Fortunate to have visited San Francisco so many times. Your scribe was a devoted regular attendee at the marvellous culinary events organized in the eighties and early nineties by the incomparable Haskell F. Norman for the IWFS Marin County Branch. At that time there were so many top SF restaurants to choose from including to name just a few Jeremiah Tower’s Stars, Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio, Gary Danko, La Folie, Blue Fox, Jack’s, Michael Mina’s Aqua, and Hubert Keller’s outstanding Fleur de Lys (after his Sutter 500 start and before his successful Burger Bar in Las Vegas). Just spent a week in SF extensively walking around this once vibrant city. Times have changed with so much retail space now closed and empty. However, the Ferry Building is alive and popular with top merchants including Acme Bread (fantastic Levain rolls), busy Senor Sisig at lunch line-ups for Mexican style taco & burrito, and Nopa Seafood under construction. Wonderful site for the exciting Saturday outdoor market (the Oakland one is also a must). Top restaurants previously visited now include three star Michelin at MIchael Tusk’s Quince and Dominique Crenn’s Atelier Crenn but this time we sought out mainly newer less known value spots. All restaurants now routinely add to your bill Sales Tax at 8.625%, SF Employee Mandates of 5-6% and Fair Wage Minimum Gratuity 20% so the total bill adds up quickly. If you are a tourist used to Canadian $ you need to add another 40%. Gets expensive. Here are seven very good value restaurants in SF worth checking out:
1. ZUNI CAFE: Opened in 1979 by Judy Rodgers and still going strong. The large sized famous brick oven wood fired whole chicken for two at $75 is still phenomenal. Acquerello started by Suzette Gresham & Giancarlo Paterlini is another restaurant from the old days still going strong.
2. ERNEST: Innovative spot on Bryant SOMA (memories of old Connoisseur Wine Imports & The Wine House) with Sushi Rice $23 uniquely combining Ikura salmon roe with raw beef and toasted nori. Tasty Alaskan halibut with spinach & Yuba soy milk skin. Busy spot for easy sharing dishes.
3. BIG FINISH WINE TAVERN: A third Mission district place newly opened with an excellent value wine by the glass diversity. Excellent Pappardelle with slow braised pork shoulder. Nearby is another older similar good wine bar named 20 Spot. Check out all the great Taqueria spots in the Mission!
4. BEIT RIMA: Arabic comfort food in the adjoining Castro District with outstanding Muhammara & Baba Ghanouj with warm Pita starters and deep fried whole Branzino.
5. AQUITAINE: A wine bar/bistro featuring south-west France in a comfortable setting in the Castro at Church & Market. Sunday dinner roasted chicken for two at $55 works. Impressive beet salad. We brought mature 1985 Ridge Montebello for $30 corkage to pair with the chicken superbly.
6. ANGLER: Across from the Ferry Building this 1 star Michlein has outstanding seafood. Best deal in SF is their 3 course quality lunch for $45 with Pacific oysters, whole grilled Sea Bream, and soft ice cream topped by not too sweet but flavourful caramel/praline sauce. Highly recommended.
7. TIRAMISU: Also downtown in an alley of Belden Place near Sam’s Grill. Fond reminiscences of enjoying mesquite grilled Petrale Sole (now $34) at Sam’s with 50 cents corkage and nearby on California Street Tadich Grill since 1907 with 75 cents corkage. Liked that. Tiramisu is an Italian restaurant with some amazing dishes including outstanding grilled octopus, authentic rigatoni all’aMatriciana, mint-pesto local rack of lamb and their legendary tiramisu.
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