Upcoming San Francisco Treat

[kronik]

I'll be in town for a conference and my girlfriend is tagging along. I'm trying to plan a reasonable itinerary and I think I'm doing a fairly acceptable job though I am always open to ideas. We start in SF and venture into Wine Country on the 4th. We have pretty wide tastes though a penchant for fruit-forward Cabernets and off-dry Chardonnays; we are always open, however, to broadening our horizons. No chance at TFL due to when I found out I was going to SF but we were at Per Se a few months ago so I figure a visit to Kostow is more suitable anyways.

Here's what I have currently:

Oct 2nd
Dinner - Saison

Oct 3rd
Dinner @ Benu

Oct 4th

Lunch - ?
1PM - Elyse Winery
Tentatively, afternoon - Hopper Creek Winery
3:45 - Pride Vineyards
Dinner - The Restaurant at Meadowood - 8:45

Oct 5th

Brunch - Bouchon - 11AM
1PM - Joseph Phelps
2:30PM - ? (was thinking Altamura)

Oct 6th

Brunch/Lunch - ? - 11AM
1PM - Chappellet Vineyards
3PM - Paradigm Vineyards
Dinner - Ad Hoc - 7:15

I'm certainly open to exploring more of Sonoma on the 4th but it will be a little more difficult to squeeze in on Fri/Sat.

Thanks!

[kronik]

Well, here's the updated schedule though now I might try to finagle it further after reading the feedback in this thread.

Thanks!

Sunday

12PM - La Corneta
6PM - Pizzeria Delfina
8:30PM - Alembic

Monday

8PM - The Slanted Door

Tuesday

8AM - Knead Patisserie
7PM - Saison Chef's Counter

Wednesday

8AM - Dynamo Doughnuts
6PM - Wilson and Wilson Detective Agency
8PM - Benu

Thursday

maybe addenndum for lunch

10AM - Aubert Wines
1PM - Elyse Winery
3:45PM - Pride Vineyards

Friday
10AM - Del Dotto Vineyards
1:30PM - Hendry Vineyards
5:15 - Bottega

Saturday

10:30AM - Joseph Phelps Vineyards
11:45 - Bistro Jeanty
1PM - Chappellet Vineyards
3PM - Paradigm Vineyards
7:15 - Ad Hoc

[CarrieWas218]

What are you doing for dinner on Thursday after Pride?

I would suggest - being close to St. Helena at that point, Terra or a jaunt up to Calistoga for JoLe.

[StillSparkle]

You should really try Commis in Oakland - it's superb, reasonably priced and the perfect date place.

[jaiko]

And you certainly won't be overeating at Commis. Nine bites of food (including the two amuse-bouches) for $75 + wine/tip. Of the nine bites, only two were memorable. I'm glad we went, but for that money there's a lot of other places whose food is just as beautifully executed, more satisfying, more generous, and less self-absorbed. A miniature slice of filet mignon with the indigestible fat cap still attached to make it look bigger? Puh-leeze.

[dordogne]

For me (small in both size and appetite), Commis is perfect (I went home from Gary Danko with three take-out boxes of leftovers, including dessert), but please identify the "lot of other places" you had in mind--comparable in price, inventiveness, execution, quality of ingredients. Good to keep in mind for my companions with bigger appetites.

[Civil Bear]

100% different style all together, but at Chez Panisse you can even get seconds if available.

[zin1953]

Yes, but Commis is more inventive; inside Chez Panisse, it's still 1971 (delicious, but 1971).

[CarrieWas218]

Bouchon is getting tired and recent reports have not been favorable on the service front. Or, if you are craving French bistro fare, Bistro Jeanty is more authentic, affordable, and better tasting. For dinner that night, consider Redd or JoLe.

You have a really aggressive list of haute restaurants you are going to be hitting and to relieve yourself of palate fatigue, you might consider the tasting menu at Morimoto in Napa or Cook in St. Helena.