Apparently, we haven’t gotten the memo yet. It’s nearly the end of October, yet the weather outside continues to be as balmy as ever. Last night, my girlfriends and I spent a good few hours laughing and chatting at Parea Wine Bar and Cafe in the Mission (after a prolonged dinner of tapas and drinks at Ramblas).
I’ve been meaning to check out Ramblas for quite some time and was excited by the multiple plates that we ordered (stuffed medjool dates, meatballs, empanadillas, seasonal organic salad with poached egg, tuna and anchovies on top of crisped crostinis). In the end, I think the anchovy crostinis, empanadillas and poached egg salad with chestnuts and frisee proved to be the winners. The meatballs were a bit on the dry side and the tuna was just ok. I was, however, pleased by the fresh warm baguette and the non-rushed service.
It was absolutely steaming inside Parea. We headed there after debating over the multitude of bars around Valencia Street. It felt like anyone and everyone was taking advantage of the weather and was packed inside a bar, enjoying cold beers and cocktails. Once seated at this cute little Mediterranean wine bar, we debated the multi-page, multi-country menu and finally settled on 3 different wines: one red, one rose and one white. It truly felt like July. The Mission is always warmer than other parts of the city, but last night, there was barely a chill in the air when I got back to my neighborhood. If you do decide to check out Parea, be sure to order yourself a plate of house made truffles with whipped cream.
I really enjoyed wrapping up a busy week by winding down with my girlfriends. During the week, though, we cooked with some very un-fall like ingredients, including the vibrant yellow zucchini pictured above. No real recipe here. But, as a side dish to some turkey meatballs we made (recipe/pictures to come upon next attempt), it was the perfect balanced meal. To make this quick side, just cut up the zucchini and saute on medium heat with some olive oil, salt and pepper until the zucchini begins to lightly brown.
While I worry to an extent about global warming and the changing climate around us, it’s hard not to be thankful for weekend days like this.
