19280 Tue Apr 02 21:36:40 -0800 2002 20 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 63918 Greetings. I will be coming down from Seattle for the weekend and would love some input on where to find: the most exquisite multi-course meal, price irrelevant the most delicious neighborhood food, the kinds of places where the owners are there 16 hours a day and you can just feel that they have put their souls into creating this dream of deliciousness and warmth the best pastry and most creative, unusual deserts (I'm a pastry chef, I must research!) Thanks! Andrea Tue Apr 02 21:36:40 -0800 2002 0 pastrygirl 1 63919 Oops, really, I DO know how to spell 'desserts'! (Must be the anticipation overwhelming me.) Tue Apr 02 21:39:08 -0800 2002 63918 0 pastrygirl 2 63921 your dessert search should bring you to Citizen Cake. 399 Grove St. SF 415. 861-2228. You also will enjoy exploring the Mission neighborhood.....I like La Taqueria for soft tacos (cabeza & al pastor) and agua frescas. 2889 Mission St.(near 24th St) 415. 285-7117 La Palma on 2884 - 24th St (at Florida) is a must visit. Fresh, hot tortillas, tacos, burritos, etc. Don't pass up the potato chips if you see any. Tue Apr 02 23:06:42 -0800 2002 63919 0 gordon wing 1 63925 For a multi-course meal, price no object, I would suggest Aqua (if they are serving the 14 course tasting menu -- send e-mail if you want me to key in a copy) and you desire to stay in San Francisco proper. I would recommend The French Laundry if you could go out to the Wine Country, but you have to make reservations two months in advance. Sort of out of the question, I fear. You might call La Folie and see what they can put together for the "Chef's Menu" -- that might give you what you are looking for. -Peter Link: http://chowhound.safeshopper.com Wed Apr 03 00:32:34 -0800 2002 63918 0 Peter Yee 1 63929 I just remembered about the Baker's Dozen - a group of baking enthusiasts - many of whom live in the Bay Area. Their mission is to share their extensive knowledge with others.....check out their link. Link: http://www.bakersdozen.org/ Wed Apr 03 01:23:29 -0800 2002 63918 0 gordon wing 1 63933 >> the most exquisite multi-course meal, price irrelevant The French Laundry. Not only best in the Bay Area but arguably the country. If you like the Herb Farm (before it burnt) this place will make your head explode. I guess i don't have a talent for food prose, huh? Wed Apr 03 08:43:17 -0800 2002 63918 0 tw 1 63937 Unless you're mafia connected, you won't be able to get a table at this late date other than a cancellation. Multiple course dramas: Masas - Chef Ron Siegel Restaurant Gary Danko - Chef Gary Danko French Laundry - Chef Thomas Keller Chez Panisse Downstairs - Chef Chris of Kelsey Oliveto - Chef Paul Bertolli There are some other hook-ups in town, but these are on the "eat first here" list. Over the counter pastries worth trying at: Citizen Cake and Oliveto Cafe. Pizza is pure and simple at Tomasso's in North Beach. The view at Greens in Ft. Mason is unbelievable. If you find this helpful, I'd like a similar hit list for your neck of the woods. Wed Apr 03 10:26:36 -0800 2002 63918 0 Karlito 1 63945 For multiple-course drama, I'd suggest Elisabeth Daniel. The eponymous Dan and Elisabeth are the kind of people you were talking about for a neighborhood place, but this is definitely a high end treat. I also second or third the Citizen Cake recommendation. Let us know where you go and how you enjoyed it! Wed Apr 03 12:09:57 -0800 2002 63918 0 Millicent 1 63955 Where do you cook in Seattle? For multi-course delight, definitely Masa's. Ron Siegal is a genius. Gary Danko is also exquisite, although I'd go with the a la carte selections rather than the tasting menu, which tends to be on the "safe" side. Forget about French Laundry--impossible to get a rez there, even 2 mos. in advance, and you'd need a car--it's about an hour and a half north of the city. Definitely go to Citizen Cake--the pastry chef/owner, Elizabeth Faulkner, is really brilliant. If you don't get to Aqua for dinner, try to go for dessert--pastry chef Eric Shelton is very talented. I second La Taqueria for tacos, La Palma for tamales. Chez Nous has small plates of Mediterranean tastiness, plus great bread (it's run by the owner of the popular Bay Bread Boulangerie french bakery--he also has several cafes around town, Boulange de Polk and Boulange de Cole.) Ti Couz in the Mission has great Breton-style crepes. If you have time, go to the Embarcadero farmer's market on Sat. morning (8am-12pm, Embarcardero at Green) and taste the pastries from Downtown Bakery, jams from June Taylor, Acme bread, and chocolates from Michael Richutti. You'd probably also have fun touring the Scharffen Berger chocolate factory, in Berkeley. Link: http://bayarea.citysearch.com/section/restaurants Wed Apr 03 14:55:34 -0800 2002 63918 0 dixieday 2 65202 Another fabulous find at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market is Miette Cakes. They will blow you away. 100% organic ingredients - too beautiful for words. They would give any parisian patisserie a run for their money! yum! Link: http://miettecakes.com/ Tue Apr 30 21:27:16 -0700 2002 63955 0 umi 1 63957 No one mentioned my favorite multi-course blow-out spot, so again I'll bang the lonely drum for The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carleton. Great food, great experience. In terms of an owner there 16 hours a day kind of place, try Da Flora (Venetian Italian). Here's a link to an post from last week: Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/19219#63529 Wed Apr 03 15:15:11 -0800 2002 63918 0 Ruth Lafler 2 63962 I had a disastrous meal at Ritz Carleton on my birthday, no less. The food varied between mediocre and inedible. Fish was overcooked, appetizers were uninspired, and they served me a fig which had been marinated in gasoline. (Or so it tasted). Aside from the service being jarring informal at times, I found the atmosphere to be rather stuffy. Go to Masa's, Ron Siegel is the only one who even comes close to Thomas Keller around here. Wed Apr 03 16:28:27 -0800 2002 63957 0 Chuck McCall 3 63963 Wow! Sorry to hear that! Wed Apr 03 16:29:41 -0800 2002 63962 0 Ruth Lafler 4 63970 Yes, I wish I could say I had a great dinner at the R-C dining room, but I can't. My turbot was sort of a tough leathery consistency (I actually had the courage to send it back, since it was such an expensive meal. The servers were very apologetic and the kitchen cooked me an entirely new piece of fish. It still wasn't good -- and I usually love turbot. I ate less than 1/3 of it, and I think I really bummed the waiter out. The maitre d' even came over to ask me if I'd like to have something else -- the service is very good there). I remember the foie gras being passable, but not the best I'd ever had outside of France. It's always fun to have that kind of service, though -- one waiter per person at a table of four in our case -- and the wine choices for the evening, recommended by their sommelier, were excellent, but I cannot say that it was worth 500$tab. I like a clear soup before a meal like that, but their consomme that night was overly salty and not even hot. That possibly could be that it was served English-country-house-style at my chair from a tureen, but it still would have been much more delicious if it had come hot from the kitchen. I have to say the room is lovely, and I think the staff is professional. I did appreciate the little extras along the way -- like the small tastes of foie gras that were brought for the table, even though I was the only one who ordered it. The special little treats after dessert were wonderful -- I remember a tiny scoop of a Venezuelan chocolate mousse, along with pates de fuits and their fantastic little pastries. Sure it's a really nice formal dinner -- but for those prices and the so-so food I think you can do much better in SF. We are so blessed with fantastic restaurants here -- amply recommended by Chowhounds in the know. I'd love to hear more good experiences about this place, though. I may be wrong -- I've only been to dinner there once! Wed Apr 03 17:59:57 -0800 2002 63963 0 Mrs. Smith 1 63960 I haven't been there since they recently remodeled, but it used to be possible to eatat the bar at Gary Danko without reservations. Wed Apr 03 16:09:16 -0800 2002 63918 0 jaweino 2 63988 Here's an alternative idea: pick a neighborhood, I suggest the Mission or the Richmond or North Beach, where there is a good mix of restaurants of all styles and classes and eat through 4 or 5 of them, one "course" per place. That way you can mix and match (not every place with good entrees have good desserts) to your heart's content. Here's one Mission example: - hit a tacqueria for a taco and some agua fresca - Ali Baba's or Truly Mediterrenean for a couple of falafels - next, Andalu or Timo's or Picaro/Esperpento or Lorca for some small plates (or graze through them all) - then, an entree and a nice glass of South American wine at Alma - desserts at Bombay Ice Cream or Mitchell's (depending on which end of the Mission you're at) or something fancy at Universal Cafe or sweet crepes at Ti Couz. Or try them all. :) All that walking in between places will generate a nice appetite. Start early (say late afternoon) and feast till the wee hours. Personally, I would consider this more exquisite than what some of a fancy place can offer, and for less. Bonus - you get to see a whole nabe. Of course, not everyone will want to do this, especially on a Saturday where it's harder to wander in and out of places. But I figure it was a suggestion worth throwing out, especially if it's a bit hard to nail reservations at the fancier places. Wed Apr 03 23:35:28 -0800 2002 63960 0 Limster 3 64074 Limster, Great idea for seeing/eating a neighborhood! Are you making progress on your own list before you depart for Boston? Fri Apr 05 10:47:22 -0800 2002 63988 0 gordon wing 4 64089 More stuff on the Berkeley front than the SF area..eaten at lots of places (not from a list) in th Shattuck area, a different palce for lunch everyday. No major finds, but I'll probably compile a list for the budget conscious when I'm through. I seriously doubt that I'll ever finish my list. Just too many leads to follow up on. And Berkeley is more than a distraction... Fri Apr 05 14:03:12 -0800 2002 64074 0 Limster 1 63990 Thanks for all the suggestions! I have reservations at Elisabeth Daniel Saturday night - also on the waiting list at Gary Danko, but I liked the lighter, more vegetable-oriented look of the menu at E.D., so will probably stick with them. Maybe will try for a tapas tour of the mission Sunday night - the friend I'm visiting lives somewhere on Valencia & I'm sure would love to explore his neighborhood more (recent Seattle transplant). I'd read so many bad things about Citizen Cake on CitySearch that I wasn't going to go, but now I will keep it on my list. Gourmet Mag. made mention of Boulangerie Bay Bread - sounded worth a stop. I actually have been to French Laundry, and it was amazing, but yes, that does require a bit more planning ahead. As for my neighborhood, I've never been to the Herbfarm, but have heard from friends that it's goofy in an overly country kitsch, everything for sale kind of way, food overrated, and less than impressive wines. For a silly expensive meal in Seattle, I can recommend Mistral, Cascadia, and Rover's. Still haven't been to Lampreia, but plan to try it some day. Also have been to Lumiere in Vancouver BC twice for their tasting menu, definitely worth an overnight in that fine city. For good eatin', Gordito's on 85th & Greenwood (insanely delicious burritos bigger than your head), or Sapphire on top of Queen Anne hill (neighborhood eclectic mediterranean made with love). The best pastry in the city is at Cafe Besalu on 24th NW in Ballard. James has a magic touch, and is a fantastic human being to boot. Macrina is also good - I would kill for the recipe for their squash bread. Their rustic yeasted breads set the standard. And I'm pastry chef at Campagne and Cafe Campagne in the Pike Place Market. More or less French. Thanks again, Andrea Thu Apr 04 00:04:43 -0800 2002 63918 0 pastrygirl 2 64015 If you stop at Boulangerie Bay Bread on Pine, which is excellent, try going up the street to a very nice French Pastry shop on the corner of Fillmore and Pine. I forget the name. You might also like to walk one block over to the Artisan Cheese Shop on California just west of Fillmore. Thu Apr 04 16:12:38 -0800 2002 63990 0 jaweino 3 64019 The French Pastry shop on Fillmore & Pine is Delanghe Patisserie. It is very good. They did my wedding cake - the crowd went wild. Also, if you're North Beach, check out Stella. Whenever we have dinner in NB, we have dessert & coffee at Stella. My husband really enjoys their cannoli, I love their pinenut cookies. Thu Apr 04 17:08:22 -0800 2002 64015 0 Rochelle McCune