Calling Calgarian Chowhounds for some great San Fran recommendations!? [moved from Western Canada board]

[_foodlove_]

Hey All,

Heading to San Francisco for my 30th birthday on March 12th with my Mom and I would love some recommendations from all of you passionate western foodies! I'm going to search out the SF Bay Area board as well, but I would really appreciate your comments for comparison's sake.

It would be great to get as many 'reasonably' priced restaurants suggested as possible (a la Divino, Brava, etc), but a few higher end recommendations would be appreciated as we'll probably have one 'fine-dining' experience.

Thanks in advance, and I will m ake sure to give a full report upon my return!

[Albertagirl]

I've been to A16 the last three times I've been in San Fran. Will go again next year. It is casual, medium priced, but really good rustic italian food. I wish there was something like it in Calgary. For a higher- end evening, I have been to Gary Danko twice, and they are always excellent, both in food and service. We couldn't get a res at Tartine Bar (not the same as the bakery, and a couple blocks away in Mission) but I have heard good things and will try it next time. Love San Fran.....

[sackman]

I highly second Gary Danko. Best meal of my life. Memorable. I've eaten at Daniel in New York and it couldn't hold a candle to Gary Danko.

[_foodlove_]

Checked out Gary Danko's menu online...amazing. When you say expensive, what would be the estimated cost for dinner for 2 not including wine? (Prices are not listed online)

[wolfe]

Recent post with cost.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/599056

[Paul H]

Breakfast; The Butler & The Chef; Cheap; French Bistro fare; out of the way in SOMA park
Breakfast; Mama's on Washington Square; Moderate; go at opening or expect a line
Breakfast; Dottie's True Blue Café; Moderate; go at opening or expect a line
Breakfast; Garden Court at the Palace Hotel; Expensive; Sunday brunch
Lunch; Saigon Sandwich; Cheap; Vietnamese Bahn Mi; Near Civic Center
Lunch; Perbacco; Moderate; Italian Financial District
Lunch; Tadich Grill; Moderate; American seafood; since 1849
Lunch; Boulevard; Expensive; American Bistro; Zagat most popular SF restaurant
Lunch; Slanted Door; Expensive; Vietnamese/California; Ferry Building
Dinner; Bodega Bistro; Cheap; Vietnamese; "Hanoi Street Food" is best deal
Dinner: Ame; Expensive; Asian/French/California; St. Regis Hotel
Dinner; Aziza; Moderate; Moroccan
Dinner; Canteen; Moderate; Very Small; no atmosphere but chef runs small kitchen himself
Dinner; Coi; Expensive; 11 course tasting menu; lots of veggies
Dinner; Gary Danko; Expensive; California/French

[_foodlove_]

oh wow...i'm drooling already!

foreign cinema looks amazing as far as concept goes, does anyone have any comments about their food?
http://www.foreigncinema.com

Also...for bakeries...Tartine or Boudin?

[mike2]

Another recommendation for Slanted Door.

We also had a great meal at Bar Crudo, just uphill from Union Square at Stockton & Bush - great service, very intimate atmosphere.

http://www.barcrudo.com/

[pants]

delphina's - mission area
suppenkuche - hayes valley - best schnitzel and beer ever
tartine - http://www.tartinebakery.com/ (close to delphina's) soooo goood
http://www.rangesf.com/ - Range (ex delphina's people

)

i know there are more and these are from a couple years ago so make sure to check out the SF boards but these all stood out!

i want to go to SF too!! i love it there, i would move there in a second

[miss.foodie]

You gotta go to Mama's for breakfast... it's near Washington Sq. It's an institution there... AMAZING breakfast... be prepared for line ups though... but the line does move fairly quickly..
http://mamas-sf.com/

[taiphun]

Not really SF per se, but just an hour away is San Jose and surrounding areas. I just got back there about a month ago for some training my company sent me on. Cupertino is really ethnically diverse, so almost everything I had there was from some culture or the other.. more-so than the "trendy" restaurants you've listed.

Here's the link:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/585850

Flickr pages is there somewhere too.