caraely's Profile
Does SF have good midrange neighborhood restaurants that are not loud/overcrowded?
Thanks everyone! Great ideas. Apologies for my earlier typos, I was on my phone. :) I am making a list based on these suggestions.
Does SF have good midrange neighborhood restaurants that are not loud/overcrowded?
Thank you! I think my neighborhood is part of the problem. I live in corporate housign on Berry and 5th. Not much nearby. 18th on Potrero seems like the best bet but it's not right out the door (I don't have a car). So I walk or can to different neighborhoods and try places that look interesting or have been mentioned here or elsewhere.
Does SF have good midrange neighborhood restaurants that are not loud/overcrowded?
This may seem like a dumb question but bear with me.
I am new to SF from Seattle, but have lived all over, in larger and smaller cities. One thing I'm noticing in SF is that it's very hard to find restaurants I can go to, on the spur of the moment, and get a table. Even a Tuesday night requires a reso. And once I do get a table, the restaurants themselves are so busy and noisy that I don't feel like I can necessarily relax, wind down, stay awhile. It's often too loud to just sit and chat.
Have I just not found the right neighborhood spots yet? Or is SF too big and foodie-oriented, so that these places don't exist? In Seattle, even in NYC there are great Midrange restaurants that are not packed to the gills, feel more relaxed, and where you can easily get a weeknight table, maybe even become a regular.
Recent meals in SF, for reference: Locanda, Coco500, Foreign Cinema, Serpentine, ZeroZero, Chez Mama, Piccino.
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Coco500
598 4th St, San Francisco, CA 94107
Foreign Cinema
2534 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110
Locanda
557 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Quiet restaurant for a group near design district?
Need a restaurant near 7th and Townsend that can fit a group of 8, but allow conversation (work-related) without shouting. Skool is too loud, already tried it. Any ideas? Would ideally like to walk.
We'll be doing this every week so I need as many recs as I can get. Even as far as downtown might be okay but the closer to 7th and Townsend the better.
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Skool
1725 Alameda St, San Francisco, CA 94103
One month + in San Fran! Stadium and Potrero recommendations, and general help
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has responded so far. This is VERY helpful. It's nerve-wracking to relocate, even for a short time. Alhough I live on the West Coast I've probably spent less than 72 hours total in SF!
One month + in San Fran! Stadium and Potrero recommendations, and general help
stomsf, I like just about everything, food-wise, though I tend to favor Vietnamese, Mexican, French, and the fresh/local American/fusion places which seem to be the norm these days. I eat meat, eggs, dairy, no restrictions there, though I tend to avoid a lot of bread and pasta because it makes me feel terrible the next day.
One month + in San Fran! Stadium and Potrero recommendations, and general help
I'll be near the Whole Foods on Potrero. Not sure what neighborhood that is but it's the area around Mariposa & De Haro. It looks like there are lots of options on 18th.
Vegas veteran (sort of), need dinner to complement Raku and CarneVino
Thanks all. I went with Jaleo, Side benefit there is that we can walk, since cab lines will likely be very long this weekend.
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Jaleo
3708 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Vegas veteran (sort of), need dinner to complement Raku and CarneVino
Thanks Eric -- that list was just to show where I've eaten before so you could get an idea of my dining habits. They weren't meant to be "possibles" for the last night. I should have made that clearer.
Vegas veteran (sort of), need dinner to complement Raku and CarneVino
Hello you glorious LV chowhounders! I am taking a last-minute celebration trip to Vegas (got a new job, yay, this is my last bit of R&R) over Memorial Day. Arriving Thursday, leaving Sunday. I can't decide where to eat on our last night, Saturday, which will be crowded and crazy (so I want to make a reso even if we cancel it). It's just two of us. Here's the plan:
Thursday: arrive midday, dinner at Raku. (Never been, can't wait!)
Friday: CarneVino (have eaten there before, I love their NY steak so it's a must; I could move this to Saturday if it makes sense)
Saturday: TBD
After Raku and Carnevino, I want something not so steak-focused. I don't want pasta. I'm open to something new. Below are some of the places I've tried over the years, just for reference:
Lotus of Siam (love it, but replaced with Raku on this trip)
Prime
Sapporo
Kokomo's
Onda
Lawry's
Hugo's
Shanghai Lilly
Isla
Diego
I have always wanted to try Rosemary's, but it seems too sleepy for the last night (and another big meal similar to CarneVino). I'd like something fun and energetic that won't be too heavy. Any ideas? We'll be gambling downtown at least one night so it can be strip, off-strip, downtown. Not as far away as Green Valley Ranch but we're expecting to spend on cabs.
Thanks! I'm searching the board but your expertise is appreciated.
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Lotus of Siam
953 E Sahara Ave Ste A5, Las Vegas, NV 89104
Onda
3400 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109
One month + in San Fran! Stadium and Potrero recommendations, and general help
Hi all. I'm a longtime Pacific NW resident but will be spending 1-2 months in San Francisco for work, starting June 1. I have spent very little time in SF and am excited to explore. I'll be working a lot, so I won't have as much time to cook as I do here at home. I'm looking for help with the following:
1. Good neighborhood restaurants for solo dinners, ideally with some healthy options, that won't break the bank. Let's say $12-20 for an entree, a glass of wine for $10 or less. Some place I could sit with a book (I love to eat at the bar). My corporate housing will be near the AT&T/Giants stadium, and my work will be on Potrero Hill. I'm hoping to walk to/from work so that should give you the general boundaries.
2. Great spots for me to hit for lunch or dinner on the weekends, easy to get to via public transportation from the stadium area. When I'm not working on the weekend, I'd love to go to a new neighborhood and wander around, eat lunch, window shop, and/or have dinner. I'm going to research the "must do" places on this board but lesser-known spots would be helpful, since I'll be in SF for awhile.
3. Since I don't know the city and will be on foot/public transport for the most part, any red flags about dicey areas for solo women would be helpful. If there are any issues with me walking from Potrero to Berry Street, for example, I'd appreciate the heads up.
4. Finally, I am a Crossfitter and tend to cook/eat healthy when at home, so if anyone has recommendations related to those interests, feel free to weigh in! Looks like there is a CF gym in/on Potrero that I'll probably join short-term.
I'm doing plenty of searches here but am starting from scratch, so thanks in advance for your help! Can't wait to be in such a food-centric city.
Dining report, 2/18-2/20
Leonardo, I would definitely go back to Navarre for brunch, it wasn't a deal-breaker. I'd also love to do another dinner there.
I recently read a review of Navarre that noted it hasn't been "discovered" for brunch yet, so you can always get a table; perhaps it was unusually busy for them on Sunday. (It surprises me that more people don't go for brunch, since it's such a popular dinner spot. Location?)
Dining report, 2/18-2/20
Just returned from a two-night trip to Portland (from Seattle).
Friday:
Arrived early evening. Wanted to sit at the counter at Le Pigeon so did not make reservations (counter is for walk-ins). Arrived around 8pm and was told it would be a 90-minute wait, though people were likely to bail out so it could be faster. They took our cell # and we walked to Beaker and Flask for a drink. There was a wait for the bar so we camped out by the door with everyone else. A little awkward but they did serve us cocktails; I had an Aperol spritzer which was nice. Got seats at the bar after about 30 minutes. This place was not at all what I expected. It has a cold, rather corporate feeling; I was expecting something a bit warmer and not so new-looking. My husband had a margarita and it was fine, but not stellar. The bartender seemed a little put off that he didn't order a cocktail off the menu. We shared a seasonal vegetable plate (cauliflower and potatoes in a creamy herb sauce) which was delicious. I want to note that the hostess was fantastic. Friendly but firm -- she had lots of walk-ins to deal with.
Le Pigeon: loved it here. We were seated about 9:20pm. Shared a radicchio salad with feta and grapefruit. I had the beef bourguignon and my husband had the lamb chops. Both were delicious. The beef cheeks were so tender and the lamb was perfectly cooked. We shared a bottle of Morgon Cotes du Py -- the wine list is large, varied, and covers a wide range of price points. We finished with the creme brulee, which is served with an espresso pot du creme -- two desserts in one! The brulee was too loose for my taste but the pot du creme was firm, creamy, and strongly flavored. We wanted a nightcap so they directed us to Little Bird. They also recommended we try Roost for breakfast.
Saturday:
Roost for breakfast it was! As promised, there was no line out the door, so we were seated right away. The space is a bit Amish -- very plain, but bright. I ordered the shallot-gruyere omelet and my husband ordered stewed tomatoes with poached eggs and spinach. Stumptown coffee (which I love). We also got a side of bacon to share. The omelet was overcooked, and I could not for the life of me detect any gruyere. I was expecting something a bit creamier, I think, but it was heavy on the spinach. It is not a dish I would order again. My husband's breakfast was a hit, however. Delicious tomato sauce (I stole some to help with my omelet's dryness), nicely poached eggs, everything melded together well. The bacon was thick and well-cooked, probably the best restaurant bacon I've ever eaten. Really delicious. Overall I thought Roost was fine, but the menu is a little too small and I feel like they still have a few kinks to work out. Glad we went though.
Saturday afternoon we drove around and ended up on Mississippi. After walking and shopping, we settled in at Por Que No for a very late lunch of tacos and margaritas. I just love this place and seem to find my way here every time I'm in Portland, whether I'm planning on it or not. I had carne asada and carnitas and the carne asada tacos were my favorite. I heard someone mention that the calamari tacos are the best on the menu -- I'll make a note for next time. The margaritas are strong and led to me doing some tipsy shopping after lunch, which is never a good idea. I didn't do much damage. We capped off lunch with a scoop of caramel/salted chocolate ice cream at the place up the street (don't remember the name, blame the margaritas).
After more walking, it was back to the hotel for a short nap, then we roused ourselves for dinner. I was not hungry at this point and worried that another meal might be out of the question, but luckily our reservation was not until 8pm. This was at Nostrana. I walked in and had a similar reaction here as I did to Beaker and Flask -- not at all what I expected, much more corporate-feeling. I thought it was going to be a smaller, more "lived in" space, but it felt almost like a chain restaurant. We were left alone a bit too long, but once we ordered the service settled into a more regular pattern. We started with aperitifs to help wake things up, then shared an insalata mista. Skipped the bread altogether. We shared a margherita pizza and the flatiron steak with arugula. The pizza was nice; not as good as Via Tribunali in our area (Seattle), but fresh and chewy. The steak was a little puzzling. It was lightly seasoned and cooked to order, but it arrived just sort of plopped down on a bed of arugula, which had no sort of dressing or seasoning. It felt like it should have something -- a drizzle of olive oil and/or lemon, a few shavings of parmesan? There was no presentation to this dish whatsoever. We had a bottle of Aglianico with dinner which was lovely. We finished with the butterscotch budino for me and the apple crisp for him. The budino was the hit of the night, primarily because it comes with a layer of salted caramel sauce on top. It does completely overpower any butterscotch flavor in the pudding, which is too bad if you like butterscotch (I do!), but since I'm a salted caramel fan I wasn't too broken up about it. However I did wonder if they should just make it a salted caramel budino, because that flavor is so dominant. The apple crisp was lovely, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Nothing unexpected but a good simple crisp. We had intended to try Central (bar) on Saturday night, but got sidetracked. Next trip...
Sunday:
We checked out and drove to Navarre for brunch. We had planned to go to Urban Farmer but wanted something less hotel-based and we've been to Navarre for dinner and liked it. Arrived and there were several open tables at the window, but the server put us at a two-top in the middle of the room, which was a little odd. We figured she was keeping the others open for four-tops so we didn't make a bit deal of it. She was the only server and this would prove to be a problem, though we were there to hang out, eat, and read, so we weren't antsy.
We had the ham Benedict and scrambled eggs, with sides of bacon, toast, butter & jam. The eggs were very tender, clearly cooked low and slow -- delicious. I wanted more, actually. I didn't try the Benedict but my husband was happy. Neither of us cared for the bacon, which had a very strong sweet/smoky aftertaste. It's the kind of bacon that you are still tasting hours later. The bread was griddle-toasted Grand Central, and the jam was homemade (plum) and delicious. We did have to wait awhile for our order to be taken, they ran out of coffee cups and then coffee, and our waitress twice sent one of the kitchen staff to Whole Foods to buy more food (they ran out of bread, and something else I didn't hear). So it did feel a bit disorganized; lots of people waiting to pay, or be seated, or get orders. There were too many tables there for just one server. Like I said, though, we were not in a rush so we weren't too bothered by any of that. We had a nice meal and it was a great send-off; we left Navarre and got on the road for home.
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Nostrana
1401 SE Morrison St, Portland, OR 97214
Le Pigeon
738 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
Stumptown
4525 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97206
Por Que No
3524 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR 97227
Urban Farmer
525 SW Morrison St., Portland, OR 97204
Beaker and Flask
727 SE Washington St, Portland, OR 97216
Final choices for Portland this weekend, critiques welcome
I only chose Urban Farmer after seeing a rave here about their Eggs Benedict, should we give it a pass? We've done Mother's several times so I'd like to try something new. Plus I'm curious if The Nines should replace Hotel Lucia as our go-to hotel.
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Urban Farmer
525 SW Morrison St., Portland, OR 97204
Final choices for Portland this weekend, critiques welcome
Arriving PDX early evening tomorrow. Staying at Hotel Lucia. Here are our choices:
Friday night: dinner at the counter at Le Pigeon, we'll walk to Beaker & Flask for drinks since we'll have to wait for the counter
Saturday breakfast: Navarre
Saturday lunch TBD, might not need anything
Saturday night: drinks at Central, dinner at Nostrana
Sunday breakfast: Urban Farmer at The Nines
Drive home!
We've had dinner at Navarre in the past, everything else is new. Thoughts?
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Nostrana
1401 SE Morrison St, Portland, OR 97214
Le Pigeon
738 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
Urban Farmer
525 SW Morrison St., Portland, OR 97204
50 Desserts That Every Cook Should Know
50 is a lot! Off the top of my head:
Flourless chocolate cake (epicurious) with Alton Brown's chocolate ganache
Gramercy Tavern gingerbread with lemon curd and whipped cream
Orangette's brownie recipe
Butterscotch pudding
Bread pudding
Lemon cake
Caramels
Pot au chocolat
One good fruit pie
If you could only eat in five Seattle restaurants for the rest of your life, which would you choose?
I was limiting it to restaurants whose address would be in Seattle, WA. So not downtown Seattle, but not far-flung.
If you could only eat in five Seattle restaurants for the rest of your life, which would you choose?
I keep hearing about the burger at Jak's (West Seattle, right?). I've got to remember to try this.
If you could only eat in five Seattle restaurants for the rest of your life, which would you choose?
This was a topic of discussion at a recent dinner out. If you could only eat at five Seattle restaurants for the rest of your life, which five would you choose? (Assume you are not going to win the lottery, so you need to take your budget into account.)
This might not be the same as your "Top 5" list, because the restaurants (IMO at least) need to cover a variety of situations, seasons, and price points, and you also want a mix of cuisine types. Sometimes you want fancy, sometimes you just want your neighborhood joint or a place with sentimental value.
My five, as of now:
Monsoon (Seattle)
La Carta de Oaxaca
Matt's in the Market
Machiavelli
Delancey
I want to add The Dish here, because I think a good breakfast counter is important. Still working on the list. Other runners-up were Le Pichet, Via Tribunali, The Corson Building, Pink Door, Canlis.
What about you?
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Canlis Restaurant
2576 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
Le Pichet
Seattle, WA, Seattle, WA
Pink Door
1919 Post Aly, Seattle, WA 98101
Via Tribunali
317 W Galer St, Seattle, WA 98119
Delancey
1415 NW 70th St, Seattle, WA 98117
Nostrana or DOC?
So helpful! Thanks chowhounders. Butterscotch budino -- I'm sold. I made a homemade butterscotch pudding for Xmas dinner and I'm still thinking about it. Such a distinctive flavor.
We'll be in PDX in a few weeks and Nostrano it is. Our other dinner is Le Piegon.
Nostrana or DOC?
Trying to decide between these two spots. We want great food, nice warm atmosphere for a couple, good service, not too stuffy.
Oh, and...we don't eat pasta. I know, I know. But we love Italian! I'm leaning towards Nostrana because they have more meat/fish options, the DOC menu is small. But we have friends in PDX who gave raves to DOC (granted, this was probably before the chef left to start his new venture, as I found out on this board).
Any opinions?
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Nostrana
1401 SE Morrison St, Portland, OR 97214
does anyone still buy instant coffee?? canned vegetables?? condensed soup??
I always keep instant espresso in my cupboard for chocolate recipes (as mentioned by others). I also have a fantastic flank steak marinade that requires coffee, so it gets used for that. I've never actually tried it for making a beverage and don't plan to! But then again I gave up coffee awhile ago (much to my shock).
Two nights in Portland in February, return visitors -- downtown lunch w/wine, dinner opinions
Thanks jeff_pdx. The DOC reviews are from last year. June looks lovely but a bit similar to Le Pigeon in terms of dishes...I thought DOC would give us a bit more variety. Any thoughts on that, or another great Italian spot we might try?
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Le Pigeon
738 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
Upcoming Seattle trip
Since you're in the south end of downtown, you might want to hit Salumi for lunch. Check reviews here to know what you're in for though, it's a long wait for a sandwich, not a linger-over-wine kind of lunch spot.
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Salumi
309 3rd Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
Favorite Seinfeld food moments
This is killing me. "Vegetable Lasagna" and the diabetic cookie reference both made my day.
What about Kramer getting burned by hot coffee and suing?
I also will never forget Elaine comparing two restaurants' tuna salad recipes. "They put a little lemon in it, I LOVE that!" I feel the same way so that hit home.
Two nights in Portland in February, return visitors -- downtown lunch w/wine, dinner opinions
cheeseisheaven, should we try Le Pigeon first? Never been there. Though I really like Navarre I'm thinking we do Le Pigeon one night, DOC the second. Beaker & Flask and one other for drinks. Still looking at the breakfast suggestions.
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Le Pigeon
738 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
Upcoming Seattle trip
I second Zigzag. The atmosphere is so-so but the cocktails are top notch.
Hotel Andra is right downtown, rates vary but since it's not summer, you should be able to get a deal. You're within walking distance of Pike Place Market, all of Tom Douglas's restaurants, Top Pot donuts, I love Matt's in the Market and Le Pichet (great for lunch -- french onion soup and a demi-pichet of wine).
If you're willing to venture to Ballard (north of downtown) you've got plenty of great spots there. La Carta de Oaxaca for Mexican, Ocho, Walrus and the Carpenter, Staple and Fancy. There are tons of shops and a movie theater as well, you could make an afternoon and evening of it.
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Pike Place Market
1501 Pike Pl, Seattle, WA 98101
Le Pichet
Seattle, WA, Seattle, WA
Ocho
2325 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107
Most complicated and impossible recipe you know
No. Oh no. I turned away at "pie filling." When I looked back at the screen she was jamming the full-size candles into it.
Two nights in Portland in February, return visitors -- downtown lunch w/wine, dinner opinions
Thank you Nettie! We have done Toro Bravo and Secret Society, thanks for reminding me. I'll look at Beaker and Flask and OP for sure.
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Toro Bravo
120 NE Russell St Ste A, Portland, OR 97212
Beaker and Flask
720 SE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97214
Le Pichet or Bastille?
Pichet. It's small, crowded, imperfect, but the food is delicious (I am instantly craving their french onion soup), and it's in downtown Seattle. Bastille is big and cavernous, much more corporate, and the clientele can be much more hit or miss, in my opinion. ("Miss" being a group of what appeared to be middle-aged ex-fraternity members, over from the Eastside to talk too loudly about red wine.) Pichet is mostly couples or other two-tops, a few foursomes, but the space is tight.
I've had poor service at both locations; Pichet because there was a blase attitude, Bastille because of inexperience and snippiness. I was more forgiving of it at Pichet because it fit so well with the rest of the experience, which does feel very French. ;)
