Truffle Dog's Profile
Chocolate Chip Pancakes?
ISO Chocolate Chip pancakes. I am particularly looking for a place in the east bay, particularly the Oakland-Berkeley-Emeryville-Albany-El Cerrito area, but it would be good to know about options in SF and further afield as well.
The closest thing I have been able to find by searching Chowhound is white chocolate chip pancakes at Cafe Durant but that doesn't really get it done. Looking for the Real McCoy.
Hounds, please tell me there is something better than IHOP or Denny's out there.
Thanks for your help
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IHOP
531 Foster City Blvd, Foster City, CA 94404
Cafe Durant
2517 Durant Ave Ste B, Berkeley, CA 94704
Our Anniversary -- Union Square Area and Not the Cheesecake Factory :)
I don't think it's half a chicken. I believe you get a whole (small) chicken cut up into pieces for $48. It's definitely designed to be eaten by two people.
Also please note that while I think your choice of House of Prime Rib is a good one it would be a mistake to dismiss Zuni solely because you are put off by the price of the chicken dish. The rest of the Zuni menu is excellent and there are plenty of main course options that use premium ingredients like steak or squab.
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Zuni Cafe
1658 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
House of Prime Rib
1906 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA 94109
Our Anniversary -- Union Square Area and Not the Cheesecake Factory :)
For what it's worth, when I read the original post, House of Prime Rib was the first place I thought of. I think it would be a perfect choice for the big dinner. The prime rib is excellent, it's a fun destination-y place, and the portions are certainly large. The sides and salad and style of the restaurant are a little bit dated but overall it's a nice place and the prime rib is as I said outstanding. You can also take the California Street Cable Car line to get there which might be fun for you.
Newstarr - I think you may actually have seen the place on the Travel Channel, Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" San Francisco episode. It may have been featured on Food Network as well, but I have a specific recollection of that Bourdain show because I remember thinking "it's nice to see HOPR getting some recognition."
Be careful not to overeat at lunch. The portions at HOPR are in fact really big. I think this new plan (a snacky lunch in Hayes Valley) is better than doing Dim Sum and then HOPR. I don't know about you but I am never up for a big dinner after a Dim Sum brunch.
Lastly unless HOPR has raised its prices considerably since I was last there (which is about 2 years) the cost of a meal for one is not $48. More like $38 if I recall correctly, which includes salad and sides.
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House of Prime Rib
1906 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA 94109
What's good at Hangar One these days?
The Absinthe is pretty good but Absinthe is sort of esoteric and not everyone likes it so I would be sure it is something the would enjoy or I would hedge my bets by getting something else as well.
I think the Mandarin Blossom Vodka is probably the most universally liked of all the flavored vodkas. It's a little sweet but drier than typical orange flavored vodkas and it has a wonderfully complex, floral aroma. The Buddha's hand is also very nice but some people find it too tart.
The raspberry is interesting but it has a vegetal element to its flavor (like concentrated berry seeds or stems, almost seaweed-like) that some people find off-putting. If you want to get something super-fruity or sweet, the pear-flavored eau d vie and liqueur are really good.
Th St. George Single Malt Whiskey and the Straight Vodka are both superlative, although they are not as unique as some of the other things Hangar One offers.
The most unusual thing that they make are the Qi liqueurs, especially the Black Qi which is not remotely like anything else out there. The White Qi is a really nice orange flavored liqueur - it's lighter tasting than Gran Marnier and the subtle tea flavor cuts through the sweetness nicely. The Black Qi, on the other hand, is downright weird. It's has a strong black tea flavor, very sweet and spicy, but it is overwhelmingly smoky. Most people either love it or hate it.
Bundnerfleisch
I know they have Bundnerfleisch at the Junket, a German deli in the El Cerrito Plaza. Somewhat easier to find is Bresaola, which is a similar product from the Alpine region of Italy. You can frequently find Bresaola at AG Ferrari and Andronico's.
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El Cerrito Plaza
San Pablo Ave and Fairmount Ave, El Cerrito, CA
NICE Bar suggestions in SF?
I recommend Chaya Brasserie for happy hour and sit in the bar/lounge or the outdoor area. Good cocktails, sushi and other bar bites, nice neighborhood, beautiful views of the bay bridge.
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Chaya Brasserie
132 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94105
21st Birthday in Berkeley
I thought Cesar was a great idea. They have good food and GREAT cocktails. It is true that the vegetarian options are not super extensive, but they are adequate in my experience. It's good for a party because you just order a bunch of things family style.
Gather is also a nice place which is great for vegetarians. This would be a good call if the ladies prefer a more traditional app-entree-dessert approach to dinner rather than lots of shared small things.
Jupiter if and only if the birthday girl is a beer aficionado. It's a fun place but outside of a very good beer selection nothing special food-wise. The pizza is fine but ordinary, wine list pretty boring, no full bar, etc.
Souce for Puff Pastry
La Farine makes beautiful puff pastry and sells the dough for $6/lb. They use butter, not shortening.
I assume they make gigantic sheets of it for use at the bakery and just cut it to size so if you called ahead and ask them nicely I bet you could get them to cut you a big sheet.
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La Farine
6323 College Ave, Oakland, CA 94618
Moderately priced delivery or takeout for a large group in SF
Thanks everyone for the replies
Memphis Minnie's could be a good choice. We had an office party from there a few months ago and it was pretty popular. I'll give them a call and see about delivery options.
Lers Ros would definitely have been pushing it for the picky eaters but the food is so good I'd be willing to overlook that. Not confident in the delivery or large or service though unfortunately.
Keep it coming!
Moderately priced delivery or takeout for a large group in SF
I have a dinner event coming up for about 30 people for which I need to choose a restaurant in San Francisco. I would definitely prefer to find a place that will deliver but if need be I could do takeout if absolutely necessary. Aiming to spend about $20 per head (not including drinks) but am slightly flexible and could bump it up a tad for the right place. Priorities are
1. RELIABLE, timely delivery service.
2. Good food, preferably something that can be served somewhat family style.
3. If possible, I think I'd prefer a Japanese place for this group but I am definitely willing to go in a different direction if that would be better. Nothing super exotic as I need to keep 30 people with the whole spectrum of palates happy.
My first thought was to order from Lers Ros Thai but I've never ordered delivery from them and there are too many horror stories on yelp about their delivery service being unreliable (see priority number one).
I'm willing to do a delivery service like Waiters on Wheels or something like (suggestions for delivery service also appreciated) if necessary but I think it might be tough on my budget since their fees are so high.
Any ideas would be appreciated! Thanks in advance.
TD
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Lers Ros Thai
730 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA
One night in San Francisco: Gary Danko or Chez Panisse?
I personally prefer Danko between those two but either would be a good choice. I think you have a good idea of the difference between the two. One factor that you didn't mention is which day of the week your dinner will be. The dinners at Chez are more refined on Fridays and Saturdays and more rustic early in the week.
Another option I suggest you consider is Coi which has a very local and seasonal approach to ingredients but also uses much more modern (and less "safe") techniques than either Danko or Chez.
You could theoretically have a lunch a Chez Panisse Cafe - which is wonderful and really captures that minimalist, ingredient-driven approach to food as well or better than Chez Panisse Restaurant - and then have dinner that same night at Danko. That would be a great food day!
If you like the idea of this approach, but don't want to spend time traveling to the east bay, you might try Zuni - which is a similar style of food as Chez Cafe, although IMO not quite as good - for lunch and Danko for dinner.
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Chez Panisse
1517 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709
Watch 49ers v. Bears - SOMA/Union Square
Gordon Biersch is probably best possible as far as food goes. A little bit of a trek from union square, but definitely doable.
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Gordon Biersch
2 Harrison Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
What's the big deal about Bottega?
I visited Bottega right around the same time you did and had an excellent meal. The highlights were probably the grilled squid appetizer and the roasted pork special (slow roasted suckling pig with crispy skin, with a stuffing of chopped pork shoulder and herbs) which were both outstanding. We had a nice burrata app as well and two pastas.
The pastas (gnocchi and pappardelle) were pleasant but nothing super special. The pastas themselves were excellent (the gnocchi were particularly light and fluffy) but the sauces were fine but not memorable.
I guess that generally the food was a little over-salted. But the truth is it was a great meal all around.
We were actually really happy with our service there but I've read enough negative reports on here to think that maybe we just got lucky. I did get the impression that it might be the place where the "in" crowd of locals gets somewhat more/better attention and tourists get the leftovers (although I personally was totally happy with the service as I said).
Anniversary Dinner near Guerneville
Both Applewood and Farmhouse would be good choices. Definitely Farmhouse if you like cheese.
Best Poached Egg Dish in SF or Surrounding?
The cream-poached egg at Corso in Berkeley, served with pancetta, tomato and grilled bread, is heavenly.
One night off in Berkeley
Rivoli is just *barely* in Berkeley. Just over the border on the other side of Berkeley - in Oakland - Wood Tavern and Oliveto are excellent. Rivoli is my favorite; Lalimes is probably your best bet for a table of all of them. Eccolo is often overlooked in scholarly circles but I've had a couple really good meals there recently and it's a little easier to get seated there than most of these.
San Francisco Trip 4/22-27
Millenium is one of the best vegetarian restaurants in the City, and they have a great cocktail program. I would definitely recommend it for you.
Outside of the strictly vegetarian-only restaurants, I would recommend Coi and Dosa.
Coi is one of the best restaurants in San Francisco and the vegetarian items are among the best items on the menu. However, they have a fairly limited set of menu choices so you should ask when/if you call for a reservation whether they can accommodate your dietary restrictions. It's very expensive - I think 120/head before drinks, tax, and tip.
Dosa is an Indian restaurant specializing in dosas (lentil crepes) but they have other South Indian dishes as well. Over half of the items on the menu, including many of the best are vegetarian. The Fillmore branch has a full bar and an interesting cocktail program. It's been a while since I've been to the other branch on Valencia (in the mission district) but my recollection is that they have only wine & beer and that they don't take reservations, so the wait can be long.
ZINNIA
I went during the opening weeks. Everything we had was quite good and they had a good cocktail program as well. It's a lot like the old Myth if you ever went there (same chef). The food is better than Bacar.
Night out in Downtown SF?
RL - are you quite sure you weren't looking at the lunch menu? They have lowered their prices considerably if those are the most expensive entrees are $21. Whole Fish & steak were in the 30s last I was there. For the OP, the food at Kokkari is great and the vibe is probably in line with what you are looking for.
Chaya is good for bar bites (good sushi, good fries, etc) and drinks. If you go at happy hour and stick the specials its reasonable. If not you can easily end spending way more than you planned.
In addition to the other suggestions on this thread I'd recommend Scott Howard (by the Chef formerly of Myth)
Proposing to GF in Berkeley/East Bay?
Oliveto is also excellent and has a private room that would probably be a good fit for your group.
Proposing to GF in Berkeley/East Bay?
It depends a lot on what your priorities and constraints are. Great food? View? It doesn't sound like you necessarily need a private room - how big is your party? Price point?
I would not recommend anyone go to Skates. There are a few decent things on the menu but for the most part I find it to be pretty mediocre. I had a terrible dinner there a few months ago and vowed to never return.
Jordan's at the Claremont might be something to look at. It's been a few years for me but I remember the food being pretty good and not particularly exotic (which could be an asset for a big group if you have picky eaters). It has beautiful views of the bay and SF skyline, although I would call to confirm they can offer you a big table with a view. The price point is high though and the food while fine is not as good as the food at other east bay places in that price range.
Sea Salt and A Cote both have good food (IMO A Cote is better). I don't know that I've ever seen little kids at A Cote though - doesn't really have the feel of a family place, although maybe that doesn't matter if you get a private space. Eccolo also has wonderful food.
Wine flight with a prix fixe / tasting menu?
Of all the uber-expensive, highly acclaimed places, Coi has IMO the most "untraditional" pairings. For example they once served me a glass of beer scented with cucumber essence. However, all of those restaurants have excellent programs.
Looking for service that will deliever food for a take out resturant
EzDineInn delivers food from Cafe Raj and you can pay with a credit card online.
ezdineinn.com
ISO English Peas and Fava Beans
Thank you to everyone who responded! I did visit the Ferry Plaza Market - in case anyone else is interested, Iacopi does indeed have some beautiful English Peas ($8 for a small paper sack the size of a takeaway sandwich bag). None of the farmer's market vendors have Favas, but Capay Organic/Farm Fresh To You has them ($3.99/lb).
TD
ISO English Peas and Fava Beans
Has anyone seen these yet? Last weekend I asked around and was told to wait for more sun. Wasn't able to make it to the markets over the weekend. Today is the Ferry Plaza market but I don't want to drag myself down there just to come back empty handed...
Cocktails with a view somewhere between Civic Center and the Richmond?
It's a tourist trap but not terrible by any means. The food and drinks are fine but nothing special and really expensive. The view is spectacular
SF for 1 foodie + 1 non-foodie
Showy but casual seems like somewhat of a fine line to toe.
Zinnia
Salt House
Slanted Door
Absinthe
Foreign Cinema
Palo Alto for Dinner
I love Evvia (my favorite place in Palo Alto) but I think you are pushing your price range a little bit. You might be able to sneak in under $30/head before tip by sharing apps, sticking to the cheaper entrees, and skipping dessert (or skipping apps and sharing dessert) but the top entrees on the menu are over $30 alone. I like St Michael's Alley (although it's been a couple years for me) and it is a little bit cheaper than Evvia, but still you would have to watch what you order to stay under $30 there. For your price range I think the best meal in the area might be Amber India in Mountain View. Poolside Grill at the Sheraton is actually a nice sit down place that has fairly good food in a casual atmosphere - I remember it being pretty inexpensive but I can't find an online menu so I couldn't say for sure.
