Good, Cheap, Basic Food for Parents - need rec.

[braiseditem]

I'm looking for a recommendation for a restaurant to take my parents to when they visit SF. They don't want anything particular ethnic or contemporary, which rules out most places I'm familiar with. The cuisine would have to be either Italian or basic American. Also, it needs to be relatively affordable. One place we ate with them before was Mescolanza in the Richmond, and they liked that a lot and thought the price was acceptable, although any more than that would probably be too much -- so that can be aguideline for anyone who's familiar with that. Any other suggestions along those lines? Anywhere in the city is fine, although downtown is less convenient. thanks

[rworange]

Town's End. Three courses with house-made desert for $22 and a big bread basket.

Gaspare's on Geary. Fake grapes hanging from the ceiling, chianti bottles dripping wax, Dean Martin singing "Amore" on the juke box. Old-style Italian that is good for what it is.

[dolcevita_sf]

We've taken my less-than-adventurous mother-in-law to Firefly in Noe Valley, which kept us all happy. Also in Noe, Lupa is good, reasonably priced Italian food.

Blue Plate or Liberty Cafe (Bernal Heights) might fit the bill.

[Chilanga]

It isn't basic American or Italian, but some of our plain-eating visitors have liked Bistro Aix for steak frites or chicken. Prices are in line with Mescolanza, and they have a prix fixe some nights that is a good deal. If you think they might be headed to wine country I have more ideas.

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Bistro Aix
3340 Steiner St, San Francisco, CA 94123

[meggie t]

What about E'Angelo on Chestnut? I think their veal parm is great, as well as their salads and other mains. Solid food all around; prices are reasonable. They don't take reservations (as far as I remember).

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E Angelo Restaurant
2234 Chestnut St, San Francisco, CA 94123

[walker]

Fuzio has some of the best tiramisu I've ever had. Very reasonable. There's one on Chestnut, another on Castro and I was at the one in 1 Embarcadero -- went there after a movie.

[sfbing]

Howzabout L'Osteria del Forno in North Beach?

Park Chow in the Inner Sunset does American, plus some pastas + Asian noodles.

And I know it is a chain, but Pasta Pomodoro might fit your profile.

[BernalKC]

So you're looking for Zuni, but not /quite/ that price point, right? I'm sure we can come up with some options.

But really. You want to got o Zuni. Really you do.

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Zuni Cafe
1658 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

[braiseditem]

I'd love to take them there, but they'd freak out about the price. Regardless of who's paying. But yes, cuisine-wise, something like that is probably fine. I think they might want basic Italian even more. I know it's hard to find a place in SF that won't have all kinds of ingredients on the menu that they've never heard of. But I try.