To: Ann
From: AlWhat a great palate-pleasing challenge to "scout" restaurants for a fellow foody in San Francisco, a restaurant paradise. Did you know that in the 49 square miles that make up the City by the Bay there are more than 3,300 restaurants?
Another fact: There are enough seats in these eateries that all 700,000 San Franciscans could each have a place to sit if they all ate out on the same night. Hey, what about us tourists?
We managed to sample the cuisine of a dozen places in our 10-day gastronomic pilgrimage. Maybe our experiences will come in handy for your upcoming trip and relieve some of the overselection anxiety that, for us, seemed to increase our appetites. (And I used to think it was the fog!)
Ristorante Ecco, 101 South Park, 415-495-3291. I figure that if Julia Child came to this chic eatery's opening this past spring, it had to be good. Italian cuisine at it's best, from terrific insalata mista on the antipasti in balsamic vinegar to homemade potato chips (patate dell'Ecco if you want to impress the waiter). Our party of eight sampled a cross-section from the simple to the sublime. The latter was exemplified by the stracotto al vino rosso (beef short ribs in red wine with salsa verbe and white beans) and the couscous Siciliana - fresh seafood in a lively tomato sauce over couscous. After the pancetta pizza I doubt our kids will ever look at our local pizza delivery guy quite the same. Prices range from a reasonable $3.50 for appetizers to around $11 for entrees. Slick designers and locals in Levis filled the interior that resembles a humble Mediterranean villa.
Paprikas Fono, 900 Northpoint (top floor of Ghirardelli Square), 415-441-1223. A sentimental favorite featuring the rich, peasant cuisine my grandparents served at their Hungarian restaurant of my youth. Of course the setting and view are a far cry from downtown Detroit, but the rich traditions of Hungarian cuisine come alive in dishes like veal paprikas and spicy Transylvanian or Szekely gulyas stew. After a breezy ride across the bay, snuggle up to a bowl of simmered gulyas soup and langos (peasant fried bread rubbed with fresh garlic). Let a sweet palacsinta or Hungarian crepe conclude your Hungarian feast (we like the ones filled with ground walnuts and covered with dark chocolate). Entrees range from $10 to $18.
Mamounia, 4411 Balboa, 415-0752-6566. Seated on cushions amidst trappings fit for a sheik, we ate Moroccan cuisine with our hands, washed between courses with scented water poured by attentive, fez-adorned waiters. Located in the quiet, residential Outer Richmond district, this restaurant has been serving lamb brochette, hare with paprika, couscous with lamb and vegetables, for 20 years, maintaining a faithful following. Five-course meals run about $20 per person.
New Asia Chinese Restaurant, 772 Pacific, 415-391-6666. The bustle of Chinatown spills over into the cavernous but colorful interior of this huge restaurant. (A small sign near the door says: "Occupancy 1,000.") Dim sum lunch is the specialty served from carts brimming with steam baskets and small plates filled with such delicacies as curry beef turnovers, pot stickers, steamed rice with chicken wrapped in lotus leaves, steamed pork bun, turnip custard and lychee fruit cups. Priced by the plate. Chinese families and gawking tourists pack the New Asia for a Chinatown tradition.
Harbor Village Restaurant, Four Embarcadero Center, 415-781-8833. A complete flip-flop from the New Asia. Stiff waiters in starched jackets unwrapped our chopsticks, poured our soy sauce into individual bowls, and hovered over us with an ironic aloofness. Great decor and obviously a hit with affluent Chinese locals who party in opulent private rooms. Recommended by restaurateurs in both San Francisco and Salt Lake City, this was our biggest disappointment. Maybe we ordered the wrong things. Actually, the best dish was the barbecue appetizer plate. Even the jelly fish was good. The menu is long and complex and the servings large (but they should be for the price). Sauces were heavy and salty on everything from the vegetables to the duck. Maybe the dim sum is better?
Here are some other possibilities should you fit them into your schedules, especially if you venture toward Monterey:
The Fishwife in Pacific Grove, inventive, local seafood with gourmet Southwest and Caribbean touches. For a good old-fashioned wharf meal, head to Barbara's Fishtrap in Princeton Harbor, just before Half Moon Bay.
When you're back in the city, wander out to the Richmond district on Clement (rhymes with cement) for the "new" Chinatown. Just a block away on Geary, there are some wonderful Russian bakeries serving borsch and pieroshkis. And these are right next to Korean, Burmese, Thai and Singapore restaurants (and a Jack in the Box just as a reminder that you're in the United States).
Happy noshing, and let me know where your appetites lead you.