Nerp D.
Yelp
Often I'm ask if whether there is an alternative to a franchise restaurant that offer a menu of heavy foods and an assortment selection of alcoholic beverages. Because sometimes you want a kind of fine dining that isn't so much about fresh garnish of vegetables, with some drizzle of an oil and vinegar dressing topped off by some main course of goulash. No. Sometimes you just want a hearty, savory, heavy meal to go along with your pint of lager, ale, or stout. You know? A meal that is worthy of being paired with any libation of careful design and preparation for the man who has everything.
"So if that is the kind of place that you want to go", I often respond "then do check out The Ocean Ale House."
Located in the Ingleside district, in the more-or-less historically gilded residential parts of San Francisco, this establishment comes off as almost ethereal and maybe dumbfounding: the high ceiling with the sun roof, gives this feeling of a true, proper loft of what used to be, say, a textile factory. From there we have the ambience and acoustics that lend magnificently for the appropriate addition of a stage for Jazz performances, as well as more jocular offerings of karaoke performances by the very patrons themselves; a nice nod and carryover from the efforts of the previous establishment of Caffe D'Melanio's late and great local coffee roaster and restauranteur, Melanio Duarte when he decided to have Jazz night performances in his establishments at evening hours. As for the lighting and decorum: it's very plain, spartan but lends to a sort of chic that is effortless: this isn't some hipster establishment of the likes you would have seen in Valencia Street or Guerrero that tried so hard to seem effortless when they were anything but. No. This is the real McCoy by San Franciscan restauranteurs.
To brass tacks: I have been told that the patty melt is the standard issue, flagship sandwich and so I went and ordered one with a side of fries to find that the pairing is quite rich. Indeed, this is a gastropub through and through: the patty melt is made with a rich fatty ground beef that seems to be of a 80% lean and 20% fat that's paired with a cheese blend that seems to be comprised of mild-to-sharp cheddar; this combination is sandwiched by two slices of buttery toasted bread that has not a single bit lacking in suet that compliments the beef and cheese melt. With this sandwich comes a complimentary set of sliced pickles that lend to a nice sharp contrast to the savory that is the entirety of the sandwich's definition.
Along with this opulent sandwich I ordered a "half order", as they describe it, of fries: I was expecting the typical clear cut and deep fried affair but these were something else: a dark, rich tasting affair that had me guess it was the taste of truffle, salt and beef tallow that crisped in the mouth; and it came with a special cream sauce that I can only describe as a mixture akin to tzatziki sauce and ranch dressing with applewood smoked bacon bits - absolutely decadant! I'm not sure what it was but it was absolutely had me understanding that if I wanted to enjoy these fries alone, I had to get something like a Toki Highball with Lemon peel ($10), or a Kolsch ($8). Now because I'm a teetotaler I'm not a good source to judge with the pairings but I have been told that for these kinds of french fries, a clear pale ale will be a good place to start. So with that said, skål!
I hope to see you there. Cheers.
