Beginning this Saturday, March 21, El Rio (3158 Mission) will offer free pancakes from 1 to 3 p.m. every third Saturday of the month (tips are encouraged). Called "Rock Softly and Carry a Big Spatula," the event also features an awarding of the Golden Apron to the patron who rocks the "funkiest kitchen couture." Fond of food freebies, the bar also provides gratis oysters on the half shell every Friday at 5:30 p.m. and barbecue on Fridays and Sundays during the summer.
If you spend a few minutes talking to head cheesemonger Colin Shaff of Mission Italian spot Bar Bambino (2931 16th St. at South Van Ness), there's no doubt he takes cheese just as seriously as he takes wine, which makes the bar's upcoming Cheese + Wine Tasting all the more alluring. After a successful run of tasting events last year, Bambino kicks off its new series this Sunday around the theme of cheeses newly recognized by the DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) -- which is more interesting than it sounds. "The DOCG is an Italian quality assurance label for food and wine products," he says. "Just to give you an idea of how rare it is, there have only been five cheeses recognized since 1996. It's a very big deal."
Taraval Okazu Ya (1735 Taraval) offers a Japanese reinterpretation of the Chinese crab rangoon appetizer with the sushi nugget ($5.95). Crab and cream cheese are stuffed in a small roll that is then deep fried and served with a sweet mayonnaise-based sauce. The perfect thing to win over sushi newbies (especially if you ask to hold the orange tobiko aka fish eggs), this roll is also available at nearby Noriega Okazu Ya (2445 Noriega).
