San Francisco - late night eats and the nasty bits

[KrazzyJoe]

Hello! I'm glad to finally be a part of this after doing quite a bit of browsing and enjoying other people's tips and some hilarious writing.

I'm going down to the Coachella festival in Indio, California this coming weekend to see Rage Against the Machine, Placebo, Willie Nelson, Manu Chao, Infected Mushroom, and a long list of other great acts.

The music will be great, that's guaranteed. Now, I'd like some advice on food.

I'm not rich (but I do have a fair amount of cash stored for the food on this trip) and I'm planning on spending a day or two in San Francisco, primarily for the food. Though if you have any suggestions of a place I should visit, that is much appreciated as well!

From these forums, it seems Clement is a great place to hang out in - and my Psych professor recommended quite a few places that are located in that area. In particular, I look forward to Mai's at 316 Clement.

Other recommendations include the Maharani for Indian, Ton Kiank for ginger crab, Shanghai's for chinese, and the Samurai for sushi in Mill Valley. Also, some Ethiopean place I don't have the name of yet.

I'm a fan of new and interesting things and I'm more than up for some of the nasty bits. I'd also really enjoy an area or market where there is a lot of local, fresh brilliance going around in small portions to check out.

I'd like to know your opinions on a good place to have some oysters?

So, in closing: I'm up for absolutely anything interesting or just plain amazing, I like plain things done well too. Obsession foods like really amazing pizza etc. Anything like really good sushi or really good anything, I'd love to hear some absolute musts I'm also looking for any recommendations in the areas of Indio or Orange County Also, a late night spot in San Fran would be amazing. We're probably going to be coming in at first in the wee hours of the morning fairly hungry.

This is my first time in the area since I was a kid, so I am very unfamiliar with city.

Thanks!

[s_sevilla]

go to incanto for the nasty bits, although I am sure you can find them elsewhere, they probably do the most refined and best preparations of nasty bits in the area (if not the country).

[KrazzyJoe]

go to incanto for the nasty bits, although I am sure you can find them elsewhere, they probably do the most refined and best preparations of nasty bits in the area (if not the country).

←

Incanto was also recommended by someone else, I will certainly try to get down there. It looks fantastic!

[annachan]

If you're by Clement Street, go to Mandalay on California (parallel to and one block from Clement) by 6th Ave. for some good Southeast Asian food.

Oyster - try Swan's Oyster Depot. There is also Hog Island Oyster Company.

Definitely visit the Ferry Building. If you happen to be in SF on a Saturday, there's a Farmer's Market.

[Carolyn Tillie]

If you're by Clement Street, go to Mandalay on California (parallel to and one block from Clement) by 6th Ave. for some good Southeast Asian food.

Oyster - try Swan's Oyster Depot. There is also Hog Island Oyster Company.

Definitely visit the Ferry Building. If you happen to be in SF on a Saturday, there's a Farmer's Market.

←

I prefer Swan over Hog Island. Partly it is the atmosphere -- Swan has been around so long it is literally dripping with history (something about sitting at an old, dilapidated counter watching the shuckers).

[fiftydollars]

As one who has long lived by the taco code, I would recommend a visit to the Mission and, specifically, a visit to La Taqueria near 25th and Mission.

[Caitlin]

If you're looking for great pizza, I highly recommend Pizzetta 211 (211 23rd Ave - between California and Clement). They serve individual, thin crust style pizzas that are some of the best I've had.

And I second the suggestion for checking out the Mission - but my personal favorite Mission burrito is at El Castillito (they have several locations in SF - but one is on Mission - another is in the Civic Center area). A great website for info on taquerias in SF is burritoeater.com (this link goes to their list of recommended taquerias).

[fiftydollars]

If you're looking for great pizza, I highly recommend Pizzetta 211 (211 23rd Ave - between California and Clement). They serve individual, thin crust style pizzas that are some of the best I've had.

And I second the suggestion for checking out the Mission - but my personal favorite Mission burrito is at El Castillito (they have several locations in SF - but one is on Mission - another is in the Civic Center area). A great website for info on taquerias in SF is burritoeater.com (this link goes to their list of recommended taquerias).

←

El Castillito is great! I often go to the one in the Civic Center, which is near the intersection of Larkin and Golden Gate.

[plk]

My favorite taquerias are San Jose taqueria on Mission (at 24th) and El Pollo Loco (at 29th), basically for the super burrito al pastor. And further up the street is Zante's Pizza. Really good stuff. Get the Indian pizza. Their regular Indian food is fine and their other pizzas look decent, but it's the Indian pizza you want. http://zantespizza.com/about.htm

One thing I would definitely do is dim sum for a sunday brunch. I can't remember what the good places are called, though. The last time I went to a good place on Clement St (that's in the Richmond district).

One new place that looks really excellent is Two: http://www.two-sf.com/home.html

[fiftydollars]

Another good stop in the Mission is Mi Lindo Peru on Mission between Valencia and 29th. This place has some solid Peruvian food and fast, friendly service. They also have a fancy-pants outpost in the Marina, but I prefer the original. They have lomo/pollo saltado, various ceviches, a soup whos name I cannot recall but which has some seafood in a cilantro flavored broth that is very good, and other Peruvian specialties. Of course, if you want to try Peruvian in the Mission you could also go to fancier, more famous places like a certain one at Valencia and 16th that gets a lot of attention, but often delivers poorly albeit in a very trendy space often filled with techno music.

[hzrt8w]

One thing I would definitely do is dim sum for a sunday brunch.  I can't remember what the good places are called, though.  The last time I went to a good place on Clement St (that's in the Richmond district).

←

I do like the food at Lee Hou Restaurant on Clement Street. I haven't tried their dim sum but I trust that they can do a good job.

In the close-by neighborhood, on Geary at around 27th there is May Flower. Their dim sum is really good but the place can be crowded. Across the street on Geary near around 23th there is Parc Hong Kong which I also like (though not as good as May Flower IMO).

[Caitlin]

Ton Kiang - one of the restaurants you already have on your list - has great dim sum, too. It's out on Geary.