SFGuide
5 SF Corn Dishes That Will Make You Want To Name Your Firstborn Child ‘Corn’
Because we really just f*cking love corn.
We really, really love corn. Which means that summer - a.k.a. peak corn season - is always one of the most wonderful times of the year. And we’ve recently had some incredible corn dishes at restaurants across SF, all of which you should drop everything to get your hands on before the season is over and it’s too late. From corn-filled triangoli to furikake-encrusted corn on the cob, here are a few that make us want to name our firstborn child “Corn.”
The Dishes
Blistered corn with smoked stone fruit mayo, sweet potato tostones, and chili oil
Eating this dish from Al’s Place in the Mission feels like someone toured the inside of our brains and came up with a bowl of everything we love about summer. Fresh, juicy, perfectly blistered kernels of corn are blanketed on top of a smoky, bright pink stone fruit mayo that we want to buy in bulk and save for the bleak, nectarine-less winter months. There are slices of stone fruit and crispy sweet potato tostones dispersed throughout, too, which are delightful - get this while you can.
Corn mochi
State Bird Provisions is one of our favorite restaurants in the city, period. And one bite of their corn mochi is all it takes to see why. Crispy balls of puréed corn and sweet rice flour are served with thinly-shaved slices of goat gouda, roasted corn, cilantro, and Fresno chiles for a little kick. Packed with flavors more complex than Zara’s website layout, this is a dish that gives us heart palpitations every time we think about it.
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Roasted halibut, buttered corn, and summer beans with chili aioli and dill
Routier’s dish may be centered around a well-salted, nicely pan-seared white fish, but the real all-star is the buttered corn. Their rendition is delicate and perfect - semi-saucy, semi-chunky, and not overly mushy at all. But the more important thing about this simple halibut bath is how it inspires us to proclaim gleefully, “Hot damn! Corn right now is really just hitting.”
Corn triangoli with chives
The triangoli from Cotogna are filled with a silky-smooth corn purée so rich it could probably buy a mansion in Pac Heights. The pasta is then dotted with chives and even more kernels, and its overall sweetness makes it feel more like we’re eating dessert than an entrée. Simple and decadent, this dish reignites our passion for corn with every bite.
Liholiho Yacht Club
Street corn on the cob
Liholiho Yacht Club’s temporary location in the Mission has a colorful new rooftop we love - and you should head there ASAP, even if just to get your hands on their take on street corn. The fresh corn is kept on the cob and quartered, and covered in a thick layer of Thai basil aioli and a generous amount of furikake, which makes it crunchy, salty, and nutty all at once.
