Small Plates Again

I do tend to go on dining jags. Now it's small plates, which are always a favorite of my wife who loves to nibble through a variety of dishes.

This time we revisited Platanos, which features dishes from throughout Central and South America. We had been here a few years ago, but a favorable rereview in the "Chronicle" encouraged us to make a return visit. The food remains very good. Starting with excellent guacamole that came with plantain chips, we grazed through six dishes from throughout the Americas. Other favorites included steak with carmelized onions, Peruvian style ceviche served with sweet potatoes, red beans and rice that combined more tastes than are usually associated with this dish, and a yummy tres leches cake. I was also pleasantly surprised to find cafe da olla on the menu, a spiced coffee that I discovered earlier this year in Oaxaca.

I find food from the Americas a welcome change to the common California/French cuisine that dominates in San Francisco. Packing a little more spice and using ingredients not found in European-based dishes, Latin American food provides a welcome change of pace.

Platanos is located on the corner of 18th and Guerrero Streets, an intersection that also features the excellent bakery, Tartine, and the well-known Italian restaurant, Delfina. Reservations may be made by calling (415) 252-9281.