If you haven't tried the Shortrib Skillet, you haven't lived! I'm fairly certain we said this before in their prior westside location. When they closed, you could hear our lamentations echo up the Rio Grande corridor practically to its headwaters. I do not exaggerate when I say that I would wake in the middle of the night with an insatiable craving for this completely unique flavor experience. Having just learned today that they have opened a new location in Nob Hill, I demanded we come.

I occasionally worry that the nostalgia of a thing so colors my memory that its re-experience can't possibly live up. This is not so for Safari Grill's short ribs. The rich, savory, salty, spicy, meaty dish is every bit the carnivorous delight I remember. We ordered a side of Tamarind Sauce to accompany, which adds a tiny hint of sweetness and extra spice. We originally discovered the sauce as a dip for the Cassava Fries, but we have found it adds a certain depth to absolutely everything. If they haven't looked into bottling it, they should. 

Finding items on the menu we didn't remember, we branched out to the Safari Burger. We went Safari Style, which adds a generous helping of the house slaw between the gloriously rotund patty and the delightfully toasted bun. We paid a little extra for Cassava Fries (which were every bit as good as we remembered), and I got a surprise addition of green chile sauce which only adds new dimensions to the cravings I'm going to have later this week...

Having kept ourselves to one burger and one rib skillet, we had just enough room for dessert. The dessert menu is currently only a small selection of ice creams. We went for Pistacio-almond and Mango Swirl. Each was delightful in its own way. The mangos swirled into creamy vanilla were a bright finale that Raz deemed perfection. I preferred the light spiciness and rich sweetness of the Pistacio-almond. 

I spend so much time on the experience of flavor that I rarely talk about the location. I feel that the simple beauty of the new location needs a mention, though. The large dining room is clean, fresh, and done in bold-yet-calming blues and greys. They have patio dining as well, and I can't wait to come back on a sunny afternoon to try it out!