Becoming a parent means nights out become fewer and further between, especially fancy dinners at a San Francisco restaurant. It also means that when we do get date night, we pick our dining spot with over-meticulous care; after all, there’s fewer worse disappointments than drawing a dud out of the city’s current crop of hot spots.
Thanks to an invitation from Nommery we got our latest evening out and a chance to cross another restaurant off our list: Dirty Habit. Although the name is eyebrow-raising, I’m happy to say the food elicited only sighs on contentment from us.
Dirty Habit is located in the space formerly occupied by Fifth Floor restaurant, a longtime landmark of the San Francisco dining scene. It’s been renovated to a modern bar and lounge space, perfect for the young-and-hip San Francisco set, but we felt comfortable even if we aren’t so hip anymore. The interior is eclectically stylish, but I prefer the heated outdoor patio complete with fire pits and lounge chairs – a luxurious oasis in oft-foggy San Francisco. The space outside is more relaxed and conducive to conversation, and I had better lighting for the food (until the sun set, anyway).
Some of the highlights of our dinner:
figs a la plancha/lime vinaigrette/feta
Beautiful way to start off the evening. Dirty Habit’s plating is on point.
halibut ceviche/pluot/white soy/sesame
Loved this. Fresh and clean and just a bit of spice.
wagyu beef tartare/red curry/fried shallots
Another favorite of the evening. So tender and flavorful and I loved the addition of the curry.
octopus confit/yukon/pole beans/yemen spice
Beautiful plating. Dirty Habit’s cuisine is classified as New American, which is a bit of a nebulous description by now as chefs are showcasing increasingly unique and personal viewpoints. The dishes at Dirty Habit had a slight Asian influence, from the use of curry and coconut in an avocado salad to mixing yakitori-style chicken into a tagliatelle dish.
sisig fried rice/pork belly/calamansi
Can’t say no to pork belly, and it was fun to see modern take on pork sisig.
soft shell crab/banana ketchup/thai sausage
A beautifully arranged ikebana-like spiral of crab legs. I really enjoyed the aesthetics of the plated dishes here.
Finally, dessert time. (Oh, and in case you were wondering, I never skip dessert, even when we’re on the clock to get home to the babysitter. You always have to make time for the important things in life!) The most original item we got was a sweet chawanmushi (Japanese egg custard)with barley, strawberry, and black garlic. It was like a cross between creme brûlée and rice pudding. The other desserts were a lemon and blueberry tart (top photo) and a chocolate mousse cake with hazelnuts and cherry – delicious, if not as creatively original as the rest of the menu. Next time I’d like to try the biko topped with passion fruit/mango/coconut – it sounds like the sort of Asian-inspired dish at which Dirty Habit excels.
Thanks for Nommery for the dinner invitation and giving us a fun night out!
I haven’t attempted making the chawanmushi at home yet, but here are some of my takes on the lemon tart:
Meyer lemon and chocolate tart
Anita Chu, also known as pastrygirl, is a baker, writer, and photographer with a passion for pastry. She trained at Tante Marie's Cooking School and is the author of Field Guide to Cookies, Field Guide to Candy, and Lollipop Love. Anita lives in San Francisco with her husband, baby girl, and rescue cockapoo Snickerdoodle. 
Everything looks delicious. I just got back from San Francisco and could have use a great restaurant recommendation. Next time for sure… going on my list:) Your photos are beautiful to boot
How nice a date night! Everything does look perfectly plated I agree! I’ve never tried beef tartare but boy now I want to!
Yes…date nights are few & far between! However your latest looks like it was an amazing eating experience & I LOVE the name of the place!
All these photos of yummy food are making me hungry. They look so delicious! 🙂
Date night, sometimes its hard to have with little ones… This restaurant looks delish!
This article made me squeal a bit! So want to freakin’ go to San Fran NOW
i love tapas places like this- trying a little bit of everything is so much more fun that eating a massive amount of one thing, in my opinion. and the asian fusion (for lack of a better term, even though it seems to have a negative connotation these days) elements sound so tasty!
Oh wow! Everything looks so wonderful!
Oh My it all looks so delicious! Your pictures are supberb! SFO is one of my favorite places on earth! I went to college in Stockton, so made many day trips there on weekends! Lovely blog!
Valerie
Fashion And Travel
x0
This meal looks fabulous!! I’m glad you got to have a night out!
How fun! Everything looks delicious, especially those figs! YUM!
I need to check this place out the next time I am up that way…sounds wonderful
Sounds fantastic! Don’t you love those nights you get out, especially when they are so special so far apart!
What a fantastic meal! I haven’t been to San Francisco in years – I miss that city!
With four boys, I can completely relate to not wanting to waste an evening out on a sub-par dining experience. Every single plate was gorgeous. Sounds like a fantastic date night.
I’ve been waiting to dine here! Gosh, that ceviche and soft shell crab look and sound amazing. Making a reservation, stat!
Date nights are so special (and so rare!). What a lovely meal to enjoy in San Francisco and your photos are wonderful!!
What a fun name for a restaurant. Glad you got to have a fun date night. The food looks rather adventurous, which makes it perfect for a special night.
I’ve never been to San Francisco but I’m putting this place on the list for when I do!! I love that the patio has fire pits! I would love that soft shell crab and the dessert looks like it was worth the wait!
That meal has me drooling over here and wishing I could jump through the screen. With 5 munchkins at home date night are VERY far and few between. I haven’t had a meal like that in FOREVER! But, I pinned it so I can try it the next time we are in San Fran- looks like it would be worth the sitter cost 😉
Your photos look incredible! Who wouldn’t want to dive into this meal and that soft shell crab? I need that now!
That is some seriously beautiful food plating!
That meal looks like it was amazing. I also am a sucker for pork belly — I never pass it up!