I had the pleasure of dining at The Commissary in the Presidio on Friday night.  This was my third trip the the Commissary and each time that I visit, I appreciate it that much more.  This was definitely my best experience yet.

Image courtesy of Pleasethepalate.com

Like most buildings in the Presidio, it has been renovated but still retains many original features.  The restaurant space is warm and inviting, but the rest of the building (you get a glimpse when using the restroom), feels a bit institutional.  The juxtaposition is not off-putting, it is simply a reminder of the building’s history.

The food is the real draw of The Commissary.  Traci Des Jardins’ staff out-does themselves.  If you haven’t been, the food has a Spanish influence but I would call it more “California” cuisine.  We chose to treat the entire meal as family style – but the menu offers small plates as starters and larger entrees.  And, of course, dessert.  One thing I love about The Commissary is that the desserts are printed on the dinner menu.  (I like to plan ahead.)

Image courtesy of Sunset.com

We started with the bombas de queso with black truffle honey and patatas bravas with buttermilk alioli.  The bombas de queso (fried cheese) were so delicious that we actually ordered a second round.  We also tried the xato, escarole, egg, marcona, anchovy, tuna, romesco, which was essentially a Spanish caesar salad.  It was delicious.

Image courtesy of Indagare.com

We then moved on to the roasted chicken and chickpea galeta.  Both were delicious and light.  Because we were sampling many items, we did not want to run out of room for dessert.  For dessert, we went with the churritos (our server’s favorite) and cheesecake.

The food was so good, that we forgot to take photos.  That is saying a lot. But, don’t take our word for it.  We suggest that you hightail it over to The Commissary.  You will not be disappointed.