Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Travel Advisory Bites 911: Where Should Mr. Pink Eat in San Francisco?
Posted by Jim Ridley on Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 7:00 AM
Help, Bites Brigade, help! To celebrate the 77th birthday of Big Daddy Pink, I am taking my father to San Francisco for five days. That means five days of fresh air, sightseeing, ocean views--wait, what am I saying? What I meant to say was, that means five days of cioppino, Mission burritos, sourdough bread, gourmet ice cream and shopping for fresh produce outside the Ferry Building.
But folks, I'm at a loss. The city offers such a cornucopia of comestibles that I'm experiencing a kind of food paralysis--and I haven't even touched down. All you seasoned travelers, please share your San Francisco dining tips, and I'll post the fruits of my travels when I return. I'll think of you as I'm chomping a panini at Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store or stocking the jukebox at Cafe Vesuvio.
Comments (49)
Showing 1-49 of 49
I had a great Basque-ian (?) meal at Piperade on Battery. The orangle blossom beignets for dessert were awesome. Also, not sure if it is still open in some variant but Limon on Valencia had great Peruvian food.
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Saha - best meal I've ever had in my life, and I don't say that lightly.
http://www.sahasf.com/
We had a fantastic meal at the Empress of China in Chinatown - it was not directly on the street but on the 3rd or 4th floor - lovely meal, great service. Worth looking for . . . .
If you happen to be hungry in the depths of Chinatown after midnight, you can't beat Sam Wo's for dependable Chinese food and surly service. As long as you don't mind walking in through the kitchen and what might be a single digit health rating.
We never minded when I was in college.
With a name like Sam Wo's, how could it be anything other than great?
Whiskey and sushi? I think you can get that in a highball glass at Patterson House.
Chinese: Yuet Lee on Broadway and Vallejo, where Chinatown and North Beach meet/collide. Get the salt and pepper squid. Just a couple blocks from the Zoetrope building (and therefore also very close to City Lights bookstore), it is/was a hangout for the Zoetrope gang.
Burritos: I've always liked La Cumbre on Valencia but it's hard to go wrong.
Vietnamese: Slanted Door on Valenica.
Tapas: Timo's on Valencia.
Salvadoran: El Zocalo on Mission (and 27th?), cheap. Papusas are terrific.
Reliable Mexican: La Rondalla on Valencia and 20th. Just for the decor and the nachos.
Barbecue: lots of debate here but go to Oakland for Flint's.
And while over there, why not a truly great meal at Chez Pannise in Berkeley? The upstairs cafe does not require a reservation.
Also: Hungry Joe's at the end of Church Street for that weekend brunch. Unpretentious neighborhood place with great food.
If you're in the East Bay in the morning, there's Lois the Pie Queen in north Oakland, and in Berkeley the wonderful Homemade Cafe on Sacramento Street.
If you want to show your dad the Castro Theatre, a great place to go afterward is La Mediterranee for very tasty, reasonable Mediterranean dishes on Noe Street.
Yank Sing (stellar dim sum)
Greens (famed chef Annie Somerville)
Osteria del Forno (Italian - amazing milk braised pork roast and foccacia)
Swan Oyster Depot (oyster bar w/ great clam chowder)
Mama's of San Francisco (hearty breakfast in North Beach)
Saturday morning farmer's market at the Ferry Building Marketplace (and the best sourdough in the city from Acme Bread, spun-off by ex-baker at Chez Panisse)
Above all, go see Beach Blanket Babylon
http://www.beachblanketbabylon.com/
Don't miss Yank Sing for dim sum. It's an incredible experience and the food is amazing. Deem Sum literally translated means "to touch the heart."
http://yanksing.com/our-cuisine/index.html
I second Slanted Door - amazing food and excellent service at the bar. Their sister restaurant - Heaven's Dog - has great drinks.
Millenium - it will change the way you think about food.
Got a suggestion for you Pink. Only thing is it's in Oakland, right by the Bay bridge. Worth the trip though. Best quasi-German food ever. They've also got snow-white, super-dooper-heat horse radish for your taste buds. Never have had better. (You'll have to grab an extra cup to take with you though, cause they won't sell you any or tell you where you can get more of it.)
Address etc.follows:
Oliver's Hof Brau & Cocktails
Neighborhood: West Oakland
360 Adeline St
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 834-5526
If it were me:
Sushi: Sushi Ran - Sausalito
Burrito: El Farolito - 24th and Alabama
quasi-asian lunch: Eliza's on Potrero Hill (Mango Chicken or Asparagus Salmon)
Burger: Zuni Cafe on Market Street, or Balboa Cafe on Fillmore (at Greenwich).
there's also a good philly cheesesteak on Divisadero...best I've had outside of South Philly...but you know, only if you're jonesing.
so many options and I'm sure any of the comments above are "can't miss".
take papa pink to sausalito....on the ferry, then come back over the bridge by cab.
kiss the ground for me.
I'm with Tommy Noodles-A16 or its companion
SPQR
I always go to Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store Café on Columbus for a grilled foccacia sandwich, (roasted eggplant, but any filling will do, the bread is flecked with lots of green onion)with a drink, or a cup of Graffeo (roasted down the street) coffee.
And,pay homage to the food goddess at Chez Panisse...
Does Empress of China serve dim sum? I'm trying to remember the place we went 10 years ago, which was marvelous: a huge, airy, elegant room with really high ceilings.
Saha sounds great. Steve Haruch insists the best falafel sandwich in the world is at Ali Bhaba's.
Pancho—Taking the ferry to the Muir Woods, so Sausalito is covered. Will kiss both the ground and sky.
BendOverTonto—Swan Oyster Depot is already on my radar. Papa Pink loves him some chowder.
Chelle—Looks like I'll be making a trek to Yank Sing.
Jed Leland—Awesome suggestions all. I always thought it was dumb of Charles Foster Kane to fire you.
Second the Pizzeria Delfina nod. Best pizza I've had anywhere. If they have the Calabrian sausage "in padella", get it as your app. You will then crave it fortnightly, forever.
Saturday farmer's market at the Ferry Building is a 4 hour meal. Pace yourself.
For great North Beach Italian, try Trattoria Contadina:
http://www.trattoriacontadina.com/
1800 Mason Street
Telephone: (415)982-5728
Authentic food, ambiance and a great wine list.
Since Slanted Door moved over to the Ferry Bldg, they have some crazy complicated system for trying to get in if you don't have a reservation that involves lining up here until this time, then moving over to this line for a minute and then okay, here you go. We ended up skipping all that and going to the bar, but people have that figured out too and there's a rush for it when they open the doors and we never did get three barstools in a row. Good food, though.
Sam Wo's is fun, especially when they open the dumbwaiter and yell DIET COKE at the top of their lungs and then it comes up the dumbwaiter all by itself, sad and lonely. Too bad Edsel Ford Fong, their famous rude waiter, died back in the 80s.
I second whoever said Greens; I prefer it to the upstairs cafe at Chez Panisse.
Edsel Ford Fong sounds like someone in a Thomas Pynchon novel. Also, it sounds like the Ferry Building is going to be a major destination. Any tips on what I should seek out at the farmers market?
When you visit the farmer's market, and I suggest going on Saturday, make a bee-line for June Taylor Jams/The Still Room.
www.junetaylorjams.com
Here is a link to the farmer's market vendor listing:
http://www.cuesa.org/markets/days/saturday.php
I went to the House of Nanking for a culinary pilgrimage and it WAS THE BEST CHINESE FOOD I HAVE EVER PLACED IN MY MOUTH!!!!! Consider youself LUCKY if you get to go!!! All the other places I went were lack luster because I was with non-foodies. But this place is AMAZING!!!! I never steer people wrong. Just tell them you want an assortment of things. I had a buttery ginger beef dish that was divine!!! Seriously give it a go! I dream of their food!!!
A couple of hours ago I spent 15 minutes typing out detailed suggestions, hit post, and then it all disappeared. Don't have time to do that again, so I'm going to be short and sweet:
Aziza (Moroccan) for dinner. One of my best meals EVER.
The House (Asian) Flat iron steak w/ wasabi noodles, and sea bass with ginger soy sauce are faves.
Bi Rite Creamery for Salted Caramel ice cream
At Ferry Building Farmers' Market- get breakfast from Rose Pistola stand (Soft scrambled eggs with chanterelles and crispy pancetta- yum) and then grab a Blue Bottle coffee.
Don't miss June Taylor, Cowgirl Creamery or Boulette's Larder (in the building).
Ferry Building:
Blue Bottle Coffee Co. for individual filter coffee.
San Francisco Fish Co. has $1 oysters at the stand the set up in front of their store on Saturdays.
If on a Saturday, out back in the area of Market tents near the water, you have to find Primavera.
http://www.primaveratamales.com/html/farmersmarkets.php
I'm fourthing or fifthing the Yank Sing recommendation.
And Ali Bhaba's on Lower Haight for an awesome falafel sandwich.
Mama's for breakfast...you seriously can't beat it and it's worth any wait. It's over in North Beach next to the park.
Consider taking the Wok Wiz Chinatown tour
http://www.wokwiz.com/index.html
Grab a slice of St. Honore or Princess Cake at the Victoria Pastry Company in North Beach
http://www.victoriapastry.com
If you are in the Mission, stop by Tartine Bakery - it puts Provence to shame
Oh yeah, Mama's for breakfast is one that I left off. Ditto the stand in line for as long as necessary.
I wish I had more time, but TRUST ME on these, I spend most of my time in this city eating:
-Beretta for the finest cocktails you've ever had. Please finish with the olive oil and sea salt gelato.
-El Farolito at 24th and Mission for the chile relleno super burrito. Cheeeeeeeeeeeese. And dirty tables. Don't mind the dirt.
-House of Prime Rib. They only have prime rib. They have giant metal zeppelins of meat.
-Delfina for pizza.
-El Zocalo (yes!) is at 20th and Mission, and the pupusas will rock your face. And just two bucks each.
-If you are going super fancy one night try BIX. Get the steak tartare.
-Morning bun at Tartine. Fuck it, everything at Tartine.
-Find a food cart and you win this game. Magic Curry Cart is a favorite.
"Steve Haruch insists the best falafel sandwich in the world is at Ali Bhaba's."
Seconded. There is one in the Mission, too.
I would totally be all over House of Nanking. It's awesome! Tell them things you don't like and then let them bring you goodies - an assortment if you will. You will be blessed by the Chinese food gods. It's a treat considering we live in the 7th circle of Hell when it comes to Chinese food.
Trying this one more time since my posts yesterday never showed up! The only thing I have to add is a plug for two friends of mine who are alumni of Blue Bottlee Coffee and opened their own cafe earlier this year, Farm:Table.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/farm-table-san-francisco
They are getting great reviews for their excellent coffee and fresh, housemade goodies.
Man, Brittney, these are amazing suggestions. I am so psyched. Tartine Bakery was on my list, but I'm not sure I can make my father stand in line. Maybe he can grab a seat or something and let me do the heavy lifting. Is the wait really as long as I hear?
Also, if I wanted the kind of seafood I would miss for the rest of my life, where would you suggest?
hands down, go to the Cliffhouse and have their cioppino - either the fancy side or the more casual side. Simply perfect, and always the view you expected.
Sam Wo's best days are long gone - the surliness is more legend than fact now, and the food is serviceable (and CHEAP) but not spectacular. Still, you have to go once just for the setting - the stairs, the walk through the kitchen, the dumb waiter, the total lack of communication with the live waiter. If you're not already in Chinatown jus hop off the cable car at the C-town stop and start walking down to Grant - it's the little side door just before the main drag.
Speaking of the Powell Street Cable Car, ride it on down to the turntable and head across the street to have your first original Irish coffee at the Buena Vista. Just watching them make 10 at a time is worth it.
Mr. Pink, Tartine's line is always out the door, but moves swiftly. Your dad should be able to cop a squat on a bench outside or in the cafe itself without too much trouble.
Sadly, that's one drawback to all the amazing food in SF. Much of it you have to wait for.
I almost forgot about June Taylor's provisions - Spoke to her yesterday pm and should be bringing some of her jams, conserves and marmalades to Nashville in a couple weeks. lazzaroli pasta. thx.
Cool news, Tommy Noodles. That'll spare me trying to sneak a suitcase full of marmalade through security.
2nd or 3rd or whatever on Sushi Ran in Sausalito. That's a fun ferry trip too & Sausalito is worth hitting.
It's been forever, but I'd love to hit Chez Panisse again (Berkeley or CP Cafe) as well as Slanted Door (have not been to the "new" location though).
Someone in an earlier comment mentioned The Millennium and I second that! Both omnivores and vegetarians LOVE this place and it was the best meal I ever had - classy and absolutely delicious. Veg food is SO much more than salad. http://www.millenniumrestaurant.com/
One final thought. Haven't been to Bombay Ice Cream in the, but there are numerous references to the place (Food Network, Travel Channel, etc). Flavors include saffron, rose, cardamom, chai, coconut and lychee. Sounds like it would be worth a visit if you're in the area. Closest BART station is 16th/Mission.
http://www.bombayicecream.com/menu.htm
