The Castro district in San Francisco is widely know for its colorful energy. Also well known is its lack of legitimate restaurants despite a density of eateries in the neighborhood. A few Castro dining spots have been pulling most of the weight (Home, Catch, Chow) but finally in Starbelly an establishment has come along that offers the neighborhood hungry a creative and well-executed place to eat.
In 2009 the team behind the Mission's stylish Berretta opened Starbelly on 16th at Market. The atmosphere is relaxed, and, despite the mainly gay and lesbian traffic in the Castro, has a hip mixed crowd. The bar that anchors the room is actually a lane from a bowling alley, which underscores the the casual California food they serve.
Evenings from happy hour till late dinner draw crowds of people, which can seem like an impossible hastle at first glance. Unable to get a dinner reservation on a Friday night for four one night, the host staff optimistically told me I could put my name on the wait list over the phone. My friends and I did have to wait for a little while, but the host staff rewarded our vigilance with a flow of wine as well as chorizo mussels and french fries on the house.
Starbelly's menu offers a number of modular eating experiences. There are snacks like warm olives , crispy smelts with jalapeno and local artisan cheeses for a casual moment with a beer. Salads and small plates are perfect if you are in a tapas mood. The house made chicken liver pate with cherry-apricot-pistachio chutney is buttery and luxurious. There are also delights befitting the Northern California palette like grilled local sardines, dungeness crab hush puppies and wild mushrooms with duck egg.
The pizzas crafted by the Starbelly chefs are worthy of their own section of the menu. A crisp, thin, fire roasted crust is paired with fresh ingredients that change to reflect the seasons. Rich with tastes of springtime, on a recent visit we ordered the market pear and bleu cheese with spicy arugula. There are other taste sensations like bacon and jalapeno, squash and goat cheese, mushroom and Gruyere as well as chorizo and egg.
Plates continue the cared for, local California bistro flavors. The menu includes unpretentious dishes like a Prather Ranch burger with Point Reyes Bleu, Sonoma lamb chops with cheddar grits and fresh spaghetti with bacon and jalapeno.
With its full bodied but laid back offerings, Starbelly brings that happy, full feeling to eating out and enjoying the company of friends. No matter what neighborhood is yours, Starbelly is a destination for excellent neighborhood food and drink.
