I would recommend making reservations since this place gets pretty packed during peak dinner time and seating can be limited, even though the space was larger than I thought it would be. Service was friendly and you can watch the game at the bar or view mute repeats of "In Living Color" in the dining area with up beat music in the background.
For more info, here is their web site: http://www.farmerbrownsf.com/
They start you off with a carafe of water infused with fresh slices of cucumber and a plate of tiny corn muffins. These little gems were fantastic. Light and fluffy with a hint of jalapeno, my appetite was whetted. These were also domed around a dollop of sweet butter, so it was nice and warm when you were ready to spread it on each little muffin. Very nice.
I started with their Pork Belly Confit & Apple Salad. I wasn't sure what to expect, but the pork belly was moist and tender, the apples were crisp, and the lettuce was fresh with a light coating of lemon-shallot cider vinaigrette. Delicious.
I got the Southern Fried Chicken with one piece of dark meat and one piece of light meat with ham hock greens and mac & cheese. That fried chicken was cooked just the way I like it. CRISPY on the outside and moist and juicy on the inside. Finger-lickin' good. The greens were not cooked until mushy; it was still a bit crunchy with the subtle flavor of the ham hock.
The Mac & Cheese came in a small skillet and had a crusted topping of cheddar cheese. A nice side.
My friend got the Grilled County Pork Chop with Radicchio and mashed potatoes. She was nice enough to let me taste it and the pork was so tender and juicy. This was what I would have ordered if I hadn't ordered the fried chicken.
My other friend's Blackened Shrimp and Grits were also tasty. The shrimps were fresh and dusted with cajun seasonings and the grits were very moist and not gritty at all. Very well done.
Of course, we couldn't end the night without dessert. And of the three choices, we got all three.
Red Velvet Cake: This is probably the best red velvet anything I've had. The cake part was so moist and spongy and the frosting was fairly light considering it was a cream cheese frosting. It wasn't too sweet and it was just divine.
Pecan Pie: I am not normally a pecan pie fan. Period. I find them too sickeningly sweet and with no real flavor. This Pecan Pie, however, had a very aromatic toasted pecan flavor with a filling that wasn't overpoweringly sweet but held everything together. The flaky crust and vanilla ice cream all went exceptionally well together. I'm a convert now; as long as pecan pies are like this.
Sweet Potato Pie: I'm also not a huge sweet potato pie fan. This one was also not too sweet with a flaky crust. Sweet potato is something that is very bland and you can turn it into whatever you want. Farmer Brown turned it into a delectable dessert that can please even the most finicky palate.
The next time you feel like going to the city for dinner and feel like some good down home soul food, come to Farmer Brown. Forget about the car and worrying about parking; take BART and enjoy a nice evening with music and good food.
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