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Sears Fine Foods: More Than Just Pancakes
By Jason Hom
Editor
With its
numerous department stores, fine art galleries and high-end boutiques, Union
Square has appeal to tourists and locals alike. You might visit simply to admire
the elaborate window displays at Macy's during the holiday season. Or, if you're
a particularly extravagant student or a well-established health professional,
you might actually be there looking to purchase a $1000 Louis Vuitton purse.
Either way, chances are that you'll get hungry at some point as you navigate
through the crowded streets.
One restaurant
that is definitely worth considering is Sears Fine Foods. Sears, which has
been around since 1938, is best known for their miniature Swedish pancakes,
which you can get at breakfast, lunch or dinner. According to the restaurant
owners, the pancakes are so popular that over 10,000 of them are produced each
day. Naturally, we decided to try to the pancakes on our visit to see what
the buzz was all about. But before we got to the pancakes, we sampled the fried
calamari, which is one of their small plates options. The calamari itself was
fresh and had a nice chewy texture. The fried batter on the outside was well-done — it
was not overly greasy or salty and did not overpower the taste of the calamari
itself.
Now, on
to the pancakes. For $7.95, you get 18 pancakes with maple syrup, butter and
a side of fresh fruit. An extra two dollars will get you some hot bacon strips
or sausage. The pancakes were excellent, with a light and fluffy feel. The
bacon and the sausage provided a good complement to the pancakes.
We also
tried the Caesar salad. It was served with an array of whole lettuce leaves,
chicken, croutons and grated cheese. I know that some people prefer the more
common serving style, in which the lettuce is cut and tossed. Aside from that
minor point, the salad was very good — the dressing was creamy, the lettuce
was crisp and the chicken was tender and juicy.
The menu
at Sears is quite varied. For breakfast, if you are not in the mood for pancakes,
you can order waffles, French toast, or a seafood omelet, among other selections.
The lunch menu offers a variety of appetizing sandwiches and salads, such as
a BLT and a Bay Shrimp Louie salad. The dinner menu features a variety of seafood,
pasta, and meat options, including fresh salmon, seafood linguini, and T-bone
steak.
The service
at Sears was professional, friendly and fast. We were seated quickly, our orders
were taken promptly and the food arrived in good time. The prices are reasonable
for a student. Of course, if you're more budget-minded and/or in a hurry, you
can simply stop at one of the hot dog stands near Union Square. On the other
hand, if you'd like to sit down to a more leisurely meal in a well-lit and
tastefully decorated establishment, consider Sears.
Sears Fine Foods
439 Powell Street
San Francisco
Open daily, 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
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