I am seriously loving Garry's new neighborhood because he lives, quite literally, 2 blocks from almost everything. Tartine, Pizzeria Delfina, Bi-Rite, Yamo, Urbun Burger... we'll never go hungry in this part of town.
Dropping in near the top of the list is The Corner, an enchanting little space carved out, appropriately, on the corner of 18th and Mission. The decor pleased me perfectly - not something I usually notice about a place, but I immediately loved the bird-and-branches wallpaper that made it feel like a forest, the natural wood paneling and exposed brick, and the whimsical metal light fixtures. It had personality without trying too hard, and above all it felt warm even though the evening was cold.
The servers were so so very kind and gracious - also not something I usually care about, but they were informative, helpful, and did thoughtful little extra things like give me ice along with my hot water in case it was too hot.
The food - very inventive, tasty, and flavorful! Garry had the slow-cooked pork shank (cheesy hashbrowns, pea shoots, poached egg & maple sauce which gave it a fascinating flavor dimension), I had the chitarra pasta with chanterelle mushrooms (tat soi, purple cauliflower, grana padano & lemon thyme), and we split a sunchoke soup (sourdough croutons, roasted figs).
The best part? The deliciously low prices! Between the three things we got, we spent less than $30 including tip (we didn't get anything to drink--it being a 'school night,' and the servers didn't give us any pressure about it at all). We'll definitely be back as there were at least five other things on the menu that I was keen on trying.
Sorry for the horridly grainy iPhone photos!
