of the dishes stood out. Plus, they charge $ 4 for bread and butter that they don’t even make in house.
Meh. We left unsatisfied and still hungry. 3 stars for the service and nice atmosphere.

Nice cozy atmosphere but very small portions of forgettable food at very high prices. Other than the chocolate custard desert which was delicious, everything else — starters, mid-​courses, mains — were nothing special, the food wasn’t served quite hot enough, and the portions were tiny. For example: their porcini spaghetti was $ 32 (don’t be fooled, the $ 21 on the menu is for a ‘mid-​course’ portion, which basically means a half portion). $ 32 is well more than some of the best pasta dishes I had in NYC at Mario Batali restaurants and the like. And here’s the kicker: it was decent, not great. Turns out the porcini is only in the pasta dough itself, not actually in the sauce, so the rich wild mushroom flavor you expect from porcini was nowhere to be found, and the tangy huckleberry sauce overpowered everything. I won’t bother going into the details of the $ 16 onion soup or the $ 28 vegetable entrée which amounted to a completely ordinary handful of broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts with a drizzle of sauce. Something I would make at home on a Monday. (When I politely mentioned to the manager-​in-​training that that seemed high for just vegetables, he reminded me that ‘produce in California is expensive.’)
I tend to like more homestyle, earthy, unpretentious kinds of restaurants myself, and I understand that others might prefer the adventurous kinds of places that experiment with all types of new flavor combinations. BUT, if a restaurant is going to go that route, shouldn’t their palates be sophisticated enough to get the flavors balanced in the right way? Isn’t that what you are paying for?
In the end, Central Kitchen has the look and feel of a restaurant that should be great. But when it comes down to it, it’s about the food. And here it simply falls short. Central Kitchen is one of those places that is trying too hard and in the process being delinquent on the basics. I believe there are many, many restaurants where you get a better food experience for about half the price.

The ambience was really enjoyable, warm and cozy! The best part really, as the food was bellow Sub Par and we even ordered their signature Porchetta. I never imagined that Porchetta could be anything but flavorful, but to my disappointment it was both over cooked on one side and almost raw on the other with no flavor whatsoever!
Hate to leave a bad review, but after throwing down over 100 bones for just the dish and a salad, I felt robbed of an evening I was intending to be a super flavorful one with my Wife.

The pastas here, since they share the same ownership as Flour&Water, are top notch. The liver mousse as well as the steak here were extremely flavorful and well-​executed. The only disappointment was the porchetta for two. They have a limited supply each day, but it didn’t feel special at all. The sides that came with the porchetta were basic, uninspired, pickled veggies for the most part, and the porchetta was well-​cooked but was still underwhelming in general.

We went here for a friend’s birthday party and had the back room/​daytime deli area rented out. The ambiance was very nice with a good size elevated table large enough to sit 16 people comfortably along with all our drinks, food, etc. They had a pre-​fixe menu due to the size of our party with every dish being quite tasty.
They had a hen dish which was out of this world, never had hen that juicy, tender and flavorful! The desserts were in individual containers which were just the right size and capped off a great dinner with even better service. All of the persons serving us were extremely helpful, polite and willing to help with any request that we had.

We had a function here in October in the upstairs dining room loft. We were really looking forward to having dinner here. The venue was spacious, with 2 large farm tables, sparse in décor but in a good way, clean and open, great neighborhood views with windows all around. The candles were a great addition to the loft area. I would love to host a gathering at this venue.
Service was good, server 1 of 3 was great about letting us know about the ingredients in each of our dishes and gave great detail about the wine being poured. The other server was on the chilly side. One of the guests had asked about some of the unfinished dishes that were being taken away and if we could take them home. The server replied, «sure, most people don’t take them home, but I can save it for you.» Did she say that out loud? Yes, she did.
I understand the concept about letting food shine on its own, tomatoes should taste like sweet fruit.etc., yes, agreed, but enhancing your ingredients with spices is good too. Baba ganoush was bland maybe a little more lemon? Cowgirl cheese and preserves, always good. But 2 tiny pieces for 4 people? Pork Pâté was an overly, toasted fennel would have been a good addition. We found that the gem salad was bland, chicken breast, gamy, (poached?) and could have benefitted from something briny, like olives, figs or some citrus. Best dishes, beet salad, pasta ragu. LIterally ¼ cup of pasta for each person, some guests didn’t get any. Portions were very small. The best part of the meal was the chocolate custard and the wine pairings. Over all, great venue, good service, amazing wine and dessert, food and portions need attention.

Get the freshly baked mini baguette, glass of bubbly and the cheese and salumi platter… And Bob’s your uncle! A perfect brunch, no hassle parking and no lines!

I’ve been several times and I’d say it’s not the most consistent experience, as there are times when the flavors don’t quite go together. But on my most recent visit, we loved everything.
pâté ciccioli — this pork pâté had a really great texture and paired really well with the pickled radish.
squash and apple salad — this had a number of interesting ingredients, including some flavor from the lemongrass, some creaminess from the coconut milk base, some kick from jalapeños, some crunch from some fried crisps, some tartness from the apple, and texture from the squash. all in all a really unique dish.
Pork belly a la plancha — pork belly with radish, mustard greens, broth — this was yummy, although of course it’s pork belly so be prepared for some fattiness
ling cod with miso, celery root and sunchoke — this is a pretty reliable dish and often on the menu. the cod was cooked really nicely.
the hen — this had brussels sprouts, slaw, pureed sweet potato, pulled meat, and then the hen itself. Possibly a few too many things going on, but still a good dish.
All in all, we had a great meal.
(The only negative was that when the credit card bill came, it was $ 30 higher than the itemized check that had been shown to us earlier, so luckily I caught that before signing. The server was very apologetic (it had been someone else who had brought the bill out), but of course that wasn’t the best way to end the meal.)

Beautiful restaurant. I went here for dinner with a group of friends, which is great since you get to share everything. We ordered the liver, two pastas, the steak, and the porchetta for two. My favorite was without a doubt one of the pastas. It’s probably since flour and water is one of their sister restaurants, but seriously their pastas are better than some pastas I had in Italy. The steak was very flavorful and perfectly cooked. The porchetta, although sounds great, I thought was somewhat disappointing. The accompanying sides were very similar (all pickled vegetables), except for the potatoes which were probably my favorite side. One thing I was disappointed about was that they only have beer and wine. Being next door to Trick Dog I had hoped they would have cocktails.

This place is underrated. It was an absolutely fantastic experience. Food, décor, service, drinks — all amazing.
We went for dinner.
Starting:
Sourdough bread and butter — grr at having to pay for bread but, dang, that was awesome butter and some kind of magic, alfredo sauce-​like, cheese spread. But seriously, don’t charge for bread…
kabocha squash and apples — kabocha, aka japanese pumpkin, is king of squashes. It’s good just about no matter what you do with it. That said, they could definitely do more with it. Raw kabocha chunks in a light sauce is like a random late night snack at my house. Roast it, grill it, dice it, something…
Arancini — totally amazing. Perfectly sized, perfectly cooked and seasoned, perfect basically.
Duck — delicious duck. Not like the absolute best ever but it was still fantastic.
Wagyu Steak — wow. really really really good. Incredibly well prepared, perfectly seasoned, amazing cut of meat. The accompaniments were fantastic as well.
Also, they bent over backwards to make sure they knew about any food restrictions and that each item was in line with that. Really above and beyond.
Can’t wait to go here again.

SUMMARY: Went with a large group without a reservation on Sunday afternoon for a late brunch for a friend’s birthday. Most of us ordered the fried chicken or burger.
WHAT I TRIED: Fried chicken + Burger
— — — — — — -MORE DETAIL — — — — — — -
FOOD: DELICIOUS: The fried chicken was AMAZING. It was perfectly crispy/​crunchy and seasoned. The burger was good but not exceptional — I had it with parmesan cheese instead of the stinky cheese (personal preference) and the combination of the burger was good, the meat patty just wasn’t amazing.
SERVICE: NEUTRAL: Nothing spectacular. There isn’t really a good waiting area so our group was waiting by the front door. The staff I think was (understandably) irritated with that, but there wasn’t much we could do.
AMBIANCE: NICE: I really liked the warehouse type of setting that was redone to be modern and no frills chic. Great casual but romantic ambiance for a nice meal.

3.5 stars for brunch.
4.5 stars for dinner!
I came here for brunch a few weeks ago and wasn’t super wow’ed by most of the dishes I got but was blown away by dinner when I came back for my friend’s birthday.
Maybe it was the combination of a soothing atmosphere on a Sunday night or the rare, warm, San Francisco evening, but whatever it was, dinner was an exquisite experience.
My 4 friends and myself split the porchetta, pork agnolotti pasta, apple pâté, bread basket, a lovely burrata and melon salad, and the crudo.
The standout dishes were the amazing, flavorful burrata with mixed melons, the perfect, al dente pasta, and the giant porchetta. Being affiliated with Flour & Water, I’m not surprised that the pasta was delicious, but the other dishes were a pleasant surprise. They were all perfect examples of classic California fare.
The service was lovely and the dishes were paced in the most perfect way. The Mission-​Potrero location also allows for some fun exploring, as it’s right next to gems like Sightglass, Flour & Water, Universal Café, Heath Ceramics, and other San Francisco classic places.
I would love to come back when the restaurant is not too crowded, just like my experience, for another relaxing meal.

This review is solely for Brandon Jew’s pop up at Central Kitchen as he held a special Chinese New Year dinner since his restaurant, Mister Jiu won’t be opened till Fall.
To go along with the CNY celebration, Central Kitchen was decorated with red lanterns. He offered a $ 75 family style menu featuring 10 items in four courses. He also previewed some future dishes from Mister Jiu, like a two coursed preparation of duck.
Food:
First Course
Osmanthus Salad — Very refreshing! The salad had citrus, daikon, and orange blossom granita.
Winter Chop Suey — Chop Suey is a dish of random ingredients thrown together. Jew’s take on this dish consisted of mung bean sprouts, mustard, cashew, pear, and kohlrabi. This dish wasn’t very unique as it reminded me of a salad.
Oxtail Terrine — The oxtail terrine was infused with black cardamom, licorice, star anise, and crispy garlic. This dish reminded my cousin of the five spice beef that you can order at Taiwanese restaurants. Simple, yet tasty!
Second Course
Sizzled Fish — Jew used halibut for this dish and it included turnips, ginger, and black bean. At the moment, I’m unable to eat raw food, therefore, I wasn’t able to taste this dish. My cousin said it was good, but the black bean was very faint.
Hangtown Egg Foo Young — Egg Foo Young is basically an omelette dish. Embedded in this egg foo young is lap cheong (Chinese sausage), watercress with fried oysters on top. I loved the simplicity of this dish and it was very tasty. I kept going back for more.
Hot and Sour Cioppino — I thought the cioppino was just average. None of the people in my group were huge fans. Hubby said it was spicy, but he kept eating it. The cioppino had today’s catch (not sure what type of fish was used), tomatoes, coriander, yuba, and XO. It was also garnished with cilantro, which soaked in my soup. Therefore, I didn’t care for the broth cause of the cilantro taste.
Third Course
Hay and Tea Smoke Duck Breast — I believe this was Brandon’s take on Peking duck as you use the same concept to eat it. This dish was just okay. I couldn’t taste the tea or smokiness when I bit into the duck breast.
Duck Leg Won Ton Soup — Delicious! This was another simple dish that out shined some of the others listed on the menu. It’s probably one of the better won ton’s I’ve had in a while. The duck meat and shrimp blended well together and the wrapper tasted homemade.
Dessert
Almond Milk Jello with Kishu Mandarins — Very creamy! When I eat almond jello, it usually has a very strong flavor. However, the almond flavor here was too light. It was still delicious though.
Li Hing Mui and Guava Sorbet with Cherry Blossoms — The saltiness from the li hing balanced out the tartness of the guava sorbet extremely well.
Black Sesame, Coconut, Banana Cake with White Sesame Cream — The black sesame flavor went very well with the banana cake. Having both potentially strong flavors in the same dish here, I thought one would overpower the other but it was very balanced.
Overall, the three of us agreed that the simple dishes tasted the best. Also, I was sightly disappointed that Brandon Jew didn’t offer the sticky rice in the lotus leaf. I was looking forward to tasting it. I don’t think the meal was worth $ 75/​pp. However, I would like to try Mister Jiu when it opens in the fall.

Ich habe mich gleich beim Reinkommen wohl gefühlt. Angenehme Atmosphäre, gute Beleuchtung. Wer es gerne wärmer und weniger ‘windig’ mag, sollte einen Tisch gleich rechts und nicht in dem Bereich vor der Bar wählen. Hier zieht es nicht. Wir saßen erst im ‘falschen’ Bereich, durften uns aber umsetzen. Die Küche wurde mir als «New American» und «tendenziell experimentell» beschrieben. Die Karte ist klein und sollte somit die Auswahl erleichtern, es klang aber alles so gut, dass es trotzdem eine Herausforderung war, sich zu entscheiden. Geholfen hat die Info, dass die Portionen nicht ganz so groß sind. Deshalb hier meine Bestellempfehlung für zwei Personen: Zwei Hauptgerichte (ganz unten auf der Karte) und zwei bis drei Side Dishes, je nach dem ob danach noch Platz fürs Dessert sein soll. Dazu kommt noch ein Gruß aus der Küche. Das Restaurant ist perfekt, wenn man gerne unterschiedliche Sachen probiert und gerne Gänge teilt. Es war eine kleine Reise durch die Geschmackswelten und ich war definitiv angetan.
Mit den aktuell 3,5 Sternen ist dieser Laden definitiv unterschätzt, aber man sieht ja in der Verteilung, dass der Trend stetig nach oben geht.
Kleine Annehmlichkeit on Top: Die Bar «Trick Dog» (
) gehört dazu und man kann nach dem Essen einfach ‘rüber rollen’ ohne zurück auf die Straße zu müssen.

Start with the Charred onion soup, get the Duck breast and well… We’re waiting for the Wagyu now, but I’m sure it will be Deeeelicious.