Need a birthday dinner recommendation w/ great wine

[ttib]

My friend and I will be in SF next month for a conference (we’re both East Coasters). It’s her birthday while we’re there, so I’d like to take her out and am looking for suggestions. Her requirements are simply “must have a great wine list.” I’d like someplace where we’ll be able to talk (so not too noisy) and great food. Some friends who live in SF have suggested: Boulevard, Prospect, Chez Papa Resto, Americano, Spruce, Banker and Baker, 25 Lusk (and also Gitane, 54 Mint, or Thermidor, and Slanted Door). Thoughts on these? Better suggestions?

We’ll be staying somewhere between Union Square and the Convention Center, but anywhere in the city itself would work.

Thanks!

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Slanted Door
Ferry Slip, San Francisco, CA 94111

Chez Papa Resto
4 Mint Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94103

Gitane Restaurant & Bar
6 Claude Lane, San Francisco, CA 94108

54 Mint
54 Mint St, San Francisco, CA 94103

Thermidor
8 Mint Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94103

[absc]

Great wine list can be subjective. Does she have any preferences on style or wines that she often enjoys or would like to enjoy?

[Ruth Lafler]

Yes, I think ttib needs to be a bit more specific about what kind of food, wine, dining experience and price range he's looking for: there are a lot of restaurants in the city with great wine lists.

[ttib]

OK, that's fair, let me try to be more specific, at least with what my ideal preferences would be. I really enjoy Asian/Asian fusion, sushi, and high-end Chinese in particular. After that, when traveling I look for restaurants that exel at something "local" rather than "let's go to the top Italian restaurant in this city." However, in this case it's all about the birthday girl, not me, and she gave me very little to go on, so I'm open to broader suggestions.

Price range: I don't care about cost, but I don't want to take her to an expensive restaurant just to take her to an expensive restaurant. Quality of food, available wine, and atmosphere is more important that the prices on the menu. I'm happy to pay for quality, but I'm not trying to impress that way.

Dining experience: I really want someplace where the two of us aren't going to be packed shoulder-to-shoulder with other diners in a loud environment. I also don't want a place that's going to make a big deal about her birthday (if they find out) -- I don't want a "special occasion" restaurant. (Example: I went to Tojo's in Vancouver, BC, to celebrate a friend's birthday once. When the wait staff sang Happy Birthday to my friend, he was the *ninth* recipient of the birthday song that evening.)

Does that help? I've asked her about wine preferences and will update when I hear back. (Wine-wise, I'm a fan of Williams Selyem pinot noir and Turley zin, if that helps.)

[steve h.]

Quince. The pastas are superb and the Tusks enticed David Lynch to leave his wines duties with Mario Batali.
Reservations are a must. Not cheap.

[bbulkow]

First, that's a nice list. Covers a bit of ground, though.
Second, one of the best wine lists is at RN74. Unfortunately, there are a lot of MM restaurants, so you're not getting something *very* san francisco.
Prospect might be the best off that list, food + wine. 25 Lusk has a decent list too. Both are online so you can make your own decision.

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RN74
301 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105