27757 Thu Feb 05 19:26:01 -0800 2004 11 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 115048 i'm trying to find an upscale, very nice vegetarian (or veg-friendly) restaurant in the Bay Area to treat a soon-to-be-married couple. as a bunch of us are chipping in, price is not an issue, but i'd like to find somewhere with a good - romantic? - atmosphere and excellent vegetarian food. i'm new to the area so even information about *obvious* choices would be a great help. thanks a lot! Thu Feb 05 19:26:01 -0800 2004 0 Ramah 1 115057 GREENS.... Thu Feb 05 20:29:17 -0800 2004 115048 0 joe 1 115059 Stoa in Palo Alto serves exceptional Mediterranean vegetarian food with a complete wine list. We took a vegetarian friend there for dinner this fall and ordered most of the menu. It was one of the most memorable meals I had last year. Roxanne, the raw foods place in Larkspur, is also something you might consider. It's been written up and debated here if you search. Link: http://www.stoarestaurant.com/ Thu Feb 05 20:37:45 -0800 2004 115048 0 Windy 1 115062 Millenium is worth considering - plus, they are vegan, if that makes a difference. Many of the high end fine dining places have vegetarian options / tasting menus. Thu Feb 05 20:56:11 -0800 2004 115048 0 gordon wing 1 115063 I've tried two of the *obvious* choices in San Francisco: Millenium and Greens. The following are the opinions of an omnivore: My visit to Millenium was about two years ago, at their old location, so this opinion is old. But most reviews I've read or comments I've heard confirm that what I experienced there is still the case. I did not like Millenium much at all because each dish contained far too many ingredients. The chef(s) were trying to get so many flavors and ingredients into every dish that it was just complete chaos. No focus. My visit to Greens was last weekend. I like it better than Millenium, but it still left much to be desired. On Saturday night your only option is a four course $46 menu. The first "course," was bread, a handful of almonds, a small scoop of tapenade, and two tiny wedges of pecorino cheese. Then about 6 options in an appetizer course, another 6 or so entrees, and about 8 desserts. Most of the dishes were lacking: beet salad, potato pancakes, persimmon soup, crepe, ravioli, lemon tart, and chocolate banana cake were all disappointing. They basically just lacked flavor. The only dishes that really stood out as good was an artichoke fennel gratin and an apple bread pudding with dried cherries and star anise ice cream. For $46, the food should be a lot better. I left feeling that I would only ever return there if I was dining with a vegetarian that demanded: haute cuisine, in San Francisco, at a place that does not serve any meat. Otherwise, you're better off finding a good omnivorous restaurant that may only serve fewer vegetarian dishes than Greens, but does them consistently well. One restaurant that springs immediately to mind in that category: Firefly. The squash latkes at Firefly were light years better than the pancakes at Greens. The vegetarian menu at Chez Panisse has come up a few times lately. Here's some info: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/sanfrancisco/messages/74342.html -Nick Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/27510#113423 Thu Feb 05 21:03:58 -0800 2004 115048 0 nja 1 115066 My boyfriend and I had the tasting menu at Millenium's monthly Sunday "Aphrodisiac Nights" a few months ago and could not come close to stomaching one of the main dishes. The apps were fine as well as the dessert but they won't bring me back. Fleur de Lys is where I've been wanting to go for our next special dinner. They have a great looking veggie tasting menu and romantic atmosphere. See website: Link: http://www.fleurdelyssf.com/ Thu Feb 05 21:41:11 -0800 2004 115048 0 kimchee 2 115121 Second Fleur de Lys. I've never had it, but their vegetarian menu has been famous for many years, and you really can't get a nicer atmosphere. Fri Feb 06 14:26:23 -0800 2004 115066 0 PegS 1 115112 If you don't mind driving over the Golden Gate Bridge, there are a couple of good choices. Of course, there's Roxanne (mentioned in an earlier posting and discussed on this board). We've been there six or seven times, and obviously enjoy it. It's definately upscale. Another interesting choice would be Fork in San Anselmo, which has a great vegetarian tasting menu (link below). Michael Bauer just gave Fork a very positive review in the Chronicle. Link: http://www.marinfork.com/vegetarianmenu.html Fri Feb 06 13:45:23 -0800 2004 115048 0 SteveB 1 115147 in defense of greens, they do have a certain historical prestige and a lovely setting, particularly at sunset (in other words, too early in the winter). i had the pleasure of a wedding there a couple years ago, and i confess a crush on the bride's sister... so if you'll consider romance a seasoning, it is worth at least a scouting exedition with your sweetie. Fri Feb 06 17:41:34 -0800 2004 115048 0 ed 2 115150 I agree, it is a beatiful setting, even if you arrive after dark. I imagine the sunsets must be superb. Firefly is small, dark, and cozy, while I'd say Greens is grand and spacious--both romantic but in different ways. Fri Feb 06 17:59:47 -0800 2004 115147 0 nja 3 115161 However I think the food at Greens is much better suited to lunch (when it's not expensive and you can actually see the golden gate bridge and the object of your desire). Their salads, sandwiches, and pizzas are a good value. I've never been impressed with dinner, especially their prix fixe. Fri Feb 06 19:24:56 -0800 2004 115150 0 Windy 1 116188 since your e-mail indicates you may be at stanford, you need go no further than stoa in palo alto. spectacular gourmet med-cuisine that happens to be vegetarian. sauce reductions are deeply flavored, presentations are knockout, and the winelist is extensive. We've found the staff to be very knowledgeable. try a glass of quintessence from page mill winery. the restaurant bought up the entire vintage. we've taken several discerning non-vegetarians there and they were delighted. the place is no longer a secret though. our last couple of visits we had to eat at the bar. which we did not mind at all. not the ambience of greens. but just as creative. Thu Feb 19 11:31:33 -0800 2004 115048 0 christine and jimmy