1550 Hyde--thanks for the tip!

[cfrolio]

Many thanks to folks on this list that steered my SO and me to 1550 Hyde when we visited SF last weekend. It was just what we were looking for--casual atmosphere, good wine, good service, and very good simply-prepared food.

In the Healdsburg area we also had good meals at Underwood in Graton, Mosaic in Forestville and Cena Luna in Healdsburg. My wife and I both enjoy salads, and we were awed by the great quality of the salad greens at every place we ate, even at small take-out joints.

[PorktoPurslane]

Yes! 1550 Hyde isn't pimped enough. It is simple, humble cuisine, but always reliable (so far). I just moved here in September, and they are only a couple blocks down the street from my apt!

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip!

[cfrolio]

Both of our dinners last week included asparagus, and despite (or because of) a simple preparation, it was the best asparagus either of us has ever tasted.

[Melanie Wong]

Good choices! Could you please say a little more about Cena Luna? It's the one dinner house in Healdsburg that I haven't tried yet.

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1550 Hyde
1550 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Cena Luna
241 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg, CA 95448

[cfrolio]

Compared to some of the other places we ate in the Healdsburg area, Cena Luna was pretty formal, meaning white tablecloth, kind of dark inside. Service was attentive, and the waitperson seemed to know something about the food and wine, though we didn't have a lot of questions.

Good wine by the glass, but I sensed that that is the standard in the area, not an exception.

My SO and I both had salad as a 1st course, and both were wonderful, with perfectly fresh lettuce, great additions, and simple high-quality dressing. Salads were maybe $10/pp.

For entrees I had pasta--obviously freshly made--with a carbonara sauce. Sauce was yummy, despite the addition of cream. SO had mushroom risotto with dried porcini and some kind of fresh mushrooms--very good. SO asked for some extra Parmesan cheese, and the waiter brought over a generous-sized bowl of grated cheese for her to add at her leisure, which made her very happy. Prices on the pasta and risotto were in the high teens.

Secondi were pretty meat-centric, northern-Italian style, priced in the high 20s-low 30s. We passed on secondi, coffee and dessert.

Overall I thought the food was good, but I preferred the casual vibe of Mosaic or Underwood.