Five great signature dishes

Restaurants and their chefs become known for certain dishes. Here are five that have made their mark.

Scott Hocker

Boccocino with salmon and rapini at Globe
Broccoli rabe and long, fat tubes of pasta are tossed with garlic and chili-laced olive oil. A slab of grilled salmon is laid on top, and the dish is finished with salsa verde and a grating of parmigiano reggiano. The combination of fish and cheese would send an Italian grandmother into cardiac arrest—but in this dish, we think it’s genius.
290 Pacific Ave., S.F., 415-391-4132.

Carrot soup at Scott Howard
Think of it as carrots squared. Carrot juice and puréed carrots meet a hint of curry powder and a slug of cream. Somehow the result tastes even more like the root itself than a raw one does.
500 Jackson St., S.F., 415-956-7040.

Faith’s ham-and-cheese toast at Town Hall
A croque madame by way of the Deep South: Johnson Family Country prosciutto and St. George cheese are layered between slices of levain bread, then napped with jalapeño cream and garnished with bits of fried okra and a poached egg. Rich? Sure. Irresistible? Absolutely.
342 Howard St., S.F., 415-908-3900.

Mussels and pork with a spork at Spork
In the spirit of the pork-and-shellfish dishes of Portugal, chef Bruce Binn pairs roast pork shoulder with mussels steamed in Belgian beer. A dollop of smoky pimentón aioli, toast, and a tangle of griddled green beans round out the bowl, ideal for eating with the restaurant’s namesake utensil.
1058 Valencia St., S.F., 415-643-5000.

Rose crème brûlée at Citizen Cake
Leave it to Elizabeth Falkner to rescue a played-out dessert from itself. Falkner has been making variations on this creamy classic since 1993; this version is laced with a touch of rose water. May it never go away.
399 Grove St., S.F., 415-861-2228.