27432 Thu Jan 15 13:46:01 -0800 2004 6 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 112974 My husband and I are in Reno for a trade show in February and have decided to extend the trip and drive to San Francisco from there. Along the way we will be staying 1 night in Napa, 1 night in Sonoma and then 1 night in San Fran. Of course, that means we are looking for a great dining experience no matter what the cuisine at each stop. We don't know when we will be back so we would like to make each night count. Any suggestions? Thu Jan 15 13:46:01 -0800 2004 0 Glotchkin 1 112987 I just got back from touring around CA and did a lot of the one night here and there things. Didn't get to Sonoma so I can't help you there. Had a great dinner at Boulevard(the three times I have gone there it has been great). Got in kind of late on a Sat night and ended up at Scala Bistro had an excellent Hearts of Palm, butter lettuce and truffle salade followed by a very nice sole dish with a blood orange sauce and mashed celery root. Good Service at the Bar. Had lunch at Bouchon on Monday(stopped in Oakland to have lunch at Oliveto and the menu was so unappealing that I decided to drive to Napa, very glad I did.) Brandade Fritters were excellent with a little tomato confit.. Boudin Noir with caramelized apples, potato puree and buerre noisette was executed perfectly...nice bottle of Dehlinger goldridge coast Pinot Noir to go with it...sommelier poured me 3 different wines for the 3 different cheeses I had...would love to have a place like that here in Boston. Stayed in St. Helena at the El Bonita Motel for a remarkable $75. Had dinner at the Martini House on Spring Street in St. Helena...what a beautiful restaurant...great Tuna Tartare with Hijiki vinaigrette and then delicious sweetbreads with yellowfoot chanterelles...very very very well executed food in a beautiful environment(I ate downstairs at the bar next to the fireplace) I highly recommend both of them. Thu Jan 15 15:46:56 -0800 2004 112974 0 DodinBouffant 1 112989 Try Pierre Jaunty in Yountville. Opened in November 2003. French fare, a little pricey but well worth it. Started the meal with a Jaunty martini (excellent), tuscan soup, grilled bass entree. Suggest reservations. The drive along the main drive in Yountville has small shops, boutique hotels. Very quaint. Owner also has two other restaurants in Yountville, including a cafe on the same street with a community table. Thu Jan 15 15:57:52 -0800 2004 112974 0 dale 2 112991 Here's a link to another rec for Pere Jeanty in Yountville. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/27228#111859 Thu Jan 15 16:05:43 -0800 2004 112989 0 Melanie Wong 1 112990 I suggest the following: Napa (Yountville): Bistro Jeanty Sonoma (Santa Rosa): Syrah San Francisco: Boulevard The aforementioned Scala's Bistro is a good restaurant, I recommend it often. But if you choose to do Italian in SF, and you're not tethered to Union Square as many visitors often are, I think you can do better at some of the other board favorites like Delfina, Bacco, or, if you've got big bucks to spend, Acquerrello. Of course there are plenty of other options for great dining in each area. Below is one thread on the best restaurants of SF. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/25883#104279 Thu Jan 15 16:03:35 -0800 2004 112974 0 nja 1 113067 For something really hard to find in the US, $80 will get you 30 or so courses at Jai Yun, a hole in a wall kinda place with exquisite Jiangsu cooking (Eastern China, near Shanghai). You should be able to do this with 2, but the board consensus that 6 people is optimal, so bring a few friends if you can. Thu Jan 15 23:25:00 -0800 2004 112974 0 Limster 1 113078 Depends on what you are looking for obviouosly, but in wine country you might as well drink dome good wines! in Napa i have had success with la Toque in the rancho caymus hotel. great prix fix and accompanying wines, usually hard to find stuff, or just darn good. It isnt cheap, but your in Napa:) Bistro Jeanty is a great French Bistro, but is more French than wine country, if that makes any sense. Tra Vigna is not as good as it used to be, but is no slouch, if you have never been to Napa this gives you an idea of the glitz/gaudy side of the valley. Sonoma, if your in downtown sonoma, i use that phrase loosely, my hands down favorite is The Girl and the Fig. Not very fancy, but typical sonoma friendly. Usually competent service and a cool all rhone wine list. Food is provencal with a local flair. Great suasage and cheese plate, which is one hell of a lunch. If you are in Healdsburg and want to max out your CC, you could hit up trotter's Dry Creek Kitchen. Very fine "wine country Cuisine" and a very comprehensive sonoma wine list. Expensive and over the top, but in a good way. The affore mentioned Syrah has good eats, but being told by the chef/owner that bringing wine to his restaurant was akin to bringing brakes to a brake shop was insulting to say the least. I prefer not to spend my money at a restaurant that likens itself to an auto shop. SF-Cortez is a swanky new tapas/med palce that is kinda cool. Near union square on geary. Hope that helps Fri Jan 16 02:00:29 -0800 2004 112974 0 natedog