Best San Francisco Tapas Places

[thursdaynext]

Thanks to you also, Malik! I'm looking forward to your review. Just printed out the menus to most of the places you mentioned & Zarzuela does look good! Will check out the Cesar's lineup shortly. I should have some interesting posts on my return home...

[Malik]

I like most of the stuff on the Cesar menu, but would recommend staying away from the bocadillos (sandwiches). They've been rather boring and a bit stale whenever I've ordered them. The menu changes daily, if they have the fried potatoes with herbs when you go, make sure to order them. And the cheese plate is a good value if you like cheese.

[thursdaynext]

Mmmmm... cheeeese...

[marlena spieler]

Thursdaynext,

if you are going to caesars, and you like cheese,

go early enough so that The Cheeseboard is still open. The Cheeseboard is the daddy/mommy of all cheeseshops, it is wonderful. owned and run by a cooperative, you can get almost anything you want there, and such delicious stages you'll find the cheeses in, and the bread/pizza (pizza is divine).

The Cheeseboard should be listed as a national treasure.

go there. buy cheese. and do take advantage to the well-educated cheese-loving people behind the counters.

marlena

[marlena spieler]

oh yes, ps: the cheeseboard is across the street and down the way from caesars, pretty much right across from chez panisse.

[thursdaynext]

Thanks for the suggestion, Marlena! One of things that is on my"to do" list is to try some of the artisanal cheeses from the area. I keep reading posts here and in articles in Saveur, etc. on different smaller producers that are making wonderful cheeses. I knew that Cow Girl Creamery has a shop in the Ferry Building, but I wasn't sure which other shops to visit.

Will have to save any LARGE purchases for my last day in town, since I'm planning to fly back with my favorites...

[KarenS]

I was recently visiting and ate at a new place in Walnut Creek (I know, not quite SF). Va de Vi Bistro and Wine Bar (small plates, med. influenced, 100 wines and flights of wine tastings offered). It is between Tiffanys and Tommy Bahamas on Mt Diablo Blvd (downtown). The food was very good (it was very crowded- and quite a wait too).

[tanabutler]

Bump.

I spent a long, late afternoon lunch with Suvir Saran today at César, which came highly recommended from his friend who works at a winery out here. (Boy, does she have good taste.)

Seven plates of tapas included (but not limited to) spicy cauliflower salad with caper vinaigrette, quail with roasted grapes and bacon (to die for), piquillo peppers with basil and queso blanco, fried potatoes with herbs and sea salt ("potato crack," as we called it), Spanish cheeses, roasted baby artichokes with lemon and garlic, and some kick-ass olives doled out from a treasure chest of olives that glistened in their lemony-good marinade. We also tasted three desserts: medjool date ice cream (with toasted almonds), torrijas con mermelada sevilla (like little French toasts with orange rind marmelade, not mermen), and the best of the lot: bread pudding with blood orange-caramel sauce. Our iced tea they kindly sweetened with their house-blend of lemon-mint syrup, so we felt quite Southern indeed. I don't know the final bill, as Suvir paid and I did not see it. (It also included two of César's cookbooks, one of which went home with me.) Our waitress gave impeccable and knowledgeable service, and (GOD LOVE HER) gave me a copy of the recipe for the sauce on the quail. It starts with "5 quarts of duck broth," so possibly I'll have to cut the proportions.

The list of wine and spirits is 21 pages long, and includes something like three dozen kinds of grappa and Italian spirits. The room is very comfortable, and the entire front of the building is made of huge, heavy doors that open from ceiling to floor, letting in the light.

Berkeley rocks for restaurants, and I think it's even prettier than San Francisco for driving around.

[JAZ]

We ate at Cortez in the Hotel Adagio on Geary Street on Christmas Eve.  Fun place.  Very new-school/modern.  The drink menu is great, albeit pricey at $9 - $11 for martinis.  I remember the French Fries with Harissa Sauce, Terrine of Foie Gras, Short Ribs with Marrow, and a few other gems.  Very hip, very trendy, somewhat pricey, and oh so tastey.

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I've been meaning to try Cortez for quite a while and finally made it last week. Although I went primarily for cocktails, we did try a couple of the dishes, including the fries (very good, with two sauces) and grilled spicy prawns on top of a coconut rice. I'm not ordinarily a big fan of coconut, but this was subtle and worked well with the prawns. The highlight, though, was a complimentary shot glass of carrot soup topped with chive oil. The flavor was great, but what made it memorable was the ethereal texture; I wish I knew how they got that.

The cocktails were superb; at $9 and up for specialty cocktails, it's still worth it -- not more expensive than any other hotel bars, and much better than most. The cocktail with Tanquerey Ten and elderflower syrup was a standout.

I'm not sure I'd categorize the food as tapas, though. Small plates, yes, but not particularly Spanish in inspiration.

[tanabutler]

Bump.

I spent a long, late afternoon lunch with Suvir Saran today at César, which came highly recommended from his friend who works at a winery out here. (Boy, does she have good taste.)

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Wheee! I wrote a review of this place for a travel forum I belong to (not a food forum per se, though people write about restaurants, though with perhaps a slightly different focus than serious foodies, overall). They had a contest for "best restaurant review" last month, and I won.

The review with four photos is here.

My prize is a $150 meal, either there or somewhere else. It's been a long time since I won a contest of skill. Whee!

Edited April 13, 2005 by tanabutler (log)

[melkor]

I don't get it. I've been to Cesar, I'd go back from time to time if I lived 5 minutes away - I honestly can't imagine driving an hour+ to eat there. Some of the dishes are quite good, the rest simply decent. There's nothing wrong with Cesar, but there is also nothing terribly compelling about it either. Bocadillos in SF is far better, as is ZuZu in Napa, A Cote in Oakland as well. Manresa also serves a tapas menu, they are located a much shorter drive from Santa Cruz and the food is significantly better than Cesar.

[Malik]

I don't get it.  I've been to Cesar, I'd go back from time to time if I lived 5 minutes away - I honestly can't imagine driving an hour+ to eat there.  Some of the dishes are quite good, the rest simply decent.  There's nothing wrong with Cesar, but there is also nothing terribly compelling about it either.  Bocadillos in SF is far better, as is ZuZu in Napa, A Cote in Oakland as well. Manresa also serves a tapas menu, they are located a much shorter drive from Santa Cruz and the food is significantly better than Cesar.

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Cesar may not be a destination restaurant, but I think it's better than you give it credit for. I've been to Bocadillos twice and ZuZu once (compared to four or five times at Cesar), and would not call either far better based on those visits. I think they're all similar in quality. Cesar is also very reasonably priced, and has a wonderful wine list with low markups. Manresa is certainly much better, but it's in a different class altogether, and obviously qualifies as a destination. That being said I have not tried Manresa's tapas menu, though it would be hard to imagine it being anything other than top notch.

Cesar is definitely among the top ten restaurants in my East Bay rotation. For one thing, the menu changes daily, which makes it more appealing for repeat visits than nearby small plates restaurants like A Cote or Fonda. As far as I can tell, Bocadillos has not changed a single thing on their menu since they opened, so now that I've eaten there a couple of times, I'm not very likely to return soon. Another plus with Cesar is that it's open late, which is a rarity for restaurants in the area (Chez Panisse Cafe next door is also open late Friday and Saturday) and makes it a great place to eat after a show at Zellerbach. And when they're on the menu, those fried potatoes with herbs & sea salt are absolutely addictive.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I don't get it.  I've been to Cesar, I'd go back from time to time if I lived 5 minutes away - I honestly can't imagine driving an hour+ to eat there.  Some of the dishes are quite good, the rest simply decent.  There's nothing wrong with Cesar, but there is also nothing terribly compelling about it either.  Bocadillos in SF is far better, as is ZuZu in Napa, A Cote in Oakland as well. Manresa also serves a tapas menu, they are located a much shorter drive from Santa Cruz and the food is significantly better than Cesar.

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Cesar may not be a destination restaurant, but I think it's better than you give it credit for. I've been to Bocadillos twice and ZuZu once (compared to four or five times at Cesar), and would not call either far better based on those visits. I think they're all similar in quality. Cesar is also very reasonably priced, and has a wonderful wine list with low markups. Manresa is certainly much better, but it's in a different class altogether, and obviously qualifies as a destination. That being said I have not tried Manresa's tapas menu, though it would be hard to imagine it being anything other than top notch.

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I'm there with Malik -- I've probably eaten at Cesar as many times as I've eaten at Zuzus (about a dozen times each) and both have their ups and downs. On the upside, Cesar immediately provides complimentary olives which have to be paid for at Zuzu. I've also been completely charmed by Cesar's bartenders and think their list is more comprehensive (Banyuls by the glass!) and extensive, exhibited by a packed Friday night when a bartender went out of his way to produce a custom sherry flight that was completely off-menu. Zuzu's vegetable dishes are uncomparable and paella is lovely. On the downside, Zuzu's Flat Iron steak has never been anything but chewy and tough. Cesar's desserts (I think) out-shine Zuzu's as well.

[IrishCream]

Thank you for sharing your review with us, Tana. I haven't eaten at Cesar yet, but I have high respect for your opinions as well as those of Malik and Carolyn, so Cesar has just moved way up on my "must try" restaurant list.

[tanabutler]

I don't get it.  I've been to Cesar, I'd go back from time to time if I lived 5 minutes away - I honestly can't imagine driving an hour+ to eat there.  Some of the dishes are quite good, the rest simply decent.  There's nothing wrong with Cesar, but there is also nothing terribly compelling about it either.  Bocadillos in SF is far better, as is ZuZu in Napa, A Cote in Oakland as well. Manresa also serves a tapas menu, they are located a much shorter drive from Santa Cruz and the food is significantly better than Cesar.

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• Both Suvir (he is well-respected chef in New York City) and I thought the food was wonderful. We were just delighted with the whole experience. We were very grateful to the recommendation from his family friend who works at Iron Horse winery.

• I didn't drive an hour and a half for the sake of going to César, but because I was escorting Suvir to his hotel in Berkeley. He was on a tour with Sur La Table, teaching cooking classes. I had attended the previous night at the Los Gatos store, and as he is my friend, I offered to drive him to Berkeley. He agreed, but only if he could buy me lunch. And because I'm not stupid, I agreed happily.

• I'm sorry you didn't have the excellent experience Suvir and I did. I don't think what we enjoyed was out of the ordinary. We enjoyed the freshness of the ingredients especially. Our server went out of her way to guide us. I could not find fault with anything. (But then, fault-finding during what is supposed to be an enjoyable experience is not my default gear. It's why I would never want to be a reviewer. What odious work, to look for things to mention that are not ideal. I'd much rather praise and enjoy.)

• The tapas experience at Manresa does not compare with César. They are not equivalent at all. For one thing, there is a full bar at César, and it's a completely different social environment. Manresa is an elegant and lovely restaurant, and César serves cocktails, is open until midnight, and is much more festive. Not quite apples and oranges, perhaps, but one could never stand in for the other, and they shouldn't have to.

I loved César. I will go back, eagerly. Because I'm not stupid.

(Note: I'm not sure the distinction is apparent, but my review won for its content, not for my high opinion of César.)

Edited April 15, 2005 by tanabutler (log)

[eje]

Met some friends for drinks and dinner at Cortez Restaurant last night.

http://cortezrestaurant.com/

I have to say I was very impressed with both the food and cocktails.

The bar is a bit loud and I have to say I'm getting pretty tired of the tedious "rave" type music which seems so popular in places like this. However, the quality of the cocktails is outstanding. Some very cool original items on the drink list.

The food was also very impressive. Small-ish plates. I don't think I would describe it as tapas, either. More eclectic bistro cooking. Bold flavors and attractive modern style platings. We opted to share 8 dishes and a side of fries for our table of 4. We probably could have left out one dish; but, I can't imagine which, they were all so tasty.

The wine list is fairly small and in my opinion could use a few more sub-$40 options. Markups are around 2x retail. They also only have 2 beers on tap and a small selection of mostly european bottles. I guess the point is to sell the cocktails.

We had a really nice evening, and I have no reservations about recommending the restaurant.

[ingridsf]

Got to raise my voice for Cha Cha Cha's small plates in the upper Haight. Been going there for 14 years. Not a perfect place but I've had some fabulous lunches there for very little money.

I only go there for lunch -- it gets really dark, crowded and loud at night. During the day it's festive and bright.

The small plates list isn't long but I love:

shrimp in Cajun sauce

platanos in black bean sauce with crema

fried new potatoes (yeah, Thirsty Bear's are good but these are better)

chicken paillard in mustard sauce

crispy calamari

sauteed mushrooms with garlic and sherry

mussels

Oh my god I just made myself hungry.

[amytraverso]

Tallulah in the Castro (18th & Diamond) serves lots of small plates, but here the style is Indian fusion. Just went there last night. The Lobster and Pea Dhosa is fantastic, and we also loved the Aloo Tiki, which are served as potato croquettes flavored with lemon and cilantro, then sauced with tamarind date chutney. They have mussels steamed with coconut milk and fenugreek, and sardines with a mango-cucumber relish. Great cocktails, too!

[eje]

One of my long time favorite Latin small plates restaurants in San Francisco is Charanga on Mission between 19th and 20th. While they have some traditional Spanish tapas dishes, the food is a bit more eclectic than the more traditional places like Picaro and Esperpento. It's more of a neighborhood restaurant than an upscale place like Cesar; but, friendly service and a festive atmosphere keep Charanga quite busy most weekend nights.

http://www.charangasf.com/

[Malik]

One of my long time favorite Latin small plates restaurants in San Francisco is Charanga on Mission between 19th and 20th.  While they have some traditional Spanish tapas dishes, the food is a bit more eclectic than the more traditional places like Picaro and Esperpento.  It's more of a neighborhood restaurant than an upscale place like Cesar; but, friendly service and a festive atmosphere keep Charanga quite busy most weekend nights.

http://www.charangasf.com/

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I've always enjoyed my meals at Charanga, it's definitely an underrated restaurant.

[JAZ]

I've only eaten at Charanga once, but had some great dishes there.

And I love Cha Cha Cha. I haven't been there in ages (used to live in the neighborhood, so it used to be a short walk) but when I used to frequent it, they made some great dishes. Bad sangria, though, as I recall.

Does anyone know if the Mission St. branch is as good?

[eje]

And I love Cha Cha Cha. I haven't been there in ages (used to live in the neighborhood, so it used to be a short walk) but when I used to frequent it, they made some great dishes. Bad sangria, though, as I recall.

Does anyone know if the Mission St. branch is as good?

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I've gone to the Mission Cha Cha Cha a couple times in the last year or so for work related parties. I haven't been to the Haight Street one for a few years.

I think the food is roughly equivalent at both places. The dining space and the bar space aren't separate at the Mission Location, and the bar seems to be more of the focus than the food. Most of the tables run along the walls across from the bar stools. Definintely not the place for a quiet dinner.

[megc]

I loved César. I will go back, eagerly. Because I'm not stupid.

(Note: I'm not sure the distinction is apparent, but my review won for its content, not for my high opinion of César.)

I was just there this past week and thought it was wonderful as always. Both the food and the drinks were delicious. One of the best mojitos I've had, and the next day I had probably the best cosmopolitan (hey, I like fruity cocktails ) ever (so nice that César is next to Chez Panisse, where my dinner reservations were). Particularly delicious was the dish of calçots, which were sauteed spring onions with romesco sauce. The salt cod was great, too. If I lived in Berkeley and had the $$, I'd be there often!