MitchW Posted August 8, 2024 Share Posted August 8, 2024 On 4/18/2024 at 11:38 AM, mongo said: we are in san francisco for three nights in mid-june. How was your trip, food-wise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo Posted August 8, 2024 Share Posted August 8, 2024 it was good. here's where we ate: state bird provisions yank sing copra del popolo city view 606 dinner at copra was outstanding. perhaps the best indian meal i've ever had in the u.s and up there with the best in london. and we preferred city view's dim sum (and experience) to yank sing. more detailed reviews of all the meals will start showing up on the blog next week. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieL Posted August 8, 2024 Share Posted August 8, 2024 Glad you had a good visit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchW Posted September 21, 2024 Share Posted September 21, 2024 (edited) My wife had a business trip to San Francisco recently; I decided to tag along, and we went a couple of days prior, which gave us nearly a full week. First couple of days AirBnB'ed in the Castro, then moved over to a hotel just off the Embarcadero. Had a couple of old-fashioned breakfasts those first couple of mornings... Orphan Andy's, followed by the following morning at The Cove. Both fine for breakfast. Took a drive out to Tomales Bay for lunch with a friend. Northern Cal's best. Tomales Bays and Humboldt Bays, at Hog Island. First two dinners: one at Delfina, the night was arrived, was okay. And easy. Then State Bird, which is really good. Met a friend there, and cranked up the bill. Some nice wines, some excellent food, and the sweetest service west of the Mississippi; I love that staff. Our final in the Castro, a nice find, recommended here or by previous hosts, was this place on Castro St. No res - we waited about an hour after writing our name on the white board - and they close early (like 8?). It's just the kind of food I want to eat when local... Crab. Just...crab. A really excellent wild shrimp dish. Which may have been a special, or based on the entree? A piece of local rockfish of some sort, mash, butter, lemon. Kind of a perfect meal for me, with sweet service, easily drinkable wines, and 2 blocks from our AirBnb. The Castro could turn into my favorite neighborhood in San Francisco. Moved to the hotel - view from our barely openable window on the 8th floor: When Significant Eater started dealing with work, I was able to go off on some adventures. I climbed the fucking Filbert Steps. I'm old. I hadn't climbed the Filbert Steps in a decade (or maybe more). It was warm, because the most beautiful time of year, at least in the Bay Area, tends to be the beginning of football season and for the next month or two. Above - iykyk. Climbing to get here... Fog cooperated: In every which way. Hotel was around the corner; I'd reserved the bar area at Boulevard, where the menu is a la carte, and the food is good. Especially the California Abalone Roll: Met a friend at Angler... More to come. Edited September 22, 2024 by MitchW 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchW Posted September 22, 2024 Share Posted September 22, 2024 (edited) The abrupt ending of the post above? I forgot something was on the stove, almost boiling over. Re: Angler - that whole bird, which basically comes as you see it, was one of the tastiest birds I've had in a while. Cooking with wood helps, the brine was just right, and they use a good quality bird. Along with Parker House rolls and a side salad, it makes for a nice dinner. As a solo diner, I hit Yank Sing one day for lunch and had a nice assortment of dim sum. The caveat at Yank Sing? Don't order everything from the first cart that comes your way...they're pushy! My other solo lunch was at old favorite, after wandering North Beach a bit (and popping into City Lights)... And having an old-school espresso at Cafe Grecco, wasn't here... But here... (Y'all thought Sam Wo, huh?). No, Brandy's, along with Henry's Hunan, was where my first exposure to Hunanese food in the US took place. Both restaurants were around 35-40 years ago, and visited extensively. On this gorgeous SF day, I had the lunch special... Which included the starters above. Hot and spicy soup, cold noodle and cucumber salad, and a fried big dumpling...followed by a spicy stir-fry. All in around $20. After lunch, I walked to San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art (reciprocal entry with Whitney Membership!). They have a nice Warhol collection, including this Dolly: A Brancusi... Quite a few Calders: And a Robert Arneson, a local Bay-area artist, and a leader of the Funk Art movement. That one is called Smorgi-Bob, The Cook. And I thought it apropos. Our final dinner - thanks to @voyager above, was at her recommended place in Dogpatch - Piccino. Dogpatch might be a little out of the way if you're staying out in the Richmond or Sunset or Noe Valley, but it's practically a hop skip and jump from where we were on the Embarcadero. A nice California melon salad, with obligatory flowers. House-made pasta with sausage and greens was good (I might've cut back on the bread crumbs), and should've been shared. Oat and berry crumble desert topped it off just right. Lovely meal, another place with lovely service as well. Early flight the following morning... Edited September 23, 2024 by MitchW 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo Posted September 22, 2024 Share Posted September 22, 2024 next time do yourself a favour and go eat at copra. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieL Posted September 23, 2024 Share Posted September 23, 2024 I do love going to Anchor when I'm in the Castro and the wait isn't too bad. For dessert, I recommend both Castro Fountain (homemade cakes plus ice cream sundaes and milkshakes) and Aegean Delights (a Greek/Turkish shop with lots of baklava and the best Turkish delight I've ever had). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchW Posted September 23, 2024 Share Posted September 23, 2024 10 hours ago, mongo said: next time do yourself a favour and go eat at copra. Only if you go to Anchor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diancecht Posted May 6 Share Posted May 6 (edited) we saw an (overly) long play at the american conservatory theater, but this was brunch beforehand omelette with black beans and crema; thai chicken salad; coffee and chai latte at cafe la tazita (470 post (mason)) pretty good for $69 (with 20% tip). hubby says the beans were cooked exceptionally well. edit: there was a bowl of tomato-basil soup as well. Edited May 6 by Diancecht 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diancecht Posted May 19 Share Posted May 19 (edited) hubhy and i celebrated our 12th anniversary last night at 7 adams. it’s a michelin one star located on sutter street near japantown. 2024 thread on reddit sf chronicle review the infatuation review from june 2024 all told, it came out to $550 for two people with a 20% tip included. as for the food, we sat at the chef’s counter and there were some excellent bites and a few things that didn’t work. this is probably the first time i have had a buffalo chicken wing at a michelin starred establishment. hubby wants to return and experience their regular tables, but i need convincing. as you’ll see, many of the courses featured multiple components, but could have used some editing. i’ll post the images first, then will add some captions in. almond financier; steamed egg with caviar, mascarpone, espelette pepper. we loved this amuse-bouche. was probably the best offering from last night. chlorophyll tart, cured anchovy, cauliflower mousse oysters, caviar, white asparagus, hazelnut this was just “fine”, and had a touch too much salinity from the caviar. it needed some contrast. sashimi, puffed amaranth, avocado, green almonds, cherries nothing to write home about japanese milk bread, butter this kind of made up for the preceding course homemade gemelli with sea urchin “carbonara”, calabrian chili this was just ok. i would have preferred regular carbonara though. trout, corn, creamed millet, shiitake xo sauce boneless buffalo wing, because one of the chefs is from that part of the country. 🤔 duck, koji syrup, morels, nettle tempura sauternes mulberries, buttermilk, chamomile, herbs as a palate cleanser, you could have removed two components and it would have worked better. red tea ice cream, almond toffee shortbread, nutmeg cake donut mignardises Edited May 19 by Diancecht Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted May 19 Share Posted May 19 This is wild https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/thomas-keller-french-laundry-20290670.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diancecht Posted May 19 Share Posted May 19 😬 shortly after i moved here, i thought i’d eventually want to go to tfl since i hadn’t had the opportunity to dine at per se when i lived in nyc i don’t think that’s in the cards after reading that piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchW Posted May 20 Share Posted May 20 23 hours ago, Diancecht said: duck, koji syrup, morels, nettle tempura Good to see that they can undercook duck there (looks like sous vide) as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diancecht Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 9 hours ago, MitchW said: Good to see that they can undercook duck there (looks like sous vide) as well. probably they said something about muscovy duck but i didn’t catch it because loud noise/open kitchen/no sound absorption Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilfrid Posted May 21 Author Share Posted May 21 On 5/19/2025 at 3:28 PM, Simon said: This is wild https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/thomas-keller-french-laundry-20290670.php If he doesn't like bad reviews he should serve better food. (I have not been to TFL; this is based on three dinners at Per Se and Pete Wells was right to reduce it to two stars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
small h Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 That story was crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diancecht Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 there’s a lot to like about this menu probably won’t have a chance to go there until july Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieL Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 Which restaurant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diancecht Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 oh it’s for boulevard we walk by the restaurant at least twice a month but i have never had an opportunity to dine there. i think that will change very soon. everytime i hear about an experience by @MitchW or @Wilfrid, i find myself asking “why haven’t we been there yet?” 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilfrid Posted May 25 Author Share Posted May 25 Oh yes, been there twice. Kind of old school service and presentation but that kitchen (visibly) works hard. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchW Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 16 hours ago, Diancecht said: oh it’s for boulevard we walk by the restaurant at least twice a month but i have never had an opportunity to dine there. i think that will change very soon. everytime i hear about an experience by @MitchW or @Wilfrid, i find myself asking “why haven’t we been there yet?” And now I think I would opt for dining in the bar area or at the bar, for the a La carte option, as opposed to the prix fixe. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diancecht Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 we had dumplings in broth for lunch today at yuanbao jiaozi (2110 irving (22nd street)) i had pork and cabbage dumplings, hubby had egg, shrimp, and chives. the broth was plain, but perked up when seasoned with soy sauce, black vinegar, and chile oil/chile paste. the total came out to a little over $30 with a 20% tip october 2023 review in the ny times yelp review february 2019 review in the sf chronicle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchW Posted June 10 Share Posted June 10 (edited) One of my favorite barbecue restaurants anywhere is (re) opening in San Francisco, at fisherman's Wharf. https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/oakland-based-soul-food-staple-to-open-at-fishermans-wharf-in-sf/ Quote A longtime staple for soul food in Oakland is opening its first location in one of San Francisco’s most-visited tourist attractions. Everett & Jones BBQ is opening at Fisherman’s Wharf, according to the Port of San Francisco. The restaurant will span about 4,363 square feet across two floors. Everett & Jones will be located at 300 Jefferson St., which is the former home of Lou’s Fish Shack that closed in 2020 due to pandemic-related reasons, the port said. It is a short walk across the street from In-N-Out. Back in the day (let's see, I lived in the Bay Area from 1978 - 1994), when both the 49ers and Giants were playing at the dearly departed Candlestick Park (man, could it get cold in that place!), E & J on 3rd St. was often a stop after a game...warily. I believe that location closed after the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, and on subsequent trips to San Francisco over the years, we'd always make sure to get to the Berkeley branch, which remains open and I'm sure remains delicious. Seems like there are a bunch of changes happening at the Wharf, as Alioto's (closed for the past 5 years) will finally be coming down, and that area will be made into a pedestrian plaza. Quote The sun will soon set on a San Francisco landmark. Alioto's restaurant was a fixture of Fisherman's Wharf for decades before closing down in 2020, and now the Port of San Francisco is planning to tear it down and put in a public plaza. The demolition is part of a $10 million plan to rejuvenate the wharf, which has seen a handful of restaurants shut down since the pandemic. You really can't go home again. Edited June 10 by MitchW 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilfrid Posted June 10 Author Share Posted June 10 I have fond memories of the Wharf from the late 90s -- old school seafood, chowder served in hollow sourdough loaves. Then it seemed to become nothing but a tourist mall -- gift shops and boring fast food. Change can only be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchW Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 15 hours ago, Wilfrid said: I have fond memories of the Wharf from the late 90s -- old school seafood, chowder served in hollow sourdough loaves. And piles and piles of steamed Dungeness! Once the Embarcadero Freeway came down after Loma Prieta, all bets were off; but let's be real - if you were ever there before the quake, the wharf was the wharf, but the Embarcadero was not somewhere to spend a lot of time: Unless you liked hanging out under a double decker freeway. Not quite as bad as the old West Side highway however, which was always fun... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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