San Francisco and what to do in it

To a quincie, who is obsessed with all things nuclear, site itself is U&K.

Also: where to play pinball?

My dad used to work in the Headlands (GGNRA) when I was a kid. I used to go to that place all the time but before it was restored.

*jealous*

yeah guys where's the pinball besides that place in Alameda--Lucky JuJu or whatever?

also recommended: go down to ocean beach and walk up to the cliff house at the end of the day (and get inside or leave at sundown before the bugs come out).

e-mail me at mwwhitesf at either ayhoo or mgail

quincie, there are loads of places to play pinball...

What SHOWS are going on?

El Guincho is that Friday or Saturday, I think.

How much coat am I gonna need--forcast is for high sixties, low fifties but the ferry factor gives me the phear.

forecast, even

El Guincho … + TUSSLE!

Bring layers - hat, scarf, maybe gloves and you'll be fine. It can vary a lot even over the course of a day. Check before you leave, too. It's moderately chilly today, for example, but it's supposed to be warm(ish) this weekend.

i did mostly alright in similar weather with thin sweater+blazer (had to turn up the color a bit) and light mock fleece+light windproof jacket with hood+ballcap

collar

Layers are def. the way to go. Weather is rather unpredictable.

yeah, thin sweater+blazer was also +collared shirt+t-shirt+maybe hands in pockets

(at night)

stop telling us to put our hands in our pockets jeez

I love SF sooooo much, can't wait to visit!

wtf husband he only told us about hands in pockets ONCE which is sound advice particularly for those of us (i.e., ME) who cannot find gloves.

i know about pockets

i appreciate the gabbinators help tho

Michael, did you recommend Uva to me btw?

"which is sound advice particularly for those of us (i.e., ME) who cannot find gloves"

Do you have enormous hands?

why yes actually!

I have made many notes re: places to eat from this and some other SF thread, but have not notated thusly any dim sum places. Suggestions?

Yank Sing or Ton Kiang are the places I go, but all the Chinese people I know claim that is dim sum for white people haha.

Yank Sing, Ton Kiang are the best places, quincie but more expensive.

I just went to Taiwan on Clement on Sunday for really excellent potstickers and Shanghai Dumpling King on Balboa has really good shanghai dumplings.

Alex, I probably did. Great wine list.

Yeah it's my new favorite dinner place. Great happy hour deals too.

more gabbneb eating notes:

i didn't eat any Italian food in North Beach, but I did a progressive brunch thing there where I had an agua fresca at the SFAI cafe (nice place, but view a little fog-muted the morning I was there and breakfast offerings limited), an espresso at Caffe Roma (very good coffee+outdoor cafe seating), and an omelet at Mama's (good, but not really worth the wait). I also had dinner at Coi, where you can order a la carte off the tasting menu (more interesting than the lounge food, but $$$$) if you sit in the fairly comfortable lounge. the service is slightly on the chilly side, but still good.

Panisse Cafe wasn't quite as good as I remembered, but it's still great to eat there, and the Berkeley campus was nice to walk around even at night, though I didn't get up to the stadium.

eating at the counter at SPQR before a Fillmore show was a lot of fun. the pasta was a little boring tho - might be better to focus on the smaller plates, which were great.

Canteen was maybe a step below other places I ate, but in price as well, and it's perfectly nice. The chefs were playing Earth on the iPod stereo.

Boulette's didn't quite meet expectations, but came pretty close, and it's a very nice place for a relaxing breakfast in the hallway

Admittedly not quite my style and I was almost too tired to eat at the time, but Slanted Door was a bad choice. The food was fine, but nothing special, and the service wasn't too helpful and not good-vibey. His cafe at the Academy of Science (which is worthwhile, but a ridiculous zoo on the weekend) sucked too.

I went to Corneta instead of La Taqueria, and it was good, but Balazo is still my favorite cheap mexican place.

Got a great cobbler from Greens to Go (I like the walk to Greens along Aquatic Park and Fort Mason from the cable car turnaround), and acme bread/cowgirl cheese/swanton jam (from the farmer's market) sustained me for nearly a week.

I kinda wanted to go to Aziza, and only realized at the last minute that I was out there on the night they;re closed.

I liked SPQR quite a bit, but Uva was more my speed.

I ate at Slanted Door a month or so and it was still very good. Could see how it could not be one's cup of tea, I guess.

I see Michael (on another thread) was non-plussed by Uva's pizzas but the ones we had were both excellent.

Aziza is great.

The fact that there is a San Francisco and what to do in it and a Things to do in San Francisco thread is kind of confusing, no?

btw, i thought the oysters, burger and espresso granita (and wine) at Zuni were very good, but the fish/veggies merely good; architecture, light, vibe, service made the experience

I almost always get their Chicken/Bread Salad thing when I go there.

I'm still getting wowed by 2 month old La Mar next to the Ferry Bldg, which is quite easily my favorite restaurant in SF of the last 2-3 years.

Is it murder getting a table?

Zuni: Caesar Salad, Bloody Mary, Roast Chicken (for 2), and deepest oyster bar in SF.

soooo excited for oysters! Are all of these places going to be impossible for getting a table w/o reservations? We'll be on east coast time so at least we'll probably be happy to do an early dinner.

La Mar and Zuni are def. reservations required. Except maybe for lunch.

At La Mar, get this:

Cebiche Crudo
Cebiche Classico
Una

and maybe a nikkei salad or causa.
and any one of the purple corn desserts.

I ate at the owner's flagship gatronomica restaurant in Lima and La Mar compares VERY favorably (although at 2-3x the price unfortunately).

All trusted accounts on Coi is that it's pure fluff. I'm afraid it will take somebody else's money to get me in there.

Slanted Door has decent milk tea. That's about all I can say.

Uva is owned and operated by a (my) former (favorite) waiter at Ritz Carlton Dining Room.

SPQR fried chicken night = pure hype. Go to Ad Hoc instead.

some of Coi was wowing, some disappointing, some in between. pricey, yes.

i guess i shoulda gone to La Mar instead of Slanted Door, but I wasn't in the mood for even trendier.

best white folx dim sum is Yank Sing = get the XLB (Shanghai Dumplings, I think it's Xiao Lum Bao). $11.90 for 5, but pure heaven. Ask for black vinegar instead of the default red.

I've heard the same thing about Coi, Steve.

I see Michael (on another thread) was non-plussed by Uva's pizzas but the ones we had were both excellent.

I think they're getting better but we're so dialed in at RNM that that's where we usually dine.

shows: Gang Gang Dance, Marnie Stern, & Growing on Friday

Re: Yank Sing

If you can get pea sprout pot stickers (you should, they're in season) definitely get them as well as the sticky rice.

i reserved for late weekday lunch at Zuni, and it was busy, but don't think it was full

i probably shoulda gone to Ame instead of Coi, but it was further away

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiao_long_bao