I'm ready for the recession to be over. Last week started to remind me of the good ole days when new restaurants were opening up faster than marijuana dispensaries.
The Smoking Goat sounds like a pot shop, but it is actually a quaint bistro with decadent, french influences (they fry their frites in duck fat). The Goat joins Bluefoot, Alexanders, Lefty's and other quality spots near the intersection of 30th and Upas in North Park. The tiny interior was stylishly transformed by our friends at
Bells and Whistles. Tasty lunch and dinner for reasonable prices is the winning formula these days and The Smoking Goat puffs just right.
Il Postino is another new North Park restaurant (3955 30th St.), and is part of the excellent Arrivederci / Buon Appetito family. A much larger dining room with slightly modern decor separate Il Postino from its sister restaurants, but the food is exactly what you'd expect from this group. Top notch, authentic Italian selections with great service.
Quality Social's marketing, "no name dropping, no star fu#*ing, no fist pumping" tells us what it isn't supposed to be, but I'll tell you what it is: a big, simple, downtown bar. The decor is clean, the place is loud, and the vibe is non-douchey. Lets keep it that way.