Uncategorized
The Lunch Meeting That Actually Closed the Deal (Food Matters More Than You Think)
My friend Marcus is a sales guy who’s done probably five hundred business lunches and he swears most of them are forgettable – mediocre Italian, generic steakhouses, boring sandwiches in conference rooms. Last quarter he had this big client meeting and instead of the usual spots he picked Presidio Kebab for Turkish business lunch. The…
Read MoreThe Meal Where We Stopped Fighting About What to Order (Finally)
My friend group has seven people with seven different opinions about food and every dinner out turns into a thirty-minute negotiation nightmare. Should we get appetizers? Which entrees? Are we sharing or ordering individually? Who’s vegetarian this week? Last month someone suggested Presidio Kebab and we discovered they have Turkish set menus – complete meal…
Read MoreThe Brunch That Made Me Abandon Mimosas Forever
My friend Jessica is a hardcore brunch person – bottomless mimosas, hour-long waits, $18 avocado toast, the whole San Francisco brunch industrial complex. Last month she couldn’t get into her usual spot and someone suggested trying Turkish brunch at Presidio Kebab instead. She was skeptical because no alcohol specials and who even knew Turkish people…
Read MoreThe Wrap That Transported Me to Istanbul Streets Without the Plane Ticket
My friend Marcus backpacked through Turkey three years ago and came back obsessed with street food. Not the kebabs tourists get – the actual street food Turkish people eat. Simit from cart vendors. Döner wrapped quickly by guys who’ve made ten thousand wraps. Midye dolma from boats. Lahmacun folded with herbs and lemon. He couldn’t…
Read MoreThe Meal That Reminded Me What Real Cooking Tastes Like
My friend Leyla moved to San Francisco from Izmir five years ago and spent all that time eating restaurant food that tasted like restaurants – polished, efficient, designed to appeal to everyone. Then she tried Presidio Kebab and halfway through her menemen she just stopped eating and stared at the plate. I asked if something…
Read MoreThe Dinner That Made My Date Think I Was Fancy (I Just Picked the Right Restaurant)
My friend Alex had a third date with someone he really liked and he was panicking about where to take her for dinner. Too casual looks like he’s not trying. Too fancy seems like he’s trying too hard. Loud places kill conversation. Quiet places make silence awkward. He picked Presidio Kebab because the Turkish dinner…
Read MoreThe Lunch That Made Me Stop Wasting Money on Chipotle
My coworker Mike was spending like $15 every day on mediocre lunch – Chipotle, Sweetgreen, Panera, the usual corporate lunch spots that taste okay but leave you hungry an hour later. Then he discovered the lunch specials at Presidio Kebab and his whole routine changed. He started going there three times a week getting these…
Read MoreThe Turkish Breakfast Saved Me
My friend Emma spent a year teaching English in Ankara and came back unable to eat normal American breakfast anymore. She’d complain that pancakes were just sugar, that cereal was for children, that bacon and eggs were boring. We thought she was being pretentious until she dragged us to Presidio Kebab for traditional Turkish breakfast…
Read MoreThe Meal That Made Me Forget I Was Still in San Francisco
My friend Jake spent three months in Istanbul last year and came back obsessed with outdoor Turkish dining. He kept talking about eating kebabs at sidewalk cafes, drinking tea outside in the evening, watching people walk by while the smoke from the grill drifted over. He tried finding that vibe in San Francisco and kept…
Read MoreThe Restaurant Where My Friend’s Picky Kid Ate Vegetables
My friend Katie has a six-year-old named Max who survives on chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, and spite. Taking him to restaurants is usually a disaster – he complains about everything, refuses to eat, makes a scene, and Katie ends up stressed and embarrassed. Last month she was desperate and tried Presidio Kebab because someone…
Read More