How to Have Fun

A story featuring Son & Garden, a Farmhouse Kitchen Restaurant.

On May 22nd 2022, as we were leaving the restaurant, our server asked Hiro and me to leave a nice comment on the internet about our dinner experience. I said, yes of course, we had a wonderful time.

I am dedicating this story to Peet and Biw, our kind servers at Son & Garden in San Francisco. I also dedicate this to every reader of Kwento by Nica. Thank you for being patient with me. Thank you for waiting for me to write a good story. Enjoy this one. It's my kwento, my story, about having fun.

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It all started with a bike ride around our town in Half Moon Bay. Hiro and I visited a neighbor, Pierre, who was selling flowers from his home garden. After choosing two pots of Dahlias and Chrysanthemums, we rode our bicycles home following a favorite trail. 

In the middle of our ride is my favorite place to stop, a junction where time feels still and the path curves towards the sun. Every time I'm here, I look at what's before me and feel the embrace of the heavenly quality of what I see.

I wish everyone can see this. I called out to Hiro to show him. I brought out my cellphone and took a photo. 

After a quick pause, ten or so minutes later, Hiro and I reached home. We parked our bicycles in the garage and then my husband showed me his latest masterpiece: a new filing system /slash/ drawer on his garage cart made from an old printer box with finely hand-carved wooden handles he made himself. 

"Wow," I said while sliding the drawer in and out. "This is probably the nicest cart drawer in the world." 

"I think so too," Hiro and I both laughed because that old printer box took so much space in our garage for months. Now it's been sliced and turned into a fine drawer on Hiro's cart.

"What do you want to eat for dinner?" I asked Hiro. It was 6 o'clock and we had no dinner plans.

"I want to eat something fun." Hiro said standing next to his cart.

"Something fun?" Hiro's mood excited me. There's an eatery I'd been wanting to try and dine in. "Okay, LET'S GO! I know a place that's fun!" 

I searched for the restaurant I had in mind and made a reservation for two at 8:00pm. After a quick shower I changed to evening clothes.

"You look nice... What should I wear?" Hiro's eyebrows caved in. He does this every time I wear one of my dresses. I chose a pink collared dress with pleats. It made me feel like a fine lady from the early '90s.

"Wear something fun!"

And with that answer Hiro styled himself handsomely. He chose a dark green waxed cotton jacket paired with black corduroy pants. He looked like a fine gentleman from the 2020's.

"Where are we going?" Hiro asked as he took the driver seat.

"It's a surprise! I'll navigate us there. It's somewhere in Hayes Valley." In classic Nica-fashion, I kept the destination a mystery for an extra-wow experience.

The place we were driving to was Son & Garden, a New American restaurant styled by creative people who by the looks of the menu and interior, were excited to offer something new and different. This restaurant has been around... I'm most certain I'm late in "discovering" it as a happening place (as a child I was late to trends) but I stand in the belief that nothing is late rather the best moments come at the perfect timing.

Hiro and I parked on Eddy St. and after reaching Polk, we made a right and opened a door that took us inside a place I'd only seen on friend's social media feeds. The hue was pink and walls were covered in flowers. I dressed to match the restaurant's everyday occasion and the hostess offered us a table by the window. 

"I feel so bad!"

"Why?" Hiro asked.

"This place looks so nice but your view is the window," while I had the pleasure of viewing the whim and fancy of Son & Garden's vibe, Hiro looked out to the grayness of the darkening street outside. 

"It's okay!"

I asked if Hiro wanted to switch seats once in a while. He considered that.

After we gave our beverage orders, our server pointed at a flowery nook at the corner of the restaurant. From where we were, it looked like an indoor veranda where a bride and groom would sit on their wedding night. Our server invited us to sit at that table and gestured for us to walk on over.

"WOWWWWW," my mouth opened wide as we slid onto the circular booth outlined with flowers. The lights were even more pink and we had a wide view of the restaurant together.

"What is this?!" Hiro looked up examining the pink light.

"They wanted us to sit here! How cool is that!" Maybe Peet or Biw saw my face when I saw Hiro's gray view outside. It was nice of them to move us to a new table if they noticed that.

"Mylove, this is so fun!" Hiro eyes widened.

When Hiro said those words I knew we came to Son & Garden at the right time.

Dinner was fabulous. From what I observed on the internet, guests frequented the restaurant for brunch most often. Dinner seemed more fun because it was quiet and the venue felt more romantic than cutesy-fun. I asked for a cocktail and when it arrived it had a floating rubber ducky on top. We ordered bone marrow, truffle fries, and a homey-tasting beef dish with a fried egg on top. There was also a "Game Hen" (a small roasted bird) with flames and for dessert, a lava cake with sky-blue cotton candy wrapped around it with flower petals and watercress leaves on top. 

"Hmmm. This watercress is actually good with the cotton candy." Hiro mused while tasting.

"Who knew it paired well, huh?" I asked outwardly, but I knew— the team who designed the Son & Garden menu were not boring people, I could tell.

If you need fear to go away, try having fun by dressing nice, spot an oasis in your special place, and transform the time you have into something delicious in your own special way.