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SF Bay Area Top Five

melkor

By melkor
in California: Dining

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Malik

Malik

Posted
Posted

My favorites, based in large part on how often I go to these restaurants compared to others in their category:

1) Shalimar

2) Delfina

3) Gary Danko

4) Tartine (for breakfast)

5) Mochica/Limon (too close to choose a favorite in this genre)

6) Taco trucks (East or North Bay, not SF)

Other places that I really like, but don't seem to make it to often enough:

1) Quince

2) 1550 Hyde

3) Ino Sushi

4) Chapeau

5) Bocadillos/Iluna Basque

6) R&G Lounge (in crab season)

Places to avoid:

1) Frisson

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  • 2 weeks later...
Free Martha

Free Martha

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Posted

"Sonoma Saveurs" on a rainy tuesday

A Bistro on the Sonoma has made my top five list.

I had a wonderful lunch, including an appetizer of Foie Gras.

The Foie Gras was poached in red wine and served with mixed bitter greens, grapes and toasted Pistachio nuts. A very generous portion ,so I was in heaven.

We had a nice visit with with the proprietor Junny Gonzalez, Who is on hand working as a hostess on a daily basis.

I met Junny several years ago when she and her husband were selling Foie Gras direct to restaurants.

I asked how the controversy has effected the Restaurants Business, and if their is any correlation with the Napa Valley Wine Train, Which Exploded with business after their legal battles and controversy.

She explained to me, that the Foie Gras operation is small family business and the Legal expenses are just overwelming. The Future does't look real good.

Please give this restaurant a try.

www.sonomasaveurs.com

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CtznCane

CtznCane

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I'll toss out a few different places and for different reasons. Not trying to put a strict top 5 but just 5 interesting places that are well worth the effort to go to in my humble or not so humble opinion.

1. Le Virage - Walnut Creek - How much longer this place will survive with the owners declining health is uncertain but for now this is still certainly one of the gems of the bay area.

2. Sazio Ristorante Italiano - Castro Valley. A sleeper but you would be want to find a better Italian restaurant anywhere. Run by Antonion (the Miatre d') and Tony (the chef) brothers-in-law this is a comfrortable restaurant with stunning food. Fish/seafood are a specialty since Tony's father was a fisherman and his fish is second to none.

3. Emmy's on Monterey street off of 280. A family style Chineese restaurant that is still a favorite of mine ever since a Chineese friend of mine introduced me to it 20 years ago.

4. Julius' Castle - Telegraph Hill, S.F. - One of the old standards in the city. As good as it use to be? Perhaps not. Stilll fine? You betcha. The view? Second to none. We have friends coming out here around Thanksgiving we will take here for dinner to see the view of the city.

5. Walker's Pie Shop - Albany on Solano Avenue. This place has been around since I was a teen in the '60's. Great pie - good food - fun place.

6. Okay there is a 6th. Cinderella Bakery & Restaurant 436 Balboa in S.F. A true jewell in the city. Out in the Richmond (I think, that is the area) you'll find more patrons who don't speak english than don't speak Russian. They close early (7) but a wonderful place for lunch or an early dinner. TRULY one of the ciity's ethnic gems.

Charles a food and wine addict - "Just as magic can be black or white, so can addictions be good, bad or neither. As long as a habit enslaves it makes the grade, it need not be sinful as well." - Victor Mollo

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sumac

sumac

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Why is there no mention of Campton Place? A year or so ago they were red hot. Did they lose their chef or what? We are going to be in SF this January, as we are every year. We eat at the top restaurants and have our favs, but I was just looking for some updates. Quince is new for us and we'll definitely try it. We love Fifth Floor and Elizabeth Daniel (sorry to see it close, any word on his new spot?). Any advice, west coasties??? We also love the Asian restaurants.

sumac from minnesota

Here is our list of favorites, not in any order:

French Laundry

Bistro Don Giovanni's

La Toque

Taylor's Refresher

Bistro Jeanty

Mustards (lunch)

Fifth Floor

Elizabeth Daniel (gone, sad)

Slanted Door

Aqua

Gary Danko

Jeanty at Jack's

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Squeat Mungry

Squeat Mungry

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Posted (edited)
Why is there no mention of Campton Place?  A year or so ago they were red hot.  Did they lose their chef or what?  We are going to be in SF this January, as we are every year.  We eat at the top restaurants and have our favs, but I was just looking for some updates.  Quince is new for us and we'll definitely try it.  We love Fifth Floor and Elizabeth Daniel (sorry to see it close, any word on his new spot?).  Any advice, west coasties???  We also love the Asian restaurants.

  sumac from minnesota

Laurent Manrique left Campton Place early in 2003 to take over the helm at Aqua, which had been without an exec chef since Michael Mina left. I haven't been to CP since Daniel Humm replaced Manrique, but have heard conflicting reports. I think part of the reason there is less buzz about CP these days is that Humm arrived here fresh from Europe, and therefore without a local reputation.

I miss Elisabeth Daniel, too. There is a review and a thread on Daniel Patterson's new Frisson here. The old Elisabeth Daniel space has been smartly remodeled and now houses Tartare, headed up by chef/owner George Morrone, formerly of Aqua and Fifth Floor. I haven't been yet, but have heard good things and hope to go soon. Esquire magazine just named it the top new restaurant in San Francisco for 2004.

Oh, and definitely don't miss Quince when you're out here!

Cheers,

Squeat

Edt: speling

Edited by Squeat Mungry (log)
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bong

bong

Posted
Posted

More than five, and in no particular order :

* Antica Trattoria, San Francisco

* Shalimar, San Francisco

* Bistro Jeanty, Yountville

* Pizzetta 211, San Francisco (for pizzas only)

* Turmerik, Sunnyvale

* Vivande Porta Via, San Francisco, for pastas

* Quince, San Francisco

* Dasaprakash, Santa Clara

* Zarzuela, San Francisco

* Dish Dash, Sunnyvale

* Manresa, Los Gatos

* La Folie, San Francisco

* Hong Kong Flower Lounge, Millbrae

* Shahnawaz, Milpitas

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LeslieH

LeslieH

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1. Manresa - Los Gatos

2. Gary Danko - SF

3. Bistro Jeanty - Yountville

4. Rosamunde Sausage Grill - lwr Haight, SF

5. Yum Yum House Chinese - valencia St., SF (I kid you not). $5 lunches, fresh and very good!!

The first 3 are the 3 'best' California meals I've had in the last year, the other 2 I chose because they are food I love and eat on a day to day basis. One of the things that I think is great about the NorCal food scene, especially in comparison to London, where I spend time too, is how great the cheap food is, so I thought my list should reflect that.

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LeslieH

LeslieH

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Posted
1. Manresa - Los Gatos

2. Gary Danko - SF

3. Bistro Jeanty - Yountville

4. Rosamunde Sausage Grill - lwr Haight, SF

5. Yum Yum House Chinese - valencia St., SF (I kid you not). $5 lunches, fresh and very good!!

The first 3 are the 3 'best' California meals I've had in the last year, the other 2 I chose because they are food I love and eat on a day to day basis. One of the things that I think is great about the NorCal food scene, especially in comparison to London, where I spend time too, is how great the cheap food is, so I thought my list should reflect that.

I was wondering if you could give me a list of your favorite London restaurants since your NorCal list was so helpful.

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milla

milla

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Favorite restaurant experiences this year. Not just for food alone but good times, good friends and good spirit...

1. Urasawa

2. French Laundry

3. Whole Hog Dinner-Oliveto

4. Elisabeth Daniel, closing week with retrospective menu (technically 03 but close :smile: )

5. Ino sushi (always)

and, of course all the time, Oswald and Soif in Santa Cruz and Duarte's Tavern in Pescadero on a rainy afternoon...

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chaud-froid

chaud-froid

Posted
Posted
Favorite restaurant experiences this year.  Not just for food alone but good times, good friends and good spirit...

1.  Urasawa

2.  French Laundry

3.  Whole Hog Dinner-Oliveto

4.  Elisabeth Daniel, closing week with retrospective menu (technically 03 but close :smile: )

5.  Ino sushi (always)

and, of course all the time, Oswald and Soif in Santa Cruz and Duarte's Tavern in Pescadero on a rainy afternoon...

There's an Unasawa in the SF Bay Area?

http://www.sweetandsourspectator.org
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