A16 Recommendations?

[synergy]

We will be visiting San Fran, our favorite city, next week & have reservations at A16. We've never been. Has anyone been lately and we welcome your suggestions of what to order that shouldn't be missed. THanks so much.

[Marc Veyrat]

They frequently have in stock (but not listed on the carte du vin) a very lush red wine from Sicily. You have to ask them if they have any available. I had a private party there in the back room and every guest kept asking what we were drinking. Dee-lish. Can't recall the name offhand.

[synergy]

Hi Everyone. Just wanted to report back. We went last Thursday night. The place was packed and loud. Tables were too close together and the noise level was uncomfortable. We both ordered pizza, which was good. My husband liked it more than me. I liked the pizza we got at Pizzeria Mozza in LA much better. I think if I were to return I'd rather eat at the bar.

[emily]

Agree on your comparison of the pizza to Mozza's. The pizza at A16 was good, but the crust is much more flavorful at Mozza.

[Robert Lauriston]

For me, Mozza's crust didn't have much flavor compared with places in the Bay Area doing a similar (not traditionally Neapolitan like A16) style of pizza, such as Delfina and Dopo.

[synergy]

FOr me too, the crust was the big difference & Mozza's was way better.

[Robert Lauriston]

Right, you said that. To me it's apples and oranges. A16 is doing a Verace Pizza Napoletana-certified pie, which among other things means the dought contains only wheat flour, water, salt, and yeast, and that the pizza *not* be crusty (which is one of the most common complaints about A16's pizzas).

http://www.woodfiredpizza.org/recipes...

Mozza's crust is Nancy Silverton's original creation and is nothing like any pizza I had in Italy, though it did remind me a bit of Delfina's.

[synergy]

thanks everyone! we'll be there tomorrow night & will report back. right now we are just chillin at the Post Ranch Inn after a very disappointing dinner at there restaurant.

[DebitNM]

Bring earplugs - the noise level is really high and tables really close together.

Burrata is excellent, creamy, smooth and just the right amount. Arrugula topped pizza also very nice.

Deb

[whiner]

EVERYTHING!

Ok. Well, the burrata appetizer is great, but especially if you are sharing appetizers. Their pizzas are genuinely unique and worth a share as an appetizer or middle course. Their ricotta gnocchi, depending upon preperation that night, is also worth consideration as a shared course as it is the best ricotta gnocchi I've had, including in Italy. The main courses change so frequently that I always just ask my server what to eat. I will say I had an "Osso Bucco of wild boar with juniper berries" there once that was absolutely outstanding but I've also had excellent meatballs, flank steak, lamb, etc.

Oh... and regarding dress...

Jeans are fine. A16 is a very casual atmosphere. However, while SF doesn't do "trendy" the way NYC/LA/London do, it is worthy of note that A16 is a "trendy" restaurant by SF standards and while casual, a lot of people will be dressed to impress. (ie. there is a difference between 10 year old ripped baggy jeans and... well... sexy jeans)

[tvham]

I would definitely recommend the pizza and burrata as must order dishes - as much as I love A16 I think their main courses pale in comparison to the pizza and apps.

[hamachihil]

Get a pizza with arugula on top and/or a poached egg- divine. Also great salads and unusual fishy-anchovy kind of apps.

[skwid]

I've not had the arugula pizza but my wife said it is divine (she loves arugula). Best she has had in the bay area.

[skuhnert]

i've been there 5 or 6 times, i always get the buratta and this week i had the maccaronara, which was great. pizzas are always good, and two more seasonal items on our visit this week really stood out -- a mushroom starter, and the corn on the cob side. they said they have a new pastry chef, but we didn't have time to try any desserts.

[KateMW]

I'm not from SF, so I'm probably not the one to be answering. Anyway, I've been twice and both times the pizza was great. The first time we went, we sat outside on the little patio and my husband had pizza and I had a polenta ravioli with some sort of braised beef and it was fantastic. I'm still sad that I didn't get the full order. Yummy!

[synergy]

Thanks for replying Kate. What's the dress code there? Are jeans ok?

[KateMW]

I probably wore jeans and heels and a cute top. My husband probably work a button down and khakis, but I'm sure there were men in jeans. It's casual...but it's kind of a scene. So, trendy casual.
Though it was two years ago when we went, so it might have changed.

[wally]

I don't know whether there is any restaurant in San Francisco where you can't wear jeans.

[synergy]

Thanks kate. :-)

[KateMW]

Oh and the burrata was so good. They were out the second night we went. Sad!

[wally]

Dress codes are not a San Francisco thing.

[synergy]

Thanks for letting me know. We have reservations at A16 & Gary Danko. I figure dressing in all black for GD will be fine.

[Adamsimpson]

You could wear jeans at GD, if you wanted. I enjoy dressing up occasionally, so I would, but if you feel like jeans you wouldnt be out of place.

[milklady]

Agreed. But, the guests who recently walked into Gary Dank when I was there the other night, one of whom was wearing athletic shorts and a t-shirt, looked very out of place and inappropriate. They were seated, however...

[Miss Kittee]

This is very sad to hear. I understand/selectively ignore/embrace/pay no mind at all to SF's lack of dress code for most restaurants... but I really do feel a place like GD at least deserves long pants and no writing on the T-shirt.

[milklady]

I completely agree. It's such a fancy, special, expensive place, that the outfit in question was really appalling. It was like she'd been playing basketball and then walked in for a $100 plate of foie gras. Weird.