Rusty's--San Francisco (Southern cuisine)

For excellently-prepared Southern-inspired food, Rusty's is a great place to visit for comfortable, casual ambiance, craft beers and friendly service. Located at 750 Ellis Street, the location is easy to get to if one is willing to do a half-mile, colorful walk from the Civic Center BART station. Otherwise, street parking is fairly available in this area.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

http://rustyssf.com/


Animal IPA, Fort Point Brewing. This beer was foral on the nose, medium bodied, and had medium hops with a bit of citrus. A very nice, drinkable beer that paired well with any food.

Java Cask (Bourbon barrel aged Coffee Imperial Stout), Victory Brewing. A coffee forward aroma with a tasty foam and long bitter finish. This is in my book of really delicious beers. It had a hearty texture and is one of those beers that can stand on its own without pairing with food.

Brunswick Stew. A loose stew with bits of chicken, brisket, rabbit, pork and ten vegetables. The broth was well formulated and provided a robust flavor profile. This was a nice light starter to start the meal.

Buttermilk biscuit with Pepper Jelly & Butter. A pretty hefty biscuit that was also fluffy and moist. The pepper jelly was more sweet than spicy, but added a nice balance of flavors along with the butter. This was also great for soaking up leftover Brunswick Stew broth.

Country Board. Filled from edge to edge with cheese, country ham, pork cracklins, various pickles (each with its own flavor), crackers and a couple of deviled eggs. Every ingredient was well prepared and delicious. I could've just had this for a meal.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken. A crunchy, sweet tea brined breast, thigh and drumstick was served with braised collards and some rice. The chicken had that great crunchy exterior that one craves and was really juicy and tender on the inside.

Barbecue Plate. Hickory-smoked, tender chopped pork shoulder was served with tangy Lexington red slaw and freshly fried, hot hush puppies. This was a hefty portion of pork and the leftovers made a great sandwich the next day.

I'm happy to find another great Southern restaurant in the Bay Area. The more delicious fried chicken I have to choose from, the better.