I still think the plan was a good one. We were to catch the 10.00 am train from Seattle and ride in comfortable sleeper rooms all the way down the US west coast, admiring the scenery and arriving refreshed and energised in San Francisco 22 hours later. Sounds good – right? Sadly the travel gods had other plans for us. Firstly, an unfortunate rockfall on the train tracks up the line from Seattle caused the train to be very late in and subsequently even later to leave and it was well on the way to 1.00pm before the train pulled out of the station. The weather was still quite bad so our views were restricted to similar bleak and grey images as the above, but only for a few hours as it darkened very quickly and I suspect most of the interesting scenery was passed after nightfall. Due to my unclear correspondence with my travel agent, the comfy sleeper rooms with our own bathroom turned out to be ‘roomettes’ – seats in tiny boxes that become bunks in the evening, with the use of shared facilities – a situation not appreciated by my two princesses daughters. And, while the first impressions of the stylish dining car were good, there was no follow-through at all in that department and the food was simply atrocious. Amtrak should be very proud of it’s staff who were unfailingly cheerful, helpful and polite, but they seriously need to lift their game at the food end of things.
The prison kitchen
San Francisco is also noted for it’s foodie culture and is home to one of the most famous restaurants in the United States, Alice Waters‘ Chez Panisse. There was no way I was travelling that far and not going there for a meal and had duly booked into the restaurant a month before we left Australia. Our meal was one of splendid simplicity, featuring the very freshest of the local produce including fresh battered & fried herring and pickled local herring, baked cod in a sublime bouillabaisse and perhaps one of the best char-grilled lamb meals I have ever eaten – a massive statement coming from an Australian! Unfortunately for you, my dearest reader, I did not really feel comfortable whipping out the camera in such hallowed surroundings so I cannot share the images, but rest assured – it was worth the trip. More unfortunately for us, my youngest daughter was unwell that night. The nagging headache she had endured all day blossomed into a migraine and we had to bolt the dessert (a seasonal citrus creme caramel) and make a dash for the hotel room, getting her in close, but private, proximity to porcelain just in time.
However, there was ample opportunity elsewhere to snap delectable images of desirous dishes for there is no shortage of fabulous food in this town. We tried the crab cakes on our first evening in town and came away feeling very full, but failing to finish the very generous serving.
We soon discovered that this was a situation we had to come to terms with – the serving sizes in this country are very, very generous.
Serious burgers –
and lovingly prepared chocolate shakes at Hubert Keller’s Burger Bar.
Breakfast in the diner
One spot no foodie worth his/her salt can possibly miss in San Francisco is the Ferry Plaza Marketplace which houses scores of artisan food producers and retailers as well as restaurants, cafes, specialty stores and a huge kitchenwares store called Sur la Table ( referred to as “the mother ship” by writer Dianne Jacobs when she was impressing upon me the need to visit the Ferry Plaza Marketplace). Needless to say, the credit card had a significant airing here. The Ferry Building is also home to the acclaimed Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. Operated by the nonprofit Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA), the market is visited by over 25,000 shoppers each week, including some of San Francisco’s top chefs and most famous farmers. Unfortunately the large farmers market was not operating the day we visited, but there were still a good assortment of farmers market stalls with some brilliant produce on display.
All in all, a pretty good selection for the middle of winter, isn’t it?
[mc4wp_form id="16750"]
I have seen a fair bit of the US via train. Have done SFO to LAX by train. Loved it.
Sounds like your trip has some real ups and downs! At least it will be memorable 🙂
I am really enjoying your journey with you. It is great that you’re finding time to post while you’re actually there! I can relate to your migraine incident, pity you had to miss out on some of your meal. Love the photo of the diner, did you eat there? I’ve never seen collard greens or rapini in Aust. but I have heard of them.
I seriously ADORE San Francisco and yearn to return and Sur La Table is just the best isn’t it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh I am envious of your trip !! Do you have a plan for excess luggage payment ??? I’ve been down that path myself after leaving the US !!!
Nothing quite like watching my Aussie friend from afar visit a city I’ve never been to. In my own country. I have a blogging acquaintance that just moved her from San Francisco. Wonder how homesick she is? I’ll send her here! Enjoy the rest of your trip
When I first began to read your post I was thinking of what a wonderful experience it would be to travel by train. But then I kept reading, and kept reading and kept reading. And I am so sorry for you that you missed all the scenery and the food was appalling and the train not fit for princesses. Had you been forewarned you could have at least mentally prepared for the different kind of experience. But, at least you got to San Francisco and I’ve heard the food and the sights there are amazing and I have wanted to go there since watching The Streets of San Francisco. Wasn’t that a great show!
Not only a great food writer, you also make a great travel writer Amanda. Love reading your adventures. When I’ve been to the States with DD, we often ordered one serve and shared it – far too much food on the plate and we hate wastage.
Sounds like a very rough start that ended well! I’ve never been to SF but from reading Food Gal’s blog it looks marvellous.
San Francisco looks wonderful!!!! I’m sorry to hear about the problems you had on your journey there. I’m not sure I would be patient enough to take a train. Whenever I hear of people taking the train I am reminded of the episode on Sex and the City where Carrie and Samantha took the train to San Francisco.
My fiance and I were originally planning to go there on our trip, before he dutifully broke his foot and we had to put things off. When we planned our trip the second time around we just didn’t have time to go there, but we certainly will next trip. All of the food looks amazing!!! And how wonderful to go to Chez Panisse, it’s one of the places I had booked for our trip too!
Sounds like you took all those pitfalls in your stride, Amanda.
Thanks for sharing the high – and low – lights of your culinary travels.
Wow Amanda, sorry I missed this when you first posted it! How interesting. Pity about the food and the miscellaneous dramas… but you and your daughters have a wonderful trip to look back on in years to come! Thanks so much for sharing.
Fantastic! I have friends in SF, so it’s nice to know a bit about the place. Am admiring your patience with your two princesses.. 🙂
Great story, Amanda, and so glad you got to Chez Panisse! I take it you weren’t able to pop over to the Cheese Board given your poor daughter’s illness – you’ll just have to go back! 😉
As for the train, I really wish I’d known you were planning that. We thought it would be a fun adventure to take it with the kids in the other direction (only as far as Eugene, OR, though) a few years back. OMG that thing is sloooooooowww, constantly delayed, and the food is the worst thing I’ve ever endured. We were prepared for bad, but only for 12 hours, and our trip stretched out to about 20… Save trains for the east coast of America next time!
Oh, and also glad you got to the Ferry Building – isn’t it wonderful? The farmers’ markets in the US blow me away with the diversity of their produce – heaven!
Glad to have you back in our twitter time zone. 🙂
San Francisco is an amazing American city. Never disappoints. The West coast you should be a wonderful experience minus the Amtrak train.
Cheers.
Velva