Guests were welcomed with platters of oven-fresh pesto pizza, followed by a bounty of greens that included mache and watercress, alongside shredded celeriac and grapefruit pieces. Next up were roasted garden asparagus and boiled eggs from the Pauline chicken coop, served with aioli.

An important part of this evening was a tasting of three of Randy Nathan’s wines:  an ‘09 “Cuvee” Rhone Blend, an ‘08 Sangiovese and, coming directly from the barrel, his ‘08 Mourvedre blend, to round out the dinner and contribute to the evening’s liveliness.

The complex and flavorful “Dirty Rice” dish featured ground lamb (and roasted peppers), again from their own production. To top it off, a Meyer lemon sorbet finished the meal with notes of lavender and those who stayed long enough were treated to a taste of his home-made port.

Their passion and dedication to quality palpable, Sidney and Randy have been true “Slow Fooders” for a long time, dividing their time between the gardens and restaurant. With the help of their phenomenal staff, they keep exploring and adding to an already well tested recipe: grow what you want to eat, serve what’s in season and enjoy what California has to offer. Pauline’s Pizza (and Wines) continues to impress and surprise and the convivial table we shared did no less.

It’s difficult to even imagine topping the slow feast offered up at Slow Club on Thursday evening February 25th, but I honestly felt our hosts did just that with their genuine conviviality. Together, Owner Erin Rooney and Chef Matthew Paul provided Convivial Table with an experience that will be remembered and re-savored by all our diners for a long time to come. It was truly that special.

I won’t even attempt to describe the food beyond saying that it was abundant, inspired, varied, and delicious. There was soup, appetizers, antipasto platters, two separate salads preceding a choice of entrees and desserts. Without saying as much (he didn’t need to) the message emanating from Chef Matt was clear: “I love what I do, and I’m eager to share as much of it as I can with you.”

Before the meal even began, both Erin and Matt circled the table and personally introduced themselves to every guest. Each conveyed a commitment to making the evening special for us. As the different platters of food arrived, Matt was there to explain each element to our attentive group of diners. He discussed his sources, reasons for pairing specific ingredients, and complete explanations of individual preparations. “I roast the sunchokes in a hot oven for about fifteen minutes to bring out their natural sugars and begin caramelization,” he explained, to an appreciative guest, “and then switch them to a lower over for another fifteen to twenty five minutes. But less firm vegetables only get the high heat. They’re in and out quickly or they’ll turn mushy.”

These sort of exchanges went on throughout the evening. But it wasn’t just Matt’s depth of knowledge that was so impressive, it was his easy smile and willingness to share anything he could to accommodate. Before the night was through, he was promising “I’m here five nights a week, often six. Come back again. Say hello. Ask more questions. I’ll do my best.” That same sense of hospitality was echoed by Erin.

I read a poll recently that asked diners why they return to a particular restaurant. Cuisine, price, quality, ambiance, and location were all mentioned, but by far the number one answer was personal attention: “they make me feel welcome,” “they know me,” or “they treat me like family.”

I was acutely aware the following day that I’m already looking forward to a return visit to Slow Club. The food is delicious and reasonably priced. The room is stylish and inviting, plus, we really must appreciate any hip San Francisco restaurant where it’s easy to park nearby. I love that they are committed to fighting the good fight; sourcing locally and sustainably whenever possible. And I appreciate their continual support of Slow FOod San Francisco, so there are ample reasons to go back. But it occured to me that the number one reason I’m looking forward to returning is, guess what, they made me feel welcome. There is much to be said for superior customer service.

I heartily recommend a visit to Slow Club. You might even mention that Slow Food sent you. They’ll feed you well and treat you right. (But no, we’re not related.)

http://www.slowclub.com/ for more.

On Thursday evening, February 4, Hayes Street Grill welcomed approximately fifty diners to a noticeably expanded Slow Food San Francisco Convivial Table. The dazzling spread of fresh, local, and sustainable seafood included Dungeness crab, sardines, squid, oysters, opah (moonfish), clams, and ling cod supplemented by outstanding local produce in classic preparations. Rather than focus on this wonderful meal, however, there was another, more important reason we gathered.

Halfway through the feast, Paul Johnson rose from the table and asked for our attention. Paul is a knowledgeable authority and respected advocate for sustainable seafood. He is the founder and proprietor of Monterey Fish Market, the prize winning author of Fish Forever, and an adviser to the “FishWise” program. When he speaks, it is with the heartfelt passion of a lifetime sea lover who has witnessed the tragedy of our oceans and waterways in steady decline. His message this evening centered on three specific points; rampant pollution of our waters (much of this by large scale confined animals operations in the meat and dairy industries-read Nicolette Hahn Niman’s Righteous Porkchop for more), over fishing (sacrificing long term sustainability for short sighted greed), and the increase of farm raised fisheries who simultaneously pollute waterways and endanger wild species. Like many sustainable food advocates, Paul suggested we ask more questions about where our food comes from. In particular, he implored us to support the dwindling breed of independent small boat fishermen-the seagoing equivalent of family run farms. His casual presentation was both enlightened and stimulating. Before returning to his seat, Paul introduced us to a leading local fisherman; Larry Collins.

Larry and his wife, Barbara, have fished out of San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf for a quarter century-primarily for Dungeness Crab and California King Salmon. He too is a passionate and articulate speaker who has sat before numerous government bodies to advocate on behalf of responsible fishing practices. He shared some of his experiences and lamented the sorry state of local salmon fishing (closed two consecutive seasons and counting). Sadly, there is a long list of ill-advised practices which has led to this predicament. The salmon, though, are simply a high profile example of the countless problems facing those dedicated to preserving the waterways and their inhabitants. Larry’s closing message was to remind us that the rivers, streams, oceans, and the many creatures who live therein, do not belong to the government-or to the corporations who selfishly pollute and abuse them. They are ours to protect-and he asked for our help in doing so.

There are numerous restaurants and markets who follow the guidelines of independent groups such as FishWise. We ask you to become more aware of which seafood choices have been caught in an environmentally conscious and sustainable manner. Please seek out the establishments who follow these guidelines-or ask more questions at your favorite businesses. If we don’t make better choices today, we won’t have them to make tomorrow.

Get the information you need to make those choices with fishwise.org.