Michael C.
Yelp
One of the most wonderful things about life is finding an unexpected delight. That's what I found at Side Street Kitchen.
I dropped by after making the much delayed trip to see the lighthouse at Point Reyes, a visit that's almost mandatory for any true Bay Area resident.
The setup was rather unusual for a full-time restaurant. Almost all the seating was outdoors on a rough pavement area by the street in front of the restaurant. Then we were shuffled in one group at a time to place our order at the counter and given a number. We were told to grab any table we wished.
Looking for a quick drink and bite after our hike, we ordered some light fare, some apple fritters, a chicken quesadilla, and an open face veggie sandwich.
As a devout meat-eater, I've had to grudging admit that veggie sandwiches are often even better than grilled animal flesh, no matter how lusciously juicy. I suppose vegetarian cuisine just has to work harder to be appealing, and this sandwich was such an exemplar.
Starting with a base of butter toasted artisan bread, they piled on sliced cucumbers, toasted almonds, pumpkin and sesame seeds, sprouts, and smothered it all with pesto hummus. The combination of different crunches and light seasoning was a sheer delight.
After savoring every bite, I even got the signature vegetarian side-effect, a real boost in energy instead of looking for a quick nap.
Everything else we had was just as well executed, if not as memorable. Prices were quite low, just under $50 all in, including a tall glass of sauvignon blanc. Worth a trip back from the South Bay.