Have you seen those videos on Facebook of huge circles of cheese being melted and scraped over toasted bread? I certainly have and quickly resolved to try it at least once. I was originally planning to try it over Winter Break on my trip to New York CIty until I found out from a friend that I could get it right across the bay in San Francisco, at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza. Not one to turn down such a close opportunity, I jumped on the BART and headed to the Embarcadero station.
The San Francisco Ferry Plaza is an experience in itself. Coming from Los Angeles, the best thing I can compare it to is the Grand Central Market, at least a cleaner Grand Central Market. Shop after shop, each with its own unique food or product such as porcelain, sushi, fresh produce, tea... the list goes on and on. The atmosphere is almost festive with happy people bustling in and out. Just outside, the waves lap gently against the pier, seagulls fly lazily above tourists, and the Bay Bridge stands resolutely in the background. But I digress.
Cowgirl Creamery's Sidekick Cafe easily stands out as one of the more popular attractions. As soon as I walked in, I could see the huge crowd around the cheese scraping stall. I couldn't even tell where the line was or wasn't. After hovering around a bit, I ordered the weekend raclette ($6.47) and walked around for half an hour as suggested by the friendly cashier. Upon return, I watched the attendant prepare my bread and heat up the cheese, bubbling and glistening. With one smooth stroke she scraped a large glob of cheese onto my plate, sending the thick smell of cheese into the air. It was quite the experience.
Taking a bite into the bread was heavenly. The cheese was perfectly complimented by the pickled onions and pickles served alongside. Gooey and warm, it was an almost sensual sensation. The bread had a lasting crunch that was highly satisfying. However, it lasted as soon as it started. $6.47 doesn't buy you very much unfortunately, and I was soon left with an empty plate and a craving for more.
Was it worth it? Probably not. The $8 BART ride plus the $6.47 isn't really justified for more than one experience, but feel free to differ. I think this is something everyone should try once, but unless you live quite near the Ferry Market and have spare money to throw around, resist temptation in the future.
Note: I did not try anything else on the menu and cannot speak about their other very appealing options.
