Student Writing Contest Winners: “What’s the best meal you’ve had in San Francisco?”

Last week, we posted the writing samples from the winners of CISL San Diego’s March writing contest. The prompt was “What’s the best meal you’ve had in San Diego?” Congrats again to Areum and Fernanda!

Today, we are posting the winners of the CISL San Francisco writing contest. Sophie and Maram sent beautiful submissions detailing two meals they have had since they came to the United States. Both entries were so good that we simply couldn’t choose one… so we named them “co-winners” of March’s contest! Congratulations to both Sophie and Maram for winning. Enjoy reading about their experiences dining in one of the most culturally diverse cities in the United States.

Sophie

Heathly American food in Lower Haight Ashbury

The best meal I have eaten in San Francisco was a classical American burger. Not one like those found at worldwide known fast food companies, but a real big one with home-made bread and organic food. The meat was so tasty, and the sweat potatoes fries were so delicious that I gorged myself. Fortunately, I was with my sister that day, and we had planned to go for a walk after lunch.

I really appreciated the fact that the meat was organic and came from local farmers. There were papers on all of the tables explaining where the food comes from and why the owners of the restaurant had selected those companies. The name of the bakery was also mentioned, but not only the name of the shop, but also the name of the baker, as if he was a friend. I felt like I was at home with my grandparents, who cultivate their own vegetables in their garden.
Greenburgers has a spacious room with a high ceiling, with modern but simple furniture mainly made of wood.  It has white walls and a quiet ambiance. Once again, everything was done to make it feel like a home; they have black-and-white pictures of the owners’ family on the walls. The service was reduced to the minimum and everybody had to help himself to a fork, knife, and glass, which added to the family and relaxed atmosphere.

This is definitely a restaurant I would recommend for those who are looking for healthy American food and at a reasonable price.

 Greenburger’s is located at 518 Haight St. in San Francisco. For more information, visit their website  http://www.sfgreenburgers.com/ or call the restaurant at 415-829-2491.

 

Maram Alsehli, Saudi Arabia

Eating at Mama’s

Since I came to San Francisco, I have been to many restaurants and coffee shops. However, the best restaurant that I cannot compare to any of the others is Mama’s restaurant. I never thought that I would ever be addicted to any kind of restaurant, but the mix of the great food, atmosphere, and services at Mama’s is simply too hard to resist.
Mama’s offer breakfast and brunch, and it is open from 8 am to 3 pm. There’s a long line outside the restaurant each time I go to there. For me, even though that I hate to wait in lines, I enjoy waiting in Mama’s line because I know that I will experience some marvelous food after all the waiting.

Food is my passion, so it is really hard to talk about a specific dish at Mama’s because all their food is so delicious.  But the only dish that I order each time I go to Mamas is the French Toast. Sometimes I order it as a main course and sometimes as an appetizer.  I just love the feeling of seeing that dish on my table. It is crazy, I know, but can you imagine three French Toasts with all the kinds of fruit and a special kind of syrup that is not too sweet, but sweet enough to let you taste every flavor in the dish?

Moreover, Mama’s is not just about the food. The service at Mama’s is simply amazing. The servers are so nice and friendly, and what I really like is that they do not dress in the same clothes. because each server has a unique personality that he or she brings to the restaurant. For example, one of the servers is Mexican, and each time I go there he starts to speak Spanish with me, so I look at him and say, “I do not understand Spanish,” and he laughs and says, “I know, but you have to learn.”

Finally, I was not surprised when I heard that Mama’s is one of the ten best restaurants in San Francisco, and all the hotels recommend Mama’s to their guests even though Mama’s is not a fancy restaurant.

 Mama’s is located at 1801 Stockton St. in San Francisco. For more information, visit their website http://www.mamas-sf.com/ or call Mama’s at 415-362-6421.  

 

Congratulations again to Sophie and Maram, and thank you for sharing your favorite dining experiences with us!