Chris Cosentino: Get the Bronzino ready!
Chef 2: YES chef!
Chris Cosentino: Don’t forget to add the gold to the pigs head.
Chef 3: YES chef!
Chris Cosentino: Alright, let’s DO this!
No, I’m not at a live viewing of Hell’s Kitchen or Master Chef.
I’m at the brand new Cockscomb, sitting at the chef’s table, right in the middle of all the action. Pretty much, this is the seat where I was drooling over all the items I didn’t order, but wanted to… like this MASSIVE pin bone steak with bone marrow dip.
This is Chris Cosentino’s latest restaurant in San Francisco. He’s the winner of Top Chef Masters and even had his own show on the Food Network (Chefs VS. City).
For all you meat lovers and red-blooded carnivores, this is where you NEED to be. Trust me. The menu reflects Cosentino’s background in butchery and his love of offal is obvious –> there’s even a wood oven-roasted pig’s head on the menu.
Side: The HUGE pig head kinda freaks me out, so if I’m feeling a bit more ballzy next time… I might order it.
Now moving onto the food, here’s what we had:
This beef heart tartare is unlike anything I’ve ever had ($16). It comes with a helping of arugula and seasoned potatoes which were so on point! The quality of the meat was super fresh and it got me really excited for everything else to come. It’s probably one of the best appetizers on the menu.
The crudo of the day ($16) was dressed similar to a ceviche style, using lime juices to bring out the flavors. Thin slices of jalepenos were added for a nice kick, and cucumbers brought a crispness to each bite.
OMG this bacon chop ($32). Ok, so…..this thing is huge! Every bite was super tender and it’s perfectly grilled and juicy on the inside. We couldn’t finish half of it since the other dishes were pretty large as well.
It was honestly one of the best bacon chops ever, but I found it a little toooo fatty (I had to remove the fat to prevent next-day bloating and meat sweats).
This quail tetrazzini ($35) is absolutely heavenly! The quail was deliciously tender and the creme fraiche went perfect with it. I thought it was the best thing of the night: juicy, flavorful, melted off the bones. The garnishes also added a nice crunch to each bite.
This is a MUST GET.
And if you happen to come here with a vegetarian (not sure why you would), but this whole roasted branzino ($35) is a great option.
To sum it all up:
Cockscomb is the kind of place where you go with friends (meat lovers). And when the food comes out, everyone stops talking. It’s time to eat.
I made the mistake of coming here with only my boyfriend. So we ended up sitting at the counter while drooling over everyone else’s food.
The tartare and quail are MUST GETS. If you’re feeling adventurous, get the roasted pigs head (they only make a certain amount and they run out every night).
13 Comments
How did your pictures turn out so well?? It was so dark in there and all my pics don’t do it any justice =/
I sat at the chefs counter, so there was better lighting! I also used my Fuji x100s, which does really well in low light settings :)
Oh my gosshhhhhh this was so good!! I read your post a while ago, and I was finally able to try it last night! The pigs head was fantastic, but it’s definitely not for the faint of heart.
Glad you enjoyed it :)
Did you try the grilled cheese here? My friend told me it was the best grilled cheese he’s ever had.
Sadly, we didn’t have room for the grilled cheese. Will try it next time!
Thank you for recommending us to sit at the seats by the kitchen. My wife and I had a wonderful experience watching all the hard work that goes into every dish here. We will definitely be back!
You’re welcome! Glad you both had a great time :)
Would you recommend Cockscomb for a birthday party for about 6 people? I want to surprise my boyfriend with a great dinner (he’s a lover of all meats and steaks!)
Thanks in advance!
Absolutely! He’ll love this place. You should totally get the pin bone steak and pigs head, with some appetizers to share. It’ll be enough to feed everyone. Make your ressies asap :)
You’re so lucky!! I’m a huge fan of Chris Cosentino. I used to watch his show all the time and I followed his entire season of Top Chef! I wish I lived closer to sf so I could try this place. wahhhh.
Come visit! Sit at the chefs table, you’ll literally be right next to him!
WOW. That pig’s head looks delicious and crispy!