San Francisco and what to do in it

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

^^^^^yeah that's what we want. we want all of that

Speaking (as I was, above) of wine and Zuni (as Steve was), right next door is a great wine bar and excellent restaurant called CAV. Highly recommended. The owner, Pamela Busch is friend of ours and has an amazing palate/nose and she's turned me on to all sorts of great vino.

The best Xiao Long Bao I've had were still way out at Shanghai Dumpling King, Steve.

Hiro and Lissa at Ame also own Terra in St Helena. Both are excellent.

If you are rather serious about food and you do not go to Ritz Carlton Dining Room, then consider your trip to be misguided.

Hiro and Lissa = Shasta's wed night teatotalling buds.

Terra and Ame are like mid-tier versions of DR@TRC.

SDK's XLB = skin is way too thick to eat it properly, dough:meat ratio is way off compared to the gold standards @ DTF in Taiwan/LA/Shanghai. my Shanghainese coworker says they cheat by putting napa cabbage on the inside of the dumpling.

oh yeah, Pine Cone Diner in Pt Reyes Station - food ok, service not great, good local color

I haven't been yet but I've heard that Steve is right about the Ritz.

I meant in SF and my XLB forays haven't even been that exhaustive. City-wide, I still stand by Yank Sing being the best overall.

the tea house in yerba buena gardens looked very pleasant - is the food any good?

Gabbnebb since you liked the Hog Island at the Ferry Building, did you ever go to the funky picnic area set-up they have on Tomales Bay?

I haven't been to that tea house, but the bar at 'B', on the east side is pretty fun for a cocktail/view.

no, i would have liked that, but it wasn't an option for me this time, unfortunately. next time, maybe (whenever that is).

I'd like to eat Ron Siegel's food (a la carte - his tasting menu doesn't appeal to me) some time, but would rather not do it in a Ritz dining room. maybe if I'm there for business.

Any thoughts on any of the recent spate of neo-soul places? 1300? Front Porch? Farmer Brown's? (The fried chicken night at Magnolia brew-pub is pretty good, btw and unlike Ad Hoc, I can walk there.)

Where should I take my college-era ex-girlfriend to dinner to celbrate her GREs?

What kind of foods does she like, Jon?

Farmer Brown's fried chicken is good (was good when it was at Blue Jay too), but I haven't been in a while (service was awful twice in a row and I just gave up.)

What kind of foods does she like, Jon?

Judging from when I knew her: burritos, french fries, breaded chicken.

Also, when Siegel was at the late Charles Nob Hill, my friend worked there and his food was magical.

Alex, have you been to Front Porch? It was very fun and I had a lovely meal. 1300 is THE place to see the local black power elite, though. The first night I went, Kamala, Willy and a host of other people were there.

Where should I take my college-era ex-girlfriend to dinner to celbrate her GREs?

scuzzy hotel room

"Alex, have you been to Front Porch?"

I haven't. It's in the middle of nowhere.

Down the street from El Rio.

Also middle of nowhere but worth the trip:

La Ciccia, a really excellent little Sardinian restaurant with a great wine list.

I am lazy. If it's out of my (or my folks) neighborhoods and I'm not seeing a movie/show/play I'm probably not going to eat there.

I've been meaning to go to 1300 on Fillmore though.

Blue Bottle coffee is awesome btw

Alex, I hear you. It's pretty easy on the 24 bus for me.

I'd like to eat Ron Siegel's food (a la carte - his tasting menu doesn't appeal to me)

which tasting menu? he offers several...

"Blue Bottle coffee is awesome btw"

It is. Although I bought a two pounds of Ritual coffee a couple of weeks ago (had a two-for-one coupon) and my morning french press has been awesome.

So, back to talking about food, then?

which tasting menu? he offers several...

the only one specified on his website, with mango (allergic), pork (don't eat much), and foie gras (generally object to). it does sound pretty great o/wise, i admit, if you mentally remove the salt and pepper shtick.

the online menu for the salt/pepper tasting menu is at least a year old...

he offers a "chef's tasting menu" as well... it is amazing.

yeah, and he doesn't tell you what's on it

That's fairly standard for tasting menus. If you have specific allergies/dislikes I am sure they can be accomodated.

it's fairly standard for sushi restaurants. i'll submit to a tasting menu without much indication what's on it if i know it's my kind of place.

"i'll submit to a tasting menu without much indication what's on it if i know it's my kind of place"

I'm sure Ron Siegel is crying over the lost business right now.

Speaking of sushi, have you guys tried Koo in the Inner Sunset? Yummy.

I have been (a certain famous wakeboarding ILXor took my wife and I there.) It was great.

I'm sure Ron Siegel is crying over the lost business right now

i dunno, lotsa lobbying on this thread

schwantzy, i gots the hookup.

gabbneb, have you ever had a chef's tasting menu before?

...

"i dunno, lotsa lobbying on this thread"

I think folks are trying to do you the favor, not him. I've never eaten at any of his restaurants myself.

SFAWTDII Board Challenge!

Help a brother out and tell me neighborhoods:

Aziza
Slanted Door
Uva
Swan's Oyster Depot
La Mar
Chez Sence
Delfina
Da Flora (oh OK North Beach got it)
House of Prime Rib
Canteen
Bar Tartine
Zuni
Burma Superstar
Bar Crudo
Dottie's
Yank Sing
Cebicheria (did I make this up? Can't read my notes)
DR@RC

Aziza (Outer Richmond)
Slanted Door (Ferry Building/Pier)
Uva (Lower Haight)
Swan's Oyster Depot (Polk St/Tendernob)
La Mar (no idea)
Chez Sence (SOMA)
Delfina (Mission)
Da Flora (oh OK North Beach got it)
House of Prime Rib (Van Ness corridor/Tendernob0
Canteen (Financial District/Nob Hill, I think)
Bar Tartine (Mission)
Zuni (Market/Civic Center)
Burma Superstar (Inner Richmond)
Dottie's (Tenderloin)
Yank Sing (near the Ferry Building/Embarcadero)

No idea:
Bar Crudo
Cebicheria (did I make this up? Can't read my notes)
DR@RC