Macworld SF, recommendations for downtown

[yeldarb]

I am in San Francisco for Macworld (first time here.)

Tonight I experienced "House of Nanking" on Kearny in Chinatown, food was good (the service a bit odd, although fun and ultimately valuable since they seem to prefer to serve you what they think you will like, versus ordering from the menu.)

What else should we experience in the downtown area over the next four days? From reading a bit of this forum, I think Yank Sing should be high on our list for dim sum (lunch preferable to dinner?)

Basically I'd liek recommendations for the downtown area, generally along Market Street, I think it's called SoMa, and around the Moscone Center, and Union Square area or Chinatown fine too.

My friend says he might want some abalone. I've never had it but I understand it's not in season so only a select few super-expensive restaurants may have it from their own tanks. Really dunno much about that tho.

Looking forward to suggestions. Thanks!

B

[subliminalkid]

Moscone Center is not my favorite area to find a meal...

I've eaten at Yank Sing somewhat regularly over the past 10 years. The quality of the food has gone down, and the prices have gone way up. I hardly go there anymore.

For the South of Market area, I suggest the SF Museum of Modern Art cafe. It's a bit expensive, but pretty good casual Californian food with fresh ingredients. Lunch only, I think.

Also close by is Mehfil, one of the better Indian restaurants in SF, at Folsom near 2nd.

My favorite Chinatown/Financial District lunch spot is the R & G Lounge at 631 Kearny. Good noodles and other basic Cantonese lunch fare, comparable to Hong Kong standards. There's also Great Eastern, 649 Jackson, an excellent Hong Kong-style seafood place that has a variety of fresh fish in tanks, shrimp, crab, and maybe even abalone.

Bill

[yeldarb]

How about Thai? Or a good place for crabcakes?

B

[Jason Perlow]

Actually, the fast food style Thai place across the street from Moscone West is actually pretty good if you need to go out for lunch during the show, but my geek friends swear by King of Thai.

For chinatown eats I would add my recs to R&G as well as Brandy Ho's.

For really interesting bar food/small plates and incredible cocktails check out Cortez in the Hotel Adagio.

If you dont mind taking a bit of a cab ride back and forth to your hotel in the evening, check out Incanto for amazing Italian.

[Pallee]

You might check out this:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...03/CMTOP100.DTL

It's the top 100 list for the bay area, complete with maps and good descriptions.

You are within walking distance to Farallon, which is worth checking out. I've had some nice lunches at Lulu, which is also close. Hawthorne Lane is another close by place. You should take the walk down to the end of Market Street to the Ferry Building and check out the food scene there.

Enjoy!

[goldie]

We were in SF in December and my husband is at MacWorld right now. When we were there we ate at Farallon (really good seafood, easy walk). Coming from Boston we are very choosy about freshness and our whole meal was great. Get the raw plate appetizer- beautiful and delicious. They also have a nice wine list. With a good bottle of wine, app, meal, and dessert expect to pay $100/ person.

A fun place to go is VinoVenue (686 Mission). It is around the corner from the modern art museum. I think it is a terrific concept- a self serve wine bar. There are over a hundred bottles of wine hooked up to cruvinets. You get a smart card which you prepay for a certain amount and then you can try a one ounce (I think- could be two though) sample. They also have many different bottles for sale if you fall in love with one kind (or several ). They also serve a few light appetizers. Really cool, nice vibe. (vinovenue.net)

Since this is your first visit to San Francisco, do try a few of the touristy things. The cable cars take you from Union Square (near where you are) to Fisherman's Wharf. Stop into the birthplace of the Irish Coffee which is across from where they let you off the cars. We had a nice crab cocktail there, too. There is so much to see and do in the different neighborhoods. I wish I took notes, but basically we go into anyplace that looks like it might be good and have lucked out almost every time.

I hope you have a good time at MacWorld and a nice visit.

[yeldarb]

... my geek friends swear by King of Thai.

Do you have an address or URL? I google "King of Thai" "San Francisco" but there are several seemingly different places.

B

[yeldarb]

A fun place to go is VinoVenue (686 Mission).  It is around the corner from the modern art museum.  I think it is a terrific concept- a self serve wine bar.  There are over a hundred bottles of wine hooked up to cruvinets.  You get a smart card which you prepay for a certain amount and then you can try a one ounce (I think- could be two though) sample.  They also have many different bottles for sale if you fall in love with one kind (or several ).  They also serve a few light appetizers.  Really cool, nice vibe. (vinovenue.net)

This sounds way cool (especially as I am a hopeless enophile!) Thanks much!

B

[Jason Perlow]

... my geek friends swear by King of Thai.

Do you have an address or URL? I google "King of Thai" "San Francisco" but there are several seemingly different places.

B

←

They have multiple locations.

[Jason Perlow]

birthplace of the Irish Coffee which is across from where they let you off the cars.

And just up the block from that place is Gary Danko, one of the better fine dining establishments in the city.

[Stu-i-moto]

There's a new restaurant in the St Regis hotel (which is also new) called Ame. It is owned by the same people that own Terra in Napa - Hiro Sone and his wife, Lissa Doumani. When you read the menu, you might struggle a bit to understand what their concept is, but then you'll understand. The chef is Japanese and cooks a little Japanese (style) and mostly French (style). So it's "calmet" (cal-may = Califormia gourmet) with a Japanese flair.

I felt the dishes were very well executed and the flavors delicate. I was there about a month after they opened and the service was surprisingly smooth (for a place in the ramp-up phase of launch). I would recommend it without hesitation. You would pay a lot more for the same quality food at other places. And there are lots of beautiful people to look at - especially if you go to the hotel bar on the other side of the floor for an after dinner drink.

Here's their site: http://www.amerestaurant.com/home.html

Have fun!

Stu

[annachan]

I haven't been there for a while, but I really enjoye the meals I had at Azie, sister restaurant of Lulu next door.

AsiaSF not too far away would be a fun night out with good food, nice cocktails and great live entertainment.

I've also have several really wonderful meals at Postrio.

[ghost]

I'm at MacWorld as well!!! This month is Dining Around Town in SF. 31.95 for a 3 course

prix fixe menu at a ton of restaurants around town. I just had dinner at the Oak Room at

the Westin right in Union Square. Absolutely delicious, and ala carte I would have spent over

60 on the food I had.

http://www.sfdineabouttown.com/

Hrmm, here is a picture of the entre I had tonight. Broiled ribeye with carmelized onions and bleu cheese and shoestring fries. I also had a mixed green salad with a yummy dressing, and dessert

was a delicious creme brule. All for about 40 bucks including tip!

If anyone wants to try and meet up tomorrow for dinner, drop me a line! I'll check this

thread tomorrow before lunch time!

mike

[subliminalkid]

How about Thai?  Or a good place for crabcakes?

B

←

Cortez (recommended elsewhere in this thread) at 550 Geary has excellent crab cakes.

Very fluffy and flavorful. Just off Union Square, a longish but doable walk from Moscone.

There's actually a Thai place on Folsom near 3rd that I've heard nice things about,

but haven't been to in years. One of my favorite Thai places is the Thai House

Express at 901 Larkin (at Geary), a bit further from where you are. It's the closest

in SF to the rustic Thai food I had in Bangkok at neighborhood joints, a bit different

from the typical Thai restaurant fare in the US.

Bill

[johnder]

I second LuLu and Azie. Lulu is great if you are going with a few people as all their food is served family style. There is also a brewpub close by, Thirsty Bear Brewery -- 661 Howard Street.

Decent beer and pub-like food.

john

[psage]

Good pizza is available at Pazzia, on 3rd street between Folsom and Harrision.

I also love their porcini mushroom pasta with cream sauce. So yummy.

[cstuart]

... also a brewpub close by, Thirsty Bear Brewery -- 661 Howard Street.

Decent beer and pub-like food.

john

←

I'm sure you're talking about the same Thirsty Bear, but it's a spanish/tapas restaurant and brewery. Or maybe I'm not getting what you mean by pub-like food. Either way it's a decent place to go get a quick beer and some tapas for lunch if you're in the area.