Here for a week from Miami

[skuzzy]

Hello locals,

I just flew in for a conference in San Francisco from Miami. I am currently staying off Lombard and Van Ness. I would like to make the most of what San Francisco has to offer ranging from extremely delicious and authentic Asian cuisine, amazing west coast seafood, to pretty much whatever else is floating around and worth eating. I suppose if there are some amazing places in Oakland it would be worth the drive. I will be here from 10/22 to 10/29. Thanks in advance, all.

[Robert Lauriston]

Asian: Lers Ros and Thai House Express for Thai, Burmese Kitchen or Little Yangon for Burmese, Jai Yun for Shanghai, Z&Y for Sichuan, Angkor-Borei for Cambodian.

Bar Crudo for seafood.

Oakland might be worth the drive for Korean.

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Angkor-Borei Restaurant
3471 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110

Jai Yun
680 Clay St, San Francisco, CA 94111

Larkin Express Burmese Kitchen
452 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Thai House Express
901 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Bar Crudo
655 Divisadero Street, San Francisco, CA 94117

Z & Y
655 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Little Yangon
6318 Mission St, Daly City, CA 94014

[skuzzy]

Based on your recommendations, I tried Helmand Palace last night as it peaked my interest and it was relatively close to the hotel. I can definitely say I was pleasantly surprised. Mostly, it was due to the fact that the pasta from the raviolis were freshly made; not dried and packaged. One person got the Koufta Challow which consisted of a tomato based sauce with green beans and ground beef meatballs. The description stated there would be hot peppers however there was very little spice and it was served after it had been sitting for a while. I tried the Mourgh Challow which was a pretty typical curry chicken. Starches were dominant as the rice and the pasta were great. Hopefully, there will be more to follow soon.

Edit: Just went to Saigon Sandwich for a Banh Mi and having only had it once before it my life I'd have to say if I worked in that area I would be a regular patron. Cilantro, jalapeno, pickled cabbage, carrots, and pork with a heavy amount of black pepper and what seemed to taste like a hint of allspice was a great blend that hit the spot before a day wandering the city.

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Saigon Sandwich Shop
560 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Helmand Palace
2424 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109

[skuzzy]

I trekked over to Burma Superstar, however the wait was 1.5 hours which happened to be disappointing and exciting at the same time. Motives based on time constraints had us move a few blocks away and go to Mandalay. So far this has been our most depressing experience. It seemed like typical Chinese take-out fare albeit the quality of the meat was a little bit above par comparatively.

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Burma Superstar Restaurant
309 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94118

[Robert Lauriston]

The menus at most Burmese places are a mix of Chinese, Indian, and Burmese dishes (apparently that's how people eat in Burma), and you're better off going elsewhere for the first two. You can get a boring Chinese meal at most Burmese restaurants if you order the wrong dishes.

[bigwheel042]

And the longer wait at Burma Superstar is not necessarily indicative of better food - IMO Mandalay is significantly better, it's just less Americanized and thus somewhat less popular. The trick with Burmese restaurants is to order the things that look like they have the most unusual ingredient combinations or preparations. If it sounds very different from anything you've had before, that's a good clue that it's probably Burmese and not Chinese or Indian.

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Burma Superstar Restaurant
309 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94118

[Windy]

Lots of good places on your list already, especially Off the Grid, Ferry Plaza market, and Helmand Palace.
Off the Grid Thursday in the Haight is smaller than Friday at Ft. Mason but also very worthwhile.

Leave the car at the hotel though, unless you're driving away from downtown. Parking is a pain, and meters are expensive; some of the newer meters take credit cards.

You could drive through the Presidio to Clement and Geary in the Richmond district, which are full of great Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

A great stop near you is Delise Dessert Cafe (open day time) for exceptional ice cream, sorbet, coffee, tea, and cookies. They have sandwiches too, but you're there for the frozen treats.

Also near you is John Campbell's Irish bakery for delicious blueberry scones, brown bread, and corned beef sandwiches and pasties.

For a splurge nearby, Atelier Crenn is unlikely anything you'll find in Miami. Many previous threads on it.

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Helmand Palace
2424 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109

DeLise dessert cafe
327 Bay St, San Francisco, CA 94133

John Campbell's Bakery
3101 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94123

Off the Grid
Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA 94123

Off the Grid
Stanyan Street at Waller Street, San Francisco, CA

[bobpantzer]

Sorry, but John Campbell's on Fillmore closed a few weeks ago. I think there is only the one now, out on Geary.

[Windy]

That's too bad. I think the one on DeHaro and 16th is still there. Will check it out when I'm nearby this week.

[bigwheel042]

Nope: http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/...

[whiner]

Actually, you are only a few blocks from one of the best values in the city -- an Afghani place called Helmand Palace. Unique and very tasty food. I actually think the seafood scene here isn't what visitors think it will be -- if you are willing to pay some bucks, I think the best restaurant for seafood in town is Ame. (It is also remarkably creative while still being comforting.) Otherwise, Pesce, also very easy walking distance from you, is very good and a good value. Slanted Door is excellent, way overpriced, not authentic to Vietnam, but a true SF experience.

Honestly, I think the thing San Francisco does best is authentic regional Italian food. I know, I know... visitors wouldn't think that is where they should be looking, but it is.

Perbacco (Piedmonte)
Delfina (Tuscan)
A16 (Southern)
La Ciccia (Sardinian)
SPQR (Roman)

are all worth looking into. FWIW, I think Perbacco and Delfina, probably in that order, are the best of the bunch.

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Slanted Door
Ferry Slip, San Francisco, CA 94111

La Ciccia
291 30th Street, San Francisco, CA 94131

Perbacco
230 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111

A16
2355 Chestnut St., San Francisco, CA 94123

Delfina Restaurant
3621 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110

Pesce
2227 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109

SPQR
1911 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94115

Helmand Palace
2424 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109

[ankimo]

from Miami, hmm safe bets based on your request would be: Lers Ros Thai, SO chicken wings, Burma Superstar tealeaf salad/samusa soup, Saigon sandwich banh mi, Anh Hong Vietnamese, Hong Kong Lounge (Geary) dim sum, Sotto Mare cioppino/sand dabs, PPQ dungeness crab, izakaya sozai, etc
fine dining: saison, benu, atelier crenn
oakland: i like plum, commis

[mariacarmen]

Friday night OTG at Ft. Mason will fulfill mattstolz' suggestion nicely. Also, you missed it today, but check out the Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market next Saturday morning. A plethora of what San Francisco has to offer, both fresh and prepared. nothing else like it.

I like Z&Y Garden for Sichuan, and we do Burmese well in this city - Burmese Kitchen, Yamo, Mandalay. Also good Vietnamese - Bodega Bistro is a fave, tho some really like the more upscale Slanted Door. I would imagine you don't want any latin flavors while you're here.... As for seafood, go old school and check out Swan Oyster Depot one day for lunch. there's always a line, so get there by 11 to assure a seat (it's tiny).

for other, general San Francisco/California tastes, go to Canteen, Range, Foreign Cinema (brunch is good), Pizzeria Delfina (not just pizza; another place where there is always a wait but very worth it). In Oakland, Pizzaiolo (ditto - not just pizza - FANTASTIC food, and always a wait). People here rave about Plum in Oakland, i went once and liked it but wasn't as wowed. If you want high end, try Plum's chef's first restaurant here in the city, Coi, for an inventive, memorable and delicious prix fixe dinner.

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Slanted Door
Ferry Slip, San Francisco, CA 94111

Bodega Bistro
607 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Swan Oyster Depot
1517 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Yamo
3406 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110

[mattstolz]

my first thought would be to find yourself some good food truck culture, because it is sadly lacking here in MIA