They were very serious about the reservations. Couldn’t have one at 7 but we could at 6:45 and thenI got a call to confirm and almost got nervous like if we didn’t get there on time we would get scolded and told we couldn’t eat. But that didn’t happen. Which is nice. They were actually quite nice and sat us down right by the window. Not too many people at 6:45 but then 7 rolled around and so did the crowd. Well, at least the little crowd that could fit in the restaurant. Although the wine bar didn’t look as if it could hold the 15 people I had read about on the website, the size suited the atmosphere. Which was simple but warm. Nicely colored walls and plenty of wood to make you feel for a moment as if you are somewhere else. Somewhere with a lot more trees.

Looking around, we noticed that the plates were a bit small but absolutely gorgeous. The menu is set up in this way that really reminds me of the time I spent in Germany. The first group of dishes was set under the title ‘first plates’ and the second, well, I bet you could guess. Basically, diners are made to feel as though they ought to be ordering one of each for themselves. At least that’s how I felt. So we really went above and beyond that feeling. The two of us decided to get three first plates to share and then a second plate for each of us. The three first plates were largely a result of some serious indecisiveness on my part, a regular characteristic of my dining experiences. But we had no regrets as they were delicious. I mean, I love cornbread and I also love goat cheese (a lot) so the cornbread crostinis, smothered in goat cheese, were as good a decision as the crab fluffs. But the crab fluffs were

I moved to the outer Richmond a couple of months ago and discovered an array of neighborhood delights. Among them, and possibly the shining star, is the TeeOff bar and grill. In a city full of ultra-hip bars, sometimes you crave a much more raw and unassuming place to enjoy a cold beer and a game of pool. Or you could enjoy that beer with free ping-pong, free ms. pac-man or free darts. Beers on tap are primarily NorCal brews, surely a few of many San Franciscan’s go-to beers, and the wines are few but available. The cocktails are not glamorous or maybe exactly what you expect but they go down smooth because they are, instead, simple and to the point. Also because they remind you of the cocktail your friend mixed for you in his kitchen that night with whatever he had when he kinda wanted you to get drunk without you knowing about it.
You might call it a dive bar…but not after you order the most gourmet macaroni and cheese you could have imagined only to enjoy it in the very friendly patio area with a variety of characters, even if you had to wait a little while for it to arrive. The chef, Paul, is also part owner of the bar and decided at some point that he would use his abilities as a gourmet chef to make and serve the gourmet version of american diner classics to hungry, tipsy, down-to-earth customers. The other owner, and bartender, is his very nice wife, Crystal. It’s always a fun time at the TeeOff. Just not if you’re looking for a mango martini.