A Brighter Note

After we dropped off my saddle with Sarah, the director of the James S. Brady Therpeutic Riding program, it was time for a little lunch. We needed something a little lighter to do. So, My Beloved drove us out of Golden Gate park, past the huge windmill, and out along the Great Beach. The sky had cleared from the earlier rain and the beach was beautiful, long and golden with people scattered along its length enjoying the freshly washed air.

He had never eaten at the Beach Chalet across the Great Highway from the beach, even though he and it have been in San Francisco for many years. I was interested to try it, too, so we found a parking space nearby and climbed the stairs to the restaurant on the second level.  We scored a great table right next to the window with an unobstructed view of the beach.

I had a bowl of butternut squash soup and a crab cake appetizer. The soup was warming and spiced with fall flavors, and topped with a squiggle of creme fraiche. The crab cake was made with local Dungeness crab, a little spicy with a crisp, crackling crust and a generous puddle of charred scallion aioli. The accompanying slaw was made with radicchio, cucumbers, and yellow peppers in a tangy, vinegary dressing that complemented the rich crab very well.

My Beloved's steak and frites were cooked exactly to his order and the fries were crisp and hot. I sneaked a few of those fries. He carved his way through a very rare steak while we admired the peace of the beach outside and the bustle of happy eaters and good service inside. 

After lunch, we browsed leisurely through the little museum exhibits on the lower floor and enjoyed the frescoes, the richly carved bannister, and the mosaics, all thanks to the WPA in the 1930s. They have a nice little gift shop there, too, and an outdoor restaurant that features local ales and beers that we will save for another day. It was time to head home for a nap after a busy morning of good deeds and good food.