Back from SF - restaurant reviews

[hofame]

Tadich Grill
240 California St
We had the ciopino and a grilled branzino. Excellent seafood. Original old interior. Highly recommend.

Perbacco's
230 California St
The best Italian we had in the city. Very imaginative menu, not the same old. We went for dinner and again for lunch, the only place that we deemed worthy of a repeat. Don't miss it.

Bocadillos
710 Montgomery St
Very good tapas. Very noisy.

Pakwan
3182 16th Street
Excellent cheap indian/pakistani. Absolutely great food for a low price. Be aware that there is no wait service. You must order at the front counter when you go in and pay then. You are given a number and when it is called go to the side counter and get the food yourself. Get drinks near the front counter. If you go in directly to a table you will sit there for a long time with nothing happening as the frenetic pace of the place does not encourage anyone to come to your aid. Observe for a few minutes and you will see how it works.

Good Frikin’ Chicken
# 10 – 29th Street
This was a big disappointment. The chicken was a dry rubbery patty that might have come from Costco. I had a lamb schwarma that did not standout in any way. Service was friendly but our server was on another planet. Not worth the trip.

Great Eastern
649 Jackson Street
Very good, somewhat upscale. Food well prepared.

Bund Shanghai
We tried this for the steamed dumplings with soup stuffed with crab and pork. The dough was light and translucent. Not much soup inside, just what was mixed in with the stuffing.

Bow Hon
850 Grant Ave
Fish Salad is wonderful. Other offerings delicious also. Photo below.

A16
2355 Chestnut St,
I wanted to see if the pizza was indeed the equivalent of Da Michele in Napoli as has been claimed. It is not. It looks similar when it is served but that's where it ends. The dough was flavorless and undercooked. The cheese was also flavorless. The sauce was good but not equal to Napoli. My wife had two other dishes that were nothing special. A big let down after all the hype.

Mamacita
2317 Chestnut St
Excellent Mexican. Different and inventive menu. One of the better meals we had.

The Stinking Rose
325 Columbus Ave
We stopped in for a Garlic Martini before dinner but did not eat here. The martini was very good and loaded with garlic. An interesting combo.

Trattoria Volare
561Columbus Ave
Run of the mill Italian

Original US Restaurant
515 Columbus Ave
Another run of the mill Italian

[rworange]

I'd agree on both Volare and US. Haven't eaten at either for years, but no rush to go back. The pizza at Volare I remember as being doughy.

Not a lot of reports on Mamacita's. Do you remember what you ate?

Anyway, thanks for the reports ... especially no hound's land of Stinking Rose.

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Perbacco
230 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111

A16
2355 Chestnut St., San Francisco, CA 94123

Tadich Grill
240 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111

Volare's Pizza
456 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117

Great Eastern Restaurant
649 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Bocadillos
710 Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94111

Stinking Rose
325 Columbus, San Francisco, CA 94133

Mamacita
2317 Chestnut St, San Francisco, CA 94123

Pakwan
501 Ofarrell St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Good Frikin Chicken (Goood Frikin’ Chicken)
10 29th St, San Francisco, CA 94110

Bund Shanghai
640 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA

Original US Restaurant
515 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

[singleguychef]

Thanks for the report. What an interesting mix of places you tried. I haven't been to A16, but I wonder if it was better when it first opened and is on the downtrend with Appleman splitting his attention between three restaurants?

[SteveG]

My first visit to A16 the first year it opened was much better than subsequent visits. Still a good meal, but not amazing like the first time. In other Appleman news, I enjoyed SPQR but would have been sorely disappointed if we had waited in line for 1+ hours like most people do.

[Civil Bear]

Wow, thanks for the report. My experiences seem to match your perfectly. I am a fan of Tadich, not so of GFC, US Restaurant has become horribly mediocre (used to be a great local spot at it's original location), and I don't quite understand the hype at A16. I guess I better get out and try Perbacco ASAP!

[bobpantzer]

I've finally found at least two people who agree with me and don't get all the entusiasm over A16. I do love Perbacco!

[Ruth Lafler]

Thanks for the report! I'm glad you tried the fish salad at Bow Hon -- one of the lesser-known great dishes in the City.

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Bow Hon
850 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108