REVIEW - Causwells

Online restaurant reviews have always had a reputation for being filled with plaudits from the relatives, friends, or even staff at a new restaurant. Presumably, that was the reason Causwells got voted one of SF's best 11 restaurants of the year, and having one of the 15 best burgers in America by one review site.

On both accounts, the reviews were woefully wrong.

First, with all the competition in San Francisco, a restaurant - in my mind at least - must be more than a crowded space where one might shelter from the rain, or rest awhile from the tiresome shopping in the Marina, in order to be voted one of the best of anything.

Second, and more specifically, the Americana Burger falls way behind half a dozen other SF places' fare, let alone the country's. With its mangled sauce that's part Worcestershire, part Thousand Island, part "magic potion", cheese, and crispy onion rings it tasted more like something from Burger King than an award contender.

The pea crisp, with mint, yogurt tasted good, although a quick snort would've dispensed with the dish, while the Andouille fritters, with chili lime aioli lacked real taste - presumably from the virtual non-existence of any andouille sausage in the potato.