Outerlands

location: 4001 judah st. at 45th ave., outer sunset

i took my first trip to outerlands about a year ago after reading a review in the new york times travel section. the second time around my meal was just as good but the variety on the menu was less exciting. outerlands is a charming and rustic restaurant only a couple blocks from the beach that holds probably 30 people at most. they bake their bread fresh daily and have a great selection of local and organic produce. the menu changes daily depending on what they have or can make and they serve a lot of soups, salads and small plates. everything is very savory and delicious. they have a limited wine selection and a great selection of beers, i went with the leffe blonde which was very reasonably priced at $5 a bottle. this time around we weren't served at our table but instead ordered at the counter, i'm not sure if they made a permanent switch or if they only do counter ordering on busy nights, we were there on a saturday evening. which, for a party of four was about a 15 minute wait, so it wasn't too bad considering they don't take reservations. the levain toast is a must, it is accompanied by a dish or olive oil, herbs and roasted garlic. because the menu is day to day i can only hope you have a chance to try the french onion soup. it was outstanding.

recommendation: get over there for a date on a chilly night.

tastiness: yay!

food vs. price: yay!

service: okay!