panchy's Profile
DC Foodie Needs LOTS of Help to Feed Picky Non-Foodie Mother in SF
Hmmm...okay I will stick with Fog City Diner since the dinner reservation has been made for 6:45 pm.
Any suggestions for what to order there, anyone?
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Fog City Diner
1300 Battery Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
DC Foodie Needs LOTS of Help to Feed Picky Non-Foodie Mother in SF
The streetcar looks adorable, and a great scenic way for us to get to dinner. Do you know if it picks up near a BART stop though?
DC Foodie Needs LOTS of Help to Feed Picky Non-Foodie Mother in SF
So you don't think Zuni is loud? I changed the reservation because someone mentioned that earlier.
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Zuni Cafe
1658 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
DC Foodie Needs LOTS of Help to Feed Picky Non-Foodie Mother in SF
So...I have a confession to make. I cheat on Chowhound with yelp. After I get the restaurant recommendation from Hounders, I go to Yelp and see what the layman has to say. I looked up Arcadia because I absolutely adore Michael Mina's restaurant here in Georgetown...and it got awful yelp reviews. Has anyone else tried it?
After mdg's comment that Zuni Cafe was loud, I changed the reservation to Fog City Diner, as a few of you have mentioned it. I also like that Fog City Diner has small plates, as we may not be very hungry since we will have eaten our way through Napa earlier that day. Is there a close BART stop to Fog City Diner? We are staying at the Hyatt near the airport, and apparently they have a shuttle to drop people off at the closest BART! That sounds a lot more easy than driving around, getting inevitably lost and looking for parking.
Stella Alpina Osteria sounds perfect after a long day and flight. I'm relieved that there are decent places near the airport for us to drive to. Thank you pilinut!
Any more suggestions for restaurants near the Wharf on July 5 and San Jose lunch and dinner? I would like our budget to be mixed beteween middle of the road and high end.
Thanks!
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Zuni Cafe
1658 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Stella Alpina Osteria
401 Primrose Rd, Burlingame, CA 94010
Fog City Diner
1300 Battery St, San Francisco, CA 94111
DC Foodie Needs LOTS of Help to Feed Picky Non-Foodie Mother in SF
Fog City Diner and Zuni Cafe look like very good prospects. I am thinking about reserving one of those for dinner after Napa, as I think escaping Wine Country before the dinner rush is probably a good idea because of traffic.
I actually went to House of Prime Rib during my last visit to San Francisco because I have an open mind...but even that popular/highly rated restaurant could not convince me into liking steak. I dislike very few foods, and steak is one of them, so a restaurant dedicated primarily to steak is not a good idea for me.
We are definitely renting GPS, and parking in garages, so no worries about that.
What would you recommend eating at either place?
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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
Fog City Diner
1300 Battery Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
DC Foodie Needs LOTS of Help to Feed Picky Non-Foodie Mother in SF
I will be going to SF with my mother from DC over July 4 and need your help to pick out restaurants! So far, it is a blank slate as to where we will be eating.
We land on Friday (July 2) just in time for dinner. We are staying at a hotel near the airport (which I realize is a good 30 minutes outside of the city) but we will have a rental car. As we will have been flying for the majority of the night and jetlagged, and I will be tired from working all day/week, do you have any suggestions for a restaurant that serves good food and is close to the airport area? I don't think either of us will be in the mood to battle traffic/parking and eat in SF.
On Saturday (July 3), we are headed up to Napa for vineyard tours at the Rubicon Estate and the Hess Collection. I have tentatively made reservations at Bouchon for lunch. Is this a good or bad choice? The last time I was in Napa, I wanted to head to French Laundry or Bouchon, but was unable to make it. In addition, we need a place to eat dinner at, either in Napa area or SF. What are your suggestions? The last tour ends at 2:45 pm and after hanging around the estate for a little bit, I think we will be ready to leave by 4 pm. With holiday traffic in mind, I'm thinking it may be wise to head back to SF versus staying in wine country. Thoughts?
Sunday (July 4) we will be visiting a friend of mine in San Jose. I realize this is a SF board, but if you have any suggestions for lunch and dinner in San Jose or between SF and San Jose, please let me know.
Monday (July 5) we are leaving in the middle of the afternoon so we will be needing a place to eat lunch. As my mom is a stereotypical tourist, we are doing the morning tour of Alcatraz and possibly stopping by Boudin Bakery at the Wharf to see bread being made through the windows. Any wharf restaurants that you suggest? I know there are plenty of them.
My mom is a VERY picky restaurant goer, so here are some stipulations -
1. The restaurant cannot be loud.
2. Servers must be polite and preferably not wear perfume.
3. She does not like sitting at cramped tables so keep space in mind.
4. She does not like hole in the wall restaurants even if the food is amazing. (We have had many battles about this point before as I am the opposite and cherish hole in the wall places.)
This is her first time to San Francisco and I would love for her to try cioppino and sanddabs. I know that Tadich is the touristy place to go for both...but I have seen some very unflattering reviews from many SF hounds on Tadich. The other places mentioned on some boards have also had comments about the restaurant being "loud" (please refer to Mama rule #1). In addition, my mom does not like ethnic food, so no Chinatown visits for dim sum (this is something that makes me cry as I love dim sum from SF). She likes the basics - seafood, steak, sandwiches, and salads. Regardless of all of this, I would like for us to enjoy our eating SF experience as I know there is so much delicious and amazing food there.
I realize this is a lot to ask for - please think hard for me SF hounds!
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The French Laundry
6640 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599
Rubicon Estate
1991 Saint Helena Highway, Rutherford, CA
Bouchon
6534 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599
Napa and Sonoma Recommendations for July 4 Weekend
Thanks, guys. This is all great information. I chose the Rubicon Estate and Hess Collection as my mom is big on "views" and art tours.
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Rubicon Estate
1991 Saint Helena Highway, Rutherford, CA
Napa and Sonoma Recommendations for July 4 Weekend
My mother and I will be visiting Napa and Sonoma on the Saturday and Sunday of Independence Day Weekend to escape our hometown of D.C. She does not drink but she does enjoy the vineyard tours. What are your recommendations of estates to visit? I have already visited Mumm Napa and Pat Kuleto. I have Rubicon Estates on my list. We will have a car - my mother will be DD. I need a vineyard that has beautiful scenery and interactive tours, not just a place where people sit around and enjoy drinking wine (such as Mumm).
Please let me know your suggestions! We will be staying near SFO.
Thanks.
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Rubicon Estate
1991 Saint Helena Highway, Rutherford, CA
Kuleto's
221 Powell St., San Francisco, CA 94102
Must Go To Boston Restaurants?
Hooray! I am so excited and my co-worker will be very happy that I am revisiting her husband's favorite childhood place to eat.
Must Go To Boston Restaurants?
Just out of curiosity, but is my assumption correct that Legal Seafoods tastes better in Boston than anywhere else because of fresh ingredients? I ask because there are a number of Legal Seafoods around here, and they are mid-level on seafood in my opinion. Case in point, they are all located in malls.
Must Go To Boston Restaurants?
I keep hearing about Sorrellina, Mistral and Radius. What would you recommend getting at each? I still need to figure out our dinner locations. Also, has anyone heard of Finale Desserterie & Bakery and Prohibited? I hear dessert at Finale is amazing, and the speakeasy at Prohibited is fun. However, the person who recommended the speakeasy does not drink alcohol, so I want to know if its cheesy or not. If anyone has been to DC, does it resemble Gibsons or PX?
Must Go To Boston Restaurants?
Just made a reservation for Sunday Aquitaine brunch. Thanks so much for the specific recommendation. I am very excited!! Does anyone else have suggestions on what to order? Any good breakfast drinks they are known for?
Must Go To Boston Restaurants?
Wow thanks so much! I was thinking of going to Scup's In the Harbor for brunch on Saturday because it is on the way in from Logan. Your thoughts? is the wait long? Thanks.
Must Go To Boston Restaurants?
What are some dishes or food items that I must try before departing back to DC? Beyond clam chowder, which is an obvious.
Must Go To Boston Restaurants?
Boston foodies alert! I'm a DC foodie visiting Boston on Sat, Mar 27 to 29, and am wondering which restaurants I must go to. I will be visiting with a friend from Chicago, as well. Not sure where I am staying exactly, but I am staying with someone who has a car, and I am comfortable using the T. My favorite meal is brunch, so great brunch place suggestions are very appreciated. I love sea food and my friend loves red meat. A co-worker who grew up in the Boston area said I need to go to Wallistown Beach, look for clam shacks and devour some freshly caught clams. Does this still hold water? I go to any level of restaurant - from hole in the wall to expensive.
Also, what are some great night spots? I love to dance!
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
D.C. Visitor to Seattle
Wow, thank you all! This information is great. Just a quick correction, I was actually looking for wineries not on Bainbridge, although now I may just have to stop by those as well. I am probably going to take a day trip solely to taste wine - I hear there are vineyards an hour and a half away from Seattle? Thoughts?
D.C. Visitor to Seattle
Are Tom Douglas restaurants worth going to? Sometimes I am hesitant to go to celebrity chef restaurants after its initial fame because I find people go simply for the name rather than the food.
D.C. Visitor to Seattle
I will be visiting Seattle from October 9-14 which gives a few days for an East Coast foodie to explore the Seattle food scene. I am visiting a friend who recently moved there from St. Louis and knows very little about his new home, so this will be a food orientation for both of us. Please help! Other than oysters, I know very little on the foods that Seattle is known for, as this is my first visit to the Pacific Northwest. Any guidance you can provide for what is regionally famous and where to eat it would be appreciated.
Some background information -
My friend lives in downtown Seattle and has a car so far distances is not an issue. I love love love fresh seafood. Coming from D.C., I would love to compare the seafood available on both coasts (especially crabs!). After reading a few posts, it seems that the cocktail scene is popular, so we are also looking for some pre-meal venues. Also, I am hoping to go to Bainbridge Island and vineyards (obviously on separate days). Please let me know of any great places to go to on Bainbridge and any vineyards you especially admire.
Three East Coast Foodies Headed to SF
Thanks for all the input. I just wanted to clarify a few things. I mention Boudin Bakery simply for the tour they have - not necessarily for the bread. As I said before, we are into baking and learning about production.
In fact, rworange, I did enjoy the Hershey factory tour when I was younger, and enjoy going to breweries and wineries now to learn about the product development process. Also, I'm glad to have made you "giggle" but all my suggestions were actually suggested to me by SF locals. I have heard clam chowder is delicious from both So Cal and Nor Cal people, and would like to compare them to my East Coast experiences. And no, I was never planning on eating clam chowder out of sourdough bread. Thank you for your list.
We decided to go to SF a few days short of the two day reservation deadline for French Laundry. :( I have heard Ad Hoc, Ubuntu, Redd and Martini House are good places to eat in Napa.
Really - we just want good food. Sorry if this isn't specific enough, but naming your favorite places to eat (such as what sfbing has done) is very helpful.
Thanks to all, again.
Three East Coast Foodies Headed to SF
Two friends and I will be coming to SF in July from Th-Mon including a Sunday trip to Napa. We are all huge foodies and would love to try the best SF has to offer from the finest establishments to hole-in-the-wall goodness. I have considered going to the Boudin Bakery for the Sourdough Tour as we love to cook as well - is that too cliche? Also, I have heard I need to eat clam chowder and dim sum in Chinatown. Any and all suggestions for SF and Napa is appreciated. We have not decided on where to stay, but will probably stay in Union Square or Ashbury-Haights.
Thanks in advance!
10 Day Trip Around Spain
PBSF, your information is already so helpful! I wish I could give more information on eating times, etc. but it won't be provided for us until we get to Spain. My mother is not as brave about eating exotic/new things only because she has a delicate stomach but I am all up to eat whatever is famous regionally. I am the same person that ate live octopus legs in Korea and absolutely loved it. I'm hoping that we will be able to find restaurants that will be able to cater to both my mother's safe and my curious palates. Because I will have no idea as to a specific schedule, I am hoping to create a long list of places to eat as back up. I am looking at other board postings and finding them helpful but there are some places that no one else seems to go to.
If you can think of just your favorites off the top of your head, that would be great! You seem very experienced in Spanish cuisine.
Thanks.
10 Day Trip Around Spain
My mother and I are taking a 10 day trip around Spain with a tour company. However we will be on our owns for the majority of lunches and breakfasts. We would like to try out local cuisines as well as the more upscale restaurants (if they're worth it). Money is not an issue, we are willing to spend for a few meals. Also, I know absolutely nothing about Spain and would love it if you could mention the dishes that each area is known for (ex: Valencia and paella).
We will be going to:
Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Granada and Seville.
Thanks!
What to order at Rosa Mexicano besides guacamole?
Empanadas de Jaiba
Three crispy corn empanadas filled with jumbo lump crab meat, served with seasonal fruit pico de gallo and avocado-tomatillo salsa.
amazing!
Cake in suburban MD
every year, i get a birthday cake from stella's bakery off of rockville pike. not sure if they carry tres leches cake but this place is downright phenomenal. http://www.stellasbakeryonline.com/
Foodie Gifts From Washington
when i recently went to london over the summer, i became quite addicted to innocent smoothies. they are not available in the us, and taste so much better than the smoothies we have here. the ingredients are more unique, thus resulting in a strange but wonderful flavor.
anyone tried Darlington House?
I went to Darlington House opening weekend, and it was delicious. Although I can't remember specifics (sorry, bad foodie, and the menu changes) I could not complain about any of my food. That is a first. It was worth the price. Service was great, perhaps because it was the opening weekend. However, my girlfriend went a few weeks ago and she enjoyed her DH experience as well! I think the decor of the main level is appropriate and cute.
I have not been to the basement or the upper floor (is it open? the cafe?) but as for the main floor, I highly recommend.
Bagels in MD
i like bagel city on rockville pike! i used to live in queens when i was a child, and eating the bagels layered with cream cheese, brings back some great memories.
Roy's???
i am absolutely in love with this restaurant. the first time i tried it in was in san diego, my friend is the pastry chef there. i have tried the one in baltimore as well, and it isn't as good as san diego, but still very good. i highly recommend the kobe beef sushi roll. i do not know anyone who dislikes it, i personally do not even like red meat, and i think it is fantastic. it is worth the price. also, their desserts, especially the ones with ice cream are all fabulous!
