We love ice cream, and lord knows we adore our gays, so we're thrilled to welcome Big Gay Ice Cream cofounder Bryan Petroff to San Francisco this weekend as he parades through town on tour for their debut cookbook, Big Gay Ice Cream: Saucy Stories & Frozen Treats: Going All the Way with Ice Cream (Anthony Bourdain wrote the foreword—swoon!). We caught up with Petroff to find out where he'll be spending his time—and, most importantly, what he'll be eating—while he's here.
SB: Where do you eat when you’re in San Francisco? What do you order?
BP: State Bird Provisions (hi Stuart!). Tu Lan for really cheap & good Vietnamese food. Dynamo Donuts. The pasta tasting at Flour & Water. Humphry Slocombe, of course, because we love those guys. Craftsman & Wolves. Taqueria el Bien Sabor for Mexican. And I haven't been but desperately want to try House of Prime Rib for their table-side tossed salads and big rolling carts of beef.
What touristy things do you do in town?
Outside of restaurants, we usually don't have time for sightseeing. Except for stuff up in Marin county. We usually stay with friends in San Rafael and do a lot up there: Muir Woods, Point Reyes, & eating oysters. Although I did enjoy the kink.com Armory Tour the last time I was there. James Deen did a blurb for our new book, and I kept imagining him in action in every room we stopped in.
[Cofounder Douglas Quint]'s favorite sites are always local abandoned prisons and mental hospitals.
What neighborhoods are your favorite?
Since time is usually not on our side, we tend to stick to where we are staying. That's usually the Mission (and Marin).
What watering holes will you visit, and what will you order?
Trashy bars are best. So that means Truck. (Namely because I have a big crush on the owner, Paul.) And the Gangway is borderline David Lynchian. I love that they have video camera monitors inside so you know if it's safe enough outside to leave. I usually order negronis, whiskey rocks, or mezcal at bars. Or the lightest possible beer they have. Doug doesn't really drink.
Catch up with Petroff in the flesh at their Q&A and book signing, moderated by Humphry Slocombe's Jake Godby, 3-4 p.m. on Sunday, May 3rd at Omnivore Books, 3885 Cesar Chavez St. They'll also be serving up a one of a kind ice cream mash-ups created especially for the event—and it's free!
