41588 Mon Nov 28 11:09:04 -0800 2005 1 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 200592 A few weeks ago I asked for your advice as a potential visitor. Great city. My eclectic mix: The worst experience: Coast (Market at Castro) - cocktails and wine arrived - eventually - with the entrees; food lacked any depth of thought or flavour. Sorry guys, a real bummer...5/10 service, 2/10 food. But it was full and standing. What's the attraction? The eye candy? Myth - service and atmosphere 8/10, food 5/10 - poor presentation, and the air laden with scented candles which seemd to mask an underlying odour? Empress of China 8/10 service, food 5/10 - a safe choice made by others perturbed to enter an empty Gold Mountain. We should have thought twice on seeing the souvenir celebrity snaps in the lobby but, hey, we were tourists with no menu to inspect until you reach the 6th floor by which time it's nearly too late.. Yabbies Coastal Kitchen - 8/10 service and food; good atmosphere, enjoyable food. Calzone, North Beach - 10/10 for service and food; a great little Italian with an interesting menu - e.g. Italian pot-stickers; pizza of goat cheese with walnuts, caramelised onions, thin crust, just the right size. Kuleto's 10/10 for service (choice of reading spectacles provided when forgotten), 9/10 for food - sauces accompanying pasta dishes were so very fresh. The best: Joint first prize goes to the Hog Island Oyster Company and Boulevard which knocked our socks off with level of service and, for Hog Island, the freshest of seafood, for Boulevard, depth of thought and warmth of flavour in the menu. Both superb. Mon Nov 28 11:09:04 -0800 2005 0 scottish venturer 1 200665 Rather than Coast, do you mean Catch? If so the attraction is that it's one of a few places to get a decent, upscale sit-down meal in the Castro, in my opinion. I've had good luck there; sorry you didn't. Mon Nov 28 19:21:31 -0800 2005 200592 0 Frosty Melon