Gypsy Kitchen

(needle scratching on record)
Vouching for how great the food is, I brought friends here at 7 pm on a Saturday night, but we experienced alarming poor service. The food was interminably slow coming out of the kitchen. (Kitchen was «backed up» we were told, which didn’t ring true as others arriving later were being served around us.) Apologies were given and we were told we’d be given free churros for the delay.
Then, sadly, our poor server hurt her foot and was seen crying rather profusely near the kitchen. Of course, we were sympathetic. However, no one else covered her tables. So we flagged another server down, who filled us in and said food would be forthcoming. Then a third server came over and told us the exact same thing.
Finally, being ravenous, we were served and ate. As always, it was quite good, the happy hour drinks were cheap, and the DJ sucked.
By now we were running late and had no time for churros or dessert, free or not. We waited for the bill, but ultimately had to ask for it. We paid the bill server #2 brought us only to then be told we’d been given the wrong bill, and so had to re-​pay the new bill.
The entire ordeal took two and a half hours, and by the end of it we couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

When I told some friends that I wanted to check out Bruno’s for dinner they all responded the same way «Food? At Bruno’s?» Then I tossed a couple of key words their way — «Broken Record» «BBQ» «Fried» «Cheap!» I’m pretty sure I had them at fried.
The menu reads like a Southern food lover’s wet dream — we split the following:
Mac n cheese ($ 6)
Hush puppies ($ 5)
The mac n cheese was ooey gooey cheesey with crispy bread crumbs on top… the hush puppies were deep fried goodness served with apple butter. Five to an order, the four of us split/​fought over the fifth one.
Rib plate ($ 16 includes a biscuit and one side)
Beef brisket sandwich x 2 ($ 9 each)
Oyster po boy ($ 8)
The ribs came with a side of sweet bbq sauce and were perfectly cooked. We had the spicy grits as the side which were sublime, and again we had to fight over the biscuit. Next time we’re ordering one for each of us!
The brisket sandos came with onion rings on the beef. Onion rings! On beef! And while I only had one bit of the oyster po boy, it was pretty great. I’d love to see what they could do with shrimp.
Frito pie ($ 5)
Not that we weren’t full but I wanted to try their take on the classic trailer trash food. Chili, fritos, cheese. Nuthin’ wrong there.
Now, on to dessert… we split:
Whoppie pie ($ 3)
Toffee crack ($ 1)
The whoppie pie was like a buttercream filled, soft oreo. And the toffee crack was toffee and chocolate melted on matzo. And yes, it was like crack.
As you can see, prices are dirt cheap and the food is perfect for sharing. And we all know that sharing is caring! I had heard great things about the wings but unfortunately they weren’t on the menu this time around. But that’s ok, now I have another reason to return to Bruno’s. And I will be back soon.

Katherine and Ryan’s food is amazing. wherever they are cooking. This is the best barbecue in the city. Real smoky, great sauce (not that it is needed – the meat is so flavorful) and the sides are not an afterthought. The mac n cheese is creamy and delicious. The brussel sprouts were great. And then there are Katherine’s desserts. She is an amazing baker. Everyone should go here!

seeing as how the dining experience at bruno’s is completely different than the club experience– i thought it was appropriate to separate them on Unilocal.
i’m a pretty easy person. no-​i don’t mean that kind of easy (just ask my old man!) but it doesn’t take much to make me happy… food wise. i can get excited over the littlest things. take airplane food– i love it. now… i know the food is crap and they nuke it to the point that it has no resemblance of the food it was in it’s former life. but i love it. i love the little compartments. i love opening the packets, where some airlines (alaskan) hide little messages from god. i love to cut up my rubbery meat with plastic silverware and eat while watching a fuzzy movie on a little screen. in my heart i know it isn’t gourmet– but i get excited pretending it is.
eating at bruno’s allows me to get excited for a real reason. a reason that your average person would find acceptable. and i never thought i would say that about a place like bruno’s. we were patrons «before»…you know, back when it was a cool, hip jazz club. but we certainly never ate there. and then they remodeled, which seemed to completely change the scene, vibe and clientele. then the announcement that the chefs from the broken record were taking over the kitchen and i thought i would give good old bruno’s another try.
and i am so stoked that i did. holy jeez. there is some serious cooking going on over there. and the prices are just right for my «i have an unemployed old man and i’m a full time student» bank account. the price is so good, i would pay more. but don’t tell them that, cause i don’t want them raising anything but a chef knife and maybe an egg beater.
so what’s good? let’s start with the meat. i’m not a meat eater– except when it comes to the bbq at bruno’s. i mean come on– they smoke there meats right there. pulled pork-​amazing. pork ribs– amazing. beef brisket-​amazing. tofu– amazing. yup– you heard me. they have an amazing tofu sandwich– bahn mi style. and an oyster po’boy that makes me feel like i’m drunk on bourbon street again (actually, i’ve never been drunk on bourbon street… but i imagine it feels cooler than being drunk on mission street).
i could make a meal just out of their sides. the brussel sprouts are a must order every time… the greens with bacon are perfectly flavored… mac and cheese is creamy goodness… the cheesy, spicy grits are wonderful (can grits really be wonderful, you might be asking– heck yeah they can)…and the biscuit. oh the wonders that await the consumer of a bruno’s biscuit with honey butter. they also have the best wings i’ve ever tried. period. and i’m not kidding or exaggerating. they are crispy fried and smothered with a tangy sauce that has kick, but is not too over the top. i have never been a wing girl (more of an ass and eye girl) and never thought i would be dreaming about eating meat off of a bone like a barbarian. i would walk uphill through snow for 10 miles to get an order of wings from bruno’s.
and what about those desserts (as leslie sbroccco would say)? whoopie pies that could pass as authentic in massachusetts, toffee crack that is appropriately named because after eating one piece you would rob your grandmother for more and your teeth might fall out from the sticky goodness and deep fried apple pie with rice pudding ice cream to die for.
so i think i made my point that the food there is good. but you know what? the vibe is pretty chill. i’m not that into the animal print carpet but after a couple of there specialty cocktails, it didn’t bother me so much. and the crowd that fills the place after 10 on the weekends were nowhere to be found during dinner hours.
so get over to bruno’s and order some food. you’ll thank me later…

Bruno’s has gone through quite a few changes in recent years. I came here a few times pre-​renovation and always dug the old school vibe and great live jazz. Post-​renovation, I came here a few times for Jazz Mafia Tuesdays. When the Jazz Mafia moved on, I didn’t have much reason to come here. The food was never a draw– live jazz was always the main attraction.
That has all changed. I don’t think they book live music anymore at Bruno’s (although they do have some great bay area DJ’s on some nights– notably B. Cause and Teeko). But, as of this past week, the food is officially a very good reason to put Bruno’s back on your radar. Ryan Ostler and Katherine Zacher have taken over the Bruno’s kitchen. Ostler and Zacher bring with them an impressive resume– having worked at Boulevard, Firefly, Range, Quince, and Serpentine, among other fine SF restaurants. Most recently, the couple’s soulful cuisine turned the Broken Record– a well-​loved neighborhood watering hole in the Excelsior/​Crocker-​Amazon– into a genuine foodie destination. Ostler masterfully mans the smoker, turning out some of the best barbecued meats I have ever had the pleasure of gnawing on. Zacher applies her impressive pastry skills to breads and desserts. Between the two of them, they turn out some of the best bar food in San Francisco. During their all-​too-​brief (8 months?) run at the Broken Record, Ostler and Zacher put the Excelsior back on the culinary map, garnering glowing write-​ups in the Weekly, 7×7, San Francisco Magazine, Tablehopper, etc. Unfortunately, the pair burnt the candle at both ends for too long and decided this past summer to take some much needed time off. They went on a barbecue pilgrimage through the southern United States, and took some well-​deserved personal time. Their loyal fans, myself included, waited hungrily for them to re-​emerge.
And re-​emerge they have, refreshed and recharged. I was lucky enough to attend a preview of their food at Bruno’s last week and am pleased to report that they have not lost a step. The menu will be familiar to anyone who got to know their food at the Broken Record. The amazing pulled pork sandwich ($ 8) is back, as are Ostler’s mouth-​watering ribs and brisket. Both of these are available in plate form, with choice of several sides, for $ 14-​$ 16. At the preview, Katie H. had the brisket and I had the ribs. Both were the finest renditions I have had anywhere in the Bay Area, hands down– subtly flavored, melt-​in-​your-​mouth, slow-​smoked meaty perfection. Our sides– brussel sprouts and cheesy jalapeño grits– were also excellent. We also sampled some appetizers– a «BLT» salad and fried green tomatoes. The salad consisted of two grilled wedges of romaine with chunks of smoked bacon, tomatoes, and croutons in a delicious, spicy, creamy, dressing. It was something new to me and quite successful. The tomatoes were also delicious (but HOTT! — careful biting into these!) — crisp and juicy and lightly crusted in a flavorful cornmeal breading. The only missed mark of the night for me was the dill aoili that accompanied the tomatoes– the tomato’s flavors were overwhelmed by the dill. The vegetarian entrée option was a stuffed artichoke, which looked delicious. There were also quite a few other appetizers and sides (Ostler’s famous Frito pie, pesto mac n’ cheese, etc.) filling out the menu.
For dessert, Zacher prepared a quince-​apple tart and a chocolate-​covered peppermint moon-​pie. Of course, we had to try both. Apparently, the moon-​pie is 100% house-​made, including the marshmallow. I’m not sure if that means Zacher is stirring up a bubbling cauldron of horse hooves in the back, and I frankly don’t care– it was delicious. The tart was a revelation– chewy, carmelized quince, perfectly cooked apple, and Zacher’s impeccable crust.
They were still working out some service kinks at the preview, which was to be expected. Hopefully once they get a little more settled these will get sorted out. The food is so great though that nothing else really matters (and prices are the same as they were at the Record– i.e. very reasonable). Bruno’s also has a very respectable wine and beer selection and a well-​stocked bar. The chefs have a much bigger kitchen to work with than they did at the Broken Record and it seems to be a more comfortable space for them. Bruno’s central location will inevitably bring Ostler and Zacher more well-​deserved business and attention. Hopefully they won’t overdo it, will add whatever staff they may need, and will stick around for a long, long time. For now, the kitchen at Bruno’s is open 5:30 — 10:30, Wednesday through Sunday.