checked out Serpentine, Slow Club's new sister restaurant on Third Street at 22nd. We thought this place would be easy to get into, after all, Dog Patch is really out there on the edge of the city. But, we walked in at about 8pm on a friday and it was packed. One Hour Wait. No problem, our local wine bar Yield is right across the street and makes for a perfect way to sit it out. Yield is very friendly with good wines and snacks. It is so easy to kill an hour here. 9pm, back to Serpentine, we were hungry so we were fine with eating at a bar table. Its an active place, so bar dining just adds to the fun. Serpentine is so much like Slow Club. Big, raw, concrete industrial space. It actually seems a bit quieter in Serpentine because the high ceilings absorb some more sound I think. Great bar, nice breakup of the space by putting the restrooms in little pods sort of in the middle of the space. Sounds weird but it works good.

Food was so much like slow club, but they were taking some more chances here at the Serp. Salads were all top notch, defiantly the high point of the menu. Very creative and tasty. We wanted the savory bread pudding but they were sold out for the night, sounds popular. Got the cod on chowder instead. Big bold flavor, I liked it, but it was a bit too powerful for my wife (Too fishy, too bacon-y for her). For dessert, they took a big chance and combined two of my favorite things, Mint Chip ice cream and Laguinitas espresso stout beer into an afagado. Kudos for the bold moves here. I liked it, but it was certainly unique. We had another desert but I am forgetting it in the slowly building wine daze. I do remember it was good. Super friendly service. One thing to note, Dog Patch is a taxi black hole. Lots of people trying to look for non-existent cabs coming down 3rd street. Might be easier to grab the new muni rail instead.

Dogpatch is evolving nicely, this place will provide an excellent anchor for more nightlife, I hope.

-troy