Carolyn Tillie

Because it is mostly only frequented by locals who live in the 'hood. The menu prices are a bit high (entrées $25 to $32) for what one gets and for visitors (as you specify), there are more exciting and innovative places in the city. I have heard that if you aren't a known entity by the waitstaff, the service tends to be stiff and sometimes off-putting. I have eaten there, but never been wowed.

The occasion of some visiting jewelers was my reason to hit Mission Street Food last night -- great to go with a group. If you are unaware, this is a restaurant which takes over a local Chinese Restaurant two nights a week with guest chefs, so the menu always changes. It is cash only with no reservations available. Five of us each brought a bottle of wine ($5.00 corkage!) and the menu seems to have expanded. We just advised them to send out the entire menu and we would see if we needed seconds of anything later. My biggest complaint of the location is the lack of light. With candles on the table, every one of us pulled out our cell phones to illuminate the menus and, frequently, the food itself. Mango Salad with tomatillo, black olive, fennel, and red onion. $5.50 Tomato Tart (not on the menu, served later to replace the mango salad they ran out of), price unknown. Cheese plate - Brillat-Savarin tripe crème with fresh fruit preserves, fig, fresh herbs and toast. $6.00 Fish 'n' Chips - halibut with batter-fried lemon "chips" and homemade caper tartar sauce. $13 Aged Prime Ribeye - with maitake mushroom, shelling bean and golden chive. $14 PB&J - Berkshire Kurobuta pork belly with marinated jicama, pickled jalapeño and cilantro aioli. $6.50 MSF Rice - smoky rice fried in duck fat with duck confit, duck cracklins, shiitake, and cauliflower. $8.00 VSF Rice - smoky rice fried in olive oil with shiitake, cauliflower, and tofu tempura. $6.50 Lung Shan's Vegan Delight - shiitake and oyster mushroom dumplings in miso soup. $5.50 Sharing all this with five people meant that most of us got about two bites (sometimes three) of each dish, which worked just fine. When we finished, we ordered a second round of the rib eye and there was even a roshambo fight over the last bite of beef. The PB&J was probably my least favorite, only because I'm not as much of a fan of the cilantro/jalapeño flavors. I could have probably eaten a second helping of Fish 'n' Chips all by myself, adoring the lemon 'chips.' Both rices were fabulous. Dessert Butter-fried cornbread with buttermilk panna cotta and mint julep honey. $6.00 Secret Breakfast Ice Cream from Humphry Slocombe. $3.25 For dessert, we ordered two of each of the above. Hard to describe how amazingly great the cornbread and panna cotta was. Just delightfully decadent. When all was said and done, the bill came: $136 - after tax, tip and corkage, it came to be $33 a person. GREAT deal. Yes, we had an hour wait and no, we couldn't see our food very well, but what a great evening. Also of note, they were still seating people as we were walking out at 11:00. I don't think they had the whole menu available at that point, but what a great thing to know that you can get a late-night nosh in that 'hood.

I don't necessarily think of RN74 as a must-try -- it is getting fairly mediocre buzz here in the city (bait-and-switch menus, off service, over-priced for the offerings etc...) Can I ask what about it you were drawn to? Other fabulous restaurants in that 'hood include Zare at the Fly Trap Ame Anchor and Hope Town Hall Salt House Osha Thai Aqua Perbacco Tadich Tourists also like Boulevard.

Four of us headed to Tataki last evening. This restaurant heralds itself as being 100% sustainable and the offerings are not remotely typical. Being the only one drinking to start, I began with their version of a sangria; riesling, sake, and fresh fruit (lychee, Asian pears) which was very refreshing and enticing. The other three had bowls of miso. We started with the Baked Sanma (mackerel pike) on skewers with sea salt. These were thin and crunchy and a great start to the meal. Next came two tataki specials, the seared albacore with garlic sauce and their version of an Arctic Char which was sliced thin and topped with capers and yuzu citrus sauce. The albacore was stunningly tender and although it was offered with a bit of wasabi, the garlic sauce was preferred. I was all over the Arctic Char which reminded me of one of the better crudo offerings at Ame. We had a vegetarian in the group so we ordered a number of their veggie offerings (which go WAY beyond your typical cucumber sushi). We had two versions of pumpkin served; a sweet potato roll with mixed vegetable (spinach, egg, gourd, and shiitake mushroom) and the hot potato roll where the sweet potato was tempura and topped with spicy tofuna and sweet sauce. The latter was a bit on the spicy side for me and for some odd reason, reminded me of Mexican food (probably the spice). We then also shared a sashimi sampler; tuna, arctic char, amberjack, and albacore. The quality and richness of the fish is remarkable. It would have been possible to stop there, but we were enjoying the now-ordered chilled sake and the company, so we ordered two more rolls; the Golden State, a spicy scallop with minced apple topped with albacore tuna, avocado, and 24k gold flakes and a Vegetarian roll, the whole of its ingredients I don't quite remember except that it was topped with thin slices of tomato. I was genuinely impressed with the craftsmanship of the Golden State when I saw the avocado; most often a roll which is topped with avocado it is thick slices. But here the avocado was thinly sliced and fanned -- but this is something one would not normally see as it is topped with the apple. So there is a pride in the work that the chefs take which shows in the quality, plus there is the supremely superior quality of the fish. So, all the food, two bottles of sake and one sangria came to about $45 a person; a fabulous bargain considering the quality and quantity of the food. This is a place best shared with friends. I will go back alone, but probably stick to the tataki and sashimi offerings. There is no classic nigiri offerings and the rolls are such that two or three would be incredibly filling for one person. I'm a very happy person that this is walking distance for me and can't wait to go back and try the other tatakis and rolls.

Never heard of it and is difficult to Google without knowing what city it is in... California is a big state; San Diego, Los Angeles, or NoCal?

The hard part about waiting until "later in the summer" is that you will be dealing with the crowds coming for harvest, a HUGELY busy time in the valley, and it could be significantly more difficult to get a table.

Just home from a prix fixe meal at Hyde Street Bistro. For $30, it was very, very good. I was fortunate to share the meal with a friend who is great at eating half a plate and switching so for starters, we shared a salmon salad with fennel and sumac. This was very nice and quite summery; a platter of smoked Pine Loch Duart Salmon topped with a shredded fennel salad, studded with sumac and a citrus dressing. The salmon was not overly smoked and of great quality. Cool and refreshing, served with a Rhone white blend, this was the preferred starter. The second was a foie flan, served warm with apples and and a port glaze. While good, it seemed out of place at this time of year. I would have adored it in October or November, but for summer fare, I think it should have been more indicative of its season; cool and enticing instead of warm and comforting. Our second set of shared courses started with "Crispy Monterey Calamari Sundried Pesto, Parmesan Risotto, Green Sechwan Foam." I'm not entirely what sechwan (schezwan?) is, but this was very interesting risotto with a bit too many flavors. The calamari themselves were absolutely perfect when they could have been incredibly rubbery. And the risotto, again, was absolutely perfect prepared -- not too a dente or too soupy. But with such perfect rice and perfect fish, and very good sundried pesto, why add the foam? Or, why add the pesto? Either flavor would have been just fine, but both together seemed too convoluted. My friend ordered and drank all of his Cotes du Rhone with this dish and I only had a quick sip so I have no comment. The other entrée was "Pulled Lamb, Eggplant, Red Bell Pepper Coulis, Pesto." This was served on a smaller plate and while a smaller portion, did not pull punches on flavor or quality. Tender and rich, the pulled lamb was piled into a large meatball-sized offering of rich meat with slices of thin eggplant and the two rich sauces; the red pepper coulis and the pesto. In this case, the two sauces worked well with the rich meat but like the foie, would seem a better dish served in the fall. It was very nice and homey, but slightly ill-conceived for the season. I ordered a du Pape with the lamb and with a freshly opened bottle, needed some breathing room to open. Two desserts came out and we gave the waiter/Maitre'D carte blance to serve us some dessert wine. The first dessert we finished easily was a "Vanilla panna cotta, Strawberry pepper coulis, candy almond" served with a glass of Sainte-Croix-Du-Mont. A very well-made panna cotta, it was the combination of fruit and cruncy bits that brought the dessert together. Or maybe it was the Sainte-Croix-Du-Mont, a slight botrytris cinera wine with beautiful brightness to juxtapose the fruit and nut. The other dessert was 'chocolate moelleux, ''Mint creme Anglaise"'. I'm sorry I didn't make a note of the cognac-based dessert wine we had; very clear and light, there was just enough spunk to complement the rich, molten chocolate and hint of mint from the Anglaise. I was a little concerned; usually Banyuls or port works well with chocolate, EXCEPT when mint is introduced as a flavor element. All three offerings were just lovely and a great ending. But we didn't finish there. As we finished up the meal, we were each brought a half-glass of sparkling rosé, a perfect after dinner apertif that was unexpected and quite thoughtful. The meal with drinks was in the $125 range before tip. And while the major detractor was that the dishes were served a little off-season, this is a delightful unexpected French bistro that should have been busier than they were.

I am a HUGE Michael Mina detractor; having yet to have a good meal at any of his restaurants. I think his philosophy is over-wrought and over-done. More often than not, I have found the offerings ill-paired and poorly executed. ← Carolyn, I would love to have dinner with you! ← As many will tell you, I'm pretty easy! Let me know if you are in the Bay Area... Also, I'll be back in LaLaLand in November!

I am a HUGE Michael Mina detractor; having yet to have a good meal at any of his restaurants. I think his philosophy is over-wrought and over-done. More often than not, I have found the offerings ill-paired and poorly executed.

The restaurant remained half empty. I am guessing they lacked the waitstaff to work a full house (it *was* a Monday night).

Yeah, I know. You are an imp, sitting on my shoulder, whispering in my ear, "what about those cheese plates in Vegas, Carrie????"

Make sure you order the Chef's tasting. Best way to get the most diverse tastes at the best price ($55 a person - KILLER deal!) ← Will do and thanks. Carolyn, have you been to La Folie? Thoughts? Still looking for that one other stellar SF meal! ← I have been to La Folie, yes. That is why I suggested that with all the great and interesting cuisines San Francisco has to offer, upscale French is just a bit too de rigeur. I have to say that one of my most interesting evenings was spent walking around downtown on a Seafood Crawl; I started with oysters at the bar at Farrallon, crudo at Ame, then to Anchor & Hope for the sea urchin.

Debating where to dine for dinner, Daniel Boulud's DBistro is mere steps from the opulent water show of the Parasol Bar, but despite the massive array of empty tables, I was told there was an hour+ wait. Getting hungry, five of us opted to squeeze into the lounge area, which is not quite as comfortable for where (we were told) at least the whole menu was available. In our classic sharing mode, for the table I ordered a 2004 Outpost Zinfandel which was well-loved by all. Also for the table was the *small* version of the plates du mare, an exceptional offering of chilled fish. On the platter was 4" prawns, three types of crudo and tartare, a half lobster, mussles, oysters, and clams. The quality of the fish was exceptional and ample. I also ordered the terrine of foie which was easily one of the best offerings of foie I have tasted in a decade. Served alongside was an aspic of elderflower and a crème with an inperceptable flavor. We asked about it because it was so light and enticing and the waiter insisted it was horseradish, which was obviously wrong. Regardless, the foie itself was perfectly prepared with a firm, creamy texture and served with delightfully thin, toasted brioche. Also on the table was a glorious charcuterie plate, the best burger I have ever tasted, a rich duck breast, and a side of creamed spinach. I would go back for the burger in a heart-beat, despite what I think was a $32 price tag. We finished up the evening with a cheese plate but because of the volume in the lounge, we didn't really understand the cheese explanations which were offered. They were served with a few glasses of Tokaji and I was very surprised that in all, the entire meal with tip came to a mere $100 a person. Quite a bargain, considering the quality and bounty of the food offered. Pics on blog. I'll be posting later about Alex and Morel's.

This is my Laguna report from 18 months ago. Were I to be back in Laguna tomorrow, Sapphire would be my first stop.

Make sure you order the Chef's tasting. Best way to get the most diverse tastes at the best price ($55 a person - KILLER deal!)

As Foodieherb indicated, you can't get to Aziza by walking. But it is not a difficult bus ride at all (the 38 runs all the way down Geary) and then cab home (should be around $10/$12 that late at night). I have written often that I am not a huge fan of Boulevard, but understand that it goes over well with tourists. On the La Folie/Fleur de Lys note, they are upscale French and very good upscale French. But if you are coming to San Francisco, I think there is a lot more interesting cuisine to be had (Burmese, amazing seafood, and California haute).

Next time! Hopefully you will return to San Francisco before Chef Lahlou's upcoming book and T.V. show have brought him wider attention... ← Shameless tease. ← It is part of my charm...

Next time! Hopefully you will return to San Francisco before Chef Lahlou's upcoming book and T.V. show have brought him wider attention...

At which one? ← Many reports have indicated that the experience at Masa often leaves people cold and feeling indifferent, while Hiro Urasawa is warm, gracious, and generous with his spirit.

Depends on what you are looking for; Koo is sushi and Ame is crudo -- both restaurants serving amazing examples of raw fish but with different options at each. Ame has the advantage of providing other additional flavors (like Lissa's Staff Meal which is AMAZING!) and other California Haute offerings in meat and wine pairings. Koo provides sushi and Japanese flavors in way that is unexpected and enthralling. I really love Ame's crudo offerings but they also do lots of really stunning dishes beyond raw fish. ← Well, we have sushi here in Toronto - although I am not sure how it would compare to SF's - - If it is greater quality, I would maybe lean towards sushi...so far I have Coi and Canteen booked for SF - one more night to go - where would you book!? ← Aziza. But I would take Aziza over Coi (the recent visit with U.E. did not thrill me as much as it did him...)

Depends on what you are looking for; Koo is sushi and Ame is crudo -- both restaurants serving amazing examples of raw fish but with different options at each. Ame has the advantage of providing other additional flavors (like Lissa's Staff Meal which is AMAZING!) and other California Haute offerings in meat and wine pairings. Koo provides sushi and Japanese flavors in way that is unexpected and enthralling. I really love Ame's crudo offerings but they also do lots of really stunning dishes beyond raw fish.

Koo Sushi is on my list, I was thinking to drop in on the Wed night we arrive (leaving that night open w/o reservations) - or are reservations needed? spoon fulls of happiness?! As well, what is Ame like? ← My recent review of Koo describes Spoonfuls of Happiness. I would see if you could reservations and sit at the bar, if at all possible. I have no idea what it is like to drop in without reservations. I really like Ame, but have found I am much happier with just their crudo. Once I get to their meat dishes, I'm full and not nearly as impressed.

I agree with U.E. And I would take four orders of Koo's Spoonfuls of Happiness over a full tasting (with wine) over the Ritz any day of the week...

I'm getting my green walnuts and Wednesday and this year, I will be making Nocino instead of Vin de Noir. Can't wait!

It simply designates the speaker as an outsider and one not in the know. I remember before I moved here I called is Frisco and can't explain why it grates on the nerves now to hear it thus referred. BTW, if you are driving via Cambria, I'd recommend the Black Cat Bistro.