I had an enjoyable dinner at the recently reopened Gold Mirror in Parkside yesterday. The Gold Mirror is an Italian American restaurant that opened back in 1969. It closed in January of 2024 for renovations and reopened at the end of October after almost two years. I’d been a few times before the remodel but hadn’t gotten to write up any reports save for a post about their spaghetti and meatballs.
The old castle like backdrop in the wall is gone, it looks like a new restaurant.
La Esencia di California ($18) Gin, Vodka, Lillet, Dry Vermouth, Seaweed
I had a “La Esencia di California” to drink, which was a bit like a Vesper with seaweed flavor.
Trippa alla Napolitana ($20) braised tripe, delicate tomato sauce
To start I had one of the daily specials - the Trippa alla Napolitana, tripe in a tomato sauce. It was very nice. The tripe was bouncy and tender and the tomato sauce was fresh and light. There was a little parsley to brighten it up.
Cannelloni ($34) provimi veal, hand-dipped ricotta, parmigiano, béchamel, marinara, monterey jack
For a main I had a pasta - the veal cannelloni. This was also very nice. There were two large cannelloni stuffed with a delicate ricotta and veal filling, smothered with a large amount of a delicious bechamel and tomato sauce with several types of cheese.
In the old days… SF natives would avoid (when possible) eating at red sauce Italian joints in North Beach on Wednesdays and Sundays. Why? The sourdough shops closed on those days, and natives don’t care for day old bread. Only French Italian Bakery on Union opened 7 days, but even they’ve been gone for well over a decade now.
New Pisa, Little Joe’s, Golden Spike, Capp’s Corner, all gone. Even the Mona Lisa closed a couple of weeks ago. Only Tomasos is left (to best recollection) of that genre.
May have to whip out the Clipper card, hop on the L and pay the Gold Mirror a visit.
I remember the free warm bread, and Original Joe’s and Gold Spike. Bertola’s in Oakland served it as well and that was a big deal as students…and the ultra cheap drinks.
I went to Gold Mirror in the early 00s for holiday work dinner. It was a fancy old school red sauce place and a couple of us were the youngest in the place by several decades. The food does look better although I can’t remember much. Recently read about the sons taking over and updating it, will have to find and post link.
Parisian and Columbo were the mainstays in NB red sauce joints back then.
Salami sandwiches from Freddy’s Sandwiches on Sourdough minutes out of the oven from Venetian Bakery for breakfast before class at Francisco Jr. High. Still can vividly smell that intoxicating sour. Life was good!!
