A Gay Old Time

The Castro: a good place to people-watch, not always a foodie destination. However, there are some new places that merit a visit. Namely: Blackbird, a cool little bar that has absolutely delicious cocktails for a mere $8. The Charming Susan and I enjoyed a Negroni (her) and a Dutch Courage (me), the latter a fruity combo of bols genever, maple syrup, lemon and lime juices, frothed-up egg whites and bitters. Dear Lord! Tasting almost like pineapple, this drink had just the right sweetness and left a nice boozy after-breath. I also fancied our wee window table (see: people-watching) and the fossil-like surface of said table. The place gets loud, but the drinks are worth it.
Next, the Charming One and I traipsed up the street to Starbelly. My cohort had thoughtfully called ahead to reserve us a two-top, which is a good thing to do; the place can get crowded. We shared the Starbelly salad, lettuces with tiny cherry tomatoes, goat cheese and a puckery vinaigrette, and a Greekish salad of heirloom tomato, Japanese cucumber, olives and raw milk feta. As an entree, we ordered a pleasantly chewy margherita pizza; Susan's half was adorned with their house bacon. It was a perfect way to pass a Tuesday night: pizza and booze, Castro-style. Oh: if you're gay and male, you might find the waiters kind of tasty as well.