Christmas Eve with an Out-of-Town Guest-Advice Solicited

[jillyju]

I have a guest coming in from Texas who has asked for us to have dinner somewhere on Christmas Eve. As I am Jewish, this is not an event with which I have much familiarity. I suspect that she would like something at least somewhat traditional (although for Christmas day she's coming along for the Jewish version of the holiday--dim sum and a movie). I tentatively made a reservation at Buckeye Roadhouse, just because it's an easy menu and a pleasant setting. We'll be driving from Alameda and I do worry that the traffic in that direction will be crazy. We also could only get a 4:45 pm reservation.

I'd love suggestions, for anything from a buffet to a regular dinner menu. Location is flexible--San Francisco or East Bay. I believe my friend wants to treat us, so I don't want to stun her with a $100.00 pp buffet, but I don't really have parameters other than that.

Thanks in advance!

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Buckeye Roadhouse
15 Shoreline Highway, Mill Valley, CA 94941

[artychokeasana]

Both Boulevard abd Prospect are opn and have reservations. Neither's website references special Christmas menus but that may be because they have not yet designed the menu.

In a totally different directio I would also be tempted to look at Piperade which also has availability on Christmas eve.

At all tree cases your are sure to hace exceptional service and excelent food-what could be bad?

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Piperade
1015 Battery St., San Francisco, CA 94111

Boulevard Restaurant
1 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94105

Prospect
300 Spear St, San Francisco, CA 94105

[jillyju]

Thanks everyone. I made a 6pm reservation at Perbacco, and I am excited about it! I think that both the food and the price will be right, and the timing is much better. Yay!

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Perbacco
230 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111

[jillyju]

Since folks were generous with their input on our Christmas eve dinner, I wanted to report back. Though I made reservations at Perbacco, I held on to the reservation at Buckeye for a bit. As it turned out, after reviewing both menus, our guest preferred the Buckeye, so I cancelled Perbacco and we went to the Buckeye.

Traffic was, surprisingly, not at all an issue. Despite the early time of the reservation (it turned out to be 4:15pm, not 4:45), it was packed and we actually waited about 30 minutes to be seated. I worried that was a sign of a bad beginning. However, once we were seated, everything fell into place. The place was warmly decorated for the holiday, and we sat under a stuffed moose head with decorations on its antlers. Most importantly, our guest LOVED her food.

We started with a shared appetizer of dungeness crab cakes (the waitress offered to bring 3 cakes instead of 2.) They were mostly crab and quite tasty, served with a really nicely dressed frisee salad. Our guest had a main of halibut with ravioli (stuffed with mushrooms, I think) that she inhaled, so I barely got a look at it. She said the fish was cooked perfectly. My spouse had chili lime chicken cooked under a brick, which they've had on the menu in one form or another forever. He really enjoyed it, particularly the grits and stuffed poblano chile served alongside.

I had the smoked baby back ribs, which I have had there before and always enjoyed. They were actually slightly overcooked and on the dry side. They were definitely still tasty, just not at their best. They were served with mashed yams and coleslaw. Everyone at the table happily helped themselves to the yams. I think I would have rather had a mashed veggie that was less sweet--butternut squash came to mind. The truth is, because of the nature of the gathering, I kind of didn't care that my food wasn't stellar as long as everyone else was happy.

We shared a couple of desserts--key lime pie and their S'more pie. I was unenthusiastic about both, but our guest really loved the S'more's marshmellow layer and it hit the sweet, chocolate and warm cylinders that she seemed to be looking for.

Anyway, service was very attentive and helpful, and most importantly, for my Texas friend everything about the meal most certainly hit the spot. I think it turned out to be a very good choice for her, and I will continue to be fond of the place for certain types of occasions.

Thanks everyone for jumping in to the disccussion. Even though we ended up going to a place I've been to many times in the past, it was helpful in many ways, and Perbacco will be one of my first restaurant visits in 2012.

[Ruth Lafler]

Thanks for reporting back. I was thinking of this thread as I was driving home to the East Bay from the Peninsula that afternoon -- traffic indeed wasn't that bad. The parking lot at Mi Pueblo Food Center was another story entirely!

[sugartoof]

Hotel buffets are often the way to go, but my experiences are more for Christmas day itself.

You might consider switching things up, and going the movie/Chinese route on the eve, then having a nice Christmas day brunch instead?

In past years, Open Table has compiled lists of places open with special menus.

[jillyju]

Ah, but sugartoof, some traditions cannot be messed with--there is no way to switch around the meals, as the dim sum/movie extravaganza takes place with a larger group of folks with whom we've celebrated for a number of years. Besides, I feel sure that Koi Palace would miss us ;-).

Okay, back to the chow. A friend suggested One Market. I've never eaten there. I checked and there's no special menu (which is fine with everyone), and it looks like we could have our choice of times. Feedback from those who've been?

And susaninsf, I thought the Meritage at the Claremont would be an easy choice, but they will have some sort of live music that day, which the out-of-town friend would not be able to deal with.

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Koi Palace Restaurant
365 Gellert Blvd, Daly City, CA 94015

One Market Restaurant
1 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

Meritage at the Claremont
41 Tunnel Road, Berkeley, CA 94705

[susancinsf]

I hear you on the live music. Others have suggested that One Market's location across from Occupy SF might be a turn off to your friend (or you), although I was down there recently and it didn't bother me at all (perhaps I am impervious to the smells others have talked about?; I am certainly sympathetic to the cause). Very BART accessible, which is how I would do it, or they do have valet parking I believe. and, If you went early, you could take your friend for a walk around the ferry building first to check out the shops.

It isn't cheap and the food will definitely be traditional. Gets somewhat mixed reports on this board, partly for being a bit safe and pedestrian, which might increase its appeal for a holiday meal to your friend. I've always enjoyed the food there, and the service, so count me in the fan category.

Edited to add: OTOH, while I am a fan, I think Perbacco's food is better and more interesting. I also happen to think that Italian food is the perfect celebratory way to observe Christmas Eve (and I am also Jewish, more or less. I think it is the influence of my Italian stepmother :-))

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One Market Restaurant
1 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

[Ruth Lafler]

Christmas Eve is a Saturday -- I'm going to wager the traffic will be a nightmare! (despite all the hype about Black Friday, the Saturday before Xmas is the highest volume sales day of the year, probably because people are also buying food and drink for the holiday (or holiday parties), while food sales are minimal the day after Thanksgiving).

I checked on Open Table and there are some nice options in the East Bay (Bay Wolf and Lalime's were two places that struck me as being pleasant with "easy" menus).

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Lalime's
1329 Gilman, Berkeley, CA 94706

[jillyju]

Thank you both for the feedback. I like your thoughts Ruth, particularly because both those places prepare lovely food without any pretension. And I had not realized it was going to be on a Saturday. That gives me chills!

[susancinsf]

I really have not had good experiences at Bay Wolf the last two times I went (it has been several years), and I swore it off after the last visit. (and actually, for me at least, pretension was an issue. have you had better luck lately, jillyju?). If you do decide on Bay Wolf, call and ask if they are serving a special menu: my guess based on my past experiences (one of those times was a holiday) is that they will be and that it will be expensive with limited choice.

while I know that shopping will be heavy, I am not sure that would translate into bridge traffic on Christmas Eve: this won't be the Saturday before Christmas, it will be Saturday eve of Christmas, and by dinner time I'd wager that more people would be trying to find stores closer to home for last minute items. That said, if the guest would be willing to BART it, or you are willing to risk it, Perbacco is open and has availability (per Open Table).

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Perbacco
230 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111

Bay Wolf Restaurant
3853 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, CA 94611

[jillyju]

Thanks for that feedback Susaninsf. I actually have not been to Bay Wolf in many years, so I was just presuming it would be the same. Their menu never really excites me, so even when I lived nearby, I never went. I have never been to Perbacco, yet have always been interested in it, so it is an interesting option..

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Perbacco
230 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111

Bay Wolf Restaurant
3853 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, CA 94611

[Ruth Lafler]

She said she had a 4:45 reservation at Buckeye Roadhouse. I'm guessing between 4 and 5 there will still be a lot of people out there doing last minute shopping (or heading home from last minute shopping), especially along the 80 corridor (assuming Richmond-San Rafael bridge from East Bay to Mill Valley). BART to Perbacco sounds very civilized.

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Perbacco
230 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111

Buckeye Roadhouse
15 Shoreline Highway, Mill Valley, CA 94941

[susancinsf]

Ruth, this is true, but my impression was that she took a much earlier reservation than she wanted, because that is all that was available. (Perbacco had a fair amount of space available all evening).

BTW, on the subject of hotel food if BART or the commute to Perbacco doesn't appeal: I've eaten at Meritage at the Claremont as recently as my last meal at Bay Wolf and have to say that I enjoyed it much more. Food was reasonably good and the service (perhaps surprisingly to me) was very good. That said, I always assume that service anywhere won't be as good on a holiday.

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Perbacco
230 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111

Meritage at the Claremont
41 Tunnel Road, Berkeley, CA 94705

Bay Wolf Restaurant
3853 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, CA 94611

[Rapini]

For several years my friends and I would go out for dinner on Christmas Eve. We found that the best places, and the ones most likely to be serving that night, were connected to the better hotels--usually in SF.

[jillyju]

Interesting point. The friend will be staying at the Claremont, so maybe The Meritage, though I don't recall hearing anything from CH'ers about it. It appears from their website that it's their regular menu, with musical accompaniment. Thanks for the suggestion--I'll start looking at the SF hotels.

[wolfe]

The link you have is to a restaurant in Sonoma. You want the Meritage at the Claremont.
http://www.meritageclaremont.com/
Their buffet was good but I had it 2 incarnations( theirs not mine) ago, never the dinner.

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Meritage at the Claremont
41 Tunnel Road, Berkeley, CA 94705