220 replies to this topic

[ustreetguy]

Heading to San Francisco next weekend for a friend's b-day. Dinners are already set at the Cortez Room at the Hotel Adagio and at Lemmon Grass. Can anyone recommend anything I need to order at these places? I'll also have Sunday evening to myself so is there a not miss restaurant open on Sunday night for someone who just plans on ordering at the bar?

[giuinha]

i would recommend the slanted door in the ferry building. scrumptious!

[DonRocks]

Forget the cookbook-chicken; I don't know that I've ever had better oysters than at Zuni Cafe. Sit at the raw bar and get a dozen, six pairs from the Pacific Northwest - an expensive little primer, and worth it, too. Absent that, I'd go to Delfina and squeeze into the tiny bar area for a full meal. Except for the raw bar at Zuni Cafe, I'm not sure I've ever experienced two more similar menus back-to-back than my consecutive meals at Zuni Cafe and Delfina last month (I had a slight preference for the cooking at Delfina). As giuinha noted, Slanted Door is a great family lunch place in the Ferry Building, but the warehouse-like bustle and crank-em-out kitchen would leave me a bit cold were I to dine solo at night, despite the outstanding winelist. (It serves many hundreds of covers per day, and the slapdash food is not carefully executed or controlled).

Cheers,
Rocks.

[Joe H]

In the "for what it's worth category" Zagat gives Gary Danko a food rating of 29 and the French Laundry 28 in its 2005 guide reversing the food ratings from earlier years. This is the link:

http://www.zagat.com/resultslist/Results.a...,-122.418296)|0

Danko is considered by a number of people to be San Francisco's best restaurant. It is open on Sunday night and yes, there are a handful of bar seats which you can have dinner served at. Typically Danko has a two month wait for reservations so the bar seats will fill up literally within minutes of when the restaurant opens at 5:30. But you will have a shot. This is Danko's website:

http://www.garydanko.com/

In the fall of 2001 I wrote a lengthy piece about an experience I had sitting at Danko's bar:

http://www.chowhound...sages/4546.html

This is an extraordinary restaurant that you may want to give serious consideration to.

[Sthitch]

Danko is a great restaurant, but the likelihood of getting in at this short a notice is nil. When I was in San Francisco in June, I had an amazing meal at Frisson. I would not begin to tell you what is good on the current menu since it changes with the season, but if they have the horseradish mashed potatoes, I would not miss this dish. I became a big fan of Chef Daniel Patterson when I ate the best meal I have ever had in the United States there, it is just too bad it closed. Frisson has a laid back, loungy feel to it. There is a large selection of small plates to share, or for easy foraging. The wine by the glass selection is long extensive, but very well thought out, and the only place I have seen that offers Grande Dame Champagne by the glass.
I would also recommend having at least one drink in the bar at the top of the Mark Hopkins Intercontinental Hotel. The promo shots for this bar were made by Ansil Adams, and the view is unrivaled in the city.

[crackers]

Here is an alternative - because it is not usually on the out of town visitor's "must do" list, like the suggestions above. (I will admit I've never been to any of them but Slanted Door, and that was before it moved to its current location). Well loved by the natives, is Pesce. Impeccably fresh seafood, and it has an accommodating long bar. It's on Polk (between Green and Vallejo) and is a friendly chichetteria in Russian Hill – the Venetian equivalent of tapas bar. Surprisingly reasonably priced hot chichetti, cold chichetti and some entrée specials on the chalkboard. If you go, definitely try the grilled octopus with celery and Yukon potatoes. There are lots of shellfish choices, some pastas, a meat or two - it is all fresh and creative, with a bargain priced wine list. No reservations though.

[robert40]

I hope this is the appropriate thread for the below post as Manresa is in Los Gatos.


I believe the first time I heard of chef David Kinch was in the June 1996 Gourmet. In my opinion this was the first review were Gourmet did not just give a middle of the road description of a restaurant,but actually a review in the sense of the word. The first truly negative review they gave a restaurant was Atlas in NY,if I recall correctly. So this review of Sent Sovi sparked my interest in chef Kinch's work,and I recall calling the restaurant requesting a menu to review. Imagine my surprise when a few days later I found a whole press kit in my mailbox.
This was almost ten years ago,and I have been reading all I can on the success of chef Kinch sense. So when I had the opportunity to visit the Napa Valley last weekend, I just had to fit in a visit to Manresa.
The hours before our reservation were really kind of comical and for awhile seemed it was straight out of a sitcom. The ride down from Yountville went well as I never have seen a seven lane highway before. Something the east coast should consider. But we arrived a few hours early with some time to kill and dressed in shorts. And not knowing what kind of dress code Manresa had we were debating were we could change. Luckily we found a secluded parking lot at the edge of town were we attempted to change. Kind of gave the wife a wink and made a comment about being twenty years younger. We still had some time to waste so we walked around town a little bit. And I mentioned to my wife there seems something out of place here that I could not put my finger on. Like out of a Twilight Zone episode. After awhile I stopped in my tracks,looked at her and said I got it. There are no fat people here. All I saw was muscles and boobs! So I pulled in my gut and headed to the restaurant.

I went in knowing I was going to enjoy this meal but after the first few courses I knew my expectations were exceeded. Chef Kinch's cuisine is bold and in your face, and makes you stop to take notice.

I just love the dining room with it's well spaced tables and comfortable chairs.
If there was one down fall in the evening it was we were pushed for time as we had to catch the Redeye out of SF airport. As each course was sat down,we likely finished it within minutes. And as I watched the dining room fill up I could not help but have a vision of chef Kinch yelling fire the next three courses for that S.O.B!!
Maybe if I didn't work in kitchens all my life this would not have bothered me but I tend to work myself up as I know the efffort that must have been taken to keep the courses coming as smoothly as they did on a busy Saturday night.
This is the menu we had:

Amuses
Petits fours red pepper-black olive
Radis au beurre
Santa rosa plum with hibiscus and strawberry
Corn cromesquis
Cioppino jelly
Broccoli and foie gras royale


Marinated fluke, local olive oil
Strawberry gazpacho
Crenshaw melon soup, almond tofu
Dirty girl salad
Rouget, anchovy and tomato sofrigit, lemon basil
Abalone with pigs feet
Cepes en papillote, slow egg
Cranberry bean bouillon, foie gras, old rioja vinegar
Sweetbreads, braised lettuce with corn pudding
Roast farm poularde, delta crawfish
Prime beef roasted in its own fat, foie gras


Strawberries, raw cream, 30 year old balsamico
Pain perdu, roast apricots and corn ice cream
Chocolate marquis, condensed milk ice cream
Petits fours chocolate-strawberry

Again we had a wine pairing and again I failed to take notes. We started with a lovely champagne that my wife and I both felt was the best we tasted on our trip.

Regarding the menu,there was not one dud in the entire dinner and I would be hard pressed to pick my favorites. But if I had to chose the roll back your eyes courses, it would have to be the Santa rose plum with hibiscus and strawberry. Hands down the best amuse I ever had. A burst of flavor that just wakes up the palate. I looked at my wife and said I guess I never had plums before. They were also in the Dirty girl salad. Just wonderful!!
The Rouget surrounded the table with a wonderful aroma the moment it was sat on the table. A terrific dish. The abalone with pigs feet was rich and succulent,and I was tempted to tell my wife halfway threw what it was and hope she would give me hers. The pain perdu was a wonderful dessert course.

In closing, I wish I lived closer to this restaurant,as I know I would visit it regularly. I wish the best for chef Kinch and I truly think that if he was in the Napa Valley and not in a town with muscles and boobs it would have a two month waiting list. I met chef Kinch at the end of the meal and had a brief kitchen tour and conversation. And walking away I not only got the impression that he is immensely talented but also a down to earth great guy. The type of person that you are glad stepped into your life and entered your world

[mdt]

I will chime in for Gary Danko too. I had a solo Sunday meal at the bar last year and it was wonderful. Service was excellent and if you are looking for something not to miss then this is it. They also pour wines by the half glass, which I was happy to find.

[LolaDC]

I hope this is the appropriate thread for the below post as Manresa is in Los Gatos.

I have to echo your feelings about Manresa and Kinch. Truly one of the most memorable dining experiences of my life. If you have the chance to go, GO!

[LizH]

I am heading to San Francisco next week. I have reservations at the Slanted Door and Piparade. Any other suggestions for quick bites to eat (where I don't need a reservation)? Staying near Union Square, so walking distance would be great.

Cheers.

[giant shrimp]

I am heading to San Francisco next week.  I have reservations at the Slanted Door and Piparade.  Any other suggestions for quick bites to eat (where I don't need a reservation)?  Staying near Union Square, so walking distance would be great.

Cheers.

we had a good meal at plouf about a year ago:

http://www.ploufsf.com/

good mussels, good flatiron steak, wine, etc. it's in an alley with a couple of other restaurants that try to lure you in. outdoor seating, but we prefer it inside with the swordfish. this is not one of the very best restaurants in the city, but we enjoyed it as much as the slanted door (a totally different scene, not modern). it is off bush, a couple of blocks down from the gate to chinatown on the left heading down into the financial district, an easy walk from union square.

Edited by giant shrimp, 23 September 2005 - 12:07 PM.

[silentbob]

If you have any time scheduled for breakfast or a mid-afternoon snack, I highly recommend Tartine Bakery just outside the Mission. Their pain au chocolat is wonderful.

Somewhat closer to Union Square is Citizen Cake -- I haven't been but all my friends rave about the place.

[crazeegirl]

I will be in San Fran later this week...any recommendations for solo dinners? Must go places?

[bookluvingbabe]

I will be in San Fran later this week...any recommendations for solo dinners?    Must go places?

I have been to SF since 1998. What I remember most was how welcoming they were to a single diner. Both the restaurants and the people dining around me. Other guests kept trying to share wine with me. (And not other solo diners so I don't think I was being hit on...)

Jennifer

[Joe H]

As noted above, as a solo diner both Gary Danko and Boulevard were outstanding. Coincidentally these are two of the best restaurants in San Francisco. For Danko you will have to get there before 5:30 to have a shot at one of the 8 or so bar seats (which serve the full menu) and Boulevard is hit or miss all night. I've gone there at eight and had dinner at the bar AND in the dining room without a reservation. Note that this restaurant typically has a one month wait for a reservation at peak times. If you are serious about food you should try Danko-it is one of the best restaurants in the United States. Please read the link in my post above.

[tanabutler]

I will be in San Fran later this week...any recommendations for solo dinners?    Must go places?

What is your budget, what are your tastes, and how open are you to low-end and high-end things?

My #1 recommendation, as ever, is DO NOT MISS the Ferry Plaza Marketplace. It is a Mecca for foodies.

Will you have a car? What are your dates? Where are you staying? (Need a rec on that? )

[crazeegirl]

What is your budget, what are your tastes, and how open are you to low-end and high-end things?

My #1 recommendation, as ever, is DO NOT MISS the Ferry Plaza Marketplace. It is a Mecca for foodies.

Will you have a car? What are your dates?  Where are you staying? (Need a rec on that?  )

Money is not an issue...cheap or expensive...good food is all I care about.

No car. This weekend starting Thursday. Union Square.

Thanks.

I called Gary Danko yesterday to see if there were any last minute cancellations...no luck. I am thinking about dining at the bar.

[Joe H]

Money is not an issue...cheap or expensive...good food is all I care about.

No car.  This weekend starting Thursday.  Union Square. 

Thanks.

I called Gary Danko yesterday to see if there were any last minute cancellations...no luck.  I am thinking about dining at the bar.

Good luck! You should be all right if you get there 15 minutes before opening.

[crazeegirl]

I don't know that I've ever had better oysters than at Zuni Cafe.  Sit at the raw bar and get a dozen, six pairs from the Pacific Northwest - an expensive little primer, and worth it, too.

I echo DonRocks' comments about Zuni Cafe. I tried a dozen pairs from the Pacific Northwest and each bite was heavenly. I would definitely recommend this place for solo dinners: very conducive to conversations with strangers...or not so strangers.


My sister and I tried Michael Mina They had a table for two w/o a wait!! By that time, with all the crap work I had to do all day long, I went ahead and took it with a heart beat! (I realized I came to the wrong place--not Gary Danko's--once we sat down...!!???!!! I couldn't remember the name so I asked the taxi driver whether he knew a nice popular restaurant with a male chef's name...michael mina was the first one mentioned, and it somehow seemed right ).

To our pleasant surprise each dish was very well executed. End of the meal, I felt like I didn't miss out on Gary Danko's. After all, a girl needs an excuse to go back to san fran.

Seared Diver Scallops ~ Chilled Ceviche
Meyer Lemon, Osetra Caviar
Yellow Corn, Black Truffle
Scarlet Beet, Maine Lobster

Butter Poached Maine Lobster
Corn Crepe, Citrus Jalapeno Reduction

Six Hour Butter Poached Prime Rib (for two)
Seasonal Creamed Vegetables, Trio of Potatoes

Root Beer Float
Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies

[dcpolicywonk]

Money is not an issue...cheap or expensive...good food is all I care about.

No car.  This weekend starting Thursday.  Union Square. 

Thanks.

I called Gary Danko yesterday to see if there were any last minute cancellations...no luck.  I am thinking about dining at the bar.

I would put my recommendation in for (Ana Mandara. My wife and I went there on our honeymoon and it was amazing food in one of the most beautiful restaurants I've ever been in.

[mktye]

For what it is worth (I have not eaten there myself), I was talking with my uber-foodie sister last week and she is still raving about the meal she had at Campton Place Restaurant about six months ago. She said it was the best meal she's ever eaten.

[Skysplitter]

So has anyone else been to San Francisco lately? I'll be going in March for 3 days (in San Jose before then) and have been trolling Chowhound, here and elesewhere to see where to eat. I'll be eating alone, I don't eat shellfish and am not looking to go home broke But I am staying at a hostel for a reason.

That said, I'm plotting my sightseeing around- Gary Danko (at the bar), Zuni Cafe, Aziza, Coco500, the Tartine Bakery, possibly the coffee place Tom mentioned in his chat today (Graffeo), and maybe Dottie's True Blue Diner for breakfast.

If anyone has any other notes, comments, what have you, I'd love to hear it

[giant shrimp]

So has anyone else been to San Francisco lately?  I'll be going in March for 3 days (in San Jose before then) and have been trolling Chowhound, here and elesewhere to see where to eat. I'll be eating alone, I don't eat shellfish and am not looking to go home broke But I am staying at a hostel for a reason.

That said, I'm plotting my sightseeing around- Gary Danko (at the bar), Zuni Cafe, Aziza, Coco500, the Tartine Bakery, possibly the coffee place Tom mentioned in his chat today (Graffeo), and maybe Dottie's True Blue Diner for breakfast.

If anyone has any other notes, comments, what have you, I'd love to hear it

the coffee place in north beach is strictly for beans is my recollection, and dark and light roast is the choice. it's well worth carrying some home.

you can easily take the bart to berkeley and visit chez panisse, which always is a mandatory stop for us even though the food isn't exactly cutting edge these days. the cafe upstairs is a good alternative if you can't get a reservation and you want to select things from a wider menu. however, i have succeeded in landing a table downstairs at the last minute, and i don't know how easy it is to get into the cafe now that they accept reservations, which is something they didn't used to do.

i would be interested in finding out what quince is like these days. it's on octavia street heading into pacific heights. we had a memorably delicious italian-ish meal there a couple of years ago, and found the place based on one of tom sietsema's postcard recommendations, which have always panned out for us.

i am also interested in the restaurant that is being opened by the chef who wrote the recipe on cooking eggs in water that appeared in the new york times magazine the first or second weekend in january. i can look him up if you're interested, but am not sure that the restaurant is yet in business.

[mdt]

...the chef who wrote the recipe on cooking eggs in water...

Can you explain this?

[Skysplitter]

you can easily take the bart to berkeley and visit chez panisse, which always is a mandatory stop for us even though the food isn't exactly cutting edge these days. the cafe upstairs is a good alternative if you can't get a reservation and you want to select things from a wider menu. however, i have succeeded in landing a table downstairs at the last minute, and i don't know how easy it is to get into the cafe now that they accept reservations, which is something they didn't used to do.

i would be interested in finding out what quince is like these days. it's on octavia street heading into pacific heights. we had a memorably delicious italian-ish meal there a couple of years ago, and found the place based on one of tom sietsema's postcard recommendations, which have always panned out for us.

I thought about going to Chez Panisse, but my time in San Francisco is very limited. It's more like 2.5 days (driving up from San Jose Monday morning) so I'm trying my best to stay in the city (I don't have car access after that ride up from SJ). The more I read about the city and the food, etc, the more I'm sure I'll be back, so I'd like to save it for another trip when I have more time.

From the SF Chowhounds, Quince seems to be doing well. I saw that in Tom's postcard as well, and not to be rude to Quince, but with Notti and Dino in DC, I don't feel the need to travel across the country to get Italian I'm sure they're using local ingredients in interesting ways, but Aziza's Moroccan I believe, Coco500 has an interesting menu (formerly Bizou), etc, etc, and for me, that's more of a draw.

I'll be sure to report back wherever I go... too bad I have to wait another few weeks

[Joe H]

For those that are reading this thread, Chez Panisse (the restaurant) is almost as difficult a reservation as the French Laundry. It is not an afterthought but a very real destination that many people on the West Coast and elsewhere build trips around. Quite literally this is Mecca for many who care about the emergence of America and the ascension of a serious cuisine from a country that was once thought of as having good fried chicken and decent charcoal grilled steak. For all that I may have raved about Danko (and the bar if you go at the last minute and arrive BEFORE THEY OPEN!) Chez Panisse is the Holy Grail of American restaurants. It is to America as Troisgros and Robuchon are to France and Santimaria and Adria are to Spain. In the late '70's and early '80's Alice Waters' place was a temple that born again foodies from Vermont to Georgia to New Mexico crossed a country to visit. When they returned to their hometowns America was never the same. What we eat today has much to do with what was started then. And there.

[Meaghan]

Postcard from Tom: San Francisco

[Jonathan]

from what i have read about quince; it cannot be even put in the same sentence as dino or notti when talking about its food quality. i am looking forward to going there when i head to sf.

as for chez panisse, i believe the cafe upstairs is not as difficult to get into.

and thirdly, campton place's chef of two or so years (daniel humm) has left and is in nyc at 11 madison park. the new chef is melissa perillo, i think.

[brian]

from what i have read about quince; it cannot be even put in the same sentence as dino or notti when talking about its food quality. i am looking forward to going there when i head to sf.

I went to Quince a year ago and it was brilliant; by far the best meal I had in SF. Resembled a dressed-up version of Komi more than any Italian restaurant in DC. Very intimate & elegant, with proper but friendly service and small menu where everything was a highlight.

[Jonathan]

http://www.quinceres.../home_main.html

[Sthitch]

Chez Panisse is the Holy Grail of American restaurants.  It is to America as Troisgros and Robuchon are to France and Santimaria and Adria are to Spain.  In the late '70's and early '80's Alice Waters' place was a temple that born again foodies from Vermont to Georgia to New Mexico crossed a country to visit.  When they returned to their hometowns America was never the same.  What we eat today has much to do with what was started then.  And there.

I understand what Chez Panisse represents to the history of modern American cuisine, but I have been thoroughly unimpressed by their cuisine. They seem to be resting on their reputation, and they have not anything innovative in the past decade or longer. I have had two meals in the dining room, and walked away realizing that I had a very well prepared meal, but nothing truly memorable or worth the hassle.

[Joe H]

Steve, the sad part of this is my asking you to consider what Chez Panisse was like.... (Ahem!!) twenty five years ago! K-Paul's had opened a year earlier and had established its own beachhead with American food. On the West Coast Alice Waters was doing her thing in Berkeley. My point is that much of this country was kind of a wasteland. I would agree that Chez Panisse and K-Paul's (which I introduced because I think this is the other "temple" of influence) today don't offer very much, if anything. (Although I would kill for Marty's fresh cracked coconut cake at K-Paul's). But twenty five years ago (ugh....I didn't have to color my mustache then!) they were both a big deal and really considered to be revelatory for an American restaurant. My last visit to Chez Panisse was two years ago. It didn't even approach, say, Maestro, Laboratorio, Citronelle or several other D. C. area places. But there's a great deal of history there that goes into it. Perhaps, for me, into the taste too. I really do think that it's a kind of food Mecca. Perhaps passed by today but, for me, it's historical significance is important. And, I must admit, it is fun for me to sit in it and reminisce about what I was doing in 1981...

[Sthitch]

Yes, but in 1981 I was 12. Since I was a history major in college I can appreciate what things represent, however, I find it hard to justify spending $300 per person to dine in a past its prime restaurant just to apprecaite what it means to the history of American cuisine.

[Skysplitter]

Well I just got back from San Francisco and thought I would offer up my .02.

I did not make it to Danko since I blew threw alot of money in San Jose. I did however end up at Dottie's True Blue Cafe in the Union Square area and Aziza in the Richmond district.

Dottie's was a place I had started to read about- greasy spoon diner place with alot of character and great food. There were words of caution about it being in the Tenderloin, but balderdash I say. Easy walk from Union Square. As with most popular breakfast places, Dottie's was a little pricey, but damn it was worth it. For $11 you can get 2 big pancakes (I got the blueberry cornmeal), 2 eggs, bacon, potatoes and fresh squeezed OJ. THe coffee's also pretty damned good. I've eaten at alot of diners and breakfast joints in my time (I LOVE breakfast foods) and this was clearly in the top 5 places I've eaten at. Bintliff's in Portland, ME also comes to mind as does a place in Waterville, ME that I can't recall the name of right now.

Anyway, they also bake muffins, cinnamon rolls, several breads, all available there or to go. I left with one of their legendary cinnamon rolls, which was a sugar shock experience, but quite good all the same. Lots of walnuts and brown sugar = yum.

Onto Aziza, which is very popular over on the Chowhound board (reserve comments for the *other* CH thread ). Aziza serves Moroccan food, which I'd never had, but made a reservation for 1 and trekked on out to the Richmond area. Easily accessible via bus and on the main drag, the outward appearance is deceiving. I wondered what I was walking into (dive?!) and was treated to one of the most beautiful interiors I've ever dined in. Dark blue walls, candles all around, alcoves with plastered arches, red glass chandeliers- stunning really. But what really impressed me is that I was just a 1 top, got a prime seat in an alcove clearly meant for 3 or 4 people, and the service was outstanding. I started off with a lemon-basil martini which set the evening off just right. I found out after the fact that Aziza is becoming well known for their mixed drinks, and the martini was just proof in the glass. I ordered the lentil soup and the guinea hen. The soup was quite good, but when I got the guinea hen dish, the first words out of my mouth were in fact "holy shit!". It's served with a saffron, lemon and I think red pepper sauce, along with a purple potato mash. The last time I'd had such a reaction I was at Corduroy. A deceptively simple dish, all the flavors meshed well together. I had to tell myself to eat slowly. Dessert was a simple malted milk ice cream with chocolate chips and 2 cookies. Difficult to finish, but quite good.

Damage for 1 drink, soup, hen and dessert with tip was about $60. I would definitely go back. And if you're in town, you have to try and get there. (I would actually order you to RUN not walk, but to each his own.) This restaurant is doing everything right. Not a single misstep the entire evening. I'm already looking forward to the next time I can eat there.

http://www.aziza-sf.com

I want a Chef Power and Chef Lahlou face off now

[AlliK]

We enjoyed our dinner at 1550 Hyde last week in the Russian Hill neighborhood. Small, neighborhood place with a fantastic wine list and wine flights program. The decor is nothing exciting, and some of the tables were a little close together for having much privacy - but the food/value made it worth the trip.

We enjoyed a simple, fresh arugula salad with meyer lemon vinaigrette, pecorino and almonds as well as a bowl of excellent ribollita for appetizers. As mains we shared the appetizer portion of the stinging nettle gnocchi (excellent - though there's only 5, so next time I'd order a double portion for an entree) and an excellent braised lentil dish with butternut squash and walnut pain levain breadcrumbs. The lentils were a highlight - very rich, a little sweet, and a huge portion. The waiter clued us in that the richness was due to a healthy dose of butter. We enjoyed the Loire Valley wine flight and shared the brown sugar pecan cake for dessert (this was the least exciting of the dishes).

The place was quite full, so a reservation is a good idea. They're on opentable.

[JLK]

I'm heading to SF tomorrow for two nights, staying in Nob Hill, and could use a suggestion for a client dinner tomorrow night.

DEFINITELY not looking for ethnic and/or fancy, high concept food. My client's tastes run to Morton's and Ruth's Chris so something that takes him slightly out of that realm, but doesn't scare or gross him out (ha) would be great. Steaks, seafood and/or pasta - all great. I don't expect to find much Southern or Soul Food, but that would also be perfect.

Nob Hill/Union Square locations preferred. $$ not an object.

Thoughts?

[Sthitch]

Maxfields should be the type of place that you are looking for. I have only been once for lunch and had a delightful meal. It has a very clubby feel and by clubby, I mean the University Club, not Club Love.

[tanabutler]

Acme Chophouse gets my vote. Bonus points for sustainably grown food on the menu.

Right in Nob Hill is Laurent Manrique's "new" (since 2004) baby: C & L, which is the counterpart to Aqua.

[JLK]

GREAT suggestions - thanks! One more question: how about a decent spot for a solo breakfast tomorrow? Nothing fancy required. A spot - again - located in Nob Hill or Union Square would be ideal.

[AlliK]

GREAT suggestions - thanks!  One more question:  how about a decent spot for a solo breakfast tomorrow?  Nothing fancy required.  A spot - again - located in Nob Hill or Union Square would be ideal.

If Union Square is a possibility, then how about going a mile further down Market St (cab/bus) to the Ferry Plaza building? I don't think it'll be a farmer's market day, but you can do VERY well with Acme Bread, Miette pastries, Cowgirl Creamery, Out the Door (take-out counter for Slanted Door - Vietnamese), etc. Doesn't open til 10 though, which might be a limiting factor for you.

[tanabutler]

Kuleto's, the restaurant at Villa Florence on Union Square does a really nice standard bacon-and-eggs type breakfast (with a larger menu, of course), but with quality ingredients, and the baked goods made in house. It's very nice: classic.

[Pool Boy]

I dined at Gary Danko about a year ago. I thought it was overrated. The food was good, the service was good. It was very fresh. But, IMO, there was not enough going on in any of the dishes to really blow me away. For the same moey or less, I'd go to Fleur de Lys.

[giant shrimp]

Did anyone catch the April 30th NYTimes article about San Francisco's take-out friendly Ferry Building on the Embarcadero? OK, another cool dining option we don't have in metro DC. More info in the Ferry Building's web site.

the wine merchant is pretty good too, not that good california wine is hard to find in this neck of the woods, so that you can gather everything you need for a picnic. the coit tower is within walking distance, and you may run into the parrots on your way up telegraph hill, as we did by accident. off the piers in the vicinity you can watch locals haul in illegal baby sharks and throw them back in if they think someone might be watching. the water may not be as pristine as it appears. my wife reminds me not to forget the imperial tea court.

[justdesserts]

I went to Quince a year ago and it was brilliant; by far the best meal I had in SF. Resembled a dressed-up version of Komi more than any Italian restaurant in DC. Very intimate & elegant, with proper but friendly service and small menu where everything was a highlight.

just wanted to stick in my two pence about a restaurant named quince. my favourite, EVER. hands down. i wanted fine dining last time i was in san francisco, and after a little legwork it seemed quince was the best option. i was NOT dissappointed. we had an impeccable sparkling red wine at a very reasonable price of 29 dollars and i had three things i wont ever forget; an order of angel soft little pillows of homemade tortellini, stuffed with shredded zucchini and cooked simply in butter, with purple basil. the flavours were delicate, clean. the ingredients were surely grown in heaven and the purple basil really was a genius move, offering just a hint of something different without being overly fussy with an already perfected dish. also, a steamed (i think?? cant quite recall) fiddlehead fern in butter. i would love to be able to find more specialty produce like this. it was like asparagus but more hearty. im not sure what else was done to it, but i remember it being fantastic. and then finally, a simple dish of limas and shitaake mushrooms. nothin fancy, incredibly indulgent on the palate.

sadly, the dessert i had wasnt anything special (nectarine upside down cake) i've heard a couple people (pim, included) say the cake is on the dry side there. this was definately my experience. good flavour, but compared to the rest of the meal, it definately paled. adam loved his chocolate mousse cake whatever but i think he was just swooning over the rest of the meal and the great company he had we asked to speak to the sommelier for pairings with our desserts and they said she was on vacation. however, the rumours on bay area chowhound told me that they don't have one at all. im opposed to restaurant white lies of that nature. however, we were directed to the wine-knowledgable manager and she picked very good dessert wines that did, indeed, do quite a sufficient job of complimenting each of our sweets.

our waiter was amasing. a very polite and friendly guy. came across as very genuine, always there when we needed him, never there when we didnt. a server with ESP. i love it. he was also very good at bantering back and forth with my witty, smart ass (but sweet and wellmeaning) dining partner.

i loved this meal so much that i actually wrote them and asked them for a copy of the menu we had that evening. they happily obliged me.

people wonder why i am passionate about the simple, california style cuisine that was started by good old organic fairy godmummy alice waters, and quince is it. theyve taken it above and beyond. thus far, quince is actually my favourite restaurant in the states, in the world. viva quince!

[qwertyy]

I had a terrific meal a few weeks ago at Range, a new restaurant in the Mission.

My friends and I shared a few starters, which I followed with spinach soup instead of a salad. This was a nice surprise; the soup didn't lend any of that dry-mouth feel that I sometimes get from spinach, even though, according to the server, it was completely vegan except for the dollop of cream in the middle. Nice, tasty, and interesting, even for a meat-lover.

For a main, I usually don't order the chicken, but my dining companions had ordered every other dish I was interested in, and the chicken got breathless raves, so I said what the heck. And it was phenomenal. The meat and its sides had innovative but not overpowering flavors and were cooked perfectly. So were all the other dishes at the table (which I of course got tastes of). Finally, after a tremendous chocolate souffle and a tasty alcohol+coffee concoction I had to throw in the towel and call it a night.

Incidentally, not only was the food amazing, our server was just great--friendly, knowledgeable on the food, and extremely well-versed on the wine. And to top it all off, the entree prices ranged from $16-20, appetizers $6-13. The San Franciscans at the table all commented that the place could have easily tacked on $4-6 an entree without changing a thing, and it'd still be a deal.

And who knows--maybe they will in a few weeks. But my friends are right: that restaurant would still be a find. I highly recommend giving it a go before everyone else discovers it! (or even after!)

[bilrus]

Onto Aziza... I would actually order you to RUN not walk

I forgot to add this after my recent trip, but Banana Splitter is right. Go to Aziza.

Beautiful room and beautiful cooking. $42 gets you what has to be the best tasting menu value West of Komi - a lentil soup, several mezzes for the table, bisteyaa, and your choice of entree and dessert.

I'm not too familiar with this cuisine, so it is hard to compare - but this was refined but very flavorful cooking. Many "ethnic" places are either a little too rustic or dumbed down. This came off as well chosen ingredients cooked with a sure hand.

My advice to people coming from out of town to DC is to go to Zaytinya because it is something you can't get in a lot of places. Aziza works in the same way on a much more intimate level. I don't know know of anyone serving food like this here.

[cjsadler]

I had a terrific meal a few weeks ago at Range, a new restaurant in the Mission.

We had dinner at Range a couple of weeks ago. Everything was well prepared and the place had a great vibe, but sometimes the 'seasonal and simple' approach underwhelms. A salad of apricots, fennel and goat cheese was a nice combination, but you could easily whip this up at home (in fact, I made it while we were at a friend's place in Martinez the next day). Not really sure what I was expecting, and maybe the fact that you could make it at home is the wrong standard to judge a restaurant by, but I felt the same way about my entree: halibut with a fava bean stew and tapenade. Nothing to fault here, but not particularly wowing either (I did like the place a lot more than txaggie, who gave the food a solid thumbs down for being too plain). Pretty reasonably priced wine list with some interesting selections (but the wine we chose stunk ).

[Jonathan]

just got back from gourging in the bay area.

quick words, not one for long posts....

boulevard---over-priced and average.
quince---cheaper, tastier, better. very cute restaurant, with a interesting menu doing the local, seasonal, italian thing. great pastas.
zuni---great space, very small lunch menu, just setttled on a simple plate of house-made salami with olive oil dressed green beans and a glass of rose. it was a nice dish, that would make me want to go back for diinner. but unless you want the burger or chicken, dont go for lunch.

best deal in town: 50 cent pork buns in chinatown at the bakeries. DELICIOUS.

[Xochitl10]

I'm traveling to San Francisco for work next week, and am taking copious notes of everyone's dining suggestions. I have a slightly different question though: can anyone recommend a good liquor store in the Union Square area? I'm looking for one that would have an interesting range of cognacs and whiskies, in particular. Thanks in advance for helping to keep my "have travel, will buy cool booze" tradition intact!

[synaesthesia]

Just got back from SF recently.

Miette in Ferry Terminal Building - macaroons (not the coconut type), particularly pistachio and rose geranium - hazelnut was okay, small jar of sea salt caramels at the cashier
Ciao Bella - great blood orange and campari granitas
Chez Panisse Cafe - got in just by walking upstairs and asking if there were openings - though I have to say high-quality ingredients, well-prepared, but flavors weren't memorable
Beard Papa - Mission St. across from Yerba Buena Gardens near Convention Center - YUM! Awesome cream puffs