A humble restaurant in San Francisco that will cause your expectations for the Castro to tumble.
First Impressions of The Sausage Factory
There are two things that stood out to me when I first entered the Sausage Factory. The first was that the restaurant was much larger than I realised. Far from being what I thought was a cosey little dining area, the place is in fact quite extensive, with narrow passages leading into backrooms, and due to the low ceilings and rich décor, it doesn’t lose any of its snug feeling by having the extra space. The second thing I noticed was that The Sausage Factory is old-fashioned in a brilliant way. It has floral wallpaper and antique carpet, the narrow passages themselves are stuffed with further seating areas in the passageway itself and fancy candelabras further promote this historical aesthetic. Pretty much all the pictures on the walls are black and white photos. Many are of people, but there is one stand out of the Golden – Gate Bridge still under construction, reminding you which city you are in.
A third thing which stood out to me was the cheeriness of the waiters. They were very attentive and eager to help. The cheeriness and the cosiness of The Sausage Factory set me up for a warm dining experience every time I was there.
But how good was the food at The Sausage Factory?
There are two sausage pasta dishes on selection among the main courses. I opted for the Sausage, broccoli and rabe penne. Rabe, the good waiter told me, is a bitterish green vegetable like chard.
Upon first bite, I found my dish very disappointing. The penne was dry and tasted of reheated left-overs. It was not fresh pasta and I felt quite sure it had been boiled up at least the day before. The good thing was that the sausage, broccoli rabe and chilli went very well together and the more I ate of the dish the more I enjoyed it. It’s just a shame the pasta didn’t taste fresh.
The wine I ordered also grew on me despite being unusually bitter. It didn’t’ go with the complimentary sourdough bread they served me and forget the idea of drinking this kind of vintage on its own – that would be a definite no. I did wonder if the wine was off, but I’m not a wine connoisseur and well, I think knowing your wines is hard stuff. I got through the wine via the accompaniment of the chilli sausage. The wine was served in a tumbler glass rather than a wine glass, and while some restaurants have pulled this off It didn’t work for the Sausage Factory. Perhaps they wanted to seem humble, and there is a humbleness to the Sausage Factory, perhaps in the low ceiling of the narrow dining corridor and the old-fashioned style and the cheery waiters, but looking at the glamour of the chandeliers and the overall ambiance of the restaurant, I strongly felt the wine should have been served in a proper wine glass. The tumblers they use are the same boring glasses all the nearby bars serve their liquor in. The Sausage Factory has a humble class in its ambiance and its aura, but rather than coming across classy and humble, the way they serve their wine just comes across cheap.
What is the best thing about the Sausage Factory?
The best thing about The Sausage Factory is undoubtedly the interior of the restaurant. The narrow corridors that lead to its hidden quarters, the old-fashioned wallpaper and black and white photographs and its low hanging chandeliers they create a brilliant atmosphere and vibe, and if the restaurant had been slightly less crowded, or if the crowd had simply been slightly quieter the ambiance would have been utterly perfect.
What is my ultimate problem with The Sausage Factory?
My ultimate biggest problem with the Sausage Factory is the quality of the food. Being almost as expensive as the likes of Café Mystique – another Italian join just 5 minutes up the road – it’s hard to justify the food not being of a higher quality, but then again, the uniqueness of the restaurant lay out and vibe will be enough to bring me back here and have a go at some more of the dishes on the menu come what may. So, The Sausage Factory is clearly worth at least one dining experience. I just wonder if next time I should request my wine be served in an actual wine glass… or will that be an affront to the spirit and uniqueness of The Sausage Factory?
Some final food for thought:
1 bonus point to The Sausage Factory for offering more than different type of red by the glass for no more than 10 dollars. The cheapest glass of red in Bambinos (the Italian on Cole street just 1.2 miles from The Sausage Factory) was 12 dollars, and the selection in Bambinos is not as good.
The Sausage Factory is not as good as Bambinos when it comes to the quality of its pasta, but if we’re adding up everything else: the ambiance, the wine selection, the overall experience, The Sausage Factory wins. I’d be more excited to bring a date here than to Bambinos, and I’d definitely be more excited to dine here by myself.
Service 9/10
Food 5/10
Ambiance 9/10
