Eric V.
Yelp
The sign at Il Pollaio is like a Cubist 1980s video game design. Obviously, the restaurant opened in 1982. Not so obvious, they never made the blunder many establishments do of remodeling for the sake of remodeling. Fashions ebb and flow; that which is cool is timeless. I think Ralph Lauren said that.
Michael Bauer, former SF Chronicle food critic said good things about this place. The staff at Il Pollaio wear t-shirts with Bauer's quote printed on them. I can't really remember the details of the encomiums, but it's not a bad article. You should read it. The Chronicle will allow you to look at a limited number of their pieces online. In the age of social media, the world has lost the professional dilettante. For all his faults, I wish Bauer would still do reviews. Perhaps he wasn't the most exploratory critic, or the best writer, but he's preferable to his successor, Soleil Ho. Not only is Soleil a hack, but a crusading hack, a hack on a mission.
Back to Il Pollaio... It was founded by a man from a Calabrian man. That is, a Calabrian by was of Argentina. With his chickens, he merged his two backgrounds. The chickens are spatchcocked and grilled (over gas). Cooking a splayed animal over fire represents the Argentine. Giving the bird a rub with garlic, herbs and spices before grilling represents the Italian.
It is honest, no frills cooking. The crispy skin is imbued with the flavor of the fire. The seasonings - olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme - add savory depth. Perfectly cooked, somehow, even the white meat is moist. The waiter gave me a plastic squeeze bottle filled with chunky, brick red sauce. It is the kind of sauce you find at Italian or Greek restaurants where the Mexican cooks have been given their freedom. That means more capsaicin. It is also the most affordable meal in North Beach. You can get a half chicken here for $16. In a neighborhood that sells spaghetti pomodoro for $23 a bowl, that is a bargain.