San Francisco Restaurant List---- |
| 42 Degrees |
| Mediterranean |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Wednesday-Sunday |
| There's been a change in the kitchen, but chef Mark Denham has carried on the tradition of serving earthy Mediterranean-inspired food in cool, modern surroundings. A curved metal stairway leads up to the mezzanine, perched above the bar and open kitchen. Live jazz keeps the place hopping every night. There's also a bar menu for those who want to come in for a quick bite. *** *** In such a trendy, lofty environment, it always seems amazing that chef-owner Jim Moffat's food has such a soulful appeal. There are roasted chestnuts in the winter and bone marrow on toast at the bar, for example. You can have a snack at the bar, or a full meal anywhere in the place. A curved metal stairway leads up to the mezzanine, perched above the bar and open kitchen. |
| (415) 777-5558 |
| 235 16th St. (off Third Street) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Acquerello |
| Modern Italian |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tuesday-Saturday |
| The intimate surroundings and the sparkle of crystal wine decanters signal immediately that dinner is going to be memorable. In fact, Acquerello is the only white-tablecloth Italian restaurant in the city. Owner Giancarlo Paterlini directs the flawless service, and his knowledge of Italian wines is impressive. His business partner and chef, Suzette Gresham, creates an outstanding array of dishes, grounded in the classics but executed with her own special flair. *** If you're looking for the most upscale Italian restaurant in the city, Acquerello should be at the top of the list. Acquerello is in a class by itself, the only truly white-tablecloth Italian restaurant in San Francisco. Suzette Gresham uses her immense talent to add modern twists to some classic preparations, and co-owner Giancarlo Paterlini operates in the best tradition of a French maitre d' and directs the flawless service. His knowledge of the wine list will lead to some excellent finds. |
| (415) 567-5432 |
| 1722 Sacramento St. (near Polk) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Albona |
| Italian (Istrian) |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tuesday-Saturday |
| Albona is the only Italian restaurant in the Bay Area to serve specialties of Istria, near Trieste. Owner Bruno Viscovi incorporates these flavors of his homeland, which is influenced by Croatia, Austria and Yugoslavia. The interior has a comfortable Old World ambience with carpeted floors and fresh flowers on each table. The real draw, however, is the owner's accommodating and enthusiastic personality. If you give him a chance, he'll be happy to reflect on his childhood and the unique cuisine offered at Albona. *** Italian is probably the most popular cuisine in the Bay Area, but Albona is the only place that specializes in the foods of Istria, near Trieste. Owner Bruno Viscovi celebrates the food of his homeland, which incorporates influences from Croatia, Austria and Yugoslavia. Albona's ambience is casual, but the soft lighting makes it somewhat romantic. And the owner's enthusiastic personality and stories of his childhood set the mood. |
| (415) 441-1040 |
| 545 Francisco St. (between Mason and Taylor) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Alfy's |
| French |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner Wednesday-Sunday. |
| This charming restaurant in San Anselmo successfully bridges the gap between formal and casual. Inside the sleek, quiet dining room, patrons may order from a French "tapas" menu as well as choose from a bevy of appetizers and main courses. Outside on the patio overlooking the main street in town, the atmosphere is more casual. Chef Ron Boyd, formerly of Hawthorne Lane, adds finesse to the food, and Todd Stillman, who was the manager at Masa's and owns Alfy's with his wife, Leigh, adds a refined touch to the service. |
| (415) 453-3407 |
| 636 San Anselmo Ave. (at Tamalpais) -- San Anselmo |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Alma |
| Nuevo Latino |
| ,2.5,3,2,2 |
| Dinner 1730-2230 M-Th 1730-23 FSa |
| Chef Johnny Alamilla clearly cooks from the soul. He has trained with some of the city's best chefs -- Anne Gingrass at Postrio, Nancy Oakes at Boulevard and Mark Franz at Farallon -- but his distinctive style blossomed when he ventured out on his own at Che and incorporated memories of his Honduran grandmother's cooking into his repertoire. At Che he thrived in a difficult location at Third and Folsom until rent increases forced him out. Now, a year later, he has a more modest version of his dream at Alma in the Mission, and the fit seems right. Here he creates dishes that are truly his own, using Latin ingredients to produce combinations that are homey, satisfying and delicious: smoked bacon and pasilla chile sauce, chive salsa verde, a citrus jalapeno vinaigrette. Many chefs favor squash this time of year, and Alamilla uses it in a rich, velvety soup ($5) punctuated with peanuts, sweet pomegranate seeds and bits of mint on top. One of the most interesting signature items, a holdover from Che, is ceviche ($11 for a sampler of four). Alamilla brines baby scallops, the juice of cucumber and lemon, and a drizzle of dende oil, made from the annatto seed. He slices wild striped bass and combines it with a Valencia orange marinade and bits of onion. Tuna gets coated in a spicy coconut marinade and scallions. Rings of calamari and octopus are soaked in lime and squid ink. The platter is garnished with a mound of popcorn, a combination the chef remembers having when he was growing up. Alamilla's use of Latin ingredients is refreshing and restrained. Grilled hangar steak ($17) is served with a classic potato gratin with hearts of palm, which adds a distinctive note to the cheesy blend. He pan-sears halibut and places it on a raft of fried plantains with melted onions and a lemony sauce. He gives a pork chop ($15.50) a lift with an earthy smoked chile jus and arranges the thick slab of meat on lumpy garlic-scallion mashed potatoes and a crisp slaw of cabbage and jicama. The side dishes are also unique: yucca fries ($5), a creamy yucca and roasted garlic gratin ($4) and corn arepas ($3.50), three alluring pancakes filled with corn, caramelized red onion and goat cheese. They're all great on their own. Alamilla's seasonal fresh vegetable platter ($14.50) is a creative blend that goes far beyond what other restaurants offer. On a recent visit it included a roasted squash filled with mashed potatoes, with corn, wax beans and kale spilling over the top. Desserts (all $5) follow the same cross-cultural theme, the most satisfying example being the warm banana bread pudding moistened with a spiced rum sauce. The flourless chocolate cake has a souffle-like texture and is surrounded by coconut creme anglaise and toasted coconut. Creme brulee gets a Latin twist with dulce de leche, but the caramel flavors would have been more pleasing if the custard had been cooler. The most intriguing dessert is the ice cream. Rich chocolate masks the flavor of jalapeno until the end, when the chile leaves a pleasant burn. If there's a flaw at Alma it's the service. On several occasions when we checked in with the host, she barely looked up from her lectern and then started poring over the reservation list, making notations as if we weren't even there. We didn't know whether to wait, go to the tiny bar in the center of the room, or pick our own table and sit down. Twice our order was mishandled: Once we asked for a delicious special pairing huge Peruvian butter beans with chanterelles ($5.50), but the waiter brought us the vegetarian plate we'd inquired about earlier. When we pointed out the mistake he left the platter and brought the correct order. Another time our side dish didn't arrive until after we were nearly done with our main courses. Yet you can forgive a lot because the staff is trying and seems enthusiastic. The interior of Alma promotes a casual, relaxed experience. The space has an urban look with hardwood floors, bright blue walls sponged to create a mottled texture and simple wood-backed chairs. In addition to the 40-seat dining room, there's a cozy back room that seats 18. While the design is less stylized than Alamilla's food, the comfortable atmosphere and bustling location should help introduce a lot of people to dende oil, guajillo chiles and other delicious ingredients that make up Alamilla's repertoire. Service needs to be sharpened. The atmosphere is less stylized than the food. Wines unfamiliar, but good The wine list at Alma is small, which is fine for a neighborhood restaurant, but it still breaks the mold with its selections: There are wines from Spain, Argentina, Portugal, Chile, Uruguay and Mexico. It's a bold move because many of the wines are unfamiliar. Most diners will need some guidance, but the staff isn't well informed. The categories -- "Crisp, Aromatic Whites," "Full-Bodied Whites," "Juicy, Fruity Reds" -- offer some help. But, while "A Little Spice" and "Bring on the Oak" provide clues, what does "Salt of the Earth" mean? The varietal names, such as Torrontes and Carmenere, are also foreign to many people who drink mostly California wines. Many will probably fall back to varietals they know, such as the 1997 Chateau Camou Zinfandel ($26) from Mexico, the 2000 Cousino-Macul Riesling ($18) from Chile or the 1999 Navarro Correas Syrah ($27) from Argentina. Fortunately, all of the wines are good, and more than half of the 36 bottles are less than $30. Don't be afraid to try the 1996 Castel Pujol Tannat ($28) from Uruguay or the 1999 Alamos Bonarda ($22) from Argentina. There are also some great dessert wines available by the glass, including the 2000 Ochoa Vino Dulce Moscatel from Spain ($8) and the 1994 Offley Forrester Late-Bottled Vintage Port ($5.50) from Portugal. |
| (415) 401-8959 |
| 1101 Valencia St. (at 22nd Street) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Amber India |
| Indian |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily |
| We've tried dozens of Indian restaurants in the Bay Area, but none can compare to Amber India in Mountain View, owned by Vijay Bist. From the outside it looks like a typical strip-mall restaurant, but inside the Indian artwork and alluring smells of curry set it apart. The menu includes some popular standards, but many dishes are unique and served with an uncommon flair. *** Vijay Bist turned his dream of owning a really great Indian restaurant into reality when he opened Amber India in Mountain View. From the outside it looks like a typical strip-mall restaurant. But inside, the alluring smells and the high-quality Indian artwork give a preview of the delicious meal to come. While the menu offers some standards, many dishes are unique and all have a fresh, just-made flavor. Many preparations are served in traditional vessels, lending the experience an authentic look. |
| (650) 968-7511 |
| 2290 El Camino Real (near Rengstorff) -- Mountain View |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Antica Trattoria |
| Italian |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tuesday-Sunday |
| San Francisco is blessed with scores of moderately priced neighborhood Italian restaurants, but none offers as much as Antica. The handsome interior and soulful food by chef-owner Ruggero Gadaldi are a cut above the competition. While some dishes seem like the "greatest hits" served at other places, others are unique. *** Antica is a neighborhood Italian restaurant in name only. It has a large local clientele, but the handsome interior, the deeply flavored food crafted by chef-owner Ruggero Gadaldi and the moderate prices have made it one of the hottest tickets in town. Some combinations ... such as the pork tenderloin with Gorgonzola ... are unique, but even dishes found everywhere else are exceptionally well prepared here. And the informal but efficient service makes this a hard-to-beat package. |
| (415) 928-5797 |
| 2400 Polk St. (at Union) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Aqua |
| Creative seafood |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner Monday-Saturday. |
| For 10 years Aqua has topped the list for elegant seafood served in spectacular surroundings. The creative cuisine is crafted by Michael Mina, and the impressive contemporary space features a curved wall, high ceiling and dramatic lighting. A half-dozen towering flower arrangements add a luxurious look to the dining room. However, the noisy surroundings may put off diners seeking a quiet romantic experience. *** Even with all the high-priced restaurants opening in the Bay Area, few can match the enchanting interior of Aqua, San Francisco's premier seafood house. The architectural look, which features a curved wall and high ceilings, is enhanced with dramatic lighting and a half dozen huge flower arrangements that add an indulgent look to the 120-seat room. Even the chair covers are changed three or four times a year to keep the interior looking as fresh as Michael Mina's seafood preparations. |
| (415) 956-9662 |
| 252 California St. (between Battery and Front) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| AsiaSF |
| East-West |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily |
| Dining at this South of Market nightclub is an only-in-San Francisco experience. Where else can one get great food and live entertainment by waiters who climb up on the long red vinyl bar and lip-synch popular songs? They're "gender illusionists," and the costumes run the gamut from Marilyn Monroe to Marilyn Manson. The interior has a sexy, modern look with two walls that slowly change from yellow to pink to blue. Matthew Metcalf's fusion dishes served in appetizer portions are creative and fun. *** One of the big trends of the year is free entertainment in restaurants, but the competition would have to go a long way to beat the show at AsiaSF. The waiters are "gender illusionists" who climb up on the long red vinyl bar throughout the night and lip-synch popular songs. You can understand why the service may be slow at times. The interior has a sexy, modern look with two back-lit walls that slowly change from yellow to pink to blue. Matthew Metcalf's fusion dishes ... mostly in appetizer portions ... are surprisingly good.You may go for the show, but you'll stay for the food. |
| (415) 255-2742 |
| 201 Ninth St. (at Howard) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Azie |
| Asian fusion |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily |
| Fusion reached a new stage of maturity with the opening of Azie. Chefs Donnie Masterton and Jody Denton, who also cooks French at LuLu and Mediterranean at Zibibbo, use French techniques and Asian ingredients to create subtle and extraordinary combinations. The interior is as unusual as the cuisine. Cass Calder Smith has transformed a warehouse space with Asian accents and a nod to classic San Francisco. There are booths with individually controlled lighting and shutters for privacy, and an open mezzanine where diners can look down on the action below. As if that's not enough, a DJ stationed next to the impressive bar cranks up the energy every night. *** Who knew that executive chef Jody Denton, who offers French at LuLu and Mediterranean at Zibibbo, had the talent to create extraordinary Asian combinations at his new restaurant? Diners won't recognize many of the combinations from other restaurants. The flavors are wonderful, the presentations extraordinary and the surroundings elegant but relaxed. Cass Calder Smith outdid himself with the interior, warming up the warehouse environment with Asian accents. There are even private booths with individual light controls for private meetings. Another first: A live DJ cranks up the energy every night. |
| (415) 538-0918 |
| 826 Folsom St. (between Fourth and Fifth) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Auberge du Soliel |
| Contemporary |
| Unknown |
| Unknown |
| I can't afford to stay at the Auberge du Soliel, but fortunately I can afford lunch there, and given the views that's really a delight. While the outer rooms are a bit austere, the dining room itself is charming, and on cool afternoons a fire may be burning to add warmth to the general beauty of the scene. The food is of universally high quality, as well, and worth the price. |
| (707) 963-1211 |
| 180 Rutherford Hill Road -- Rutherford |
| 20021009 064819 |
| B 44 Catalan Bistro |
| Spanish |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner Monday-Saturday |
| Daniel Olivella, who taught the Bay Area about great tapas at ThirstyBear, has ventured out on his own at this new Spanish restaurant on Belden Place. While the industrial interior ... brick, concrete, hardwood and metal everywhere ... is austere, the food is a warming tribute to Olivella's homeland. The combinations are patterned after the small bistro-style restaurants in Spain, so you won't find a tapas on the menu. Instead, it's filled with paellas and the soulful dishes that his mother used to make. |
| (415) 986-6287 |
| 44 Belden Place (off Bush between Kearny and Montgomery) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Bacar |
| Modern American |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays; dinner until 1 a.m. daily |
| Bacar was the most anticipated opening of 2000, and owners David O'Malley (general manager), Arnold Wong (chef) and Debbie Zachareas (wine director) proved they were up to the task. The expansive multilevel restaurant features an open kitchen, a dramatic wine wall and a downstairs wine salon filled with upholstered chairs. You'll find 100 wines by the glass and an eclectic California brasserie menu. |
| (415) 904-4100 |
| 448 Brannan St, (between Third and Fourth streets) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Bay Wolf |
| California (Mediterranean) |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner daily |
| Under the watchful eye of executive chef Michael Wild, Bay Wolf has been at the top of its game for more than 25 years. As prices at other places have escalated, this Oakland restaurant has become a real value. No main course is more than $20. The intimate and inviting dining rooms, part of a converted house, have a Craftsman look. The front deck is ideal on sunny days and warm evenings. *** Bay Wolf, often referred to as the "Chez Panisse of Oakland," has been at the top of its game for 25 years. Although several chefs have been at the helm, they're always guided by owner Michael Wild, who has a passion for Mediterranean food and duck. The menu is generously peppered with different preparations, and duck eggs are sometimes used in the desserts. Located in a converted house, the dining rooms are intimate and inviting, and the front deck affords a prime spot to while away a few hours on sunny days and warm evenings. |
| (510) 655-6004 |
| 3853 Piedmont Ave. (near Rio Vista) -- Oakland |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Bella Luna |
| Italian |
| Unknown |
| Unknown |
| This place proved to be a pleasant surprise. We were there on an otherwise busy shopping day, and were not quite up to Spago or any of the other fine restaurants that were collected in PA during the Dot Com years. Service was pleasant and the food proved to be quite a surprise (on the good side). The menu was pretty much standard Italian fare, but the ingredients were fresh and the flavors were robust. Well worth the money. |
| (650) 322-1846 |
| 233 University Ave -- Palo Alto |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Belon |
| French |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Monday-Saturday |
| The location of this Tenderloin restaurant may be a little off-putting for some, but those who know food have found their way to Paul Arenstam's vibrant French brasserie. When diners enter the restaurant, right off Market at Turk and Mason, they are enticed by an iced seafood display at the raw bar. The brown terrazo floor harks back to 1911 and the Oxford Hotel. The newly installed wood partitions break up the room and make dining more intimate, while the partly open kitchen along one side infuses the space with a lively spirit. |
| (415) 776-9970 |
| 25 Mason St. (at Turk) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Betelnut |
| Pan Asian |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily, until midnight on weekends |
| Flavors from all over Asia fill the menu of this Union Street restaurant with the atmosphere of a nightclub. Bamboo fans gently swing back and forth at the popular bar overlooking the street, and the shuttered dining room in back has a sexy appeal. On the menu, you'll find stylized dishes from Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, China and India. |
| (415) 929-8855 |
| 2030 Union St. (at Buchanan) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Bistro Don Giovanni |
| Italian |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily |
| The food just keeps getting better and better at this lovely Napa Valley retreat, which has become a popular hangout for locals. Owners Donna and Giovanni Scala have infused their vibrant personalities into the bustling trattoria, which includes a vineyard setting, an outdoor terrace with fireplace and a pretty garden and lawn surrounding a whimsical fountain. No one does pasta better than Donna Scala, and the food has a rustic appeal you won't find anywhere else. *** Located on Highway 29 in Napa, this handsome Italian restaurant looks out over vineyards and a private garden for the kitchen. Owners Donna and Giovanni Scala are always around to pamper their guests, which is the reason it has become one of the most popular local hangouts. Of course the lusty Italian food, interpreted for a wine-country audience, is first rate. There are two options for dining: Inside there's the look of a bustling Italian trattoria with the kitchen sequestered behind glass to cut the noise. Outside there's an L-shaped patio with a fireplace at one end. There's also a whimsical fountain in the side yard, set with a few tables where diners can cap a leisurely meal with an after-dinner drink. |
| (707) 224-3300 |
| 4110 Highway 29 -- Napa |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Bistro Jeanty |
| Country French |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily |
| With flower boxes in front of the windows and a shady patio on one side, Bistro Jeanty is almost too charming for words, and the food produced by chef-owner Philippe Jeanty can leave people speechless. This modest brasserie has gained a nationwide reputation for rustic food inspired by the French countryside. Jeanty headed the kitchen at Domaine Chandon for more than 20 years before he ventured out on his own to open this intimate bistro. *** It may be a quaint, unassuming restaurant in Yountville, but Bistro Jeanty has a big reputation: It was nominated last year by the James Beard Foundation for best new restaurant in the United States. Once you taste Philippe Jeanty's classic brasserie-style French food, you'll know why. It tastes like what's found at restaurants in the European countryside. Jeanty was the guiding light at Domaine Chandon for more than 20 years before he ventured out on his own to open this 79-seat bistro. The atmosphere is pleasant, with flower boxes at the window, but the look pales next to the food. |
| (707) 944-0103 |
| 6510 Washington St. (at Mulberry) -- Yountville |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Bizou |
| French-Italian / Mediterranean |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner Monday-Saturday |
| No chef in the area is as adept as Loretta Keller at producing rustic, soul-satisfying food. When she opened Bizou in 1993, it was one of the few restaurants South of Market. Now SOMA has exploded, and French food seems to be the darling of the decade. Keller is a wizard at transforming less desirable cuts of meat, such as pork shoulder, lamb shanks and beef cheeks. The storefront dining room is surrounded by windows on two sides and washed in mustard-colored glazed walls, which lend a romantic glow at night. *** When Loretta Keller's Bizou opened in 1993 it was at the forefront of two trends: The surrounding area was largely undeveloped except for Fringale down the street, and her brand of rustic French food was hard to find. Now SoMa is booming, and French food has taken the lead. Keller still does it better than just about anybody else. The menu always includes a baked pasta and other soul-satisfying combinations, such as beef cheeks with mustard and new potatoes or braised lamb shank with celery root and red wine. The storefront room, with windows on two sides, has a charming urban look featuring mustard-colored glazed walls and a long bar in the corner that lends a comfortable, sophisticated mood. |
| (415) 543-2222 |
| 598 Fourth St. (at Brannan) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Bouchon |
| French |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily until 1 a.m. |
| Thomas Keller has turned his talents from haute cuisine to casual French at this charming spot in Yountville. The menu is filled with classics such as quiche and cassoulet, but the interior has a sophisticated look masterminded by Adam Tihany, who designed Spago Palo Alto and Le Cirque 2000 in New York. The decor includes hand-painted tile floors, mohair banquettes and a zinc bar. The restaurant is open late, making it one of the few places in the valley for a midnight snack. *** If you can't get into the always packed French Laundry, try the less-expensive restaurant run by Thomas Keller and his brother, Joseph Keller. You won't find fancy French food but classic bistro preparations such as quiche and cassoulet. The interior, crafted by famed designer Adam Tihany, who designed Spago Palo Alto and Le Cirque 2000 in New York, looks as if it were lifted from the streets of Paris. The interior includes hand-painted tile floors, mohair banquettes and a zinc bar. The place is open until 1 a.m. daily, making it one of the few spots in the valley for a midnight snack. |
| (707) 944-8037 |
| 6534 Washington St. -- Yountville |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Boulevard |
| New American |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner daily |
| Year after year Boulevard is named the Bay Area's most popular restaurant in the Zagat survey because of chef Nancy Oakes' cooking, Pat Kuleto's design and the smooth management of Kathy King. The industrial Belle Epoque interior has three distinct areas. The back section is great for conversation and offers a view of the glittering Bay Bridge. The center area focuses attention on the bustling open kitchen. The front of the restaurant includes the always-active bar. Oakes is a master at vegetable preparations, and each plate is distinctive and delicious. Pastry chef Heather Ho's desserts keep the momentum going. *** With chef Nancy Oakes cooking in a space designed by Pat Kuleto, Boulevard has been deemed the most popular restaurant in the Bay Area, according to the Zagat Survey. The industrial belle epoque interior has three distinct areas. For a quieter time, head to the back, which affords a view of the glittering Bay Bridge. To catch the action, nab a seat at the counter in front of the kitchen. Or sit in the bar area to observe people coming and going. Oakes is a master at vegetable preparations, and each plate is distinctive. The addition of Heather Ho as pastry chef has made Boulevard's desserts rise to the top. |
| (415) 543-6084 |
| 1 Mission St. (at Steuart) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| The Brazen Head |
| Contemporary |
| 2,2,2 (Food,Service,Atmosphere) |
| Dinner 17-25 daily (bar is open 16-26) |
| Brazen Head is one of San Francisco's best-kept secrets that everyone knows about. With no signage, no high-profile chef, no trendy menu, the 20- year-old restaurant is standing room only most nights. Who finds the way to this unmarked corner spot in Cow Hollow? On a recent Saturday night, the crowd was mixed. Three middle-aged people hunkered at the end of the long wooden bar looked as if they had come from one of the nearby hotels. Hip young things wearing spangled tops seemed like Marina girls with their baseball-capped companions. A few solo diners appeared to be regulars; the staff addressed them by name. The draws must be the English pub atmosphere and clandestine feeling. It's probably not the food. The menu is mostly American, with occasional oddball dishes like chicken satay ($5.95) or a special of empanaditas ($7.95). The dry crab cakes ($8.95) did taste mostly of fresh crab, with a few pieces of red bell pepper. The menu promised aioli, but the sauce tasted suspiciously like tartar sauce with bits of pickle. Still, it went a long way toward improving the cakes. Tough, leathery leaves of romaine lettuce marred the Caesar salad ($4.95), although the croutons tasted buttery with a hint of garlic. For entrees, we opted for a special of short ribs braised in Pinot Noir ($16.95). The sauce was salty, but the meat was wonderfully tender without being dry. Scampi ($14.95) featured prawns so plump and sweet they popped when we bit into them. The garlic cream sauce adds a hit of flavor to the otherwise bland rice that comes with the dish. Creamed spinach also needed a touch of salt to bring out the flavors. Customers set on dessert should stick to the creme brulee ($7.75) with its crackling sugar crust covering smooth vanilla custard. The chocolate cake ($5. 75) tasted surprisingly salty, with sticky sweet white frosting between the layers. The layout of the restaurant, coupled with the crowds, hinders service. It's hard for servers to make their way through the people lined up at the bar, so customers sitting near the front door may feel abandoned. But the staff is friendly and does its best to keep dinner moving. While the food may not be the best in the Bay Area, it's obvious Brazen Head has a following, from locals looking for a "secret" place for dinner or drinks and from tourists who like to feel they're part of the scene. |
| (415) 921-7600 |
| 3166 Buchanan St. (at Greenwich) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Buckeye Roadhouse |
| American |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily |
| Sitting prominently on the west side of Highway 101 just over the Golden Gate Bridge, Buckeye looks like a roadhouse in name only. Instead, think Aspen ski lodge. The large flickering fireplace, the large tree-shaded windows and the mezzanine overlooking the downstairs action make this a charming all-purpose destination for a special occasion or a quick bite when you just can't stand the traffic heading toward the bridge. The menu offers a time capsule of classic American food, prepared under the watchful and creative eye of chef-owner Cindy Pawlcyn. |
| (415) 331-2600 |
| 15 Shoreline Highway (near Highway 101) -- Mill Valley |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Butterfly |
| California-global |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tu-Sa until 1 am |
| Opened in 2000, Butterfly is one of the few places that can be a destination for either food or entertainment. It's a moody jazz club with a '50s industrial look, and Erik Hopfinger's global-influenced food is top-notch. The plates are highly stylized, and the dishes incorporate a wild mix of cultures. |
| (415) 864-5575 |
| 1710 Mission St. (near Duboce) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Cafe Esin |
| American |
| Unknown |
| Lunch Tu-F; dinner Tu-Sa |
| Contra Costa County has many glitzy corporate restaurants such as Spiedini and Lark Creek Cafe, but it's shy on what's offered at Cafe Esin: homey, personal food created by a chef who is following his vision. Tucked away in a shopping center, this American restaurant is hard to find. The interior has been upgraded to hide its generic origins, but it's Curtis deCarion's food that continually shines. His wife, Esin, makes at least 10 desserts a day, and they're consistently the best in the Bay Area. |
| (925) 314-0974 |
| 2416 San Ramon Valley Blvd. (near Crow Canyon Road) -- San Ramon |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Cafe Jacqueline |
| French |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Wednesday-Sunday |
| At Cafe Jacqueline you get one thing -- souffles -- but they're probably the best you've ever tasted. Few things are as romantic as sharing one of the big, puffy creations Jacqueline Margulis has whipped up for more than 20 years, whisking together eggs, cheese, seafood and other ingredients in an antique wooden bowl. Aside from savory and dessert souffles, the menu consists of a few soups and salads. The interior looks like a country French inn, and the candles on each table fill the space with a sensual glow. *** No other restaurant in the Bay Area is like Cafe Jacqueline, which serves only souffles for main course and dessert. Owner Jacqueline Margulis understands that you don't need anything else, so the menu is limited to a few soups and salads to save room for her glorious creations. For more than two decades she's been whipping up the eggs by hand using her whisk and copper bowl. The interior isn't fancy but has a charming French country farmhouse look. It takes on a romantic glow by candlelight. What could be more sensual than sharing one of her cloud-like wonders? |
| (415) 981-5565 |
| 1454 Grant Ave. (between Union and Green) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Cafe Kati |
| California |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tuesday-Sunday |
| Through the years Kirk Webber has upgraded the storefront interior into a moody retreat with an Asian sensibility. His food, too, has taken on a stronger Asian twist. Webber has a highly personal fusion style reflected by every plate that comes out of his tiny kitchen. He'll pair crab and pomelo in a lemongrass dressing or serve black bass with minted couscous with a variety of citrus. The combinations are electric, and the arrangements look like art on a plate. *** Cafe Kati looks like a neighborhood find, but the food has made it a destination. Chef-owner Kirk Webber has a highly personal fusion style that is reflected in every plate that comes out of his tiny kitchen. The arrangements are fanciful, and the combinations of ingredients are imaginative. |
| (415) 775-7313 |
| 1963 Sutter St. (near Fillmore) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Cafe La Haye |
| California-Mediterranean / Rustic European |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tuesday-Saturday; brunch Saturday and Sunday |
| It's just a hole-in-the-wall off the square in Sonoma, but this restaurant has developed a solid reputation for charming service and excellent food. Owner Saul Gropman takes care of the front of the house and the well-priced wine list. John McReynolds, working in a postage-stamp-sized kitchen, turns out interesting European combinations with a touch of California freshness. The interior, spread over two levels, is cozy and casual, edging on romantic. *** It's rare, but once in a while we discover a quaint but unassuming place that turns out food to makes us sit up and take notice. Located just off the Square in Sonoma, this 32-seat restaurant is just such a place, thanks to Saul Gropman at the front of the house and John McReynolds in the postage-stamp-size kitchen. The one-page menu is straightforward, but the preparations always have a winning twist. |
| (707) 935-5994 |
| 140 E. Napa St. -- Sonoma |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Cafe Marimba |
| Mexican |
| Unknown |
| Lunch Tuesday-Sunday, dinner daily |
| A visit to Cafe Marimba would be worth it for the salsas alone. The kitchen has dozens in its repertoire and chooses five each day. They're served with some of the best thin, crisp tortilla chips we've tasted. Owner Louise Clement, who opened Cafe Marimba in 1993, was one of the first to feature regional cuisine from Oaxaca. The colorful, casual dining room is filled with intriguing Mexican folk art. *** Louise Clement is on a roll. Last year she bought out her partners and announced that she would open a branch of her popular Marina restaurant in Marin County. When the original opened in 1993, the restaurant brought out another side of Mexican regional cuisine, concentrating on the diverse flavors of Oaxaca. Each night the restaurant features three salsas, which change from visit to visit. The seafood preparations are some of the best in the city. The boisterous environment is augmented by the brightly painted interior and intriguing Mexican folk art. |
| (415) 776-1506 |
| 2317 Chestnut St. (near Divisadero / Scott) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Cafe Rouge |
| Mediterranean-French |
| Unknown |
| Lunch daily, dinner Tuesday-Sunday |
| Cafe Rouge has become the cornerstone of Berkeley's ever-expanding shopping district. Chef-owner Marsha McBride, who worked at Zuni Cafe for many years, uses a similar approach here. The stellar rotisserie chicken is also available at the takeout counter, along with pates and top-quality meats to cook at home. This service counter at the back is an extension of the open kitchen and is connected to a warren of specialty food shops selling cheese, produce and gourmet items. The restaurant has a loft look, with handblown pendant lights over the bar and a mezzanine in the back. *** Berkeley's Fourth Street shopping district has exploded in the past few years, and Cafe Rouge has become a cornerstone of the area. Chef-owner Marsha McBride, who worked at Zuni Cafe for many years, uses a straightforward approach to cooking here. There's a rotisserie chicken (which is also available at the take-out counter, along with steaks, pork and house-made sausages and pates) and other popular items. The service counter at the back is part of the open kitchen and is connected to a warren of specialty food shops selling cheese, produce and other gourmet items. The restaurant looks like a loft, with a mezzanine and colorful handblown hanging lamps grouped in front and over the long bar/oyster bar. Large windows open to the sidewalk, giving the restaurant a cafe feel during the day. |
| (510) 525-1440 |
| 1782 Fourth St. (at Delaware) -- Berkeley |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Cesar |
| Spanish/tapas |
| Unknown |
| Dinner until midnight daily |
| Although this place next door to Chez Panisse was conceived more as a bar than a restaurant, its tapas are so good that people come here to eat. Chef Maggie Pond turns out a simple, delicious array of small dishes. There are only 20 items on the menu, including desserts, but each is excellent. Dennis Lapuyade's list of wines and other drinks is also a major draw. Still, it's not a place to linger; the idea is to have a drink, a few tapas and be on your way. *** Chef Maggie Pond is turning out some of the best tapas in the city at this bar and restaurant next door to Chez Panisse. There are only 19 items on the menu, including desserts, but each is excellent. It's the beverages at this chic spot that generate the business, however. The idea is to have a drink, a few tapas and be on your way. |
| (510) 883-0222 |
| 1515 Shattuck Ave. (near Cedar) -- Berkeley |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Charles Nob Hill |
| French |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tuesday-Sunday |
| Quiet, elegant and civilized restaurants are on the wane, but this 55-seat restaurant bucks the trend. Ron Siegal's food is the star in this rarefied, almost insulated environment of hushed conversations. There's a six-course tasting menu for $70 a person as well as an a la carte menu. Either way Siegal's cooking comes out on top. It has become more refined and interesting every year. |
| (415) 771-5400 |
| 1250 Jones St. (at Clay) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Che |
| Nuevo Latino |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner Monday-Saturday |
| Johnny Alamilla is the only chef in the city to create "Nuevo Latino" food. He has family all over Latin America, so he understands the cuisine and where to tinker with it. He also has trained at some of the best restaurants in the city: Farallon, Postrio and Boulevard. At his place, he takes often unfamiliar Latin ingredients and gives them a light California twist. His food is much more enticing than the atmosphere, which is like an upscale diner, with a long kitchen and serving counter on one side and large storefront windows on the other. |
| (415) 546-3131 |
| 320 Third St. (at Folsom) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Chez Nous |
| French (small plates) |
| Unknown |
| Lunch W-Su, dinner Tu-Su |
| Small plates have become the craze at the start of this dot-com century, and Chez Nous has developed the delicious blueprint. Most dishes served behind the bright blue storefront door have a French or Mediterranean bent. The tables are close together and the place is always crowded, but it's understandable when you nibble on one of Lawrence Jossel's lamb chops sprinkled with lavender salt, or tuck into the salad of squid with fennel and orange. |
| (415) 441-8044 |
| 1911 Fillmore St. (between Pine and Bush) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Chez Panisse (Downstairs) |
| California French |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Monday-Saturday |
| I don't quite know why, but I've gone through a complete cycle on Chez Panisse. I loved it when I started going there about 20 years ago. Then for some reason, certainly not a fault of the restaurant, it dropped off my list. Now it's back on---big time. The unusual thing about Panisse is that there are no real choices for dinner. The deal is you make a reservation (generally well in advance) and a few days before `the day' you can call and find out what the menu will be. It will be a `set piece' at a specific price. You are then free to either reconfirm your reservation or give it up. Since I've never had anything I didn't like there, I'd suggest you keep it and go---it is almost sure to be a real treat. *** It's been more than 25 years for Chez Panisse, and it's still at the top of its game. Chef and owner Alice Waters continues to set trends and find the freshest, most pristine ingredients. She's launched the careers of dozens of top chefs and almost single-handedly has encouraged the development of artisan organic produce. The main restaurant downstairs still features a single fixed-price menu, with the number of courses and prices changing daily. Both rooms have warm, Craftsman-style interiors, a perfect fit with the food. |
| (510) 548-5525 |
| 1517 Shattuck Ave. (near Cedar) -- Berkeley |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Chez Panisse (Upstairs) |
| California French |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and Dinner Monday-Saturday. |
| Upstairs at Chez Panisse is a real treat. Incredible ingredients lovingly treated. A bit expensive, perhaps, but so well worth it that there is no danger of feeling that it isn't `worth it'. Crowds can be bad, so I tend to go there for lunch, planning to be either early or late. *** It's been more than 25 years for Chez Panisse, and it's still at the top of its game. Chef and owner Alice Waters continues to set trends and find the freshest, most pristine ingredients. She's launched the careers of dozens of top chefs and almost single-handedly has encouraged the development of artisan organic produce. The upstairs cafe has a la carte pricing and serves some of the best wood-fired pizzas in the area. Both rooms have warm, Craftsman-style interiors, a perfect fit with the food. |
| (510) 548-5525 |
| 1517 Shattuck Ave. (near Cedar) -- Berkeley |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Citron |
| French-California |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily. |
| In his four years at Citron on College in Oakland, chef-owner Christopher Rossi has developed a legion of fans. Early this year, he expanded his empire by opening a less expensive place next door. The interior of Citron is modern and unpretentious, but not nearly as stylized as the food. The service, too, is neighborhood-friendly. The menu changes often and includes a three-course dinner ($36) Sunday through Wednesday. *** For the past three years chef and owner Christopher Rossi has quietly been turning out some of the East Bay's best food at his small storefront restaurant on College in Oakland. The look is pleasant and comfortable, but it's the food and exceptionally friendly service that make this restaurant a winner. The menu changes every three weeks, and there's a well priced three-course menu ($30-$34) offered Sunday through Wednesday. |
| (510) 653-5484 |
| 5484 College Ave. (near Lawton) -- Oakland |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Clementine |
| French |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tu-Su |
| As other French restaurants have raised prices, Clementine has held the line, making it one of the best values in the city. Nothing costs more than $17, and the attention to details is extraordinary. Fresh flowers and little dishes of salt and pepper are on each table, and when diners request water, a blue pitcher is brought and set on a silver coaster. The young staff is quick to attend to customers' needs. In the space that used to house Alain Rondelli, owners Didier Labbe and Laurent Legendre have made the dining experience more casual, but it's still a greatj value. A three-course "neighborhood special" for $19.95 is available Tuesday through Thursday and before 7 p.m. on Sunday. |
| (415) 387-0408 |
| 126 Clement St. (near Second Avenue) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Cobalt |
| American-French |
| Unknown |
| Brunch SaSu; dinner M-Th until 23 later on weekends |
| Guy and Rose Ferri have taken over the legendary Washington Square Bar and Grill and made it their own. At first, the young couple could afford only a little cleaning up and a new coat of paint. But they've continued to transform the dining room, washing it in moody blue and silver tones more appropriate to Guy Ferri's delicious combinations. |
| (415) 982-8123 |
| 1707 Powell St. (near Union) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| La Corneta Taqueria |
| Mexican |
| Unknown |
| Unknown |
| A simple taqueria, but both cheap and good. Not worth a special voyage, perhaps, but it is very cheap. |
| (415) 469-8757 |
| 2834 Diamond -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Cosmopolitan Cafe |
| California |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner daily |
| It seems the fifth time's a charm for this impressive Rincon Center restaurant, which features the stellar cooking of Steven Levine, formerly the owner of Freestyle in Sonoma. The interior of what used to be Etrusca, Capital Grill, et al., has been transformed into a sophisticated, lively space with a bar upstairs and another in the center of the dining room, near the glassed-in kitchen. It's intimate enough for a romantic night on the town, but active enough for a first date or business dinner. |
| (415) 543-4001 |
| 121 Spear St. (between Mission and Howard) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Delfina |
| Italian |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily |
| In the restaurant world bigger isn't often better, but at Delfina, an expansion last year merely gave more people the opportunity to taste the rustic Italian food crafted by Craig Stoll. In addition to expanding the restaurant, he and his business partner, Anne Spencer, got married. The expanded interior is still casual, but some of the industrial edges have been softened to make the place more comfortable. The partners are almost always there, keeping the neighborhood feeling alive. *** Delfina is busy with plans to expand its interior. The restaurant has taken over the space next door and is enlarging the kitchen and adding to the seating. It still has a casual industrial look that's a little hard-edged, but the emphasis is clearly on chef-owner Craig Stoll's inspired food. The front of the house is aptly handled by Stoll's partner, Anne Spencer, who adds a quick smile and keeps the neighborhood feel alive, even as the rest of the world continues to discover the place. |
| (415) 552-4055 |
| 3621 18th St. (between Dolores and Guerrero) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Dine |
| American |
| Unknown |
| Dinner M-Sa |
| No restaurant raises basic American food to new heights like Dine, under the guidance of chef Julia McClaskey. At this splashy warehouse space you'll find generous portions of comfort food, from a braised lamb shank on white bean puree to a pancetta-wrapped pork tenderloin sliced over creamy polenta in a port and whole-grain mustard sauce. The noisy acoustics in this splashy restaurant have been fixed; it's still loud, but at least now you can hear yourself think. |
| (415) 538-3463 |
| 662 Mission St. (near Third Street) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Doidge's Cafe |
| Closed (2001) |
| Unknown |
| Unknown |
| No longer able to turn a profit on $15 pancakes, chic Doidge's Cafe closed in the summer of 2001 after thirty years in business. In a letter to the public, owner David Coyle said the longtime institution was a favorite spot for locals as well as out-of-town celebrities and indeed the ever tony joint on Union Street at Fillmore was. Coyle cited a declining economy, increased operating expenses and payroll taxes, a dearth of parking in the neighborhood, and competition from chain stores all as reasons for closing the restaurant which had recently expanded its operating schedule to include the dinner hour. *** (Previous Review) Doidge's is a traditional `San Francisco Style' breakfast and lunch place. Often crowded on weekends, but quite tolerable most weekdays. |
| (415)-...-.... |
| 2217 Union St -- San Francisco |
| 20021016 072035 |
| Ebisu |
| Japanese |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily |
| A few years ago, Thai restaurants were opening on practically every street corner; now it's sushi places. Still, even after nearly 20 years, Ebisu is better than its competition, and Steve Fuji's Sunset District restaurant retains a loyal following. The surroundings are bare-bones; it's the pristine fish that encourages people to wait up to an hour for a seat. The prime spot is at the bar, where diners can talk to the sushi chef to find out what's best that night. *** These days it seems sushi houses are opening every week but, even after 18 years, Steve Fuju's Sunset District restaurant continues to garner a loyal following. The surroundings are bare-bones; it's the pristine fish that encourages people to wait for one of the coveted 65 seats. The prime spot is at the bar, where diners can talk to sushi chef Norihiko Suzuki and find out what's best that night. |
| (415) 566-1770 |
| 1283 Ninth Ave. (between Lincoln and Irving) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Elisabeth Daniel |
| French-California |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner Tu-Sa |
| Located in the shadow of the Transamerica pyramid, Elisabeth Daniel is probably the best formal restaurant to open in 2000. While the six-course menu created by chef-owner Daniel Patterson is innovative, the subdued surroundings are so quiet and rarefied that it's like dining in another era. The gray color scheme is calming and subtle, creating a space where the food and the patrons become the artwork. |
| (415) 397-6129 |
| 550 Washington St. (between Sansome and Montgomery) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Eliza's |
| Chinese-California |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily. |
| Chef-owner Ping Sung has created a very personal restaurant where the entrance looks like a ship, the bar like an iceberg and some of the walls like a glass kelp reef. He's passionate about art glass, which is seen all over the restaurant. There's no doubt that the menu combinations are Chinese, but they all have a fresh California twist. For the quality and the surroundings, the prices are a real bargain. |
| (415) 621-4819 |
| 2877 California St. (near Broderick) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Ella's |
| American |
| Unknown |
| Breakfast and lunch daily. Dinner M-F |
| Few restaurants do breakfast better than Ella's, from old-fashioned oatmeal, chicken hash and omelets to memorable sticky buns and pancakes. A little more than a year ago owners Danny Wilser and Robert Merryman expanded to the storefront next door and turned their attention to dinner. The look is airy and inviting with large windows overlooking California Street and Presidio Avenue. The food is homey and comforting -- breakfast, lunch and dinner. |
| (415) 441-5669 |
| 500 Presidio Ave. (at California) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Eos |
| East-West fusion |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily |
| This Cole Valley restaurant started out as a neighborhood bistro when it opened in 1995, but it quickly gained a national audience thanks to chef and owner Arnold Wong's inventive cooking. The plates look like works of art, and the combinations deftly bridge cultures. The extensive wine list is creative and fairly priced. The modern decor features an upstairs mezzanine and a wine bar next door that serves the full Eos menu. |
| (415) 566-3063 |
| 901 Cole St. (at Carl) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Farallon |
| Seafood |
| Unknown |
| Lunch Monday-Saturday, dinner daily |
| The interior looks like an underwater fantasy with jellyfish chandeliers, seductively glowing resin kelp columns, a stairway covered with thousands of blue-black "caviar" beads, and a white plaster room that resembles the inside of a shell. Still, the focal point is the 1924 domed ceiling in the main dining room, which used to enclose the Elks Club pool. As for food, chef-owner Mark Franz turns out creative seafood dishes that are refined and rich, filled with luxury ingredients. *** Few interiors are as whimsical as Farallon's, an underwater fantasy that features jellyfish chandeliers, seductively glowing resin kelp columns, a stairway covered with thousands of blue-black "caviar" beads, and a white plaster room that feels like the inside of a shell. It could have been kitschy, but owner and designer Pat Kuleto has made it feel just right, thanks in part to the historic 1924 domed ceiling in the main dining room that was once over the Elks Club pool. The other focal point is the open kitchen, where Mark Franz turns out creative seafood dishes that are refined and richer than expected. No skimping on butter sauces and luxurious ingredients here. |
| (415) 956-6969 |
| 450 Post St. (near Powell) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Fifth Floor |
| California/French |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Monday-Saturday |
| George Morrone is turning out some of the most exciting food in the city at this relatively new restaurant. It's on the fifth floor of the Palomar Hotel (above the Old Navy store), but even the difficult location can't keep people away. The interior evokes an elegant men's club with dark wood, zebra-striped carpet and beautiful table settings. The overall effect is relaxed rather than stuffy. Morrone is a master at taking one ingredient and using it in different ways, and his presentations are spectacular. *** George Morrone is producing the most exciting food in the city at this newly opened restaurant on the fifth floor of the Palomar Hotel (above the Old Navy store). Dinner guests may think they're on the wrong floor, however, when they get off the elevator and see cleaning carts in the halls of the guest rooms. But once the restaurant is found, diners are in for visual and gastronomical treats. The interior looks like an elegant men's club with ebonized wood, zebra-striped carpet and beautiful table settings. The effect is relaxed rather than stuffy. Morrone is a master at taking one ingredient and using it in different ways, and his presentations are spectacular. |
| (415) 348-1555 |
| 12 Fourth St. (at Market) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Fleur De Lys |
| Contemporary French |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Monday-Saturday |
| For more than 30 years, this elegant French restaurant has defined fine dining in San Francisco, and it's still at the top of its game. It's also one of the most romantic retreats in the city, with its opulent tented environment and the French cuisine of chef and owner Hubert Keller. The menu features both a fixed-price and a la carte selections. There's also an innovative and delicious multicourse vegetarian menu. *** The most romantic restaurant in the city would have to be Fleur de Lys, with its opulent tented environment and the impeccable food of chef and owner Hubert Keller. He offers an a la carte menu and a fixed-price menu, the latter paired with wines. There's also an innovative and delicious fixed-price vegetarian menu. |
| (415) 673-7779 |
| 777 Sutter St. (near Taylor) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Fook Yuen |
| Chinese |
| Unknown |
| Dim sum and dinner daily |
| For first-rate Chinese food on the Peninsula, nothing can match the panache of Fook Yuen. During the day, people crowd in for the dim sum. Some of the dumplings are different from what you'll find anywhere else. At night there's a full Cantonese menu. There are other branches of this restaurant in Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia. *** There's nothing distinctive about the decor of this Peninsula restaurant; it's the food that sets it apart. During the day, people crowd in for the fresh dim sum. At night there's a full Cantonese menu. There are other branches of this restaurant in Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia. |
| (650) 692-8600 |
| 195 El Camino Real (near Millbrae Ave.) -- Millbrae |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Foothill Cafe |
| American |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Wednesday-Sunday |
| Ten years ago, Jerry Shaffer went from cooking at Masa's to opening the tiny Foothill Cafe in Napa's Carneros district. The bare-bones strip shopping center location, and the modest decor, belie his rich and satisfying cooking. His rustic American food can compete with any in the valley, which is why it's become a favorite of locals. *** Before opening his own modest restaurant nine years ago, Jerry Shaffer cooked at Masa's. His training has served him well, and his storefront restaurant, in a bare-bones strip shopping center on the edge of Napa's Carneros district, has become a favorite of locals. His rustic American food can compete with any in the valley: Shaffer produces the best beef and vanilla creme brulee in the Bay Area. |
| (707) 252-6178 |
| 2766 Old Sonoma Road -- Napa |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Foreign Cinema |
| French |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tuesday-Sunday |
| Dinner and a movie, a popular pastime in the Bay Area, becomes one and the same at this sexy, innovative brasserie in the Mission. Not only does it sport one of the city's largest open-air patios, but it also screens foreign movies on the white wall in back. Some come to listen and watch, but for most diners it's just a fun background to the French-inspired food and stylish interior, complete with a slate-fronted fireplace and open kitchen. *** We all know that restaurants are entertainment, but few take the concept as far as this Mission Street brasserie. Not only does it have one of the city's largest open-air patios (it's located in an empty space between two buildings), but foreign movies flicker on the white wall in back. Some diners come to listen and watch, but for most it's a fun background to the French-inspired food and the impressive warehouse-style interior, complete with a slate-fronted fireplace and open kitchen. |
| (415) 648-7600 |
| 2534 Mission St. (at 21st St.) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| French Laundry |
| French-California |
| Unknown |
| Lunch Friday-Sunday, dinner daily |
| After a meal at the French Laundry, it's hard to find any other restaurant in the same class. Some critics say it's the best restaurant in the United States. Nestled in Yountville, it seems like a Michelin three-star country restaurant. Chef-owner Thomas Keller is one of the most creative cooks around, and the fixed-price menus show off his refined and sometimes whimsical style. It's so popular that even calling the required two months ahead doesn't guarantee a table. *** In many quarters, the French Laundry has been called the best restaurant in the United States. It's certainly one of the most distinctive, with a magical Wine Country setting, exquisite food and a fixed-price menu that keeps guests at the table for hours. Call two months ahead and you will be lucky to get a reservation; it's that popular. |
| (707) 944-2380 |
| 6640 Washington St. -- Yountville |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Fringale |
| French-California |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner M-Sa |
| When Gerald Hirigoyen opened his stylish bistro 10 years ago, there were few similar attractions South of Market. Now the area has taken off, but Hirigoyen has kept his prices reasonable and his food first-rate. The dining room is small and can barely hold its 50 seats. At times you'll find some influences from Hirigoyen's Basque roots, blended with California flair. *** Gerald Hirigoyen was one of the first to create the new wave of French bistros when he opened Fringale in 1991. It's remained one of the best moderately priced restaurants in the city. The dining room is small and can barely fit its 50 seats, but the curved bar and long windows in front give it a modern feel. Hirigoyen also updates the food with a nod to his Basque roots blended with a California flair. |
| (415) 543-0573 |
| 570 Fourth St. (near Brannan / Bryant) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Fog City Diner |
| American |
| Unknown |
| Unknown |
| The Fog City Diner has a mixed reputation. Lots of people find it `touristy', but my friends who are native San Franciscians definitely find it a convenient place to have on their list. The food isn't particularly memorable, but the menu has options that will appeal to everyone at the table ranging from the youngest to the oldest. |
| (415) 982-2000 |
| 1300 Battery St -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 064819 |
| Gary Danko |
| French |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily |
| Gary Danko won a James Beard award last year as the best new restaurant in America. However, changes are afoot. Partner Nick Peyton has left, along with wine guru Renee-Nicole Kubin, who presided over the 900-item list. Danko remains in the kitchen, and the overall experience is still excellent. The interior has a sleek Armani look, and the service is professional but not stuffy. A fixed-price menu is featured, but diners may mix and match at will. *** The most anticipated opening in 1999 had to be this fancy French restaurant that took over the space that housed one of last year's top 100 restaurants, Chez Michel. Danko and partner Nick Peyton were smart enough to leave intact much of the sleek, elegant interior. They enhanced what was there and opened the private party room next door for general seating. Service is just as sophisticated, and Danko's cooking is better than ever. A fixed-price menu is offered, but diners can mix and match at will. And the 900-item wine list, presided over by Renee-Nicole Kubin, is one of the most interesting in the city. |
| (415) 749-2060 |
| 800 North Point St. (at Hyde) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Globe |
| California-Mediterranean / American |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner daily |
| Globe has become a hangout for the late-night diner, and it continues to stay packed until 1 a.m. The food is straightforward and delicious, and the interior has an intimate speakeasy quality. The exposed brick walls of this former livery stable help give the space a warm, inviting look. *** One of the few good places open until 1 a.m., Mary Klingbeil and Joseph Manzare's Globe continues to pack them in at all hours. In fact, the late-night crowd often includes some of the city's best chefs, winding down after a hard night on the line. The food is straightforward and delicious, appealing to a wide audience. The interior has an intimate speakeasy quality. The exposed brick walls of this former livery stable help give the space a warm, inviting feel. |
| (415) 391-4132 |
| 290 Pacific Ave. (near Battery) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Golden Turtle |
| Vietnamese |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tuesday-Sunday |
| Housed in a converted Victorian with a walkway over a koi pond, the Golden Turtle has a look that's a cut above the competition. The interior features fresh flowers on the tables and intricate wood murals on the walls, creating an upscale, exotic environment. The food and service are superior to that found at other Vietnamese restaurants. |
| (415) 441-4419 |
| 2211 Van Ness Ave. (near Broadway) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Gordon's House Of Fine Eats |
| American |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner daily |
| If there's a restaurant that defines the dot-com crowd, it's Gordon's House of Fine Eats, in a 1930s warehouse in the emerging Multimedia Gulch neighborhood. The active bar, dramatically high ceilings, open kitchen and rotating artwork add excitement. When the music is cranked up around 9 p.m., things really get hopping. Chef-owner Gordon Drysdale has a whimsical way with food, and the menu is divided by categories: Healthful, Comfort, Local Favorites, Luxury and International. *** Gordon Drysdale has captured the spirit of the emerging Multimedia Gulch neighborhood at his new restaurant, located in a 1930s warehouse. The dramatically high ceilings, open kitchen and rotating artwork add excitement to the mix. And when the music is cranked up around 9 p.m., things really get hopping. Drysdale has a whimsical approach to food. His menu is divided by categories: Healthful, Comfort, Local Favorites, Luxury and International. |
| (415) 861-8900 |
| 500 Florida St. (at Mariposa) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Grand Cafe |
| Contemporary French |
| Unknown |
| breakfast, lunch and dinner daily |
| Few restaurants can compete with the grand, celebratory look of this French brasserie that appears to have been airlifted from Paris. Housed in what used to be an ornate hotel ballroom, the dining room features massive, soaring columns that give it a dramatic architectural feel. Whimsical bronze rabbits scattered around the room, impressive murals, marble and mosaics add to the handsome look. Chef Denis Soriano has created food that is sophisticated but approachable. |
| (415) 292-0101 |
| 501 Geary St. (at Taylor) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Great Eastern |
| Chinese |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily till 1am. |
| Of the scores of restaurants in Chinatown, this seafood place is the best. The look is typical, with a sea of tables in a large, bright room. However, the back wall is filled with tanks full of all kinds of exotic -- and not so exotic -- creatures, including geoduck, frogs, abalone, prawns and crab. A lighted board announces what's available on a particular day. A fish may be brought flopping to the table for the customer's approval. One note of caution: If you start by ordering sweet and sour pork or the like, you'll be pegged as a novice and the waiter will probably turn the order over to a chef who prepares Americanized food. *** The back wall lined with fish tanks gives an indication of what this Chinatown restaurant is all about. Abalone, frogs, freshwater fish, shrimp and all kinds of swimming creatures are captured fresh and cooked on the spot. A lighted board announces what's available on a particular day. A fish may be brought flopping to the table for the customer's approval. The food is always good, but a great meal is determined by what is ordered and by the waiter. There's actually a separate chef for the crowd ordering sweet and sour pork and other Americanized dishes. Great Eastern is open until 1 a.m. daily. |
| (415) 986-2500 |
| 649 Jackson St. (between Grant and Kearny) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Greens |
| Vegetarian |
| Unknown |
| Lunch Tuesday-Sunday, dinner Monday-Saturday |
| For more than 20 years, Greens has set the standard for wonderfully crafted vegetarian food. Chef Annie Somerville has continued to evolve the menu toward lighter fare, and Rick Jones has assembled an excellent wine list. The focal point of the interior is the wall of windows overlooking the gently rocking boats in the marina, with a postcard view of the Golden Gate Bridge beyond. The menu is a la carte for lunch and weekday dinners, with a three-course fixed-price menu on Saturdays (at $45, it's more expensive than other nights). *** When it opened more than 20 years ago, Greens showed the country that vegetarian food could be opulent and delicious ... especially when paired with one of the wines on its finely crafted list, compiled by Rick Jones. Chef Annie Somerville, who has been at the helm for many years, is continuously changing and lightening the dishes. The focal point of the interior ... which features a sculptural redwood table ... are the walls of windows overlooking the marina and the Golden Gate Bridge beyond. The views are grand, especially at sunset. The menu is a la carte for lunch and weekday dinners, with a three-course fixed-price menu on Saturdays. At $45, the fixed-priced menu is significantly more expensive and not that much different. |
| (415) 771-6222 |
| Building A, Fort Mason -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Harris' |
| Steak house |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily |
| Harris' is the place to go for some of the best steaks in the Bay Area. Diners can see the cuts of meat aging in the windows as they enter the handsome men's-club environment. With smooth service, juicy cuts of meat and upscale decor, it's everything one would expect in a steak house. It's been at the top of its game since 1984. |
| (415) 673-1888 |
| 2100 Van Ness Ave. (at Pacific) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Hawthorne Lane |
| California |
| Unknown |
| Lunch Monday-Friday, dinner daily |
| Since it opened six years ago, David and Anne Gingrass' warehouse-sized restaurant has helped set a high standard for California-style food with an Asian flair. The interior is an innovative mix of rustic and refined elements. While the earthquake support beams look like industrial sculpture, the elegant table settings let you know that this is a fine-dining establishment. Late last year the couple separated, and Anne has moved on to other things, but the food is still top-notch under the former sous chef, Bridget Batson. If you don't want to spend as much cash, there's a cheaper appetizer menu at the bar. *** Since it opened five years ago, this impressive restaurant has continued to excite Bay Area palates with an eclectic cuisine that draws from Asia and the Mediterranean. Chef-owners David and Anne Gingrass divide up the chores; she's in the kitchen most nights. The impressive warehouse-size space features an opulent oval bar and beautiful art. A live fish tank built into the wall is usually filled with live spot prawns, a house specialty. For a quick bite, or for those who forgot to make reservations, find a spot in the impressive bar. There's a separate bar menu, with prices from $5 to $8, or order from the regular menu. |
| (415) 777-9779 |
| 22 Hawthorne St. (off Howard between Second and Third streets) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Helmand |
| Afghani |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tuesday-Sunday |
| The food at Helmand makes one wonder why more restaurants don't specialize in Afghani cooking. While the flavors are a little different, they seem familiar. The understated decor is like an oasis in the bright and gaudy world right outside its door on the Broadway strip. Thanks to the candles and flowers on each table, the place engulfs diners in a romantic glow. |
| (415) 362-0641 |
| 430 Broadway (near Montgomery) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| House Of Prime Rib |
| Prime rib |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily |
| This 52-year-old restaurant does one thing, and does it better than anyone. The prime rib, which is crusted in salt and roasted, is tender, juicy and absolutely delicious. Owner Joe Betz is a master of detail, and the interior is continually updated. A warren of dining rooms, each set off with a fireplace, is intimate and romantic. The prime rib is carved tableside, and diners are usually offered seconds. The tab also includes a salad tossed tableside, Yorkshire pudding, creamed spinach and a choice of baked or mashed potatoes, making it one of the best deals in town. *** Opened more than 50 years ago, this prime rib restaurant looks like it was remodeled yesterday. When it comes to details, owner Joe Betz is a taskmaster, and the interior is continually updated. Even though the restaurant seats 260, most people would never know it. A warren of nicely decorated dining rooms, each set off with a fireplace, feels intimate and romantic. The prime rib, which has been encrusted in rock salt during roasting, is carved at the table, and most times diners will be offered seconds. Prices start at about $22, and it all adds up to one of the best deals in town. The tab also includes a tossed salad with creamy dressing, Yorkshire pudding, creamed spinach and a choice of baked or mashed potatoes. |
| (415) 885-4605 |
| 1906 Van Ness Ave. (near Washington / Jackson) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Insalata's |
| Mediterranean |
| Unknown |
| Lunch Monday-Saturday, dinner daily |
| Heidi Krahling has created a diverse, sophisticated menu that spans the Mediterranean. This modern San Anselmo brasserie has a lively and casual atmosphere that radiates from the active open kitchen. A refined touch is added by wood accents and colorful paintings of fruit. *** Heidi Krahling has brought city sophistication to San Anselmo with her 3-year-old brasserie. The wood accents in the airy interior set off colorful paintings of fruit. Cooks in the open kitchen turn out all kinds of lusty combinations that span the Mediterranean. There's also a takeout area so people can enjoy Krahling's rustic combinations at home. |
| (415) 457-7700 |
| 120 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. (at Barber) -- San Anselmo |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Isa |
| French "tapas" |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tu-Su |
| Isa's name comes from chef-owner Luke Sung's daughter Isabell, and Sung and his family live above this charming Marina-area restaurant. Sung has trained with some of the best French chefs in the city, and has created a casual "tapas"-inspired French menu. Isa also features a stylish interior with modern touches such as brushed stainless-steel wainscoting, and friendly service led by Kitty Sung. |
| (415) 567-9588 |
| 3324 Steiner St. (between Lombard and Chestnut) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Jardiniere |
| California-French |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily |
| Jardiniere is the top destination in the Civic Center area. The red brick shell and arched windows form the backdrop to a celebratory theme: A shimmering gold dome over the elliptical bar sparkles like Champagne bubbles, and the glowing posts spaced around the mezzanine's metal railing double as wine buckets. Even the front door has glass cutouts in the shape of a martini glass. Pat Kuleto designed this dramatic space as a platform for Traci Des Jardins and her French-inspired food. It's one of the best places to go before or after an opera, symphony or ballet performance. *** "Celebrate" is the message offered by Jardinere. The impressive entry doors have glass cutouts shaped like a martini glass. The oval bar, the first thing seen upon entering, is capped with a domed ceiling designed to look like bubbles in a champagne glass. Glowing wine buckets emerge from the posts between the ribbonlike metal railing surrounding the mezzanine. Pat Kuleto designed this dramatic space as a platform for Traci Des Jardins and her French-inspired food. It's become one of the prime places to go before or after an Opera, Symphony or Ballet performance. |
| (415) 861-5555 |
| 300 Grove St. (at Franklin) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Jianna |
| American |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily until at least 23 |
| This North Beach restaurant offers one of the best values in town. The comfortable, stylish interior is washed in blue with copper accents, and the French-inspired food is often as intricate as you'll find at four-star French restaurants. Chef-owner Marc Valiani has worked at restaurants of all styles, from the Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas and Spago in Los Angeles to Moose's and LuLu in San Francisco. It's all reflected at Jianna in Valiani's imaginative combinations. |
| (415) 398-0442 |
| 1548 Stockton St. (between Union and Green) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Johnfrank |
| American-California |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily |
| This sexy restaurant near the Castro has taken on new energy with the arrival of chef Lance Dean Velasquez. Windows overlook three intersections, framing a constant parade of people, cars and buses. It's like performance art, but the calming interior with earth tones and dark wood make diners feel removed from the hassles of urban life. In addition to the a la carte menu there's a three-course dinner for $25. |
| (415) 503-0333 |
| 2100 Market St. (at Church) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Jackson Fillmore |
| Italian |
| Unknown |
| Unknown |
| If there is such a thing as a `genuine' San Francisco place I'd say Jackson Fillmore is a serious candidate to be one of the few that really qualifies. The food is always good, the prices are reasonable and the clientele ranges from aging local `hippies' to Associate Justices of the Supreme Court. The staff is friendly without a hint of the obsequiousness that sometimes gets in the way. The only problem with the place for me is that it is often so crowded that I don't want to wait, and I haven't yet found any real alternatives nearby. |
| (415) 346-5288 |
| 2506 Fillmore St -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 064819 |
| Kabuto Sushi |
| Japanese (sushi) |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tuesday-Sunday (closed last Sunday and first Tuesday of the month). |
| Chefs at some of the best restaurants in San Francisco head for Kabuto on their nights off. Chef-owner Sachio Kojima offers both traditional and creative versions of sushi, and his product is the freshest available. Ask Kojima what he recommends, and you may be surprised and delighted. In addition, the service at this rather utilitarian Richmond District restaurant is exceptionally friendly. *** Chef-owner Sachio Kojima has upgraded his domain with a newly remodeled sushi bar. His counter is a favorite of many of the city's best chefs, who come for both his traditional and creative twists on sushi. Ask Kojima what he recommends. In addition, the service at this Richmond District restaurant is exceptionally friendly. |
| (415) 752-5652 |
| 5116 Geary Blvd. (near 15th Avenue) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Kasbah |
| Moroccan |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tuesday-Sunday |
| Few places seem as exotic or romantic as this upscale Moroccan restaurant in San Rafael. Oriental carpets on the walls and floor and a tented ceiling produce a room that makes one want to lean back and relax at the low tables. Chef-owner Mourad Lahlou starts with traditional dishes and lightens them for the California palate. The five-course fixed-price menu is a good deal, especially considering that there's a belly dancer who entertains several times a night. |
| (415) 472-6666 |
| 200 Merrydale Road (near Willow) -- San Rafael |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Khan Toke Thai House |
| Thai |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily |
| Few ethnic places can match the style of this Richmond District restaurant, which features wood paneling, carved wood tables and a glass atrium with an orchid garden. Diners remove their shoes when they enter and are escorted to low tables in one of several dining areas. The food isn't much different from what is found at a neighborhood restaurant, but the interior and the wine list elevate the experience, making it one of the best inexpensive places for romance. *** The interior of this 25-year-old Thai restaurant is several cuts above the rest. With wood paneling, carved tables and a central glass atrium containing an orchid garden, the restaurant has a soothing, upscale look. Upon entering, diners remove their shoes and are escorted to the low tables. The food isn't much different from what is found at a neighborhood restaurant, but the interior and the wine list elevate the experience. It's one of the best inexpensive places for romance. |
| (415) 668-6654 |
| 5937 Geary Blvd. (near 24th Avenue) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Kokkari |
| Greek |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner Monday-Saturday |
| It cost more than $5 million to transform Kokkari into what is probably the most elegant Greek restaurant in the United States. Chef Jean Alberti has won loads of national press for his interpretation of the cuisine. While refined, the interior has an earthy appeal, just like the stylized food. The front dining room exudes a homey quality with an oversize fireplace and a weathered plank-and-beam ceiling. Another room is more relaxed, featuring an open kitchen and a gigantic urn filled with hot sand for making the bracing Greek coffee. *** Mediterranean food has been the buzzword of late, but until Kokkari opened a little more than a year ago, few places did justice to Greek food. It took more than $5 million to transform the space, but the result is a wonderfully rustic yet refined interior. The front dining room feels like someone's home, with an oversized fireplace and a weathered plank-and-beam ceiling. The other main dining room is more casual, with an open kitchen and a gigantic urn filled with hot sand for making the bracing Greek coffee. The food produced by Jean Alberti is as satisfying as the interior. Many combinations have been updated and lightened for California sensibilities. A sister restaurant, Evvia, offers a similar menu and upscale look in Palo Alto. |
| (415) 981-0983 |
| 200 Jackson St. (at Front) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Kyo-ya |
| Japanese |
| Unknown |
| Lunch Tuesday-Friday, dinner Tuesday-Saturday |
| For the most elegant surroundings and freshest (and most expensive) sashimi, the Palace Hotel is the place to go. The newly refurbished interior gives it an even more upscale and serene look, so you can settle in with a tumbler of sake and enjoy a leisurely meal. In addition to sushi, the menu features one-pot dishes cooked at the table and an eight-course kaiseki dinner prepared by chef Kuni Oshikawa. *** Dozens of Japanese restaurants have opened in the past year, but none comes even close to the elegance of Kyo-Ya in the Palace Hotel. Some of the freshest ... and most expensive ... sashimi can be found here. In addition, there are excellent multicourse dinners, some featuring one-pot dishes cooked at the table. The place also has the distinction of charging among the highest valet rates in the city. |
| (415) 546-5090 |
| 2 New Montgomery St. (in the Palace Hotel) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| La Folie |
| French-California |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Monday-Saturday |
| With the addition of a second dining room, this increasingly elegant restaurant has moved into four-star land. Roland Passot has always been an extraordinary cook, but now the interior almost comes up to the standard set by his modern French food. In addition to the very expensive a la carte menu, Passot features a four-course discovery menu ($75) and a vegetable lover's menu ($55). *** The recent addition of a second dining room ... mostly for private parties ... will be good news to the people who have have tried in vain to get into Roland Passot's haute palace of French cuisine. The look is pleasant, but the decor isn't up to the caliber of Passot's creative and fanciful combinations. His roasted John Dory in crispy potatoes with winter truffles has to be one of the most expensive main courses in the city at $45. In addition to the a la carte menu, Passot features a four-course discovery menu and a vegetable lover's menu. |
| (415) 776-5577 |
| 2316 Polk St. (near Union) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Lalime's |
| California |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily |
| For a while the quality of the food at Lalime's slipped, but now this 15-year-old restaurant in Berkeley is back on top, thanks to owner Cindy Lalime and chef Steve Jaramillo. Instead of the signature fixed-price menus, the restaurant has gone with a more traditional a la carte menu. The two-level restaurant has a warm appeal, though the decor is secondary; it's the food that stars. |
| (510) 527-9838 |
| 1329 Gilman St. (at Peralta) -- Berkeley |
| 20021009 060924 |
| L'Amie Donia |
| French |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tuesday-Saturday |
| Those who haven't been to L'Amie Donia for a while might be taken aback by the escalating prices, but one bite of Donia Bijan's food will settle the score. Her cooking is simply some of the best in the West. The seasonally changing menu may include sea bass with a salad of roasted beets, blood orange and avocado, or hand-cut lemon noodles with endive, crushed walnuts and Parmesan. Many diners delight in sitting at the counter in front of the open kitchen so they can see the crew do its magic. The restaurant is casual and inviting, although it can be a little cramped. *** As the menu prices have increased through the years, the food has gotten better at L'Amie Donia. Chef and owner Donia Bijan is a great cook who has an innate feel for rustic French food. It seems she's always in the open kitchen, head down, working on each plate served. In fact, it's great to sit at the counter and watch the crew perform its culinary magic. The restaurant is casual and inviting, although it seems a little cramped. |
| (650) 323-7614 |
| 530 Bryant St. (near University) -- Palo Alto |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Las Camelias |
| Mexican |
| Unknown |
| Lunch M-Sa, dinner daily |
| Since 1977, Gabriel Fregoso has been turning out great Mexican food adapted from old family recipes. Through the years he's added his own touches, of course, and the results have a fresh, down-home appeal. The interior has a casual hacienda feel, with stucco walls, arched windows and fresh flowers on each table. The fragrant aromas of garlic, onion and chiles make the mouth water well before the first bite. |
| (415) 453-5850 |
| 912 Lincoln Ave. (between Third and Fourth streets) -- San Rafael |
| 20030104 072233 |
| La Taqueria |
| Mexican |
| Unknown |
| Open from lunch through dinner daily |
| The fat Mission burrito stuffed with salsa, rice, meat and cheese is the true San Francisco treat, and no one does it better than this 27-year-old taqueria. Owner Miguel Jara runs a no-nonsense operation -- customers line up and order food to take out or eat on one of the backless stools in the crowded dining room. *** None of the designer wrap places can come close to this 26-year-old taqueria in the Mission. Owner Miguel Jara runs a no-nonsense operation where people stand in line to order food and then pick it up to take away or to eat at one of the backless stools in the crowded dining room. The interior, which used to be pristine, is looking a little worse for wear, however, and the meticulous attention to keeping the floors, walls and bathroom spotless has slipped. |
| (415) 285-7117 |
| 2889 Mission St. (at 25th Street) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Le Bistrot |
| French |
| Unknown |
| Dinner until 23 daily |
| The look, flavor and pricing of the menu speak of a casual brasserie, but some of the appointments, including Frette linens on the tables, lend a more elegant tone. This stylish Nob Hill restaurant features an open kitchen, a wall of windows overlooking Grace Cathedral, and a sushi bar -- that's right, a sushi bar in an otherwise traditional French restaurant. Although diners have to walk through the lobby of a condominium complex to find the entrance, it's worth the effort. |
| (415) 474-2000 |
| 1177 California St. (at Jones) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Le Colonial |
| Vietnamese |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily |
| No other Vietnamese restaurant has the style of Le Colonial, in the former digs of Trader Vic's. It looks like a tropical retreat, with rattan chairs, wispy palms, crisp white linens and plantation shutters. The Oriental rugs and the wide molding add a luxurious look. The food is expensive, but the combinations are excellent. The bar upstairs is a great place for appetizers and a drink. |
| (415) 931-3600 |
| 20 Cosmo Place (off Taylor between Post and Sutter) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Left Bank (Menlo Park) |
| French |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily |
| Roland Passot's casual French brasserie, a sister to the restaurant of the same name in Larkspur, offers a touch of France on the Peninsula. The 20-foot ceilings give the room an expansive feel, and the open kitchen adds energy to the always-packed room. The menu is based on what Passot calls "La Cuisine Grandmere." It aptly describes the homey fresh dishes and classic combinations that fill the extensive menu. *** Roland Passot's casual French brasserie has expanded to three sites: in Larkspur, Menlo Park and Pleasant Hill. Each has a slightly different interior, but all seem like a French brasserie. Our favorite, however, is the one on the Peninsula. The 20-foot ceilings give the room an expansive look, and the open kitchen adds energy to the lively ambience. The menu is based on what Passot calls "La Cuisine Grandmere." |
| (650) 473-6543 |
| 635 Santa Cruz Ave. (at Doyle) -- Menlo Park |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Left Bank (Larkspur) |
| French |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily. |
| Roland Passot's casual French brasserie has expanded to three sites: in Larkspur, Menlo Park and Pleasant Hill. Each has a slightly different interior, but all seem like a French brasserie. Our favorite, however, is the one on the Peninsula. The 20-foot ceilings give the room an expansive look, and the open kitchen adds energy to the lively ambience. The menu is based on what Passot calls "La Cuisine Grandmere." |
| (415) 927-3331 |
| 507 Magnolia Ave. (at Ward) -- Larkspur |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Left Bank (Pleasant Hill) |
| French |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily |
| Roland Passot's casual French brasserie has expanded to three sites: in Larkspur, Menlo Park and Pleasant Hill. Each has a slightly different interior, but all seem like a French brasserie. Our favorite, however, is the one on the Peninsula. The 20-foot ceilings give the room an expansive look, and the open kitchen adds energy to the lively ambience. The menu is based on what Passot calls "La Cuisine Grandmere." |
| (925) 288-1222 |
| 60 Crescent Drive (near Contra Costa Boulevard) -- Pleasant Hill |
| 20021009 060924 |
| L'Osteria del Forno |
| Italian |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily (open at 1 on Sunday) |
| Few restaurants capture the quaint appeal of North Beach better than this tiny storefront trattoria. The menu is limited, as there's not even room for a stove top in the kitchen. But the great focaccia sandwiches, pizzas, salads and baked pasta are perfect for a casual, spur-of-the-moment meal. Now there's a branch, Vineria, in the Mission with a more extensive menu that includes more pasta and whole roasted fish. |
| (415) 982-1124 |
| 519 Columbus Ave. (between Union and Stockton) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Lulu |
| Southern French |
| Unknown |
| Open from lunch through dinner daily |
| When it opened more than eight years ago, LuLu became all the rage, despite its out-of-the-way location. Since then, South of Market has grown up around it, and LuLu is still packed noon and night. People enjoy the homey food, served family style, that harks back to the South of France. The expansive warehouse interior by Cass Calder Smith features a wood-burning oven and rotisserie and a noise level that makes the head spin. *** LuLu was a ground-breaking restaurant when it opened in 1992. Who would have thought that this area would become the trendiest in the city? LuLu attracted a national audience thanks to the impressive warehouse interior designed by Cass Calder Smith. The restaurant specializes in Southern French-inspired combinations designed to be served family style. Much of the food is cooked in the wood-burning oven and rotisserie that glow in the back of the room. |
| (415) 495-5775 |
| 816 Folsom St. (near Fourth St.) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Mariposa |
| French-California |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tuesday-Saturday |
| You'll find Raymond Tang turning out some of the best wine country cuisine at this minuscule restaurant off the beaten tourist path in Windsor. Tang, who worked at Postrio and Boulevard in San Francisco and at Daniel in New York, creates food that is refined and satisfying. The weekly changing menu features only five appetizers and main courses, but each is stellar. Combinations include seared foie gras and braised pork belly with spiked clementine glaze and brown butter spinach, and trout with a pine nut and brioche crust with citrus cream. The dining room, which is small without feeling cramped, is professionally run by Tang's wife and co-owner, Shawn Kearney Tang. *** It took a while for word to reach the entire Bay Area about the extraordinary food being cooked by Raymond Tang in his homey, 25-seat restaurant in Windsor. Now that people are discovering his highly seasonal cuisine, the place is booming. Tang has good credentials: He's worked in San Francisco at Postrio and Boulevard and at Daniel in New York. Here his presentations may be a little more relaxed, but the quality and the min-gling of flavors are exceptional. The weekly changing menu features only five appetizers and main courses, but each is stellar and prices are reasonable. The dining room, which is small without feeling cramped, is professionally run by his wife and co-owner, Shawn Kearney Tang. The wine list specializes in Russian River Valley wines, and the prices are excellent. |
| (707) 838-0162 |
| 275 Windsor River Road (a half mile west of Highway 101) -- Windsor |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Masa's |
| French |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tuesday-Saturday |
| Chad Callahan has settled into the kitchen occupied for many years by Julian Serrano, who left to open Picasso in Las Vegas more than a year ago. Callahan was the No. 2 man for many years, so he knows how to produce the elegant and sophisticated combinations that have become the signature of the restaurant. Fine china, sparkling crystal and a room washed in rich red hues create the setting for one of the Bay Area's best dining experiences. Only two fixed-priced menus are offered. |
| (415) 989-7154 |
| 648 Bush St. (near Powell) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Matterhorn |
| Swiss |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tuesday-Sunday |
| In our hurry-up world, few things are better than slowing down for a leisurely meal, and eating fondue forces diners to relax. Chef Andrew Thorpe's Swiss menu is filled with a hearty selection of delicious cheese fondues and several meat versions, with all kinds of condiments and accompaniments. For dessert there's even a chocolate fondue. The knotty-pine paneling gives the interior the look of an Alpine chalet, and the warm, inviting service orchestrated by Brigitte Thorpe enhances the experience. *** Fondue has been pronounced to be "in" or "out" so many times that it's almost a cliche. But nothing promotes conversation more than dipping fruit and cubes of bread into cheese, or cooking one's own meat tableside. Chef Andrew Thorpe's hearty cheese fondues are delicious. He also creates meat fondues with all kinds of accompaniments and condiments, and a chocolate fondue for dessert. There's also a more traditional a la carte menu. The knotty-pine paneling gives the interior the feel of an Alpine chalet, and the friendly service orchestrated by Brigitte Thorp promotes a leisurely, civilized pace. |
| (415) 885-6116 |
| 2323 Van Ness Ave. (between Green and Vallejo) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Mucca |
| American |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Th-Su |
| In the past decade this Glen Ellen restaurant has changed hands at least four times, and it's finally turned up a winner. Joseph Manzare and Mary Klingbeil of Globe have transformed this modest country retreat in Jack London Village into a great place for simple foods. An impressive waterwheel turns in front of the bar, and a shady patio overlooks a creek. |
| (707) 938-3451 |
| 14301 Arnold Drive (Highway 12) -- Glen Ellen |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Mustards Grill |
| California |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily |
| When it opened in 1983, Mustards was a pioneer in the Napa Valley for fresh, simple, grill-style food with an eclectic California twist. Now, after opening loads of restaurants as a partner in Real Restaurants, Cindy Pawlcyn is back where she belongs. The interior has an updated roadhouse look, and it's always noisy and crowded with people enjoying a casual day in the wine country. *** Mustards opened in 1983 and was a pioneer in bringing first-rate, cutting-edge food to the Napa Valley. Today, chef-owner Cindy Pawlcyn, who went on to open Fog City Diner, Buckeye Roadhouse and other places around the Bay Area, still comes back to cook. The place has a casual appeal, looking like a low-slung roadhouse; it's noisy and always crowded. |
| (707) 944-2424 |
| 7399 St. Helena Highway -- Yountville (two miles north) |
| 20021009 060924 |
| O Chame |
| Japanese-California |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday |
| Chef-owner David Vardy has created one of the most unusual restaurants in the Bay Area. It's fusion, to be sure, but it has such a Japanese sensibility that if Tokyo were in California, the food would taste like his. Vardy may stick close to tradition with the udon soups, but he'll take some detours and pair roast pork tenderloin with poblano chiles and portobello mushrooms. Flavors are subtle and refined. The interior has an Asian country look that's perfectly suited to the food. *** When people talk about fusion food, they tend to think of the high-style combinations at Eos and Ondine. For the past 10 years at O Chame in Berkeley, chef-owner David Vardy has been creating a Japanese sensibility in all his food. It tastes Japanese, with little twists that make it more interesting. He may stick close to tradition with the udon soups, but he'll pair roast pork tenderloin with poblano chiles and portobello mushrooms. The flavors are full but subtle and never jarring. The interior has an Asian country feel; a quiet retreat that's perfectly suited to the food, and a pleasing getaway from the crowds just outside the door. |
| (510) 841-8783 |
| 1830 Fourth St (near Hearst) -- Berkeley |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Oliveto |
| Italian |
| Unknown |
| Lunch Monday-Friday, dinner daily |
| No chef takes as much care with products as Paul Bertolli, who makes his own sausage, fresh and dried pasta, prosciutto and balsamic vinegar. His food is more authentic than what can be found in many restaurants in Italy. While Bertolli's cooking is unimpeachable, it's not for the diner who expects lots of bells and whistles, complicated combinations or cross-cultural blends. The interior, which features an open kitchen, has a modern loft look and a casual, relaxed atmosphere. *** If there's a way to make it by hand, Paul Bertolli is doing it. He's such a purist that he makes his own pasta (both the fresh and dried varieties), prosciutto, sausage and balsamic vinegar. His food is more authentic than that found in most restaurants in Italy. But don't expect fancy presentations or lots of decoration on the plate; Bertolli's food may be complex and labor-intensive, but the results are straightforward. The casual, modern interior is a pleasant stage to showcase his culinary genius. |
| (510) 547-5356 |
| 5655 College Ave (at Shafter) -- Oakland |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Ondine |
| Fusion |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily; brunch Saturday-Sunday |
| It seems like a miracle: great food with spectacular views. Ondine offers both. This restaurant was a staple in Sausalito for 30 years before it closed more than 10 years ago. It's now been revived. The fusion food produced by Seiji Wakabayashi is exquisite, the room is gorgeous and the bay view is breathtaking: panoramic vistas of San Francisco, the Bay Bridge, Treasure Island, Alcatraz and Tiburon. |
| (415) 331-1133 |
| 558 Bridgeway (at Princess) -- Sausalito |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Oritalia |
| Fusion |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily |
| The flavors of Italy and Asia mingle and marry at this 13-year-old fusion restaurant, which moved from Fillmore to Bush Street a couple of years ago. The newer space is more expansive and grand, featuring Fortuny silk chandeliers, tangerine walls and a back dining area with draped booths for privacy. Under chef Jon Nelson, the menu combinations have become even more intriguing. *** When it opened nearly 12 years ago on Fillmore, this fusion restaurant was on the cutting edge of a trend combining Italian and Asian ingredients. About two years ago the restaurant moved into a grander space with a sophisticated decor that features beautiful Fortuny silk chandeliers, tangerine walls and a back dining area with draped booths for privacy. Recently the food under new chef Jon Nelson has gotten really good, as have the pastries crafted by Francisco Almaguer. |
| (415) 782-8122 |
| 586 Bush St. (at Stockton) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Pane E Vino |
| Italian |
| Unknown |
| Lunch Monday-Saturday, dinner daily |
| Chef-owner Bruno Quercini has won a widespread reputation for his delicious rustic Italian dishes. He's turned a modest neighborhood trattoria into a destination thanks to his sprightly tomato sauces, pastas and simple grilled items. The restaurant's modest interior has a trattoria-like atmosphere, with a long table set with prosciutto and a wheel of Parmesan cheese in the center of the cramped dining room. *** Bruno Quercini has garnered a large following during the past nine years for his rustic Italian dishes ... tomato sauces, pasta and grilled items. The restaurant's modest interior has a trattoria-like feel, with a long table set with prosciutto and a wheel of Parmesan cheese in the center of the cramped dining room. The service varies nightly between smooth and choppy. |
| (415) 346-2111 |
| 3011 Steiner St. (at Union) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Park Chow (9thSt) |
| Italian |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily. |
| If there's a better deal in the Bay Area for top-quality Cal-Ital food, it has escaped our notice. Tony Gulisano, who has worked at some of the best restaurants in town, opened Chow on Church Street about three years ago and followed up a year later with Park Chow. The menu is the same, but at the branch near Golden Gate Park there's a nicer look, with a fireplace, beamed ceiling, a heated outdoor deck upstairs and a private room that seats up to 25. Gulisano has an unbeatable formula for producing excellent food in cozy surroundings at rock-bottom prices. Most of the food is Italian, but there's a nod to Asia with several noodle dishes. And the all-American desserts are some of the best in the city. *** If you're looking for a good deal on homey Italian food, this restaurant fills the bill. Tony Gulisano opened Chow in Upper Market about four years ago and followed up a year later with Park Chow. The menu is the same, but this branch near Golden Gate Park features a fireplace, beamed ceiling, heated outdoor deck upstairs and a private room that seats up to 25. While the food is mostly Italian, there's a nod to Asia with several noodle dishes. The all-American desserts are some of the best in the city. |
| (415) 665-9912 (415) 552-2469 |
| 1240 Ninth Ave (between Irving and Lincoln) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Park Chow (Castro) |
| Italian |
| Unknown |
| Open lunch through dinner daily |
| If you're looking for a good deal on homey Italian food, this restaurant fills the bill. Tony Gulisano opened Chow in Upper Market about four years ago and followed up a year later with Park Chow. The menu is the same, but this branch near Golden Gate Park features a fireplace, beamed ceiling, heated outdoor deck upstairs and a private room that seats up to 25. While the food is mostly Italian, there's a nod to Asia with several noodle dishes. The all-American desserts are some of the best in the city. *** If there's a better deal in the Bay Area for top-quality Cal-Ital food, it has escaped our notice. Tony Gulisano, who has worked at some of the best restaurants in town, opened Chow on Church Street about three years ago and followed up a year later with Park Chow. The menu is the same, but at the branch near Golden Gate Park there's a nicer look, with a fireplace, beamed ceiling, a heated outdoor deck upstairs and a private room that seats up to 25. Gulisano has an unbeatable formula for producing excellent food in cozy surroundings at rock-bottom prices. Most of the food is Italian, but there's a nod to Asia with several noodle dishes. And the all-American desserts are some of the best in the city. |
| (415) 552-2469 |
| 215 Church St. (near Market) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Pintxos |
| Spanish |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily |
| A modern sense of style infuses Pintxos, the trendy Spanish restaurant that opened on San Francisco's newest dining hot spot: Valencia Street in the Mission. The food, produced by Bernat Dones, is an interpretation of what he cooked in Barcelona. Owner Pablo Zubicaray, who was a partner in ThirstyBear, created a space filled with wonderful details ... from the blue and yellow pendant lights hanging over the tiled kitchen counter to the graduated wall colors. |
| (415) 565-0207 |
| 557 Valencia St. (between 16th and 17th streets) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Pisces |
| Seafood |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, Sunday brunch, dinner daily |
| A sister to Aqua, this Burlingame restaurant was meant to be a neighborhood gathering place, but it turned out to be much more elegant. The creative food by Andrew Budnyj is simpler and the prices are several notches lower than at Aqua, but the quality is first rate. The focal point is a round anchovy tank at the corner of the seafood counter, and the tables are resplendent with Frette linens and fine crystal. *** Michael Mina and Charles Condy, partners in Aqua and Charles Nob Hill, have hit upon another winning formula for their Burlingame seafood restaurant. It was meant to be a neighborhood retreat, but it turned out much more elegant. The creative food is somewhat simpler but nearly as delicious as is found at Aqua. There's a round anchovy tank at the corner of the seafood counter, and the tables are resplendent with Frette linens and fine crystal. |
| (650) 401-7500 |
| 1190 California Drive (at Broadway) -- Burlingame |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Plouf |
| Seafood |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner Monday-Saturday |
| Year after year, the moderately priced seafood at Plouf never ceases to satisfy. The restaurant has become known for mussels cooked many ways, including with garlic and sherry, curried, or with shallots, bacon and cream. Still, there's much more to entice, including rich seafood stews, light fish and chips, and steamed salmon with coriander and lime. Tucked away in an alley, Belden Place near the Financial District, Plouf has an industrial look inside. In warmer weather, large windows open onto the street and rows of outdoor tables line the alley. In cool weather, a fireplace adds a warm glow to the tiled floor and tin ceiling. *** No other restaurant in the city has more preparations of mussels than Plouf. Diners can get them eight ways, including with garlic and sherry, curried, or with shallots, bacon and cream. Under chef Oola Fendert, the seafood preparations have taken a dramatic turn, too. The place is tucked away in an alley, Belden Place near the Financial District. The interior is pared down and modern, but in warmer weather, large windows open onto the street and there are outdoor tables. In cool weather, a fireplace adds a warm glow to the tiled floor and tin ceilings hung with halogen lights. |
| (415) 986-6491 |
| 40 Belden Place (off Bush between Kearny and Montgomery) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Plumpjack |
| California/French |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays; dinner M-Sa |
| This Marina restaurant has one of the best deals on wine and one of the prettiest interiors -- and chef Keith Luce is hitting his stride. He operates off two menus: "classics" and "evolution." It's an ingenious attempt to continue offering the Caesar salad and pork tenderloin with braised cabbage that people expect, and still show off his style on dishes such as smoked salmon-wrapped sea bass. However, there's a pricing difference: classic main courses are around $19 and his new dishes are $26 to $29. |
| (415) 563-4755 |
| 3127 Fillmore St. (near Filbert) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Postrio |
| California with Mediterranean and Asian accents |
| Unknown |
| breakfast and brunch Sunday-Friday. Lunch and dinner daily |
| Wolfgang Puck may still be the patron saint of Postrio, but chefs Mitchell and Steven Rosenthal keep it running and have made it one of the most popular restaurants in the city since it opened more than a decade ago. Postrio was the first high-ticket restaurant to offer lots of seating, glamorous decor and cutting-edge food. The focal point of the interior is the dramatic staircase that spills into the dining room, giving everyone a view of all who enter. *** When it opened more than a decade ago, Postrio was the first restaurant to offer lots of seating, glamorous decor, cutting-edge food and high prices. The enticing package, masterminded by Wolfgang Puck, is probably even more popular today. The focal point of the impressive dining room, resplendent with custom light fixtures and world-class art, is the see-and-be-seen staircase on the way to the dining room. The food produced by Mitchell and Steven Rosenthal has a creative East-West bent, and the desserts are some of the best in the city. |
| (415) 776-7825 |
| 545 Post St. (at Mason) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Rivoli |
| California/Mediterranean |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily |
| Anyone who's eaten at Rivoli will tell you it's one of the best restaurants in the East Bay. The service is smooth, the refurbished interior is pleasant with a garden view out back, and the food is comforting and innovative. Owners Wendy Brucker and Roscoe Skipper are a team in life and in business: Brucker cooks, and Skipper runs the show in front. *** Wendy Brucker and Roscoe Skipper are a team, in life and in business: Brucker cooks and Skipper runs the show in front at Rivoli. The food always has been good, but more than a year ago they refurbished the restaurant to make it more comfortable. The outdoor garden and cheerful colors give the room an uplifting, airy feel. |
| (510) 526-2542 |
| 1539 Solano Ave (near Peralta) -- Berkeley |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Rose Pistola |
| Italian |
| Unknown |
| Open continuously for lunch and dinner daily (until midnight on weekends) |
| Reed Hearon brought attention to the Ligurian roots of North Beach when he opened Rose Pistola in 1996. That year it was named the best new U.S. restaurant by the James Beard Foundation, and it's still in top form. The interior is a step above most North Beach places ... it features an open kitchen, intricate tile floor, polished wood paneling and black-and-white photographs ... but the restaurant still fits in with the neighborhood. Hearon's regional food comes across as simple but requires three wood fires for grilling, roasting and long-braising. |
| (415) 399-0499 |
| 532 Columbus Ave. (near Union) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Rubicon |
| California-French |
| Unknown |
| Lunch M-F dinner M-Sa |
| Rubicon has gone through several chefs since it opened in 1994, but the food has remained on top. Now chef Dennis Leary is carrying on that tradition featuring a menu that has both a la carte and fixed-price options. Owned by restaurateur Drew Nieporent and several celebrities, including Robert De Niro, the restaurant also boasts one of the top wine guys: Larry Stone. The modern interior successfully combines the original brick walls and a crisscross of metal earthquake braces with the refinement of dark wood, elegant tabletops and Dale Chihuly glass sculpture. *** In the crush of restaurant openings, established places are often overlooked, but Scott Newman deserves renewed attention for the creative food he's offering at this place owned by New York restaurateur Drew Nieporent and several celebrities. There's an a la carte menu and several fixed-price offerings, including a $31 vegetarian menu. Rubicon also has one of the country's best-known wine personalities: Larry Stone, who has crafted an exceptional list. The modern interior successfully incorporates the original brick walls and a crisscross of metal earthquake braces with the refinement of dark wood, elegant table tops and Dale Chihuly glass sculpture. |
| (415) 434-4100 |
| 558 Sacramento St. (near Montgomery) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Sam's Grill |
| American |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner Monday-Friday |
| Sam's has been a favorite of mine for many years. I'm not sure I quite know why, but it is the kind of place that makes you feel `at home' when home is somewhere else---maybe it's the kind of place you'd be a regular if you lived where you are visiting. The food is classic American, very simple and quite good. The service is usually of the pleasant gruff familiar type that is comfortable for those of us who like the NorthEast. Simple chops, fish and grilled meat are favorites along with a wide choice of (a la carte) potatoes and other special vegetables. |
| (415) 421-0594 |
| 374 Bush St. (between Montgomery and Kearny) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Scala's Bistro |
| Italian |
| Unknown |
| breakfast, lunch and dinner daily |
| Donna and Giovanni Scala gave up the management contract for this restaurant late last year, but the menu has changed very little. So, at least for now, it's still one of the best places to dine around Union Square. The large, bustling dining room is beautifully outfitted with an impressive tin ceiling, a smoky mural and booths glowing from beaded lamps. |
| (415) 395-8555 |
| 432 Powell St. (near Sutter) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Sent Sovi |
| Contemporary French |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tu-Su |
| When they opened this modest bistro five years ago, David Kinch and his partner Aimee Hebert had no idea that it would become a magnet for Bay Area food lovers. Yet even without a fancy interior or a prime city or wine-country location, they have garnered loads of national publicity. Kinch is known for his hearty but meticulously crafted food such as wild black bass with apple parsnip puree, salsify and red wine-oxtail jus. The pleasant interior looks like a French country inn, but it's what's on the plate that counts. In addition to the a la carte menu there's a six-course fixed-price menu for $74, $110 with wine. *** David Kinch has proved that it's not necessary to have a lot of money to create a fancy interior, or a San Francisco or Wine Country location to build a culinary mecca. Instead, his cooking at this Saratoga spot has made Sent Sovi famous. In the new Zagat Survey, it was rated only 1 point behind the French Laundry, along with Masa's and the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton. Kinch is known for his hearty but meticulously crafted food. This might include duck breast with braised cabbage, wild black bass with green lentils, or a confit of quail with marinated olives. The plesant interior looks like a French country inn, but it's what's on the table that counts. His food is so good that it's worth a drive from anywhere in the Bay Area. In addition, there's a five-course, fixed-price menu for $55; $80 with wine. |
| (408) 867-3110 |
| 14583 Big Basin Way -- Saratoga |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Shanghai 1930 |
| Chinese |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner M-Sa |
| This sexy restaurant features the best Chinese food in the most sophisticated surroundings. Diners enter on Steuart and walk down a flight of stairs to a stylish, back-lit bar and an inviting dining room beyond. With its low lighting, terra-cotta floor and Oriental rugs, it's designed to evoke the look of Shanghai in the 1930s. The live jazz nightly and dance floor in the bar makes it a prime spot for romance. It's also one of the few Chinese restaurants with well-made cocktails and a pleasing wine list. *** The menu has been enlarged at this classy Chinese restaurant designed to evoke the atmosphere of Shanghai in the 1930s. The subterranean location helps to create its mystique, and so does the nightly live jazz. Clearly, this is the best and most romantic white-tablecloth Chinese restaurant in the city. It's also one of the few with well-made cocktails and an extensive wine list. Unfortunately, the host at the door can be dismissive, and the service isn't as smooth as it should be. |
| (415) 896-5600 |
| 133 Steuart St. (between Mission and Howard) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Slanted Door |
| Vietnamese |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner Tuesday-Sunday |
| The restaurant opened without fanfare six years ago, but Charles Phan's cooking has turned it into a national destination; some say it's the best Vietnamese food in the country. Many of Phan's creations are based on street food, and some of his ideas come from his mother, such as the mayonnaise in the imperial rolls. The restaurant, always bustling and noisy, has an upscale quality, with a mezzanine partly covering the open kitchen. The innovative wine list is designed to match the food. *** Some people think that this Mission District restaurant has the best Vietnamese food in the United States. Chef Charles Phan has garnered a national reputation for combinations not found anywhere else; many of his creations are based on street food. The restaurant has an upscale, architectural quality, with a mezzanine partly covering the open kitchen. The innovative wine list perfectly matches the food. |
| (415) 861-8032 |
| 584 Valencia St. (at 17th Street) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Spago Palo Alto |
| California |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner daily |
| Michael French has been the creative force in the kitchen since 1997, when Wolfgang Puck took over the ill-fated Stars. These days Asian influences are taking a back seat to European ones when French creates such dishes as sauteed black bass with gnocchi and roasted vegetable bouillabaisse, or grilled pork chops with chestnut ragout and braised cabbage. Adam Tihany's interior design incorporates brightly colored ceiling beams for a whimsical, sunny look. A large private terrace, great for dining in good weather, connects the main restaurant to a separate bar and private dining room, making the place look like a culinary compound. *** Michael French has been at the stove since Wolfgang Puck's Palo Alto restaurant opened two years ago. He trained with Puck, so the food retains his mentor's style, but French has added his own interpretations. Adam Tihany's interior design, featuring colored beams, gives it a bright California look. There's a pleasant outdoor terrace, and the bar and private dining room are in separate buildings, making the place look like a luxurious compound of gastronomy. |
| (650) 833-1000 |
| 265 Lytton Ave. (near Ramona) -- Palo Alto |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Splendido |
| Italian |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner daily |
| Although it's often overlooked because of its location in Embarcadero Center, chef Giovanni Perticone's Splendido is turning out great Italian food. The beautiful interior was designed by Pat Kuleto. With a domed brick ceiling at the entrance, an open kitchen, fireplace and stone columns, the place has a Mediterranean feel. The windows in back offer a peek at the bay. |
| (415) 986-3222 |
| 4 Embarcadero Center (promenade level) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Stars |
| European/California |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner daily |
| Forget everything you fondly remember about the old Stars and you'll be sure to enjoy this lighter and brighter incarnation with restaurant veteran Stanley Morris as managing partner and Christopher Fernandez as chef. Founding chef Jeremiah Tower sold out and retreated to Manila, leaving his partners with a restaurant and no figurehead. So they closed for a few weeks and reopened with an all-new look. It still has the energy and the magnificent bar. The vanity wall of pictures has been replaced with bright paintings of produce, and the "club deck," designed to house the swells, has been flattened and equalized. The food is cheaper and much simpler, but the flavors are still first rate. |
| (415) 861-7827 |
| 555 Golden Gate Ave. (between Van Ness and Polk) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Swan Oyster Depot |
| Seafood |
| Unknown |
| Open 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday |
| Last year at the James Beard awards, the nation finally acknowledged what Bay Area residents have always known: that this seafood shop-restaurant is one of "America's Regional Classics." It opened in 1912, was bought by Sal Sancimino in 1946 and is now run by his six sons. The shop earns most of its revenue from selling fresh fish, and there's only one row of stools at the counter. Still, you'll discover the best clam chowder and the sweetest crab in town. *** It's really a seafood shop with a row of stools in front of a well-worn counter, but Swan Oyster Depot has developed a cult following. It opened in 1912, was bought by Sal Sancimino in 1946, and now it's run by his sons. Behind the counter, the brothers keep up a humorous banter among themselves and the guests, who might wonder if they travel the comedy-club circuit on their nights off. It's great fun, and the brothers serve the freshest, sweetest crab in town. |
| (415) 673-1101 |
| 1517 Polk St. (near California) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Saigon Saigon |
| Vietnamese |
| Unknown |
| Unknown |
| Saigon Saigon is a jewel. The food is excellent and it is so cheap that one can really order everything on the menu. This is particularly a favorite in my family where the `kids' love high quality Vietnamese food, and don't mind the simplicity of the site. Street parking, as is typical in the Mission, can be a Pain. |
| (415) 206-9625 |
| Unknown -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 064819 |
| Sears Fine Foods |
| American |
| Unknown |
| Unknown |
| I don't get Sears. It's another of those `San Francisco Traditional' places. Usually they are a hit with me, but Sears leaves me cold. This could have something to do with getting cold while waiting in line to get in, but I actually don't think so. I guess I just don't like it much, as I find it totally non-special. *** Longtime San Francisco institution famous for their Swedish pancakes. They're silver dollar size and melt in your mouth. They also make their own sausage. During tourist season the line can reach half way down the block on Powell to Post Street. A union house with career waitresses who still call everybody "hon." Always keep an eye out for celebrity visitors. |
| (415) 986-1160 |
| 439 Powell Street -- San Francisco |
| 20021016 072035 |
| Takara |
| Japanese |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily |
| Japantown is brimming with restaurants, but few can compete with Takara, which opened last year. While the interior looks like dozens of others that line the malls, the food crafted by Yuki Murayama is different. The restaurant specializes in rice dishes not found anywhere else, often topped with seasonal ingredients. It also does a fine job with sashimi, sushi and tempura. Most items come with an appetizer, soup, a delicious savory custard, pickles and dessert. |
| (415) 921-2000 |
| 22 Peace Plaza, Suite 202 (Miyako Mall at Geary and Post streets) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Terra |
| Fusion (mostly European) |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Wednesday-Monday |
| Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani are a great team. They met while cooking at Spago and moved to St. Helena to open their own restaurant in 1988, creating one of the most intriguing menus in the Napa Valley. Sone cooks with a California lightness, incorporating his Asian background and classical training. Doumani, who is also a pastry chef, takes care of the front of the house. The restaurant, accented with rock walls, looks like a Tuscan villa. It's a great place for romance, too. |
| (707) 963-8931 |
| 1345 Railroad Ave. -- St. Helena |
| 20030104 072233 |
| The Dining Room |
| French |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Monday-Saturday |
| Sylvain Portay came to the Ritz-Carlton to take over the dining room from Gary Danko several years ago. Although this lauded New York chef from Le Cirque has put his distinctive stamp on the food, he hasn't garnered the same publicity. Portay's style is vibrant and bold, and his presentations are pretty but somewhat relaxed. The room has a formal Ritz-style elegance and the service is about as smooth as can be. Only fixed-price menus are offered. |
| (415) 296-7465 |
| 600 Stockton St. (at California) -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Thep Phanom |
| Thai |
| Unknown |
| Dinner daily |
| Like many Asian chefs, Pathama Parikanont learned to cook from her mother and used those recipes to open a restaurant. After nearly 15 years at the stove, she's a pro. But the food retains a homey quality, as does the Victorian interior, which looks like someone's private dining room. The area around the bar is rich with mementos and Thai art, and the waiters have a very caring and helpful attitude. *** Chef-owner Pathama Parikanont learned to cook from her mother, and after nearly 14 years at Thep Phanom she has refined and revamped many of her creations. It's not only the food that has a personal appeal; the interior, set in a Victorian house, feels like a home, and the area around the bar is rich with mementos and Thai art. |
| (415) 431-2526 |
| 400 Waller St (at Fillmore) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Thirstybear |
| Spanish |
| Unknown |
| Lunch Monday-Saturday, dinner daily |
| Some of the best tapas and house-made beers can be found at this monolithic brew pub. Stainless-steel brewing tanks and an open kitchen dominate one floor of this multilevel restaurant. The menu features 30 hot and cold tapas and 13 main courses, but chef Tony Miller seems to do everything well. One word of caution: The service can be annoying unless you go with a laid-back attitude. *** This tapas bar with the unlikely name ... and the unlikely setting ... turns out some of the most varied appetizers in the area. The noisy brew pub is as big as a gymnasium, with stainless-steel brewing tanks dominating the center of the multilevel restaurant. The menu is extensive, with 34 hot and cold tapas and 16 main courses, but chef Tony Miller continues to crank out first-rate food. |
| (415) 974-0905 |
| 661 Howard St. (between Second and Third streets) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Ti Couz |
| French |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner daily. |
| Chef-owner Sylvie Le Mer pioneered this area of the Mission and brought out crowds with her oversize Breton crepes. The menu includes a few salads, soups, cheese platters and an interesting selection of hard ciders, but the main event is the crepes -- both sweet and savory -- with a multitude of fillings. The interior looks as if it belongs in a French country village. A few years ago Le Mer took over a space next door and opened a seafood bar, where diners can get a variety of raw and prepared seafood. *** Chef-owner Sylvie Le Mer specializes in oversized Breton crepes, both sweet and savory, with a multitude of fillings. The menu includes a few salads, soups, cheese platters and an interesting selection of hard ciders, the drink of choice. The interior of this Mission District restaurant looks as if it belongs in a French country village. Earlier this year, Le Mer opened a seafood bar next door, where you can get a variety of raw and prepared seafood. It also serves as overflow for the hordes waiting to savor the incredible crepes. |
| (415) 252-7373 |
| 3108 16th St. (near Valencia) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Ton Kiang |
| Chinese |
| Unknown |
| Open continuously for dim sum and dinner daily |
| It takes at least nine chefs to turn out enough dim sum for the weekend crowds at this Hakka-inspired restaurant in the Richmond. The dumplings are delicate, and many are unique, among the best dim sum in the city. At night the restaurant offers a full menu, though you can still get dim sum. The dining room is typically large and bright, but it's the food that brings everyone in. *** On weekends, nine chefs do nothing but turn out delicate and delightful dim sum at this large Hakka-inspired restaurant in the Richmond District. It's the best dim sum in the city, and it's become so popular that it's available day and night. The dining room is large and pleasant, but the focus is on the food. |
| (415) 386-8530 |
| 5821 Geary Blvd. (between 22nd and 23rd avenues) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Tadisch Grill |
| Old San Francisco |
| Unknown |
| Unknown |
| The Tadisch Grill qualifies as an `Old San Francisco Style' restaurant. This has taken on somewhat of a tourist caste these days, with so many visitors to San Francisco, but Tadisches manages to maintain good quality and has kept its distinctive style. Try the Petrale Sole. |
| (415) 391-1849 |
| 240 California St -- San Francisco |
| 20021016 070851 |
| Xanadu |
| Chinese |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner daily |
| Berkeley's new haute hangout dishes up pan-Asian cuisine in a grand old train station Groggy from last night's magical mystery tour through Xanadu's long list of bizarre lychee and mango cocktails, silvery sakes, and clever wine varietals, I am all too pleased to find my breakfast in a chilled to-go box fragrant with piles of citrus zest, fennel, and red jalapeno. Chairman Mao's Liberation Ribs ($9), marinated and fried to a fall-off-the-bone crispness, make as good a hangover treat as they do a steaming starter plate. One entree, however, I wish we hadn't completely scarfed up at dinner, because a few fat chopstickfuls would really hit the spot: tender, wok- seared Galanga beef. Every great restaurant has a signature dish. At owner George Chen's pan-Asian Xanadu in Berkeley's 4th Street restaurant gulch, most folks will say that the Pao-Wok crispy chicken buried in sun-dried chilis ($11.75) is the stunner. Personally, I'd like to give a shout out to the Galanga beef ($15.25) which, when ordered rare, arrives rare and stays rare. Glistening in a steaming pluff of one-inch cubes, the filet is drenched in a meaty, sweetly spicy reduction sugared by a bedding of luscious lowland watercress and a tasty nest of fried yam sticks. Strangely, it goes brilliantly with R.H. Phillips' steely, fruity, white-as-white-can-be Viognier ($7.50/gls.). Another Viognier-friendly winner at the hands of Executive Chef Alex Ong: Xanadu's crispy, shell-and-all salt & pepper prawns ($13.50), garnished with a rustic, musty, godawfully good mixture of garlic chive, jalapeno, garlic, ginger, five spice, and szechuan peppercorn. The roasted Hainan chicken ($8.75) is a beautiful and hilariously messy starter. Assembled spring roll-style in huge iceberg lettuce cups with red and green ginger sauces, the dish is juicy, crunchy, spicy, sweet, warm, cold, and above all, lip-smacking good, the epitome of Xanadu's culinary tenet: to achieve balanced Qi through manipulations of temperature, spices, tonics, and herbs in cooking. Other standout dishes: the fresh sashimi of the day ($A.Q.), plated with seaweed salad, ginger, daikon, wasabi, and soy - such a lovely, fresh cut of ahi tuna you'd be hard-pressed to find. On the Japanese tip, a delicious surprise: an iceberg lettuce heart salad ($5.25). Its creamy soy-ginger dressing is the granddaddy of bento box dressings. For the soup course: a light, lovely lemongrass broth ($9.95) studded with red jalapenos, kaffir lime leaf, basil, and mint swathing a happy family of shellfish. The Pearl of the Orient cocktail ($5.25), chilled sake and lychee puree served up in a cocktail glass with a lychee nut, is the most sinful palate cleanser in the Bay Area. Once all is said and done, settle into a glass of Taylor Fladgate port ($5.50/gls.) or Quinta Do Noval tawny ($7.50/gls.). Though the warm chocolate cake ($5.75) did not ooze for us like it did for Michael Bauer, the ethereal pumpkin cheesecake ($5.75) more than made up for it, and Xanadu's pumpkin-seed brittle is worth any amount of bridge traffic. While Xanadu's interior boasts high design, dark woods and gorgeous handmade French/Chinese silk chandeliers, the view out of the giant, arched windows is just a rusty old set of train tracks. That is until a train silently speeds past, transforming the restaurant into an exciting, glamorous outpost of antiquated wayfarer luxury. Momentarily taken away by the rushing train, you might find yourself fantasizing about a long rail trek through Asia as you gnaw on your mango cosmopolitan's ($5.50) sugar cane stirrer stick. After all, Chen (responsible for Betelnut, Shanghai 1930, and Longlife Noodle Company) took a huge foodie tour of Asia before launching Xanadu-why couldn't you? *** George Chen, the mastermind behind Betelnut and Shanghai 1930, has created yet another Chinese concept restaurant. This one is based loosely on ingredients known in Chinese culture to have restorative effects. Chef Alex Ong creates fascinating and unique combinations. The interior is designed for Western comfort, with a bistro-like atmosphere around the perimeter and a more formal room in the center. |
| (510) 548-7880 |
| 700 University Ave. (at Third St.) -- Berkeley |
| 20030104 072233 |
| Yankee Pier |
| Seafood |
| Unknown |
| Lunch Wednesday-Saturday; dinner nightly. |
| Bradley Ogden has created a clam shack that serves excellent seafood, including stellar fish and chips. You won't find the bells and whistles here, just simple preparations served by friendly waiters in a noisy, active environment. Linoleum floors, bare tabletops and galvanized buckets filled with condiments and oyster crackers are featured. On warm days, the patio is pleasant. |
| (415) 924-7676 |
| 286 Magnolia -- Larkspur |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Yank Sing |
| Chinese |
| Unknown |
| Lunch daily |
| In many respects Yank Sing is a traditional dim sum house turning out the classics, but ask about the "Creative Collection" and you'll find combinations as innovative as any California chef could imagine: avocado halves filled with curried chicken and a crust of bubbling Parmesan cheese, or delicate dumplings filled with lamb and mint. On any given day, diners can find 80 different items. There's sad news, though: After more than 20 years, Yank Sing has lost its lease on its Embarcadero location. After March, visit locations on Stevenson and in Rincon Center. *** Some complain that this Embarcadero dim sum restaurant is more expensive than the competition. While that's true, the quality is excellent, and as many as 80 items are offered on dim sum carts on any given day. Another advantage: Diners can get individual servings of tea-smoked duck and other items not usually available in single portions. The restaurant is huge, but the dining areas are broken up into a warren of rooms so it doesn't feel overwhelming. |
| (415) 781-1111 |
| 427 Battery St. (near Clay) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Zax |
| Mediterranean and French |
| Unknown |
| Dinner Tuesday-Saturday |
| With its out-of-the-way location, Zax remains an undiscovered gem. Husband-and-wife team Barbara Mulas and Mark Drazek produce some of the best food in the city, from a monthly changing menu. The decor is simple but has a sophisticated mood, part California and part French brasserie. *** Even though Zax has been in the Top 100 for the past five years, it still feels like an undiscovered gem ...it's tucked away in an easy-to-forget area around North Beach. Those looking for a small, personal restaurant with great food will rejoice. Husband-and-wife team Barbara Mulas and Mark Drazek produce stylish food and desserts on the monthly changing menu. Even though the room was done on a budget, it has a sophisticated feel, part California and part French brasserie. |
| (415) 563-6266 |
| 2330 Taylor St. (near Columbus and Francisco) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Zibibbo |
| Mediterranean |
| Unknown |
| Lunch weekdays, dinner daily |
| For small plates of Mediterranean specialties, nobody tops Zibibbo in Palo Alto. Jody Denton, who also runs LuLu and Azie in San Francisco, offers dishes from Morocco, Italian antipasti, seafood platters, pizza, pasta and grilled items. From outside, the place looks like a quaint Victorian, but the inside, crafted by Cass Calder Smith, has the impressive look of an urban loft, with a large, inviting outdoor terrace. *** Jody Denton has expanded the reach of Zibibbo's menu to include tapas-style plates from the Mediterranean, with a special section from Morocco. That's in addition to Italian antipasti, seafood platters, pizza, pasta and grilled items. It's become a restaurant for every taste. The place looks like a quaint Victorian, but the inside, crafted by Cass Calder Smith, has the look of an urban loft. |
| (650) 328-6722 |
| 430 Kipling (between Waverly and Cowper) -- Palo Alto |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Zuni Cafe |
| Mediterranean |
| Unknown |
| Lunch and dinner Tuesday-Sunday |
| No restaurant captures the aura of San Francisco better than Zuni. The food is both rustic and refined, the interior sophisticated and organic, and the people-watching superb. It's the place locals come to meet, greet and eat. Judy Rodgers is an amazing cook, and most of her dishes have become classics, which is frustrating because many people never consider trying her delicious nightly specials. *** Zuni has expanded and changed over its 20-year history, but it continues to be the place locals come to meet, greet and eat Judy Rodgers' incredible food. Many dishes are the best in their class, although the nightly specials shouldn't be ignored. Zuni attracts the most interesting crowd in San Francisco. It's a great place to observe the sometimes wacky spirit of San Francisco. |
| (415) 552-2522 |
| 1658 Market St. (near Franklin) -- San Francisco |
| 20021009 060924 |
| Citizen Cake |
| California/French |
| Unknown |
| lunch 1130-1430 Tu-F dinner 1730-22 Tu-Sa 17-21 Su for brunch 10-15 SaSu |
| For some reason, I had not been to Citizen Cake. Maybe it was the name, or maybe the concept: a dessert place that serves dinner. I knew the restaurant was no Marie Callender's -- the buzz on the food was good, and besides, the place's true origins were as a patisserie. But I missed out on it until recently, frequenting other Civic Center eateries instead. My loss. Citizen Cake is a find. In addition to clever desserts prepared by owner Elizabeth Falkner and her two assistants, the kitchen turns out beautiful plates of exciting comfort food, if that isn't a contradiction (the menu changes monthly). Chef de cuisine Jennifer Cox, formerly at now-shuttered Montage, takes ordinary classics like chicken pot pie and pork chops to extraordinary heights without getting silly or precious. The tweaks are inspired. At dinner a starter of coriander-cured King salmon ($11), for example, was bright and fragrant with crushed seeds and peppercorns, served with corn blini, sweet corn foam and a salad of shiso leaves, shaved fennel and chervil. The foam -- my first experience with this trendy contrivance -- was a shiny, white dollop of gentle corn flavor and moistness, contrasting wonderfully with the tiny pops of cornmeal in the blini. Little crunches of sel gris (French gray sea salt) added to the textural surprise. It was like eating a mind-altering substance; there is nothing like it in The City. Another starter, on the lunch menu, is a sumptuous departure from the bistro classic of frisČe with egg. Spinach and bacon lardon salad with poached egg and warm Yukon gold potatoes ($9.50) arrived hot, swimming in a vinaigrette zinged with whole-grain mustard. The "bacon" was huge, meaty cubes of sweet, salty cured pork, enough for the day's protein requirement. Runny yolk from the egg added synergy, and the potatoes gave just the right earthy element. Two of us devoured it in minutes; it's the world's best version of bacon and eggs, plus iron from the tender leaves. For main dishes, you can't beat Cox's house-brined pork chop with mustard spaetzle, Gravenstein apples and ginger gastrique ($18.25). First things first: The gastrique is a dark, salty and sweet reduction. On top of that was a buttery, tender chop crowned by a cooked apple slice, next to a mound of almost caramelized spaetzle, each nugget separate, chewy and slightly dry. It could have stood a splash of jus, but no one was complaining. Chicken-out-of-the-pot-pie with succotash of fresh black-eyed peas, sweet corn, pearl onions and tomatoes ($17.50) is an intelligent, sly version of the dish, light-years beyond Swanson's. The luscious vegetables (including baby okra slices) were doused with a robust chicken stock that mingled with creamy potato purČe to create an impromptu "gravy" in the bowl. Atop that was a confit-style chicken leg, capped with a teeny disk of puff pastry. I kept whimpering as I ate. Don't ever have black-eyed peas any way but fresh! At lunch, a small pepperoni pizza with housemade tomato sauce and grana padana cheese ($10) proved to be the simple pinnacle of pizza -- rustic blistered crust, modest toppings -- nothing fancy, no surprises, just perfection. Cuban marinated pork sandwiches with havarti cheese and housemade pickles ($12.25) were flying out of the kitchen the other day. That may explain why the interior of my sandwich, which had been pressed on the griddle, was disconcertingly cool in contrast with the nice, warm sesame-seeded roll. No harm, but I would have liked to see the cheese melt a little. Save room for dessert. Falkner is a genius with sophisticated, not-too-sugary creations. Late summer fruits and melon gazpacho with Hayden mango sorbet ($8) was a tumble of fruit chunks bathed in lemon juice, flecked with cilantro! The sorbet was pure tropics, adding light sweetness to this adults-only confection. Olive oil cake with French prune plums and olive oil-wildflower honey sabayon ($8) was also for a grown-up palate, tinged with sel gris and pepper. So naughty. True to its roots, Citizen Cake continues to sell beautiful pastries, ice cream and breads in one retail corner of the woody, bare-beamed space. The rest of the restaurant, bordered on two sides by floor-to- ceiling windows, is given to about a dozen tables, most with comfortable banquette seating. The black and copper-mesh counter in the middle of the room can seat solo diners, and on Tuesday the restaurant launched its full bar, already offering "signature" cocktails like the Bullet Train (made with champagne and sake). The wine list is concise yet accommodating, offering nice choices from $25 to $65, with France, Oregon and California well represented. Service is warm and smart. The waiters will get you out in time for the opera, ballet or symphony if you have a date, and the dining room empties at about 7:45 on performance nights if you want to drop by without a reservation. Forget any rumors you may have heard about chilly reception there -- in these times, no restaurant can afford to serve attitude, and Citizen Cake will definitely lure me back as much with its friendly staff as with its brilliant food. |
| (415) 861-2228 |
| 399 Grove St -- San Francisco |
| 20030104 201442 |