After a what felt like ages (but really three weeks) wait for a table, I finally got to eat at State Bird Provisions! Tapas style dishes pushed around on carts, I had to see this for myself. There is actually a small menu with about 5-6 items you can order from the kitchen. The rest (10-12 dishes) are brought around on trays and a cart fresh from the kitchen. I had some doubts about how hot the food would be since it would be circulating the room, but nothing disappointed. If you are antsy about getting your food, like me, I suggest you try to get the table closest to the kitchen so you get the first pick of the food. There's nothing worse than seeing and smelling the amazing food coming out on trays and realizing that they will run out before they get to you.
Even though State Bird Provisions is based on the concept of dim sum carts, there is actually only one cart that is being pushed around with mainly cold dishes and the rest are brought around on trays. I kinda felt sorry for the server, she seemed to have a hard time maneuvering the cart around the aisles. They should look into the wheels on the Ikea carts.
Originally and at the time of booking this dinner, this duck dumpling dish was on the menu, but that night it didn't appear. A little upset since it was one of the dishes I was looking forward to, but quickly relieved after it appeared on the first tray. Duck neck dumpling with au jus. The au jus was poured on after signaling so it keep the dumpling fresh and not soggy. Possibly the best dish of the dinner for me, with both a delicious dumpling and the au jus sauce good enough to drink, which I was about to do with my spoon, but it was taken away too quickly!
The dumpling wrapper is a little thicker (similar to a potsticker wrapper) and chewy but it was a nice contrast from the ultra tender meat inside.
I didn't even hear the name and description of this dish when the server brought it by. All I heard was blah blah blah burrata blah blah. Buratta anything is a yes please for me! I think my obsession with burrata is almost as big as the one I have for bone marrow. This dish is actually a green garlic bread with burrata. The green garlic bread was more like a fried puffy dough that tasted similar to garlic bread. Loved this!
Quinoa with halibut tartare and mayo with togaroshi and spinach and rosemary aioli. Mixing this seemingly odd combination together results in a pretty delicious bite. A array of textures and flavors from the smooth tartare to the crunchy quinoa and spicy mayo.
Pork belly kimchee stew with clams. This dish was like asari (clam) miso soup meets soondubu. The pork belly was tender and flavorful, but the dish wasn't amazing. It felt like it was missing the creative wow factors the other dishes had. Maybe throw in some mini grilled rice balls (onigiri) for some texture and to soak up the flavors of the soup?
The State Bird with Provisions. Named for the restaurant and actually made with the state bird (quail). The quail is covered with panko and perfectly fried. The meat is super juicy and well cooked. Just be careful with the tiny bones. You can opt for a half portion or the large portion (this is the large portion).
Pickled assorted vegetables and smoked egg. House pickled vegetables seems like a popular item these days on SF menus. One difference State Bird Provision (SBP) had were the addition of potatoes. I really liked all the textures this dish had from soft (potato) to crunchy (carrots). I just wished the egg was more of a soft poached runny egg.
Beef cheek salad with radish and bone marrow dressing. An item ordered from the menu. I saw bone marrow so it was a no brainer to order this. Unfortunately, I must have reinterpreted this dish differently because the dressing didn't taste much like bone marrow at all. Also, I wasn't a fan of all the sharp flavors from the arugula and the radish.
Kumomotos with a housemade vinigrette. Probably could have done without this dish, but I felt like I was on a mission to eat every single dish passed around that night (Note on this: I actually didn't too bad, must have only passed on 4 dishes)
By this point, some of the other dishes were repeating and I had almost given hope that there would be nothing new coming out, but lo and behold three more dishes I had not eaten yet! Smoked trout with toasted bread and pickled vegetables. I was expecting slices or pieces of smoked trout, but actualyl it was a smoked trout type mousse on the bottom of the bowl. I really liked the toasted bread chunks. The bread is very similar to the bread chunks in Zuni's Roasted Chicken with bread salad.
A bite of avocado, pomelo, and guanciale (unsmoked Italian bacon from pig's jowl/cheek). A slightly citrusy (from the pomelo), buttery (from the avocado), and salty (from the guanciale) all in one bite.
Duck liver mousse with cornbread. Another seemingly popular dish all over the city. Up until SBP, my favorite version of a liver mousse was at Frances, but SBP's version is even more delicious and creative. SBP has dishes that keep you palette interested and wondering what's next. Mini cornbread muffins with duck liver? Who would have ever though?! Loved the pairing of the sweetness of the mini cornbreads with the creamy, rich mousse.
It didn't occur to me until dessert that the dishes had a large asian influence. The black pepper bao looked like the Chinese Pinapple bun pastry, but inside was very similar to the fluffy texture of the Chinese egg puffs. The lemon curd with almonds gave the dish a tart flavor. I didn't love or hate this dish, it was just different.
Sesame cracker with clementines and cocoa jam. Again, very similar to a Chinese dessert. The cracker reminded me of the black sesame pudding you can get at dim sum restaurants. The cocoa jam was more like a chocolate pudding. Again, just different, but not lick-your-plate-clean good.
1529 Fillmore St.
San Francisco, CA
Type: tapas/American/casual
Popular chomps: Ca state bird provisions
duck dumplings
green garlic bread with burrata
fluke tartare
beef cheek w/ bone marrow viniagrette
Chomp worthy: Ca state bird provisions
duck dumplings
green garlic bread with burrata
fluke tartare
duck liver mousse with cornbread biscuits
