For his second week on the job at the Ex, critic Jesse Hirsch reviews the under-the-radar Hayes Valley bar-café Two Sisters Bar & Books. He finds it small but charming, and especially loves chef Alex Smith’s take on mac-and-cheese, with beer in the sauce and a pretzel topping. Also, he loves the lamb sandwich and the Madame Rarebit at brunch. In fact, the place is so charming and so small, that he’s afraid to say too much for fear he’ll never get a seat again. “Let me take it all back, actually,” he writes. “What a terrible place. Please don’t visit.” [Examiner]
For her Friday review, Ms. Tablehopper — Marcia Gagliardi, soon to be the critic/contributing editor at 7x7 — writes up her thoughts on Cupola, the Lark Creek-affiliated pizzeria on the fourth floor of the Westfield, which is probably your best and easiest food bet before going to the movies there. She loves the pulled mozzarella appetizer and the Dome salad. And she’s mostly complimentary about the pizzas, though says they got a little too smoked by the oven a couple of times, and her arrabiata could have used a little more rabia (anger), so she had to add some chili oil. Also, that $30 table feast deal is still on, and it remains one of the best deals in town. [Tablehopper, Unterman’s earlier take]
