Post-sedated and hungry: SF airport to Napa Valley lunch stop

[wynnemat]

So,

Let's say you were on a long flight from the east coast that left very early, and you are emerging from a xanax coma quite hungry, though you would like to make the drive to napa asap. For those who haven't had the experience, imagine being hung-over and starving in the airport. (My non-flight phobic wife is driving for those concerned about a potential DWI menace).

Where would you stop for lunch en route? This may be heresy, but im thinking quick, so is there any favorite stops, including (god forbid) drive thru's or within-airport stops that you recommend? Think guilty pleasure or reliable favs.

We have a week of white table cloth splurges ahead of us, so I was thinking some good old non-sustainable, artery clogging fodder to counter-balance.

Appreciate any suggestions.

[wynnemat]

Thanks everyone for the quick responses.

We are very much looking forward to visiting your great city. I was joking with the 'artery clogging' reference... I think the goal will be to get something (really anything half decent) down the hatch before getting back into a vehicle and braving the drive to Yountville.

The tea salad sounds interesting, and yes something 'up' would be a good idea after a long flight and pseudo drug abuse.

I haven't been to an In-N-Out in over a decade... I remember it being fairly novel for fast food.. is this still (or ever) the case, or is basically just like any other fast food?

Side note: I was guessing a 2.5 hr drive from SFO to Yountville at around noon next Tuesday. Does that sound right?

[artychokeasana]

Unless you hit traffic I think it'll be under two hours.

[Robert Lauriston]

I had a good breakfast at the Lark Creek in Terminal 2 recently. Food and service were very good and prices were lower than I expected given the location.

In-N-Out is a step up from McDonald's, probably the best burger in that very low price range but nothing special.

[artychokeasana]

I think this is about as accurate assessment of In and Out as I have read. I only eat there when I somehow make the mistake of being hungry on route 5 near Kettlemen City-and then I find "protein style" gives some moisture and texture to the burger experience.

[susancinsf]

I am also not an In-N-Out fan: will eat it if I want something fast from a drive through, and yes, the burgers are better than average for the genre. OTOH, IMO their fries are WAY below average, and ordering them well done has never seemed to help for me. I think they taste like chalk.

I have also had good experiences with Lark Creek at Terminal 2, but as another airplane phobic person, I personally can't wait to get out of airports once I've gotten to my destination....

[Windy]

In N Out is only good if you get a double double. The bread:meat ratio is wrong for a single burger or cheeseburger. But agreed, there's no reason to spend a meal on fast food.

[wolfe]

Why are we obsessing on In n Out? The man asked for "good old non-sustainable, artery clogging fodder" or something as quick but better. I offered it because it was close. He has been there before. Why not more usable suggestions for a quick nearby stop? I assume they taking the Bay Bridge and if that can wait there are the usual Berkeley, Richmond suggestions. Sea Salt, TRex, Bette's Oceanview, Daimo, etc. If the Golden Gate, Le Garage, Fish, In N Out and Marin Joe's

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/702930

[artychokeasana]

Good redirect Wolfe...another thought for the Bay Bridge route is Serpentine in Dogpatch for very good Cal cuisine..off 280 on Mariposa or Cesar Chavez back on to the bridge via the Bryant ramp.. Wynnemat you would miss the usual hospital corner traffic snarl that way(no small thing.) Another option in the same area if you are on the road Tues-Sun is piccino for good cal med with an emphasis on pizza. Both of these are about 15-20 minutes from the airport and pretty much directly on the most direst route to wine country from the airport.

[Windy]

But even more important they're across the street from Mr and Mrs Miscellaneous (great new ice cream parlor), so you would still have a chance to clog your arteries. Or grab a Blue Bottle cappuccino at Piccino for the road.

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Piccino Restaurant & Coffee Bar
1001 Minnesota St, San Francisco, CA 94107

[artychokeasana]

If you are flying Virgin America you will come in through our newly renovated terminal 2 and it actually has some good food choices:

http://www.flysfo.com/web/page/about/...

I would happily eat at Lark Creek Grill or Plant Cafe and if you require a Burger I think Burger Joint would be better than the In and Out in Millbrae. I haven't been to the Plant or Burger Joint in T2 yet-but in SF proper I have had good quick casual meals at both. I particularly like Plant's house made veggie burger-though be aware-Plant is the polar opposite from artery clogging fast food-it's a totally left coast healthy food and house brewed kambucha type joint.

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Burger Joint
242 King St, San Francisco, CA 94107

[Windy]

American also flies into T2.

The Plant at T2 is small and so far disappointing. I think they're cooking offsite and reheating.

I'd recommend checking out soup or sushi at the Japanese place (sister to Sankaku) or trying Cat Cora. Or getting tacos at Andale.

But otherwise Millbrae or Burlingame, as recommended above.

[artychokeasana]

That's a bummer about The Plant. And probably a bad choice on their part as it will diminish the brand they seem to have been working to build.

So far I have only gone to Lark Creek and really what I remember is that they had a good selection of wine by the glass-probably not needed if one was starving and hung over...but you never know everyone deals with their hangover differently. As I think about it I love Mingalaba but definitely wouldn't want it when hung over....

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Mingalaba
1213 Burlingame Ave, Burlingame, CA 94010

[susancinsf]

curious as to why not? I figured the caffeine in the tea salad would help get the OP ready for whatever white table cloth experience he had planned for dinner that night. Seems restorative to me, though granted, *not* artery clogging, necessarily.

[artychokeasana]

Good point about the caffeine. For me the hang up would be the spiciness and the acid. In general hot and sour are two of my favorite flavor profiles but when I'm hung over I feel delicate and even a bit squeamish so I like to be gentle on my stomach-my food of choice would be a fried egg sammie with melted cheese on toast, I think usually for me the caffeine comes in the form of a Mexican Coke-a-Cola.
Course I've never had a Xanax and the only kind of hungover I know is the too much red wine or cocktails kind so maybe the Xanax variety is a different beast.

[Sharuf]

Starving, you say? Stop at Marin Joe's in Corte Madera. Unless you order something broiled to order, it should be pretty quick.

http://www.marinjoesrestaurant.com/

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Marin Joe's
1585 Casa Buena Dr, Corte Madera, CA 94925

[wolfe]

"good old non-sustainable, artery clogging fodder"
In-N-Out Burger‎
11 Rollins Rd
Millbrae, CA 94030

[stevenmargolis]

Also in Millbrae, just about 2 miles from SFO, are some great dim sum choices -- Zen Peninsula (where we ate after flying in from NYC) and Asian Pearl. NOt as quick as In-N-Out, but it is really close to SFO.

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Zen Peninsula
1180 El Camino Real, Millbrae, CA 94030

Asian Pearl
3288 Pierce St, Richmond, CA 94804

[arlenemae]

Second In-N-Out. It's quick, tasty, and if you're really starving you should get a double-double, fries and a milkshake! I think even just the shake by itself is around 700 calories. The fries are especially great, but even better when you order them well-done. :)

My east-coast friends always love it!

[susancinsf]

I'd go to Mingalaba in Burlingame. Their tea salad is delicious, and will wake you (and your taste buds) right up.

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Mingalaba
1213 Burlingame Ave, Burlingame, CA 94010