Orange Eats: Kitchenette SF

Here at Orange Photography, our local neighborhood is filled with artists workshops and industrial warehouses. We might not be able to ask around for a cup of sugar [if we were to ever need it], but why bother with sugar when a visit to your neighbor’s spot will get you a warm baguette bursting with fried chicken dusted with Indian flavors and topped with fresh herbs, spicy/salty/sweet chicharrones, and ginger date cookies?

Team Orange took a stroll down our block to 958 Illinois Street to visit our neighbor Kitchenette SF , a lunch-only eatery that churns out inspired interpretations of typical lunchtime fare. Kitchenette, a two-year old subsidiary of LRE Catering that was a outgrowth of staff meals, draws from the talents of local chefs from renowned restaurants to create and develop its menus. On any given day at Kitchenette you might nosh on a meal conceived and cooked by a chef from Zuni, Foreign Cinema, Chez Panisse or other notable restaurant. The result is a collaborative, cooperative kitchen that brings together some of the best minds in food with the common purpose of creating a uniquely Bay Area lunch experience.

The traditional red and white checked table cloths draped over Kitchenette’s window to the world do little to disguise the fact that lunch service at Kitchenette takes place on a loading dock for 18-wheelers. Where semis might pull into a warehouse now sit wooden benches (filled with people from Dogpatch, SOMA, and the Financial District) and a table of compostable cutlery and, if you come on the right day, homemade sriracha (!!!!!). Team Orange was welcomed inside by Marketing Manager Tyler Sachs and Owner and Head Chef Douglas Monsalud to eat at their staff table and take a peek behind the scenes.

Chef Douglas Monsalud

Douglas graciously gave us a tour around the kitchen, letting us poke around with our lenses, and answered many of our questions about Kitchenette. Some interesting things we learned:

• Sandwich or bust: According to Douglass, about 98% of the time people want a sandwich for lunch and so that’s what ends up on the menu. Popular sandwiches at Kitchenette are the Dogpatch Millionaire (that transcendentally delicious fried chicken number mentioned above), a tofu bahn mi, and corned beef on lavash.  Popular NON sandwich items that make the occasional cameo include a vermicelli noodle bowl or mac’n'cheese.  But please, while you’re there do yourself a favor and grab a bag of the chicharrones.

• Field Research: The staff at Kitchenette doesn’t just use local ingredients, they trek around to see where they actually come from.  Field trips are a part of the Kitchenette culture and staff have foraged for wild mushrooms, shucked at oyster farms in Tomales Bay, and tasted at Cowgirl Creamery in Point Reyes.  Armed with tastebuds that have actually experienced the flavors on the menus, the Kitchenette staff aren’t just reciting ingredients on a menu when they tell you about them.
• Social eating:  Kitchenette is fully wired for interweb connectivity.  You can order online, or get the menus of the day when you  follow them on Twitter or like them on Facebook!
• Kitchenette for all: Kitchentte also offers a lunchtime catering menu, perfect for meetings or special days at the office. Their catering options include 8 sandwiches, salads, and a suite of six cookie offerings. Trust us, your posse will thank you.

For more information on Kitchenette, visit their website.  But for now, we leave you with a tastebud tingling treat of our full gallery from our Orange Eats adventure at Kitchenette.

[nggallery id=20]

By cassidy on Jun 09 | Categories: Feature, Photography | Tags: kitchenette, kitchenette sf, orange eats, san francisco food, sf underground food, the best sandwich in san francisco | Leave A Comment »