Pairing an exciting physical adventure with a great
meal is my idea of a good time. And, I didn’t have to go far to find my
favorite gastro-adventure this year. No Swiss funiculars involved. No Andean peaks.
No raging Canadian rivers.

Instead, I simply hailed a cab in downtown San
Francisco, hopped out 15 minutes later at the famous old Cliff House, and set
out on the amazing California Coastal Trail. About ten miles in its entirety, the trail
wends its way through forests and toney residential neighborhoods, along sheer
cliffs, across sandy coves, and up and down steep dunes.

It’s an extraordinary blend of natural landscapes and
well-known man-made attractions such the Praesidio, Sutro baths, and Fort Point,
a Civil War fort. Much of this adventure
can be called a “stroll,” but anyone looking for a workout won’t be
disappointed by the steps running up and down the cliffs, and the 100-plus
“stairs” carved into a sand-dune “wall” near Baker Beach. As an added
attraction, the shimmering Golden Gate Bridge is almost never out of sight.
On a glorious, sunny autumn day, we walked from Cliff
House, past Sutro Baths, darted in and out of the thick forest of Lincoln Park,
strolled through the affluent enclave of Sea Cliff, peeking into gates to see
the magical mansions set on the edge of the cliffs. We then dropped down to long,
sandy China and Baker beaches and walked along the water’s edge, until we
climbed back up again on those 100-plus sand “steps.”(Photo from EveryTrail.com which gives an excellent step-by-step guide to this hike.)

Continuing past the
Praesidio, Golden Gate Bridge, Fort Point, Crissy Field, and the Marina Green
Park, we finally turned into the residential streets of the Marina neighborhood
and found our way to bustling Chestnut Street. Total walking time was about 2 ½
- 3 hours. It's hard to give an exact mileage, because there are many options along the way. Mapquest estimates six miles, several hiking guides say it's closer to 10 miles.
The “gastro” part of the adventure was equally
exciting.

Tacolicious was the pot of gold at the end of our
ramble. This casual emporium of creative Mexican fare is wildly popular, with
crowds clustered at the door and on the sidewalk pretty much any hour of the
day. (There are also T-Lishes in the Mission district and Palo Alto.)
Tacos are the main attraction – each consisting of two griddled
tortillas, stuffed enthusiastically with unusual combos of super-fresh, (mostly)
locally sourced ingredients.
I loved the fried local rock cod that’s paired with
shredded cabbage and tangy cream sauce; the house-made chorizo sausage with
succulent potato chunks; and the vegetarian butternut squash number that’s
spiked with poblano peppers, red bell peppers, spicy pepitas, and slightly
bitter greens. (The above photo, by Michael Macor for the San Francisco Chronicle, shows the asparagus, potato, mushroom and green garlic taco; traditional carnitas; beer-and-shot braised chicken; fried local rock cod.)
Since we were feeling “fit” (and totally
deserving!) after our rousing hike, we also ordered the zesty shot-and-a-beer braised
chicken tacos which are miraculously tender, and the braised short rib tacos
that can thank guakillo chiles for their spicy, tangy, slightly smoky
flavor. Each taco gets a “custom”
dusting of onion, cilantro, cabbage, lettuce, tomato, cheese, or whatever other
crunchy bit will add to the fun.

Though it bills itself as a “cocktail-driven
restaurant,” with 120 tequilas begging to be sipped, Tacolicious also offers
imaginative alcohol-free concoctions that are ideal lunch accompaniments. (The
menu heading is “Drivers, Kids and Recovering Bartenders.”) I love the Mia
(cranberry juice, sparkling lemonade and fruit salsa), the Moss (passion fruit,
pineapple, and sparkling limeade), and the Silas (lemon, lime and mint).
For folks not in the mood for tacos (really?), the
menu also offers “snacks” that range from a creamy, dreamy guacamole and snappy
ceviche with apple and orange bits, to the popular albacore tuna tostada with
crispy leeks and chipotle mayo, and the
pork-beef meatballs done with roasted tomato-chipotle salsa and cotija cheese. Then there are the chips 'n salsa. Let's just say I feel sorry for all the people who haven’t burned up a bunch of calories before hitting Tacolicious. They must have to
stop after just one basket of the warm,
addicting tortilla chips (served with three sensational house-made sauces, hot,
medium and mild). I had to be dragged
out of there before I could completely polish off our third basket.

Tacolicious in the Marina is a small place , one long, narrow room with a smattering of
tables, an inviting copper-topped bar, and a constant cluster of happy people waiting
for a place to sit. We were lucky enough to score one of the tiny tables in the
sidewalk enclosure, giving us front-row-center seats to the exuberant party
that is Chestnut Street.