a few questions (really food)

[lai at CS.UCLA.EDU]

> From: dpz at njin.rutgers.edu (David P. Zimmerman)
> Newsgroups: comp.org.usenix,misc.jobs.misc
> Subject: Re: a few questions
...
> In fact, on the subject of "a few questions", anyone have any good
> restaurants (or shoe stores :-)) to recommend in the 'Frisco area?

The funnest restaurant in "The City" is the Fog City Diner, 1300 Battery St,
982-2000.  Lots of creative food, great place.  Make reservations NOW or
you will lose.  You gotta get the garlic custard to put on the leek bread.
Crabcakes, Buffalo Chicken Wings, and the veal chop are all exceptional.
For dessert, they have what I think is the best creme brule around.  The
parfaits are also really good.

For those of you with expense accounts, $100 per diems, or founder's stock,
one of the best meals in California can be found at Masa's, 648 Bush, 989-7154.
I go to Masa's whenever possible, which, at $60 - $100 per person, isnt
as frequent as it should be.  Everything is great there.  I had a outrageously
good veal dish last time I was there.  The desserts are out of this world:
go for the orgiastic dessert sampler ($15 per person).  Die happy.

For more earthy food, you might try Green's, Building A, Fort Mason, 771-6222
(on your way to the Golden Gate Bridge, on the water.  Beautiful views!).
Run by a bunch of outerspace Zenheads, the food is vegetarian, healthy and
very creative.  I havent eaten there in a few years, so hopefully it is still
good ...

My favorite steak house in SF is Alfred's, 886 Broadway.  Great steaks,
really good Ceasar's salad, and a good tortellini.

For sushi, you can check out Jordan's favorite place: Godzilla Sushi.

For a really interesting food experience, try the California Culinary
Academy, 625 Polk, 771-3500.  The dining area is airy and comfortable,
and around the walls are windows looking into the kitchens where students
of the Academy are preparing your dinner and learning their trade.  Price
fixe dinners are about $20 or $25, and pretty good.  Be sure to get up
and check out the kitchen action between courses.

A really nice, new restaurant is Restaurant Rodin, 1779 Lombard, 563-8566.
Very nice place, some really good dishes.  Reasonable prices.

You can head over to Stars, 1050 Redwood St, 861-7827 for some trendy
SF Nouvelle.

Places to avoid: The Blue Fox, Doro's, Ernie's, the Carnelian Room, Caffe
Sport.

Of course, if you can get over to Berkeley you can get great california
cuisine at Paloma (on University).  Paloma has a really varied menu,
which changes every day (cook whats fresh that day).  They grill lots of
(great) meats and fish over different kinds of hardwoods.  Try the veal.

Also in Berkeley:

Santa Fe Bar and Grill (also on University).  It is under new management,
and has some really good food at surprisingly reasonable prices.  Be sure
to get the roast duck.

Chez Panisse - yeah, the place that started it all.  I personally think
that the downstairs restaurant is overrated, and had some dissapointing
meals when last there.  The upstairs cafe still remains fun, though.  Good
pasta and pizza, salads, calzone.  No reservations taken - get there before
6:30 if you want to eat by 8 ...

Fourth Street Bar and Grill: good Nouvellle food with a Southern touch.

			*	*	*	*

There are probably thousands of restaurants in San Francisco, and many of
them are very good.  The best thing about San Francisco is the variety and
the originality.  If you really enjoy food, go wild!

						Nick