Tastes of Childhood

Despite the fact that my SF family vacation 15 years ago sucked, I have a few very fond memories. One of them is definitely the amazing mini-donut shop on Pier 39. Things were different back then though, I remember the donut shop to be a mini kiosk that served only vanilla and chocolate donuts. You could get a mixed batch of 6 that they would place on a skewer. So magical!! When I came back as an intern in 2008, I made one trip to the Wharf area and was heartbroken when I found that the kiosk no longer existed.

Then I became OCD on Yelp :). While I was searching around for the potato restaurant, I found that a lot of people were talking about Trish's Donuts, a popular tourist shop on Pier 39. At first, I just assumed it was a new restaurant, but the more I read, the more I started to gain hope! Some of the reviewers claimed they had been coming to Trish's their whole life, and were mentioning that it had moved from kiosk to proper storefront. I kind of freaked out, could this be the magical mini-donut experience I had been longing for!?

adding cinnamon sugar to conveyor belt donuts

After we digested the potatoes and visited the museum, we wandered over to the Pier with high hopes. Trish's has a cute storefront, very touristy/Disneyland looking. The line was maybe 10 people long but moving very quickly. A short glance at the menu made me realize this was going to be different. Rather than chocolate and vanilla, the choices were cinnamon sugar and plain. Inside the little shop, I saw donuts were still being made via conveyor belt which always makes me smile. It also reminds me of the conveyor belt pancake printer that I hope to own one day :D

pancake printer

We got a 24 variety pack (cuz we are health conscious like that) and then the moment of truth! :\ they were really really good!!! But not what I remembered :(. These donuts are deliciously greasy/buttery melt-in-your-mouth yummy. Amazing! However, I remembered a more cake-like creation that could hold its composition in kabob format.

mmm greasy goodness

When I inevitably have another reason to be in that area, I will likely grab some more to go. They are really tasty and I would have enjoyed them substantially more had I not had the childhood bias.

Build a Potato

Last summer, I saw an article about a brand new restaurant, Hot Spud,  that serves entirely build-it-yourself baked potatoes. Being a potato lover and an obsessive trendy food trier, I was 110% on board... until I read the location: Fisher-freaking-man's Wharf. File that one away under "never." As a snooty wannabe local SF-er, I HATE Fisherman's Wharf. Even the thought of it brings back horrible memories of my family's dysfunctional vacation there when I was 8 years old.

potato ordering bar

Then I took on the task of localizing Carlos who has been highly sheltered from SF experiences.  He suggested we check out Musée Mécanique at the pier. As much as I dreaded it, this place sounded pretty awesome, so I agreed to head over as long as I got my potato for lunch.

menu with options

We decided to try our luck on Sunday. Luckily the weather was gorgeous and it was fairly early, so things were pleasant. I even found a free parking space only a few blocks away after some patient circling :D!! This set the right tone for the afternoon.

Hot Spud is located just a street away from the main Wharf area, but it didn't seem too badly touristy. They have a cute, modern interior with both counter and table seating. When you enter you see a giant bar of all the toppings. You are allowed to either choose a recommended combo or you can make your own from scratch. Toppings range from meats, to tons of veggies (including jalapenos, corn, even some fruits), to sauces, to things like tortilla strips. It's essentially a salad bar for a potato. AWESOME!!!

sharon's potato

We both ordered pre-made combo potatoes that we totally substituted in to customized items. Mine was a steak potato with chipotle sauce, corn, green onions, peas, and jalapenos. He ordered a chicken one with alfredo sauce, cheese, jalapenos, corn, bacon.... and I'm not even sure. They were pretty tasty! The only thing I didn't like was the chipotle sauce on mine, it had an odd flavor. Everything else was really good. I ended up eating like a third of his potato because the alfredo sauce was such win.

The place is slightly pricey, around $9 for a potato. They give a local discount though (to me at least, haha apparently Carlos's accent and flusteredness made him seem like a tourist), and I think everything in that neighborhood is expensive due to the rent.

carlos's potato! so much win <3 mmmm

I really liked the worker, he cared about our experience and came to ask if we were enjoying it. Next time you are in that area, skip Bubba Gump's, Rain Forest, Hard Rock... and check this place out!