From the outside, Blue Plate looks like an unassuming restaurant in the Outer Mission. However, I was more than pleasantly surprised by the hearty scrumptious food.

Blue Plate has been around since 1999 and serves tasty twists on American classics. Luckily, Tommy’s coworker knows the chef and he hooked us up which is one of the best aspects of being in the restaurant industry.

Tombo Tuna Crudo with ‘Nduja, Toasted Almond Milk, and Salt and Vinegar Potato Skins (8/10).

The first gift from the kitchen was slices of meaty tombo tuna topped with creamy spicy ‘nduja (Italian spreadable sausage). I especially liked the crunchy saltiness of the potato chips on top.

Chorizo stuffed Grilled Squid with Pepperoncini, Honey, Toasted Garlic, and Mint (8/10).

Pieces of tender squid were stuffed with aromatic chorizo. Shellfish just goes so well with pork products (sausage, prosciutto, bacon, etc.) and I love the combination.

Pastrami Cured Beet Salad with Cashew Butter, Puffed Grains, Moorish Spices, and Grapefruit (7.5-8/10).

Another gift from the kitchen was a fun take on a classic beet salad. These meaty beets were seasoned with pastrami spices and actually had that same quality of pastrami meat. The cashew butter was creamy, the puffed grains added a nice textural component, and the citrus helped cut through the richness of the dish.

Dungeness Crab and Ricotta Ravioli with Candied Kumquat and Fried Parsnip (8/10).

Our last gift from the chef was the Dungeness crab raviolo and we were thrilled because we couldn’t decide if we wanted this pasta or the garganelli! The tart yet slightly sweet candied kumquat complemented the natural sweetness of the crab filling and brown butter sauce. The fried parsnip chips added another layer of sweetness.

Garganelli with Smoked Rabbit, Snap Peas, Hazelnuts, Pumpernickel, and Truffle Pecorino (8.5/10).

Garganelli is one of my favorite pasta shapes and the smoked rabbit ragù went perfectly with it. The freshness of the snap peas with sweet hazelnuts and pillowy shavings of black truffle Pecorino cheese made this dish heavenly.

Blue Plate Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes and Blue Lake Green Beans (8.5/10).

Two of their signature dishes that never change are the fried chicken and the meatloaf. We kept going back and fourth between which to order but ultimately decided meatloaf since we eat fried chicken more often. I’m typically not a meatloaf fan but this was extremely well made. Super tasty and moist with velvety mashed potatoes. Simple, homey, and satisfying.

Macaroni with Drunken Spanish Goat Cheese (8/10).

A signature side dish is the macaroni and drunken goat cheese and I love anything with cheese and carbs. Piping hot pasta mixed with rich oozing cheese, what else could you ask for?

Key Lime Pie (8.5/10).

You can imagine we were pretty stuffed especially since the chef was nice enough to send us so many complimentary items! Even though we were full, I had to order at least one dessert since no meal is complete without something sweet. I’m a sucker for lime/lemon curd and the key lime pie didn’t disappoint. That classic graham cracker crust with the tart creamy filling, a dollop of whipped cream, and lime zest is just perfection.

I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better casual dinner. Just delicious real food so therefore my rating is an 8-8.5/10.