RichInMV's Profile
One year of date night dinners
Kappou Gomi might work, but it might not be geographically desirable.
Beth's Community Kitchen (Mill Valley)
We've been waiting for Beth's to open for what seems like a couple of years, and since it's opened, we've tried several of her items.
Overall they are excellent, and I'd agree with Malcolm - from very good to superb. The little cookies are wonderful and highly addictive, the scones are top rate and yesterday I had an apple turnover that combined excellent flaky pastry with a nice, fresh tart apple filling. On an earlier visit, late afternoon, much of their stock was gone, but I sampled the tomato foccacia and it was excellent - bright tomatoes (both fresh and sun-dried) and perfectly chewy foccacia texture.
There are few great bakeries in Marin (another new one worth a visit is SweetLife up in San Anselmo) and we feel fortunate to have one of the good ones this close to home!
Looking for multiple restaurants for client dinners
Perbacco - Italian
Kokkari - upscale Greek
Ozumo - Japanese-ish (but might be noisy)
Kappou Gomi - authentic Japanese
One Market - Californian
-----
Perbacco
230 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111
One Market Restaurant
1 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
Ozumo
2251 Broadway Avenue, Oakland, CA 94612
Kappou Gomi
5524 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121
Ajisen coming to SF Westfield
Windy - sorry I missed that in the thread! Disappointing, as I keep hoping to find some decent ramen within a walking radius of lower Market St (well, Westfield is stretching that). I'll keep waiting...
Ajisen coming to SF Westfield
Any recent visits? Melanie, have you been there yet? We need to know where this ranks on your ramen list!
Anniversary trip--Looking for recommendations and comments
We just went through this same exercise for some friends who are visiting from France for their 10th anniversary. We'd narrowed it down to La Folie, Perbacco and Quince. We had one constraint - one of our visitors is a vegetarian, and we wanted a nice experience for her without having to "pick and choose" among the menu items.
We ended up going with Quince, as it has both a very "special evening" feel to it, and their special events person (Rudy) indicated they can do a special vegetarian menu for them. La Folie also had a nice vegetarian-specific offering, but we thought the room was slightly too formal, though we love their food.
To follow on the many comments about Perbacco, I love their food, and their room is very nice, but not quite as "fancy" as Quince or La Folie - more of a Financial District feel. Not a big problem, but more of a nuance. Perbacco was actually my original choice, but the Quince people were very responsive and helpful in trying to create a nice evening for them.
Meal is at the end of August, so I'll try to remember to report back how it went...
-----
Perbacco
230 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111
La Folie
2316 Polk St., San Francisco, CA 94109
Better Pastries in FiDi
I'm bumping this thread to see if there are any recent options for good pastry/coffee, closer to the Ferry Building end of Market. I'm stuck in a Peet's rut, and just bored to death with the options. I know that Blue Bottle is at the Ferry Building, but the combination of slow service, and ridiculous prices turns me off in the morning. Any good suggestions for coffee and/or pastries from Battery St. to the East?
-----
Blue Bottle Cafe
66 Mint St, San Francisco, CA 94103
Greens or ???
My wife and I are definitely neither vegetarians nor vegans - we'll eat almost anything. Our friends indicated a preference for vegetarian, so a place that offers good options for all of us would be ideal. Also, our friends are French, so it would be good if the place has a bit of a "special event" feel for their anniversary.
I checked out Gracias Madre and it looks too casual for them, I think.
Millennium's menu really doesn't sound that appealing to me, but I'd try it again if recent visits have shown good and interesting cuisine.
If there is an omnivorous place with good options for vegetarians, that would seem to be ideal. I was trying to think of places but can't seem to put my finger on places with good vegetarian options that will be satisfying for my friends, while I enjoy a nice pork chop or some chicken ;-)
I looked at Zuni, Chez Panisse, and a few other California standards, but so far haven't found the right mix.
Seems like this should be easier than I am finding it, so all suggestions are gratefully welcomed!
-----
Zuni Cafe
1658 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Chez Panisse
1517 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709
Gracias Madre
2211 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Greens or ???
We have some good friends flying into town for an overnight layover on Thursday, August 25th. It will be their 10th anniversary, so they'd like to go out to somewhere with good choices for vegetarians (we're not, they are), and they're arriving SFO at 8:30 PM, so I figure we have a dinner start time around 9:30 PM in SF (best case).
I've reviewed all of the usual vegetarian suspects - if I had to choose I'd figure out a way to get them to stay an extra day and take them up to Ubuntu in Napa, but lacking that option, the only place that sounds vaguely interesting is Greens (it's an SF classic, if not spectacular food). I have not been impressed with Millennium, though it's been a few years.
Any suggestions for a vegetarian-friendly restaurant, nice atmosphere for a special dinner, quiet enough for conversation, open and serving late hours?
-----
Ubuntu Restaurant & Yoga Studio
1140 Main Street, Napa, CA 94558
Millennium Restaurant
580 Geary St., San Francisco, CA 94102
Greens Restaurant
Bld. A, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA 94123
What local products to bring back from Chicago?
Another place to find good stuff is Fox & Obel, as well as to sample their excellent cafe. I know they have Intelligentisa Coffee there, and would imagine there are other local goods to be purchased as well. Perhaps nsxtsy or others can comment on whether this would be worthwhile for the OP?
What local products to bring back from Chicago?
I go to Chicago (from SF) every month or so. I usually bring back a bag of Intelligentsia coffee, as I find they're comparable to the best roasters we have in SF, but a little different. Their cafe on W. Jackson also serves coffee and great baked goods.
Places in Petaluma
We were just up in Petaluma again this weekend - we wanted to try Luma, as recommended elsewhere in this thread, but they were closed (on Sunday).
After walking all around past the various options, we stopped in at Della Fattoria, but walked out a couple minutes later, annoyed by their service (lack of), which has been one of my gripes with that place. I love the food, but at those prices, they should have proper servers.
Anyway, we walked all around downtown, and settled on Sugo, which was fairly conventional Italian, but nicely done, and about the same prices as Della Fattoria, with good service, and good coffee. I had a really nice pappardelle with a short rib ragu - lots of really nicely braised short rib in a well-reduced sauce. My wife had the beet salad with good quality greens, blue cheese and walnuts (I think). Good, but kind of unexciting to me. Overall it was reasonably priced, decent service, and a less frantic feeling than Della Fattoria.
That said, I will keep going back to Della Fattoria in the hope that I can get in, get a table, and enjoy a meal there, as I do like their food and baked goods.
-----
Della Fattoria
141 Petaluma Blvd N, Petaluma, CA 94952
Sugo
5 Petaluma Blvd S Ste B, Petaluma, CA 94952
Luma
500 1st St, Petaluma, CA 94952
What's good at Hangar One these days?
For their whiskies, would they be of the peaty, Islay flavor profile, or smoother/sweeter Highland style? I am looking to get a friend a nice peaty single-malt for his birthday and this might be a nice local touch if it is appropriately peaty....
Annual birthday dinner dilemma
How about Range? Food is appealing and interesting, and their pastry chef is quite good. I think for 5 it might work, but the back room is still a bit tight. It was lively but not annoyingly noisy both times I've been there. Prices are reasonable for what you get.
Parking might be a bit of a hassle, depending on the day and time, but I've never had to spend more than 10 minutes looking.
-----
Range
842 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Breakfast near Michigan and Ohio
I ate at Yolk a few months ago, and it didn't come close in quality to Fox & Obel. I am more of a savory breakfast type, so the pancake offerings at Bongo Room and others don't appeal to me as much as the choices do at F&O.
Yolk was good, just not exceptional or memorable in any particular way.
-----
Bongo Room
1152 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60605
New in Chicago - Ruxbin and ???
OK, thanks - I will give it a try - just checked out Bistronomic's menu, and it looks like a decent combination of small, medium and large plates. I usually try to get one other (local) person to join me, and order five or six plates to taste...
For my other meal, I think I will try Ruxbin, just because of the interesting combinations. I am usually very skeptical of "fusion" food, particularly Asian fusion, but I read a couple of articles that at least describe what they're trying to do.
I will try to report back on both after I go. Thanks for the suggestions - I totally agree with you about not wanting to go to a place too early in their evolution, but someone has to...I will be prepared for high noise levels (hey, I am willing to sit on the uncomfortable stools and deafening noise of Avec!) and sloppy service, if the food is worthy...
New in Chicago - Ruxbin and ???
I am coming back for my monthly visit (from SF), and looking for new places of interest in Chicago. I'm very familiar with most of the good places in the "casual fine dining" space, and followed nsxtsy and chicgail's postings, as well as many other well-informed and helpful Hounds.
So I have two dinners to allocate on my next visit (in mid-March) - where would you recommend?
Preferences and constraints:
1. I will eat most anything, but I'm not really crazy about offal. But if it's great...
2. I usually stay in River North, and tend to eat there, but it's laziness - if there's a CTA-friendly location, I'm up for it
3. I need to get out for dinner at around $60 including tax, tip and (hopefully) a beer or a glass of wine. Most of the places I go to are within this. If there's something above it, I'll make up the difference myself if it's worth it.
Sorry (in advance) for not being more specific. I know of, and have eaten at, many of the existing places (examples include Avec, Naha, Sable, The Publican, The Gage, Girl and Goat, Lao Sze Chuan, Tank Noodle, to name a few).
So, what has opened in the past few months that I haven't yet been to, that's worthy?
-----
Avec Restaurant
615 W Randolph St Ste A, Chicago, IL 60661
Lao Sze Chuan
2172 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
Naha
500 North Clark St., Chicago, IL 60610
Publican
845 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
Lao Sze Chuan
1331 Ogden Ave, Downers Grove, IL 60515
The Gage
Chicago, Chicago, IL
Girl and the Goat
809 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60661
Places in Petaluma
Just as an update to this thread, we (five of us) had a wonderful dinner on Saturday night at Central Market. Aside from being a bit crowded at our 8 PM arrival (excusable for a nice place on a Saturday night), the food was all-around excellent.
Their menu is mostly interesting takes on comfort food, but that really doesn't do justice to the great flavors, quality ingredients and careful preparation that were in evidence on every dish we ate.
The "fried chicken leg" was so good, that after having it as a starter, my son ordered one for "dessert" - how may 17-year-olds would turn down dessert for chicken? Really great flavor, almost a Japanese kara-age type breading/crust.
The other starters included a nice little gem, Pt. Reyes blue and bacon/lardon salad, a penne with shortrib baked pasta dish, and a blood orange salad. Everyone was happy with them.
Our main dishes were all great, from scallops, to lamb shank (special), chicken breast (an "ordinary" dish made notable by proper brining and great seasoning), and Wagyu steak (served properly medium rare as requested).
I find it interesting (and a little sad) that the combination of good service, quality ingredients and great flavors served at reasonable prices made me wonder why this hardly seems to happen anymore!
All in, with a couple glasses of wine, and three desserts, we were out of there for $300 for the five of us, completely satisfied and really stuffed.
If this was closer to home, we might go there every week - it's really worth the drive from Marin, and about the same distance as many places in SF. Definitely worth the little bit of driving from my point of view. We'll be back again soon...
-----
Central Market
42 Petaluma Blvd North, Petaluma, CA 94952
Soup/Salad type restaurant in Embarcadero area
Some places to consider:
Ferry Building:
- Delica (Japanese soups, curries, salads)
- Il Cane Rosso (salads, soups)
- Golden Gate Meat Co (soups)
Il Massimo (soups, salads)
Seller's Market (pricey soups, salads)
-----
Golden Gate Meat
Ferry Slip, San Francisco, CA 94111
Delica
1 Ferry Bldg, San Francisco, CA
Il Cane Rosso
1 Ferry Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94105
Best NORTH BAY 2010 Bites
- Homemade pasta at La Bodega (part of Sonoma Wine Shop) in Sebastapol
- Fruit Crostata at Toby's Feed Store in Pt. Reyes Station
- El Molino - it's all good
- Picco in Larkspur - daily pasta special (with pork ragu when we were there)
- Lunch at Ubuntu - even after Fox left, still spectacular
-----
Ubuntu Restaurant & Yoga Studio
1140 Main Street, Napa, CA 94558
Toby's
Point Reyes Station, CA, Point Reyes Station, CA
El Molino
5321 Hopyard Rd Ste A, Pleasanton, CA 94588
Sonoma Wine Shop
2295 Gravenstein Hwy S, Sebastopol, CA 95472
Plate Shop - new in Sausalito?
I just came across this article about Plate Shop in Sausalito (yes, I know it's from July...), but have found little more on this new locavore place, in the location of what was Rustico.
Any word on their opening, food, etc.?
http://sanfrancisco.grubstreet.com/2010/08/chef_kim_alter_tells_us_about.html
Technique Restaurant (Cordon Bleu Culinary School)
Yes, I've been to Avec MANY times, so I usually end up at the bar. I know it's noisy (per nsxtsy) but I'm fine with that if I'm just with one other person. For me, their food is always really good (though some seem to disagree) and the flavor profiles are just not available at many other places at that price point.
-----
Avec Restaurant
615 W Randolph St Ste A, Chicago, IL 60661
Technique Restaurant (Cordon Bleu Culinary School)
Thanks - I ate at both Girl and the Goat, and Purple Pig last year. Enjoyed Girl and the Goat more than Purple Pig.
For this trip, I think I'm going to visit Avec to see their new/old menu, and then try out Green Zebra, which I've meant to try since a fantastic lunch last year at Ubuntu (in Napa). I may try Technique on my next trip, especially if I bring my wife along...
-----
Avec Restaurant
615 W Randolph St Ste A, Chicago, IL 60661
Green Zebra
1460 W Chicago, Chicago, IL 60622
Technique Restaurant (Cordon Bleu Culinary School)
I'm heading out for my monthly trip back to Chicago, and as always, on the hunt for someplace good that I haven't tried. Since I stay either in the Loop, or in River North, I generally operate in a radius of a mile or two from there. I've eaten at many of the commonly named places on this board, and have found quite a few I like a lot.
I came across Technique, the student-run restaurant at Le Cordon Bleu, and am thinking of trying their 5-course menu - it's attractively priced, and as my wife graduated from culinary school last year, I have appropriately (low-ish) expectations of what this type of restaurant can produce.
I have not found any experiences here on Chowhound, so if anyone's been, I'd be interested in general comments. Since they rotate all their staff frequently, it would really be more of a commentary on who is overseeing the students, quality of ingredients, etc.
Also, if there are any other new, worthy restaurants to recommend, I'd appreciate that. I have no restrictions from a food point of view, but need to keep it to $30-40/pp without alcohol.
I can always fall back to old favorites like Avec (yeah, it's noisy), Sable, The Gage, Sepia, Naha, Vermilion, etc. but if there's something new, I'm always open to try it out. Thanks!
-----
Avec Restaurant
615 W Randolph St Ste A, Chicago, IL 60661
Vermilion
10 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654
Sepia
123 North Jefferson St, Chicago, IL 60661
Naha
500 North Clark St., Chicago, IL 60610
The Gage
Chicago, Chicago, IL
Sable Kitchen & Bar
505 North State Street, Chicago, IL 60654
Catching up with Chef Rick Vargas at Sebastopol’s La Bodega in the Sonoma Wine Shop
Slight correction to the above - I found the copy of the menu I'd taken along.
The first course was local coast Porcini, Wild morel with Carmelized Artichoke hearts and Fiscalini Vintage Cheddar filling,
The second course was sweet and spicy eggplant filling with the Anaheim chili sauce, and shaved Redwood Hill crotin. I'm still thinking of these and can't wait to go back there...
Catching up with Chef Rick Vargas at Sebastopol’s La Bodega in the Sonoma Wine Shop
On a trip up to Sebastopol, we stopped by La Bodega, a bit early (maybe 10:30 or 11 AM). Standing out by the front door, we were reading the menu outside, and then Rick opened the door and invited us in. They weren't really open yet, but he was happy to talk with us, and invited us back into the kitchen while he finished making a large batch of tiramisu.
We ended up spending about 2 hours there, chatting with Rick and Bryan (the wine guy), and had a wonderful lunch after telling Rick to choose some dishes for us.
First course was a porcini/chantrelle ravioli in a chantrelle cream sauce - really excellent fresh pasta and a wonderful cream and herb sauce. Second course was an interesting and more complex ravioli dish with an Anaheim chile sauce, with Redwood crotin cheese filling. And for dessert we had a dish that was actually a starter, but sounded great for dessert - a pear and Pt. Reyes Blue cheese tart on puff pastry.
Everything was excellent, and served by Rick in an extremely casual but friendly setting. We split a 1/2 bottle of a nice Cabernet (a 2003 Edgewood (?) - forgot to write it down) and just enjoyed the whole time talking with Rick and Bryan. We talked a lot about their wine club and ended up buying a couple of bottles to start our once-per-quarter pair of bottles.
We plan to go up there every quarter to pick up the wine, so that we can eat there again - it was really one of the best pasta meals I've had recently, and is an incredible bargain given the care taken with the preparations, and the high quality of the ingredients.
This is a bit of a drive up from Marin, but I think it's a destination-worthy place if you're up for a casual, but very high quality dining experience.
Thanks to Melanie for her great reportage of her visits - that's what sold us on tracking it down and going inside.
We'll go to the Sonoma location next, when we visit a friend of ours there. I'm looking forward to more of Rick's excellent pasta, and the genial atmosphere! A rare treat...
Browntrout or other downtown-ish suggestions?
OK, thanks for the good suggestions - both LM and Browntrout sound like they are worth a try.
I have also read some good reviews on Henri, here and elsewhere, though it seems a bit pricy for "bistro" food. I am already a fan of The Gage and inclined to believe that it's likely to be worth it.
One more that I've heard recommended is Hopleaf, though it's a bit of a hike from downtown.
Thanks very much for the good suggestions - it's tough to visit Chicago frequently, as I am always conflicted between revisiting one of several restaurants I really like, or trying to find something new and exciting. Coming from San Francisco, I am constantly amazed at the exciting food scene in Chicago - it's really become my favorite destination.
-----
Hopleaf Bar
5148 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640
Browntrout
4111 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
Browntrout or other downtown-ish suggestions?
Thanks nsxtasy - been to Sable (twice) and like it, and have hit Cibo Matto, and though it was pretty good.
So, any other new places beyond these four? Maybe I need to expand my geographic horizons?
-----
Cibo Matto
201 N State St, Chicago, IL 60601
Browntrout or other downtown-ish suggestions?
Thanks, I've already hit both, and liked Girl and the Goat better than Purple Pig.
Browntrout or other downtown-ish suggestions?
I am heading out next week again, and wondering if there are any new, worthy places that have opened in the past 6 months or so, primarily in River North or River West. I can travel farther (from the Loop) but want to save my time and expenses for food rather than travel, if possible.
I am aware of, and have been to many of nsxtasy's suggestions below, so trying to find out what's new and interesting that's close-ish to downtown. I will eat pretty much anything, but would like to keep it to about $40-50/pp including a beer or glass of wine, so call it $30-40 for food (dinner).
Thanks in advance!
