Flour + Water

Phone: 415-826-7000
www.flourandwater.com

What’s all the buzz about… still? After all, Flour + Water has been open since 2009 and yet it’s more impossible than ever to get a prime-time reservation at this Mission eatery nearly four years later.   As the restaurant’s name suggests, the fuss is what happens when you combine flour and water — Pasta & Pizza, that is.   From the humble and laidback neighborhood setting to the menu items, this is a prime case of undersell and overdeliver.  Just sink your teeth into one of their beautifully bubbly  Neopolitan pies delivered from the wood-burning oven.  There’s plenty of innovative options, like the Bianco Verde, a finely charred pizza paved with Asparagus, Nettles, Green Garlic and a bright hit of lemon that teases the vibrant vegetal quality out of all of the market fresh ingredients.  While it’s mostly considered a pizza & pasta joint, the Antipasti are worth a pit stop.  We tried the Roasted Beet and Citrus Salad with Tangerines, Blood Orange, Avocado & an Olive Vinaigrette.

But don’t get too distracted.  Keep your eye on the Pastas, which you’ll want to devote most of your attention.  (They’re all made in-house daily!)  We sampled a terrifically briny Squid Ink Cappellacci, tossed with a Cuttlefish Ragu, Pea Tendrils, Olive Oil and a dose of Chili, as well as Spaghetti with smoky nuggets of Pancetta, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, a sprinkling of Pecorino Romano, and a Soft Cooked Egg which you pierce and swirl into the pasta as if it’s a sauce binding all of the earthy, intense ingredients together.  Whether you have room or not, squeeze in a dessert.  The Chocolate Budino with a cloud of Espresso Cream and crunch of Sea Salt is a signature.  We tried a rather unique Parsnip Cake, studded with currants, and crowned with Carrot Gelato.

The chef and co-owner Thomas McNaughton walnut tables window view of the neighborhood.  All things  thin, finely charred crust pizza called the bianco verde white pie with asparagus, nettles, ricotta green garlic &  a bright burst of lemon.  Also tried a Roasted Beet & Citrus Salad with segments of blood orange and tangerine mingled with nicoise olive vinaigrette & the Squid Ink Pasta stained with Cuttlefish and Spaghetti with mushrooms, cipollini & a poached egg & parmesan sprinkled on top  For dessert, we had the Chocolate Budino with Espresso Cream & Sea Salt and a very interesting Vanilla Bonet with Balsamic Caramel & Cornmeal-Citrus Cookies. Short bread/cornbread.  laidback pizzeria also carrot gelato with turnip currant cake.