Dinner at Eight is a regular column by Ms.Collins reviewing restaurants in the Bay Area. If you have a restaurant you want reviewed, please send an email to the editor: midori@realgirlsmedia.com.

Rating Scale: 

Panties in a twist (unimpressed)

Panties low-riding (intrigued)

Panties on the floor (impressed)

Panties swinging from the chandelier (amazed)

Oola

860 Folsom Street

San Francisco, CA 94107

(415) 995-2061

Conditions: Old friend and his wife in town from Chicago for the night.

Rationale: Oola has life without seeming too hectic, and prices that don’t insult out-of-town guests.

Long story short: Gourmet comfort food in a hip setting.

The deal: Oola is the kind of place where you can order a watermelon Cosmo to go with your Mac-and-cheese. Think childhood tastes served in an adult wrapper. Oola’s Mac is not the overcooked, under-seasoned type that seems currently prevalent, but a version made with goat cheddar that will make you selfishly hoard your “shared” side.

The rest of the menu is no downer: Cheeseburger—with truffle cheese. Rib eye steak with a circle of loaded potatoes au gratin. Ribs (cilantro, ginger, and soy-glazed) that are some of the best in the city. Oysters. Yeah baby.

There are greens to balance things out—a solid Caesar or side of spinach—and non-meat options, like the delicate salmon roulade. The best dishes, though, are the ones you think you shouldn’t have, and the portions are delicate enough to ensure you have room for that next Cosmo or glass of wine, and the bread pudding or cheese plate for dessert.

Oola sits amongst a small string of restaurants on Folsom. The SOMA address attracts a pretty diverse crowd, and most nights, Oola is buzzing, with a full house. Low lighting in the small space creates a manageable club mood. The best seats are the sleek booths, perfect for two or four.

Downside: The menu was changed since one of my previous visits, resulting in the removal of one of my longtime favorites—pasta with smoky pulled pork, leeks, and cream sauce. Please, Oola, bring this back. Also previously, the rib eye featured the whole, entire cut—during my last visit the cut was sliced, which sort of made me feel like there was some delicious part missing.