a dozen restaurant recommendations

Valentine's? A cozy family dinner? F, our resident foodie and fashionista, to the rescue! She's done the research, and all you need to do is book that table.  Happy weekend! ---Lease

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Once in a while, it is nice to get dolled up for a grown-up night on the town.  We are very lucky to live in the Bay Area where locally sourced fresh ingredients are just as important as the restaurant’s location.  It was tough to condense the list (hence, the special mentions), but here are our picks for memorable restaurants. (in random order)

1. Charanga, Mission District – Cuban/Pan Latin.  A small but lively space.  The Roast Pork and Picadillo are our favorites.    

2. Chez Papa, Potrero Hill – French bistro.  Classics done well.  Don’t forget the frites!  Wine list is short and easy. 

3. Foreign Cinema, Mission District – California cuisine.  Delicious and beautifully presented food.  There’s an outdoor courtyard that projects films on a huge wall.  I particularly like the quiet table inside near the fireplace. 

4.  Tsunami, Panhandle – Sushi.  Absolutely fresh fish.  We had trout sashimi for the first time here and it was amazing.  Inventive maki menu.  Large sake menu and they offer sake tasting.  Knowledgeable wait staff.

5. Incanto, Noe Valley – Italian.  Hearty and well-prepared dishes.  I had an unforgettable bowl of pasta with pork ragu and D had squab.  And for dessert… something with chocolate and candied bacon.  Ask to sit in the back room with the wall of wine bottles.

6. Chaya, Embarcadero – French-Japanese.  We love their happy hour.  Drinks for $5.50, sushi and appetizers for less than $10, and a fantastic view of the bay. 

7. Pane E Vino, Marina District – Italian. Antipasto so good that we were willing to just eat that for dinner… but the pastas were amazing so we basically stuffed ourselves silly.

8. Bouchon, Yountville – French bistro. Classy but not pretentious. It’s a Thomas Keller eatery so I need not say more… except save room for dessert.

9. A16, Marina District – Italian. One of the best pizzas ever. Prepare to cozy up to your neighboring table, though.

10. Zuni, Civic Center/Hayes Valley – French and Italian. Get the roast chicken for two. OMG. And ask to sit upstairs in the alcove-y area… it feels private and personal.

11. Le Petit Laurent, Glen Park – French bistro. A neighborhood gem. Casual and affordable, excellent service, lip-smacking desserts.

12. Cyrus, Healdsburg – California. The hoitiest of the toity that we’ve tried, so far. Think amuse bouche, mid-meal palate cleanser, and a champagne and caviar cart. Creative and trendy dishes with carefully paired wines. In addition to dessert, they send you off with a little take-out box filled with cookies and candies. It was a grand experience with a bill to match.

Special mentions: Oliveto in Rockridge (Italian); Slanted Door in the Embarcadero (Vietnamese); Chenery Park in Glen Park (California comfort food).


Ciao,
F