A visit to S.F. with my hubby

Good morning all, I had been on vacation for 2.5 weeks and it is taking much time catching up on all the new posts. I cover a different topic every day otherwise hours will go by and no work has been done.
I would like some feed back, I am taking my husband to San Fran. around Xmas time (anniversary suprise) and would like to know where all the locals go for good eats. I love dim sum, nice lunch places and breakfast places. I think we will go to Napa Valley for a few days as well. As always I am on a budget. I think one good dinner out and the rest cheap and cheerful. Thanks in advance.

[mudbug]

If you're on a budget looking for great food, here are two sources that review restaurants and have then sorted by budget.

1. Zagat (The premier resource for restaraunt dining)
I use this as a resource every time I travel. Go to www.zagat.com, Search San Francisco, you can do a "detailed search" put in your cost per meal, kind of food you are looking for, etc, and you will get reviews for those that fit the profile you are looking for. Only the best are accepted into the Zagat. You can define by food, decor, service, cost, neighborhood, cuisine.

2. http://www.sanfrancisco.com/dining/index.html
San Francisco has their own restaurant resource, also broken down by budget. $

I highly recommend Ebisu for Japanese food (LOVE IT).1283 9th Ave. in the Sunset district (415/566-1770). Also, there are many restaurants in Chinatown that are Excellent! and Cheap!

[cookM]

Yank Sing for dim sum. You said on the cheap, right? There's this sushi place on Church between 15th and 16th. Everyone calls it "No name sushi" because there's no sign out front. Be careful, there's another sushi place with a name across the street. In the evenings, No name usually has a line. ('Cept, I don't know about winter.) Lots of people like this place called Kate's Kitchen for breakfast. It's in the lower Haight at Fillmore, I think. There's a bunch of Mexican places in the Mission. El Toro at Valencia and 16th. Slanted Door, a Vietnamese place, is also on Valencia.
I'll keep researching and asking around to see what I can come up with.

[theloggg]

my recommendation for your one expensive night out is Boulevard. It's located on the Embarcadero and it's website is www.boulevardrestaurant.com , you can make reservations online (for many SF restaurants) before you come out at www.opentable.com.

[nutcakes]

Hi I live here and have eaten at many places so ask if you have any other specific questions. I have to mention that most places are pretty $$$ and crowded these days. Lots of folks with disposable incomes. Prices have gone up $2-$3 buck each apps and entrees year-on-year according to the SF Chronicle. What part of twon are you staying in?

Breakfast/Brunch- note that there is always a wait at a good quality place, especially if the prices are good too: I love Kate's Kitchen, homey checked tablecloths, good quality, you can mingle with the pierced set. Cornmeal-buttermilk pancakes, bacon-scallion biscuits, scrambles etc. Ella's on Masonic and Calif. St. is my boyfriends fav, though I have only been once, the french toast and pancakes are famous--this gets very busy. Off Union Square practically in the tenderloin is my fav, Dotties True Blue Cafe, ten tables 5 stools and the tourists have found it and line up outside so go early or go on a weekday...all the plates are large and very well prepared. Creative scrambles, perfect bacon. I also like Town's End, where Townsend St. meets the Embarcadero. A little more expensive but they bring a big basket of mini muffins and scones with a fruit basket. Ti Couz, on 16th Street and Valencia serves Breton-style buckwheat crepes--this is a fantastic place, very french it opens arond 10. It's good for lunch and dinner too. You order one crepe at a time sharing between the two of you. Last time I went we shared the excellent seafood salad and a buckwheat crepe with smoked trout, almonds and lemon butter. Then we had a dessert crepe (not buckwheat)- I like the apple/caramel/vanilla ice cream and the bananna/nutella/ice cream ones best. They have a nice selection of inexpensive wines and hard ciders on tap. Very reasonable and quite a happening scene, mostly seating at long comfortable bars and some tables, sign in with the host and prepare to wait a bit--they move it along, though. They recently opened a seafood bar in the space next door. This place is of interest because the owner, Sylvie La Mer, runs the place on some enlightened principles in an interesting way...most employees rotate through the restaurant, front of house and kitchen.

Deep breath--I will move on to Dim Sum next post.

[shroomgirl]

Think it may be time to play in SF...what wonderful descriptions

[Cremaster]

Just returned from a two week biz trip to my hometown of SF. Yes, Ella's is wonderful. The pancakes are better than the French Toast IMHO. Dottie's True Blue is AWESOME! And agreed: arrive early before the tourist's set in. Highly recommended. Ti Couz? Well, I've eaten here several times but don't really agree that it's "very French". Ummm, maybe the SF version of French....whatever that means. The food is good though. And I do like the way that Sylvie almost forces everyone to work both front and back of house......a nice change. All that said, I'm not really a brunch person. Brunch is usually defined as "leftovers" in my book (ok, no hate mail please)....Plus, I'm not too interested in waiting on line to eat. When I'm hungry on a Sunday morning I want to eat and eat now! I'm not a brunch person. But these places are wonderful for those seeking a nice, local and fresh version of the typical brunch meal. Yikes. Even the word brunch makes me cringe! Check 'em out though. Definitley worth it. You also might want to check out some really greasy spoons. Like "It's Tops" on the corner of Market and Valencia. Increbibly small....6 booths and 9 counter seats. The food is good and comforting, the service is fine, the setting is original. Not the best place you're likely to eat in....yet, add it all up and it equals "the dining experience" as anthony bourdain would say.......let us know how you make out. Enjoy!

[shroomgirl]

IMHO? OK Brunch desenter....check out the brunch thread and see if possibly you'd reconsider, if it weren't buffet or left overs gross

[nutcakes]

Cremaster, your hometown, huh? Well I am with you on the disposableness of breakfast, at least dollar for dollar you are going to get better, more interesting food for dinner. I used to love going to It's Tops around 2am, after clubbing, and get a big plate of blueberry pancakes to soak up the booze. Coffee sucks, though, IIRC. And I guess I must be wrong in assuming that Ti Couz is very French. I just figured since it is not very American, it must be French. I guess it is just unique.

Now Dim Sum: I agree on Yank Sing--it is an institution--THE place, they even bring around peking duck and softshell crabs. They have been there for 20 some years (not the current downtown location, though).The hot place to go nowadays is Ton Kiang, but it is out in the Richmond district. It is excellent, excellent they even have a small menu of dim sum available before dinner, which most places do not. Both these are white tablecloth places and the prices can add up if you are not paying attention. For cheaper, I like City View downtown on Commerical street (parallel with Clay street, near Kearney). Across the street is the super cheap and excellent Hong Kong Menu, but you will have to sit with strangers, some of whom may be very ugly. Around the corner on Kearney is one of my fav's Hon's Wun Ton House. I like the #8 shrimp and mushroom dumplings in soup and I think there is some pork in there, cheap cheap cheap. You can also get a plate of chinese broccoli with oyster sauce on the side because they do not put any veggies in the soups. Gold Mountain on Broadway is very good and huge, but I have only been for dim sum once (boyfriend insists on Yang Sing because he knows the owners). I went another time for early dinner and they were rude, the food pretty good to middling. I live near Chinatown, but have a hard time finding good places. I like my own cooking better.

[cookM]

Yeah, nutcakes has it going on! I agree with her about Ton Kiang. Go there!

Thanks to everyone for the posts. I have printed them up and had to find a good hiding spot,(the trip is a surprise). I am so excited to go to a place and be super confident that locals go there. I hate tourist traps. Now, how about the Napa Valley? I was there last year and loved the Clos Pegase Winery, it was just stunning. French Laundry-yes or no?

[nutcakes]

I don't get up to Napa too much, so am not an expert, but here are some places that I have been to in the last 2 years.

French Laundry - big bucks and worth it, this is a unique place with unique food. I can't remember if there is a menu, we had 8 or so small courses with lots of lux ingredients. Since it was summer we ate in the lovely garden at 5 or 5:30, over several hours--I never even saw the inside. They do have half bottles of wine. You must make reservations exactly 2 months in advance of the date you want. So if you want to go Dec 20, then call Oct 20 first thing in the morning (I think they start taking calls at 10:00), if you can't get through, then you have to call Oct 21 to reserve for Dec 21.

Tra Vigne - I have eaten here several times, and I do prefer the patio, but not in December. Always good, they get fantastic produce. I loved the rich polenta squares with a veal stock-balsalmic reduction. The recipe was published and I have made it so I don't order it anymore.

Bistro Jeanty - the longtime chef of Domaine Chandon opened his own country french place. This is very charming smaller place with reasonable prices, and has a nice garden too. We were able to be seated as walk-in's because they keep a communal table. We were at one end and the chef was sitting with someone at the other. He brought us a complimentary plate of his fois gras pate, so divine (order it if it's on the menu), and he was a sweetie pie.

[nutcakes]

Miss margie, the SF Chronicle just came out with it's annual cheap eats column. Some of these places are good at any price, and worth seeking out. A few are only for if you are in the nabe. Sorry I don't know how to make a link. You can also find this by going to sfgate.com and click on food in the left hand column. There is also some good local touring info under the travel section.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl....DTL&type=food

What's a trip to SF without a pilgrimage to Chez Panisse? Try Mustard's in NV for a great wine list.

Haven't been to San Fran in nearly two years but am planning a move to Napa immediately following graduation. My first stop will be Jardiniere. Nutcakes, have you had a chance to check it out yet? I've heard great things...would love to hear your review, if you don't mind.