Firefly
4288 24th Street
Noe Valley
415.821.7652
| posthoc's Late Night Restaurant Guide |
Much copied and frequently ballyhooed as THE trend-setting fusion restaurant in San Francisco, this small neighborhood gem continues to shimmer with culinary enthusiasm and imaginative presentations: good food from the marriage of skill and love.
Located in Noe Valley’s SUV cluttered neighborhood, Firefly’s fifty-six-seat storefront attracts an audience from far beyond the neighborhood’s borders and garners rave reviews by local and national critics. This small and intelligent kitchen serves up inspirational and soul satisfying food.
Firefly is divided into two small rooms, each with close-quarter seating for approximately 30 guests. The feel is homey: clutter of wooden furniture; uneven floors; simple flower arrangements; understated artwork one the cottage-like walls.
Brad Levy and Veva Edelson (of Embarko’s brief but bright fame) opened Firefly on maxed-out personal credit cards, prayers and a loan or two from friends and relatives. Firefly has been a smash hit since it opened and is ever harder to secure seating at due to all the fans. And the success is justified.
Almost-always right on with fusion, Firefly’s menu includes Chinese, Vietnamese, Mexican and old-fashioned, all-American traditions. This fusion of styles is best summed up by the astoundingly good signature dish: shrimp and scallop pot stickers with sesame soy dipping sauce (7.50). The list of Firefly’s brilliant fusions are way too many to enumerate here in detail, but a few truly inspired items, each about 7.00, are the grilled vegetable minestrone with goat cheese croutons, the fried green tomatoes with spicy grits, pecan stuffed balsamic figs with Maytag blue cheese and roasted pepper vinaigrette, and house-made duck pate with pistachios and cornichons. Entrees offer even more unique marriages: Korean braised short ribs with jasmine rice and sesame long beans (15.75); sun-dried cherry and thyme stuffed pork chop with sweet potato gratin and romano beans (17.75); grilled local swordfish with whipped sweet potatoes, Yucatan cabbage slaw and pineapple chipolte salsa (18.50); ratatouille risotto with oven roasted beets, fava beans and orange balsamic glaze (13.50); tea smoked tofu with soba noodles, Japanese eggplant and hoisin sauce (12.75).
Firefly’s wine list is well thought out, fairly priced and almost exclusively Californian; other beverage options are equally as excellent. And for between six and eight dollars, try something on Firefly’s inspired dessert menu: housemade cookies, ice cream, fabulous crème brulee, fresh fruit cobbler ala mode, or decadent chocolate truffle cake with hazelnut ice cream and kahlua anglaise.
The servers at Firefly are friendly, efficient, and well trained; they are versed in the nuances and specialties of the house and help make this a truly unique neighborhood restaurant. I highly recommend Firefly. Firefly, 4288 24th Street, Noe Valley, 415.821.7652.
--Stu Smith
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