SF: If you had to choose one...

[Stu-i-moto]

Plus, at Ame, if you're eating alone, you could also sit at the sushi bar.

  Really?  Do they serve sushi?  Will they serve me food from the dining room at the bar?

They have a "raw" portion of the menu - mainly sahimi style items. I've never sat there, but I believe they will serve you food from the main menu as well. Just ask.

To be sure, I'll be reporting back.  Can anyone tell me which, if either is more conducive to public transport?  Does the BART run down to Palo Alto yet?  I'll probably be in the city that day without a car and really don't want to have to catch a cab back to P.A....

u.e.

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BART does not go to P.A. - but you can take Caltrain to King Street and then take a taxi from there - it's a very short ride (maybe 6-8 blocks or about 3/4 mile). You could even walk if it's a nice day. Ame is on 3rd and Mission.

[saulbass]

Slanted Door for Lunch

Gary Danko for Dinner

[Parmhero]

I'll be in San Francisco on business for six days in May, which means an opportunity for six dinners.

I've noticed that a number of people were interested in less expensive restaurants than the Ames and French Laundry's of the world. As an excercise I'd like to see how well I can do within my company limit.

So here's the proposition: 6 best dinners in SF for around $50. Open to all cuisines.

What would be your six choices if you had to stick to a limit of $50 per meal--just food and tax. It can be less, or could be a bit more--$55 or $60.

(I feel like I've dined vicariously at French Laundry, Ame, Manresa, through the tours of doc, Ling, et al. anyway)

Chez Panisse is one I'm aiming for--probably the cafe.

[JAZ]

So here's the proposition: 6 best dinners in SF for around $50. Open to all cuisines.

What would be your six choices if you had to stick to a limit of $50 per meal--just food and tax. It can be less, or could be a bit more--$55 or $60.

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Incanto

Cortez

[ludja]

Has anyone been to Pesce lately and have comments?

I had some very nice meals there but it has been a while. (The restaurant theme is Venetian cicchetti or "small plates" and there is a heavy emphasis on seafood.)

[docsconz]

I'll be in San Francisco on business for six days in May, which means an opportunity for six dinners.

I've noticed that a number of people were interested in less expensive restaurants than the Ames and French Laundry's of the world. As an excercise I'd like to see how well I can do within my company limit.

So here's the proposition: 6 best dinners in SF for around $50. Open to all cuisines.

What would be your six choices if you had to stick to a limit of $50 per meal--just food and tax. It can be less, or could be a bit more--$55 or $60.

(I feel like I've dined vicariously at French Laundry, Ame, Manresa, through the tours of doc, Ling, et al. anyway)

Chez Panisse is one I'm aiming for--probably the cafe.

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You can easily do the Cafe for that, especially if you limit wine, although that isn't absolutely necessary. I heartily recommend this option.

[dvs]

Has anyone been to Pesce lately and have comments? 

I had some very nice meals there but it has been a while.  (The restaurant theme is Venetian cicchetti  or "small plates" and there is a heavy emphasis on seafood.)

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i was in there just for drinks on friday night and the bathroom was totally littered with trash. very unappealing.

[ludja]

Has anyone been to Pesce lately and have comments? 

I had some very nice meals there but it has been a while.  (The restaurant theme is Venetian cicchetti  or "small plates" and there is a heavy emphasis on seafood.)

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i was in there just for drinks on friday night and the bathroom was totally littered with trash. very unappealing.

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Yuk....

Maybe this is silly to ask still--but was the food and drink good? I remember great selections of wine.

[slo_ted]

I hope the Millenium restaurant is still going strong. It's near Union Square, as I recall. This place is vegan but served arguably the best food I've ever eaten.

[Parmhero]

I hope the Millenium restaurant is still going strong.  It's near Union Square, as I recall.  This place is vegan but served arguably the best food I've ever eaten.

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"Best food ever eaten" sounds good. I'll look for Millenium.

[ludja]

I hope the Millenium restaurant is still going strong.  It's near Union Square, as I recall.  This place is vegan but served arguably the best food I've ever eaten.

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"Best food ever eaten" sounds good. I'll look for Millenium.

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Just curious, slo_ted, because my experience there was a little different. Was it the best food ever eaten or the best vegan food ever eaten? Also, how recently were you there?

We ate there quite a long time ago (7 or 8 years) and so I have no idea of the current chef and status, but while we thought the food was interesting it didn't quite hit the mark. None of us were vegans, but our group was definately open-minded and enjoyed vegetarian meals, etc. My recollection from that time is that some of the dishes, while certainly ambitious and creative, were overly fussy and tended to rely on some of the same ingredients and textures. Our consensus was that the food was interesting and pretty good, appeared to be prepared with care, but in the end it just didn't taste very delicious. I don't know if they have a menu online but it may be also worth checking that out. We ate there about a year or so after they opened so it may also be the case that their style has evolved and deepened.

edited to add: I found a link to their web page and they do have some sample menus on-line: click

(It's been a long time but the menu does look a bit different than I remembered...)

Edited May 8, 2006 by ludja (log)

[Schneier]

For fine dining, the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton trumps everything else in San Francisco. This is my latest post about it.

[kai-m]

Well, I wish we had gone there (if it is open on sundays).

We only had a sunday night to go. And since Quince and Danko (both open on Sundays!) were fully booked, we settled for Ame. Not "bad", but it didn't quite meet our great expectations...(see Ame-thread for details).

But thanks to all for the great input!

kai

[paigebrown]

I'll be in San Francisco on business for six days in May, which means an opportunity for six dinners.

I've noticed that a number of people were interested in less expensive restaurants than the Ames and French Laundry's of the world. As an excercise I'd like to see how well I can do within my company limit.

So here's the proposition: 6 best dinners in SF for around $50. Open to all cuisines.

I vote for Delfina. Its not that expensive, the food and scene are great.

[Carolyn Tillie]

So here's the proposition: 6 best dinners in SF for around $50. Open to all cuisines.

What would be your six choices if you had to stick to a limit of $50 per meal--just food and tax. It can be less, or could be a bit more--$55 or $60.

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Aziza's $39 five-course tasting menu can't be beat.

[dvs]

Has anyone been to Pesce lately and have comments? 

I had some very nice meals there but it has been a while.  (The restaurant theme is Venetian cicchetti  or "small plates" and there is a heavy emphasis on seafood.)

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i was in there just for drinks on friday night and the bathroom was totally littered with trash. very unappealing.

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Yuk....

Maybe this is silly to ask still--but was the food and drink good? I remember great selections of wine.

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i didn't have any food and my drinks were fine, but that could be because i knew the manager...

[Truffle Guy]

Have been in San Fran this week primarily to check out all the chocolatiers but have eaten at a few restaurants as well.

I think sometimes a restaurant suffers from expectations, like a movie that you think will be great and when it is only okay....it actually seems worse. I mention this because I ate at The Slanted Door and Ana Mangara and thought both were fine. Actually, The Slanted Door had the best service of any restaurant we visited this week and in some time...Bithia, our server, was outstanding. I was probably more disappointed in Ana Mangara as my expectations were higher but it was still a fine dinner. We also went to Sears and Morton's Steak House and again...both were fine. The best "find" and restaurant we will go back to is Betelnut on Union Street. It left me wanting to try other things on the menu as we saw them carried by.

The place we have gone the most? Coriander in the food court at Westfield Mall. The pumpkin curry was really good and kept us going back for more. If any of the above named restaurants were "unknowns" I think they would be given better ratings. Morton's is really the same way...so much is expected (and rightfully so at the prices) but it can never deliver. Anyway...I've enjoyed all the restaurants and would go back to any so if anyone is not sure...try them and make your own decisions....nobody's opinion is ever more than just that and sometimes the influences on opinion are more expectations than truly evaluating based on taste.

I found myself in the same boat when tasting chocolates from all the locals...my expectations were so high and they were not met.