Perfection in Waiting

First, a note to restaurateurs, with a personal anecdote by the author:
Hire good waitstaff. Spare no expense. It makes a difference. You are selling both food and service, and the quality of each makes an impression. I ate at an upscale restaurant last week (in another city) where, while the food was delicious, we were laughing out loud at the miserable quality of the service. Our waiter wasn't overextended, he was just hapless. His seemingly endless series of mistakes and oversights (bringing entrees before appetizers, bringing multiple copies of the same dish) came to a climax when he brought the check. Although it correctly did not include the several items that we had ordered but not received, there was a $50 charge for "Morgon." We had not ordered any Morgon. (It's a wine, but doesn't it sound like a Doctor Who villain when encountered out of context?) We asked him to clear up the mistake, and for half an hour he simply walked wide-eyed around the restaurant, clutching our check, clearly baffled as to how to proceed. Finally we spoke to the owner and got the erroneous charge removed. It was a truly delicious meal, but we'd never go back.

Delfina, on the other hand, is on the road to success. Tasty food, and perfect service. It's a recent addition to the Mission scene, in the space where one used to find Canto do Brasil. The cuisine seems to be based in the tradition of Tuscany, but there are a few items on the menu that stray as far away as France. The space is small (a dozen or so tables) but well-deployed, with an open kitchen, classic solid-yellow walls and white ceiling, funny rearview mirrors over some of the tables, and the promise of a back garden by spring. It has something of a still-moving-in feel: The staff can't reach all of the shelved wines comfortably, and cartons are stored in an alcove above the front door.

The menu is small but thoughtful. There are appetizers, salads, pastas (available in starter- or entree-sized portions), meat entrees, and sides. Recently the appetizers list included a delicious Jerusalem artichoke and potato soup ($6), thick but light in flavor, with hints of roasted garlic and an occasional chile flake, more vegetal in flavor than globe artichokes would be, and perfectly balanced. Also offered was brandade de morue ($8), a salty spread of preserved cod pounded with olive oil and cream. Crostini ($5), topped with cooked dark greens flavored with lemon, was also good, but a bit too salty and lacking in variety, although the flavor of the greens came through well.

The high point of the appetizers list was a house specialty, the ribollita da Delfina ($5.50). Ribollita literally means "reboiled," and that's what it is: a classic minestrone soup reduced quickly in a pan before serving so that it remains quite wet but is no longer a soup. It consisted of saturated bread, carrots, potato, and other vegetables in a garlicky, tomatoey, beefy liquid, charred slightly at the edges, intensely flavored and a joy to eat.

A Niman Ranch steak ($15) was prepared very simply, grilled and then sliced into tiny fillets, and served in a thin but rich and faintly winy sauce and garnished with fresh rosemary. It was a flatiron steak, both flavorful and tender. The steak came with french fries, which were coarsely salted, and picked up some rosemary flavor. They were oily, and not as crisp as fries should be, but they were pleasing anyway.

The first bite of Delfina's apple and quince tarte Tatin happened to be a bite of quince, and it was amazing. Quinces are astringent and unpopular, but in this setting they shone. The crust was flaky and thick, the flavor rustic. The dessert was served warm and accompanied by a small scoop of unexceptional vanilla ice cream, but this was a tart to return for. Similarly, buttermilk panna cotta was a cut above the expected: reminiscent of both cheesecake and yogurt, with a perfect consistency and a fascinating taste. It came with tart segments of blood orange that complemented it in an untraditional way, since both orange and custard are half sweet and half sour. Desserts are $5.

But food is only half the battle. In addition to masterfully meeting the requirements -- keeping track of who has what silverware, getting all orders right and well-timed, etc. -- the service at Delfina excelled. When the diners ordered differing numbers of courses, the waitress suggested that an initial soup be shared, to even things out. She refilled glasses adeptly, but not so frequently as to make one feel guilty for filling one's own. She checked the table's needs and contentment discreetly during every course. She rapidly sussed out which diner was drinking all the Pellegrino and suggested another private small bottle for him. When one diner had not chosen a wine by the end of the pasta course, she gave one reminder, and then personally recommended a glass of the Storrs Zinfandel ($6.50), which was not on the by-the-glass list but complemented the steak perfectly. (By the way, it's a delicious, interesting, hearty, alcoholic wine, sweet but not sugary, with a bouquet reminiscent of a fine rum-raisin ice cream.)