SF: Delany's – Bolivian salteñas, beer batido, silpancho, marraqueta and llajwa

[rworange]

Don't miss the batido !!!

It is a frothy white drink made with egg and dark Bolivian beer. However, if I didn't know, I'd never guess beer was in it. There was no beer taste, but a fleeting aroma of beer … but only because I was trying to detect beer.

This was a nice version of silpancho, a milanesa-type of thin breaded beef served on rice. The beef is the size of the dinner plate and a lot more tender than Mexican milenesa.

On top are two fried eggs and the dish is ringed with fried slabs of potatoes. There is salsa cruda on top (similar to salsa fresca). However, they also serve a bowl of llajwa, a spicy salsa-like Bolivian condiment.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llajwa

I don’t have time to look for my report on silpancho at El Charro in South SF, so I’m not sure which I liked better, but I’m thinking it was on the same level. The advantage of Delany is there are more Bolivian dishes. There are also Italian-Bolivian dishes.

The salteña is decent. It is a turnover filled with either ground beef or chicken. I'd suggest going for the chicken. There was no soupiness to it as described by Melanie in this report about salteñas at La Esquina in Los Gatos
http://south-american-food.suite101.com/article.cfm/traditional_bolivian_food

The other problem was that for breakfast I had a similar Brazilian baked good called an esfirra at a fabulous, fabulous, fabulous new Brazilian place in the East Bay … report to come soon. Anyway, that esfirra made the salteña pale by comparison.

Two very good warm house-baked rolls come with dinner. I believe they are marraqueta, Bolivian-style pan frances. The llajwa is served with the rolls which may be dipped in it as well as adding to the silpancho. The rolls looked exactly like the photo in wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marraqueta

Bolivia has a large Italian population (similar to Brazil), so there are many Italian dishes on the menu with a Bolivian twist.

When I asked what would be the best Italian dish to try first, the fettuccini was recommended. It sounds good - with roasted chicken, pancetta, rosemary & spinach in a light cream sauce.

Also when I asked if they made their own chorizo and morcilla (black sausage), they said no, but they bought it from an Italian sausage maker because it was very close to the Bolivian versions.

There are specials on the weekend. Last week it was the Bolivian version of Chicharrón which this site on Bolivian cuisine said is “often cooked with peppers and garlic and spiced with cumin and pepper. It’s usually served with chuño, a sort of highland potato, and corn”
http://south-american-food.suite101.com/article.cfm/traditional_bolivian_food

She also mentioned they had some dish they called rabbit, but it wasn’t really rabbit. Not sure what that was about. This Chowhound report by Jim Leff mentions "falso conejo (faux rabbit: sauced breaded beef cutlet"
http://www.chow.com/blog/2006/09/virginia-chowconnaissance-two-days-in-high-gear/

Turns out Pena Pachamama has a recipe for it (they substitute eggplant for beef)
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=view_from_the_bay/food_wine&id=6562690

She mentioned a few other specials they’ve served, but sorry, I forgot.

The service is … relaxed … a complaint on yelp. This is not fast food but made to order. I was the only person there at 11 and the rolls alone took quite the while.

The place is nice with wooden floors, cloth tablecloths and picture of Bolivia on the wall. Strings of papel picado are hung from the ceiling. It opened in 2008, and is showing a little wear, but probably the nicest restaurant in that slightly edgy area. There was Bolivian music playing during lunch at a nice level ... loud enought to be pleasant without being overbearing.

Check website for dates when they have live Bolivian music.

They also serve full American breakfasts all day.
http://delanysrestaurant.com/Events.html

The food gods said it was time to stop here. I tried Friday and they were closed when I drove by and there was zilch parking. Today as I approached the restaurant, a car pulled away from the parking place right in front.

Thanks Melanie for calling attention to this place. I hope other Chowhounds give the place a try so I can virtually have tastes of other menu items
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/690348

[Melanie Wong]

With everything on your plate as you get ready for your epic road trip, I can't believe you took the time to circle back!

A couple questions on the salteñas --- ground meat and not stewed beef? Did you have to waiti 30 to 40 minutes for them to be baked? If not, maybe they're baked ahead of time and the moisture gets absorbed into the dough.

Any explanation on being closed on Friday?

Bolivian salteñas at La Esquina
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/689473

[rworange]

It took about 15 minutes and it was ground beef. Since I had ground beef a few hours earlier in the Brazilian esfirra, this was underwhelming. It looked like your photo, but it seems the filing was different.

No. She looked mystified that I said they were closed. I was in SF anyway both days and needed to eat, so this seemed interesting. I had planned on the place that replaced Emporio Rulli on Chestnut.

[Melanie Wong]

Thanks for your persistence. Now you're well-prepared for judging the various empanadas you'll encounter on your journey south. Think of how good your Spanish will be after a year in Guatemala! There was a chance I'd be in Oaxaca soon and I'd try to cross paths with you, but that is off the table now.

And thank you for announcing your departure this go-round. The absence of your previous alter-egos was always concerning and set off a flurry on inquiries to my inbox.

Happy trails, rwo! Wings on your wheels and the wind at your back.

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A blog from chowhounds, Shreesh and Neena
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