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Skriven 2015-12-07 15:51:56 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
Ärende: end of trip part 2 627
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We met at Cafe Nordstrom, a fashionable upper-middle haunt
that was a surprise choice for a pair of countercultural
lefties, but that didn't disturb me, as minor inconsistencies
are some of the best flavors of life. The special of the day
was flavored lemonades, of which I had blackberry, augmented
with a shot of gin (Bombay Sapphire is the house brand). And
then another. And ...

I forget what we talked about. But it tided me over until
almost time to head south; I walked at a measured pace into
the Mission, where I discovered that my measured pace wasn't
measured enough to get me to my next destination on time; in 
fact I was quite early for my visit with more friends at 
Gracias Madre, having broken a sweat, so I sat at the bar 
and got a horchata, pretty good, sweetened with some natural 
substance that didn't sweeten enough and didn't add any 
texture to the drink. And $6.

I still had time to waste, so I got a bottle of Filus Malbec
and took it outside to our reserved table. It tasted a bit
TCAed, but I have plenty of friends who would guzzle it down
without thinking, so I waited until everyone else was there to 
take a vote on it; the tally was three to one in favor sending 
it back, so back it went.

This is a vegan place, with all that entails. Things like
cashew cream and cheese and coconut bacon pay lip service to
appeasing the more compromised among us - these facsimile 
products are of mixed quality. If you're committed that kind 
of thing I suppose they will please you. I found the food 
underseasoned  and too heavily dependent on tomatoes, but I 
find that true of  California food in general.

We started with a fried cauliflower appetizer, which I thought
not fried enough and thus too cauliflowery. The true vegetable
appreciators liked it, though.

Guacamole was fine, but I thought there were too many extraneous 
ingredients. This was the only dish in the meal that had an
appropriate pique of spice, though.

Various main dishes in a Cal-Mex style. I got an empanada over a 
poblanolike mole. The crust was rather lumpen, on which I blame
too many whole grains, and the filling was really quite sweet.
Sauce was good if rather gently seasoned.

Do not get the coconut bacon. It was tough chewy somewhat smoked 
coconut with a little salt; even the committed vegans at table
didn't take more than a bite.

We didn't linger too long, and left as the space filled up
noisily, as I had a plane to catch.

UA294 SFO BWI 2330 0734 320 3A was 21D

The flight boarded half an hour late and landed around on time.
My seat was fairly comfortable and conducive to sleeping. To the
best of my knowledge there was no food service, and the Courvoisier
was exceptionally harsh (was it VS from coach? I didn't notice
the label).
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