SAN FRANCISCO — Conjuring original flavors — the chemical reaction of craft beer paired well with certain foods — can make some of the most laminous and well-rounded meals. The Bay Area beer scene benefits from the presence of well-traveled chefs, with some of the cream-of-the-crop in the brewing world, as meals that combine locally brewed beer with wholesome food are not difficult to come by.

Social Kitchen & Brewery, a craft beer and restaurant staple of San Francisco’s Sunset District, is expanding the palate possibilities this weekend with beer brunches that pair their award-winning beers with Filipino cuisine. Celebrating Filipino-American History Month, Social Kitchen’s Brewmaster Kim Sturdavant and Head Chef Sal Reyes have put together a menu that combines the flavors of Social’s beers with four Filipino dishes.

“I jumped right in,” Reyes said of being assigned to create the Filipino dishes for Social Kitchen. “I like the food and the beer is very good… Kim knows his stuff.”

In pairing the food with his beer, Sturdavant said he likes to contrast or compliment the flavors between the beer and food used. Being that the brunches will comprise of four courses, the pourings will be closer to taster size than full pours, and his beer selection will provide brunch-goers with a recommendation as to what beers would go best with the dishes, rather than a hard-and-fast requirement. His expertise with the beers he makes, though, serves as good reason to trust his judgement.

“I like to make beers that are pretty straightforward and simple, but that have a lot of subtly and complexity,” said Sturdavant.

The finalized menu highlights dishes that go beyond just the famous lumpia and adobo of Filipino cuisine; the Filipino brunches include ube pancakes with Social’s Pain Au Chocolat (a Belgian milk chocolate brown brewed with cocoa nibs, lactose, coffee malt and oats), and crispy pork belly served over garlic rice with their Brett House Blonde (Social’s Beach House Blonde conditioned on Brett Claussenii, which the brewery describes as “bone dry, pineapple-y, extra fluffy and twisted”).

The brunches will take place Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Seating is available on a drop-in basis, and reservations can be made by calling (415) 681-0330.

Filipino Beer Brunch Menu at Social Kitchen and Brewery



Shrimp Lumpia

Deep fried spring rolls w/ shrimp, pork, water chestnuts, onion, carrot, garlic and green cabbage. Served with sweet chili sauce.

Beer Pairing: SKB Pils & Calamansi Shandy

Ube Pancakes

Purple yam pancakes served with ube jam butter and coconut syrup.

Beer Pairing: Pain Au Chocolat

Bistec-silog

Seasoned hanger steak with sweet adobo reduction, served with garlic rice, fried eggs and a diced tomato and red onion salad in a coconut vinegar and patis (Filipino fish sauce) dressing.

Beer Pairing: Saison du Sauvignon

Lechon Kawali-silog

Crispy pork belly over garlic rice, served with fried eggs and a diced tomato and red onion salad in a coconut vinegar and patis (filipino fish sauce) dressing.

Beer Pairing: Brett House Blonde