Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Best Brunch in SF: Roast Chicken Hash at Universal Cafe

Quickly, I want to mention that I finally made it back to Universal Cafe for brunch on Saturday. Universal has long been my favorite brunch spot in the city, but I haven't been there for brunch in at least six months. There's no good reason why. I've just been busy, and I have not been going to brunch as much as I used to. It's a beautiful restaurant, especially during the day when light streams in through both the south facing windows at the front of the cafe and the skylights in the ceiling. The decor is simple--white walls, marble tables, concrete floors, and a high ceiling. I love the brightness and the openness of the space. They also usually place a stunning, oversized flower arrangement on the bar.

The food is fantastic. It's a popular brunch spot, and you can expect to wait a good while if you arrive after noon on Sundays. Saturdays are less crowded, and so it was the first place I thought of taking a good friend who was visiting from out of town last Saturday. True to form, the menu looked good. I ordered a scone--freshly baked with apricots--to start. For my main meal, I was drawn to the roast chicken hash, which was served with poached eggs on top,along with creme fraiche and salsa verde. The potatoes were crisp, but not too hard or heavy. The chicken was moist and tender, and the combination of the potatoes, chicken, eggs, creme fraiche and salsa was delicious. It was both hearty and refreshing. It was a classic Universal Cafe dish. I hope they'll serve it again some time soon (the menu changes each weekend), though I may have to make it myself the next time I roast a chicken.

If you haven't done so already, be sure to check out Universal Cafe.

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