It’s become commonplace for food and film on a first (real) date. I mention “real” because there are those mini-dates that preface the real date. Sure you can meet for coffee or froyo, but the dinner and movie (in a theater) package seems to be the one that makes a first date a first date.
Call me old-fashioned, but I like this. The silence during a movie may be awkward, but say you don’t know the guy that well, the movie will make for good conversation fodder over food. Opt for a light movie. (Read: Stay away from flicks that delve into psyche, extreme horror or movies that would make even the ladies from Sex and the City blush.)
Or you can do it in reverse. This is a good way of talking first and getting to know the person more before sitting through two hours in a dark theater.
One great thing about San Francisco is you’re never far from good food. And if your date does lead to both, chances are the theater is not far away from a restaurant. Although you may be close to a restaurant, it doesn’t mean the place is good. But hey, that in itself could be an adventure, and isn’t that what makes this all fun?
One of the more popular spots to take a date seems to be the Haight, a neighborhood that comprises students, hipsters, poor little rich girls, suburban transplants and people on corners selling little bags of happy for the right price.
But there is more to the Haight than just people. I’ve always shied away from eating there. The headache of finding parking coupled with a sense of feeling overwhelmed have kept me away. But I let down some of these guards and followed my senses to Rotee.
The smell of curry and spices waft out of this Indian and Pakistani restaurant located on the corner of Haight and Webster. The walls are flushed with deep reds and oranges, giving you a visual hint of the color and intensity of the dishes. Part of the main restaurant’s décor is the Bollywood and Lollywood movie posters adorning the walls. Bollywood and Lollywood refer to Bombay and Lahore, movie capitals of India and Pakistan, respectively.
The posters coupled with India techno music create a bright, young and modern ambience. Red tables line the dining room, but the wooden benches along the wall can get a bit uncomfortable after a while. Rotee has really embraced the movie theme, weaving Bollywood and Lollywood potpourri into the menu descriptions of dishes.
I was excited with the arrival of Bangin’ Burtha ($6.99). I ordered it mainly because of the name. If you don’t know by now, I tend to order dishes that have “interesting” names. In this dish, eggplant is cooked down to a supple state, and combined with tomatoes and onions. Its consistency reminded me of a chunky baba ganoush (only this dish was much spicier).
I ordered Onion Naan ($2.50), which I thought would come in handy with the eggplant dish. But I was disappointed that the order came with one small serving. Stuffed with onions and coated with butter, the naan wasn’t as fluffy as I hoped. And I thought $2.50 was a bit expensive for such a small disc of flour and water.
Rotee’s version of the British-influenced Chicken Tikka Masala ($6.99) came with a very thick, creamy sauce that was rich but not overtly greasy. The restaurant melded the flavors of tomatoes and herbs well, but was pretty conservative with the chicken. This dish is usually mild compared to other dishes found in Indian restaurants because of its roots.
I felt like I was eating fried rice with the Vegetable Biryani ($5.99). The dish lacked the intensity I was expecting, but overall, it was okay. As I ate a couple more spoonfuls, I enjoyed the subtle flavors of the Basmati rice, cilantro, peppers and mint.
Rotee offers an interesting twist on the wrap. Remember those things? They were a hit several years ago, with choices of sundried tomato, spinach, curry wraps with your choice of meat or tofurky stuffing. Naan is used as a wrap, and you can have your pick of chicken, lamb, potatoes or spiced vegetables as stuffing. The Aloo wrap ($4.50) was a bit disappointing. My first bite contained a higher ratio of cabbage to the potato filling; I would have rather tasted more potato (similar to samosa stuffing).
If you happen to be strolling around the lower Haight, you might want to check it out. Consider it dinner and a movie all wrapped in one. The show continues on at Rotee, with their posters on the wall and movie lines in the menu. With this restaurant, you can choose to skip the movie all together.
Rotee
400 Haight St. (at Webster)
San Francisco, CA
(415) 552-8309
Hours: Mon. – Sun. 12-3 p.m.; 5-11 p.m.
Prices: Appetizers: $4.99 - $6.99; naan and wraps: $2.50 - $6.50; entrées: $5.99 - $9.99
Credit cards accepted.
Food: Fair
Ambience: Good
Service: Fair