Muir Beach Ovelook & Pelican Inn

On Muir Woods tours I frequently take my guests to the Muir Beach Overlook. This old army lookout is located just north of the village of Muir Beach off of Hwy. 1. A short walk out to the point overlooking the Pacific will reward you with panoramic views of the ocean from San Francisco to Point Reyes. Here is one of the best spots to witness the dramatic meeting of cliffs and ocean that is the northern California coastline. On really clear days you can see the Farallon Islands, which are about 25 miles offshore. Be forewarned that the Muir Beach Overlook is often fogged in during the summer. The sun can be shining at Muir Woods while the Overlook, which is about five miles away, is shrouded in fog.

You can combine a visit to the Overlook with lunch at the Pelican Inn in Muir Beach. This quaint bed and breakfast serves classic British food along with some American favorites. The pub has some great beers on tap, including cellar-temperature Guinness Stout. The Pelican Inn's restaurant is open for lunch daily. On Sundays freshly carved roast beef, ham, and turkey are served. The pub serves snacks and light food throughout the day.

If you would like to take a private tour that includes a visit to the Muir Beach Overlook and/or lunch at the Pelican Inn, please call me at (866) 326-4237 or e-mail me by clicking here. (The big scheduled tour operators do not include the Overlook on their tours.)

Lunch with a View on the Monterey Peninsula

As I have mentioned often, one of the rules of dining is the better the view, the worse the food. However, there are exceptions and one of them is the Stillwater Bar & Grill at The Lodge at Pebble Beach. This restaurant overlooks the 18th green and Carmel Bay at one of America's legendary golf courses.

The Pebble Beach Golf Links and The Lodge at Pebble Beach were founded in 1919. The Links has hosted the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am (now known as the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am) tournament since 1947. The U.S. Open has been held at Pebble Beach four times (1972, 1982, 1992, and 2000) and will be held here again in 2010.

The Stillwater Bar & Grill offers dinner daily, lunch from Monday to Saturday, and brunch on Sunday. The restaurant offers an array of entrees but emphasizes fresh seafood. A leisurely lunch while gazing out at Carmel Bay and watching golfers celebrating completion of their round of golf is a great way to spend a couple of hours. You can make a restaurant reservation by calling (831) 625-8524.

If you would like to take a private tour of Monterey and Carmel that includes lunch a stop at The Lodge at Pebble Beach, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Burmese Cuisine in San Francisco

One of the benefits of living in San Francisco is being able to sample food from around the world. While there are a few gaps, some quite major, it seems like we have restaurants featuring the cuisine of nearly every member of the United Nations.

Burma lies between India, Bangladesh, Thailand, and China. Its food tastes like a mixture of the flavors you find in its neighbors' cuisines. A wide assortment of curries are featured on Burmese menus. Many dishes make heavy use of coconut milk. Dried or pickled vegetables are quite common ingredients.

One of my favorite dishes is tea leaf salad, a mixture of preserved tea leaves, dried shrimp, chilies, peanuts, ginger, dried coconut, lime juice, and other spices. The taste is exotic, but one that I love. My wife is a big fan of Burmese curried chicken noodle soup. It's one of her favorite lunch dishes.

San Francisco is home to at least four Burmese restaurants. Two of my favorites are in the Richmond District. Mandalay Restaurant has been serving Burmese and Chinese food in the Inner Richmond District since 1984. The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner.

Pagan Restaurant is a new restaurant in the Outer Richmond, at the corner of Clement and 33rd Avenue, near the Legion of Honor Museum. Since January, Pagan has been serving Thai and Burmese cuisine for lunch and dinner from Wednesday through Monday; closed on Tuesdays.

Both Pagan and Mandalay are reasonably priced and good places to take children if they like Asian food. The easiest way to get to either restaurant from Fisherman's Wharf or Union Square is by taxi.

If you'd like to sample Burmese cuisine on a full-day tour of San Francisco, please call me at (866) 326-4237 or e-mail me by clicking here to make a reservation.

Ocean View Restaurants in San Francisco

When you are out at the beach in San Francisco dining options are limited, particularly if you want a restaurant with a view. There are only two restaurants with ocean views: the Beach Chalet and the Cliff House.

The Beach Chalet sits at the western end of Golden Gate Park, across The Great Highway from the ocean. The building was designed by a famous local architect, Willis Polk, and opened in 1925. The first floor lobby houses murals and mosaics that were completed in 1936. The Beach Chalet makes its own beers, which are served in both of its restaurants. Upstairs is the Beach Chalet restaurant featuring typical bar food as well as American standards. The Park Chalet sits behind the main building with beautiful views of Golden Gate Park. The menu is the same for lunch and dinner and consists of a variety of small plates and a few other dishes. Weekend lunch and brunch are often crowded, so reservations are recommended at both restaurants. Getting a table on weekdays is easier, but a reservation, particularly at the Beach Chalet restaurant, can't hurt.

The Cliff House sits on a bluff overlooking the Pacific and Seal Rocks. This historic restaurant has undergone many changes throughout its storied history. The third incarnation was renovated a few years ago and is now home to two restaurants: the Bistro and Sutro's. The Bistro is a casual restaurant that offers omelettes, sandwiches, salads, and other casual meals. Reservations are not accepted so expect to wait on nice weekend days. Sutro's is the upscale restaurant at the Cliff House. It's menu has a variety of fish, poultry, and meat dishes. Sutro's accepts reservations, which are highly recommended.

Both the Beach Chalet are Cliff House are great places to lunch during Blue Heron's A Day in the City tour. If you would like to book a private half-day or full-day tour of San Francisco, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Restaurants with a View

There is an old axiom in the restaurant business -- the better the view the worse the food. I alluded to this in my May 2007 "Rick's Tips," when I listed the ten best places to eat outdoors.

Restaurateur Pat Kuleto is bucking this rule with his two new eateries along The Embarcadero: Epic Roasthouse and Waterbar. The restaurants sit aside each other on the bay side of The Embarcadero about a quarter of a mile south of the Ferry Building. Both are beautifully designed and offer fantastic views of San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge, and Yerba Buena and Treasure Islands.

Epic Roasthouse features steaks and other hearty meat dishes. Not being my favorite food, I probably won't dine here.

Waterbar, as you can probably tell from the name, is a seafood restaurant. Yesterday my wife and I lunched at Waterbar and both enjoyed our meals immensely. From the lobster salad, which we split to start the meal, to the cheeses with which we finished our meal, everything was good. Waterbar has an extensive oyster bar and my wife tasted one of each of the eight varieties being offered. I dined on superbly prepared scallops served over delicious kale and artisan bacon.

Waterbar has a good wine list with a nice selection of wines by the glass.

Prices are not cheap at either restaurant but, if you want a good meal with a nice water view, Waterbar (and probably Epic Roasthouse) will be as good as it gets in San Francisco.

Good Mexican Food in San Francisco

Having traveled a bit in Mexico, I know that Mexican cuisine consists of more than burritos and tacos. While San Francisco seems to have a taqueria on nearly every corner, finding high-quality Mexican food is tough.

This past weekend I had a chance to revisit Maya Restaurant after many years. There wasn't a burrito to be found on the menu. While we were able to get guacamole and chips, the quality is much higher than found in the taquerias. Entrees were sophisticated and well prepared. Each of us had something different: shrimp, chicken, hanger steak, and braised pork. Each of our meals contained a medley of ingredients and an appetizing presentation. It was nice to see food approaching, if not exceeding, some of the meals I'd had in Oaxaca and Guanajuato.

Maya's location, near the corner of 2nd and Folsom Streets, makes it a convenient place to dine for visitors staying near the Moscone Convention Center. Maya is open for lunch from Monday through Friday and for dinner daily. Reservations can be made by calling (415) 543-2928.

Two North Beach Institutions

It had been over 20 years since I last saw "Beach Blanket Babylon," the only-in-San Francisco cabaret that spoofs modern culture. With my parents visiting, I decided to see how the show was holding up.

Beach Blanket Babylon has been running for over 30 years, so I probably last saw it during its first decade. The theme remains the same; the story of Snow White's efforts to find true love. About one-third of the show looked familiar. However, the majority of songs and skits were new since I last saw the show. The performance was completely up-to-date. There was even a musical number spoofing Hillary Clinton crying the day before the New Hampshire primary.

The singing is still good and the costumes are still zany. The satire is wacky and the hats remain the biggest you'll ever see. At least two of the performers, Val Diamond and Renee Lubin, were in the show when I last saw it. If you've never seen Beach Blanket, then I highly recommend seeing it on your next visit to San Francisco. If you've been before, you'll get a good laugh if you go again.

Beach Blanket Babylon performs at the Club Fugazi, 687 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd. (Green Street) in North Beach. Shows are at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday and 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Sunday matinées are at 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. and are the only performances that minors may attend.

While in North Beach, I decided to dine at another North Beach institution: North Beach Restaurant. I had never eaten here and figured, after living in San Francisco for 29 years, it was about time to give North Beach Restaurant a try. Walking into this restaurant was like time traveling back to the 1950s. Waiters were in tuxes and the menu looked like it hadn't changed since the restaurant first opened in 1970. While our waiter was very friendly and the food acceptable, I can't recommend dining at the North Beach Restaurant. There are far better Italian restaurants in San Francisco. Unfortunately, most of them are not in North Beach.

If you are planning a trip to San Francisco and want help planning your vacation, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Lunch in Sausalito

Thousands of tourists visit the bayside town of Sausalito. Visitors love the views and enjoy strolling among the shops and galleries. Most folks usually include a stop in Sausalito with a tour of Muir Woods or take the ferry over from San Francisco.

Since most tourists visit during the middle of the day, they want to eat lunch during their stay. Unfortunately, options are limited. There are a few extremely mediocre cafes, a good burger place, and a few restaurants that are worth mentioning.

Many people want to dine with a view of San Francisco Bay and the San Francisco skyline. After all, that's why they came to Sausalito. Unfortunately, the basic rule of the better the view, the worse the food seems to hold in Sausalito. There are three restaurants in central Sausalito that have great views: Scoma's, The Spinnaker, and Horizons. All three restaurants feature seafood. I only have first-hand experience at Scoma's, where I believe the food is nothing better than acceptable. Some of my guests have eaten at Spinnaker, with a couple reporting excellent food and others saying the food was horrible. I have yet to talk with anyone who has eaten at Horizons. Only Scoma's is Zagat rated.

In central Sausalito, my favorite restaurant is Poggio, which features Italian food. Unfortunately, there is no view from the restaurant, but you can dine outside overlooking the street. Angelino's also has decent Italian fare. The Salsalito Taco Shop, 1115 Bridgeway, has good Cal/Mex food with outdoor dining.

My favorite restaurant in Sausalito is Fish, which features the freshest of local seafood. Located in the docks north of the town center, Fish is hard for visitors to get to. However, if you have biked to Sausalito, you can easily get to Fish if you travel about a mile north of the town center and turn right on Harbor Drive. At Fish, you can eat outside at picnic tables that overlook Richardson Bay. If you visit Fish, bring cash as it does not accept credit cards.

If you would like to take a San Francisco or Muir Woods private tour that includes a visit to Sausalito, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Dim Sum and Murals

One of my favorite places for dim sum is Yank Sing. If you are not familiar with these delicious dumplings, include a dim sum lunch in your next visit to San Francisco. Dim Sim were originally served only to Chinese royalty. When the emperor moved south to Canton (Guandong) in the 13th century, dim sum went with him. Eventually, Canton became famous as the best place in China for dim sum.

Yang Sing is consistently rated as one of the best dim sum places in San Francisco. There are two locations, but I prefer the restaurant in Rincon Center at 101 Spear Street. This shopping arcade and office was built in 1939 in classic art deco style and served as the Rincon Annex Post Office. Today the building has been expanded and modernized. However, the beautiful murals depicting California's history remain. Russian immigrant artist, Anton Refregier, started painting in 1941 but suspended work during World War II. In 1946, Refregier began painting again and completed the murals in 1948.

Another unique feature is the "Rain Column" in the central atrium, just outside Yank Sing's entrance. This floor-to-ceiling water sculpture features 55 gallons of water falling 85 feet every minute.

Stop by Rincon Center on your next visit to see the murals and to east some of the best dim sum outside of China. If you would like to visit Rincon Center as part of a private tour of San Francisco, call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Breakfast in Dogpatch

Dogpatch is far from the usual tourist haunts. In fact, most locals never visit this part of San Francisco. Nestled between Potrero Hill and the southern waterfront, Dogpatch long was home to businesses servicing the port and its workers. Today this is changing. The port has long been in decline. Reasonable rents (by San Francisco standards) and sunny skies are luring new residents into the area. Now, the new Third Street Muni Metro (T Line) makes it easier to travel between Dogpatch and downtown.

I'd read about the tasty breakfasts at the Just for You Cafe so decided to head their yesterday. I knew I'd like the place when I saw the sign in the window, "We reserve the right to pour coffee on your cell phone." The decor is minimalist -- just some San Francisco-themed posters covering the walls.

But the food is quite good. I enjoy a Hangtown Fry, and Just for You makes a tasty one. For those of you unfamiliar with this Northern California delicacy, a Hangtown Fry is eggs scrambled with oysters, bacon, and onion.

This concoction supposedly got its name during the Gold Rush. Prospectors who wanted to show off their new-found wealth would order delicacies at restaurants. Oysters were not too common in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and, thus, were quite pricey. What better way to tell the world that you had struck it rich than to order an omelet with oysters. Hangtown was one of the principal towns in the central Mother Lode. Miners would come into town to buy supplies, have some fun, and show off any earnings. If you've not heard of Hangtown, it's now known as Placerville. The genteel citizens changed the name of their home town many years ago as they thought that naming the town after the nearby gold (placers), rather than their penchant for hanging folks, would be better PR.

But back to the Just for You Cafe. Beignets are a specialty of the house. We didn't have one on our visit, but they looked tasty. The menu also includes Mexican-influenced breakfasts such as a huevos rancheros and breakfast burritos, many egg dishes, and an assortment of pancakes.

Just for You is also open for lunch, so you could eat here and then walk to see the Giants play in China Basin.

The cafe is located at 732 22nd Street, just east of Third Street. The Dogpatch Muni Metro stop is at 20th Street. Just for You is open from 7:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on weekdays and from 8:00 a.m. on weekends. We walked right in yesterday, but expect to wait on weekends.

Good Food on the Way to Muir Woods

If you are driving to Muir Woods and want to stop for breakfast or lunch along the way, the Dipsea Cafe is the perfect spot. The Dipsea serves some of the best breakfasts in the Bay Area. It's convenient location on Route 1 (200 Shoreline Hwy. in Mill Valley), makes the Dipsea a great place to stop for folks heading to Muir Woods in the morning.

Breakfast options at the Dipsea include a wide array of omelettes, egg dishes, pancakes, and specialties. Be sure to ask for a biscuit with your breakfast. You won't be disappointed.

If you're passing the Dipsea on your way back to San Francisco from Muir Woods, you can enjoy breakfast until 3:00 p.m. If you prefer lunch, the menu includes excellent sandwiches, salads, and other items.

The Dipsea is on the right side of Route 1, about 1/3 of a mile past the exit of US 101. The restaurant is located next to a canal and outside seating is available. (If you come to the traffic light where Route 1 turns left, you have gone too far.)

If you would like to take a private tour to Muir Woods that includes a stop at the Dipsea, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Dining in Glen Park

One of the things that makes San Francisco a great place to live is the number of high quality restaurants found throughout the city. It's nice to be able to have a good meal out without the fuss of going downtown.

Unfortunately, my neighborhood -- the Sunnyside -- continues to be a culinary wasteland. We've got a few mediocre Chinese joints and one bad pizza place. The next neighborhood, Glen Park, was only marginally better for many years. It had a couple of decent breakfast places, but not much else. Then a few years ago, Chenery Park opened. This restaurant serves very good American food in a casual setting. Tuesdays are kids nights, when families with children are welcomed.

A couple of months ago, the dumpy, old pizza place in Glen Park closed. The storefront was transformed, and Gialina Pizzeria opened. This new restaurant makes some of the best thin-crust pizza in San Francisco.

Finally, two weeks ago Le P'tit Laurent, a casual and very reasonably priced French restaurant opened. Owned by Laurent Legendre, formerly co-owner of Clementine in the Richmond District , Le P'tit Laurent offers French classics at a good price. In addition, the wine list contains many good wines with prices under $40/bottle.

More restaurants may be coming to Glen Park, including a sushi restaurant that has been in the planning process for a couple of years.

There is one downside to this growth of restaurants in Glen Park. The neighborhood is so desperate for good food that Gialina Pizzeria and Le P'tit Laurent are constantly packed. I suggest making a reservation if you want to dine at either place.

If you are visiting San Francisco and want to visit one of these neighborhood restaurants, Glen Park is on the BART system. It's a ten minute ride from the Powell Street station to Glen Park. The three restaurants are within two blocks of the Glen Park BART station.

Now, if some good restaurants open in the Sunnyside, I'll be a happy man. Perhaps the new Japanese restaurant will start a trend when it opens.

San Francisco's Best Restaurant

San Francisco is one of the best eating towns in the country. With over 3,000 restaurants, San Francisco is said to have more restaurants per capita than any city in the United States. San Franciscans talk about restaurant openings and closings like Bostonians talk about the fate of their beloved Red Sox.

One of the questions I frequently get on tour is, "What are the best restaurants in San Francisco?" Of course, the answer is subjective. My long-time favorite is Restaurant Gary Danko. However, I recently ate at Michael Mina and feel that it is a close second to Danko.

The "Michelin Red Guide 2007 San Francisco" gives two stars to only two restaurants in San Francisco: Michael Mina and Aqua. (Michelin reserves its top rating of three stars to only one restaurant -- The French Laundry in Yountville in the Napa Valley.)

The "2007 Zagat Guide's" top-rated restaurant in San Francisco is Gary Danko, which receives 29 points for its food. Fleur de Lys, La Folie, Michael Mina., Little Star Pizza, The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton, Quince, Masa's, Boulevard, Coi, and Tartine Bakery are all tied with 27 points. Aqua is one of many restaurants with 26 points.

The "San Francisco Chronicle's" top rating is four stars. Only three San Francisco restaurants get top marks from our local daily: Fleur de Lys, La Folie, and The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton. Aqua and Gary Danko get just 3.5 stars.

So what's the best restaurant in San Francisco? Come visit and pick your favorite. If you want some help planning your visit, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

A Fix for Chocoholics

Chocoholics can have a field day in San Francisco. Bakeries offer great chocolate pastries and cakes. There are a number of confectioners producing superb chocolate candies. One of my favorites is XOX Truffles in North Beach. This small shop produces over 20 different flavors of truffles. These are not the large, cream-filled truffles that we usually see. Rather, XOX produces small, bite-sized morsels. One or two of these rich, creamy delights is enough to keep any chocoholic happy for the day.

Truffles are sold individually or by weight. XOX is located at 754 Columbus Avenue, between Filbert and Greenwich Streets in North Beach. The shop is open from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. form Monday through Saturday. On Sunday, hours are 10:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

If you would like to take a chocolate tour of San Francisco that focuses on the city's many purveyors of wonderful pastries and candies, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Mecca for Foodies

San Francisco has always been a mecca for food aficionados. With a predominately male population during the Gold Rush, restaurants began cropping up to serve the many men who were clueless in the kitchen. Today San Francisco has over 3,000 restaurants. That's a lot for a city with just 750,000 residents.

In addition to the many restaurants, there are numerous stores to buy great produce, meats, and other foods. However, no place compares to the Marketplace at San Francisco's Ferry Building. Here you will find more purveyors of fine food than any place in the city.

People who love sweets will want to visit Scharfen Berger Chocolate Maker, Recchiuti Confections for divine truffles, and Miete Patisserie.

If you want to pick up bread, cheese, and wine for a picnic lunch, stop by Acme Bread Company, Cowgirl Creamery, and Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant. Acme is a local bakery that makes a variety of excellent breads. Cowgirl makes its own cheese and sells artisan cheeses from around the world. Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant has a large selection of wines from California and all over the world. They also have a nice tasting bar where you can sit down to have wine and cheese with friends.

Taylor's Automatic Refresher has great burgers, fries, and shakes, as well as a wine list.

I'm a big oyster fan. So I love sitting outside at Hog Island Oyster and lunching on raw oysters paired with a Sauvignon Blanc.

The list goes on and on.

On Tuesdays and Saturdays the permanent stores and restaurants are augmented by a large farmer's market. The Saturday market is the bigger of the two and runs from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The Tuesday market's hours are 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. If you visit on Saturday, have breakfast at the market. During the summer, there is a market on Thursday evenings.

The Ferry Building is one of the few spots in San Francisco where locals and tourists mix in large numbers. Don't miss it on your next visit. If you want to take a private San Francisco tour that includes a visit to the Ferry Building, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Restaurant Wines Starting at $25/Bottle

I seldom want to spend over $50 for a bottle of wine when I dine out. On a special occasion, that's OK. However, for a casual but nice dinner out, that's often too much. Increasingly I am leaving restaurants with my budget out of whack because of wine prices. So I was most pleased when I dined at Myth Restaurant last month and saw that they feature a selection of wines for $25/bottle or less. Plus there were a good number of wines in the $25 - $50 per bottle price range. More importantly, the wines weren't losers. We had nice Italian wine for $25 and a French wine from the Rhone River Valley for about $35.

Good wine alone does not make for a nice dinner out. But Myth's California/French menu does not disappoint. My group had an array of small plates plus one or two large plates. Everything was tasty.

I had been wanting to dine at Myth since the day it opened. I am glad I finally visited the restaurant. Weekend reservations can be tough, so try to book ahead of time. Myth may be reached at (415) 677-8986. The restaurant is at 470 Pacific Avenue, between Sansome and Montgomery. You can probably find nearby street parking after 6:00 p.m.

Good Seafood with an Ocean View

Finally there is a restaurant with seafood that's as good as the view. Sam's Chowder House in Half Moon Bay has top notch food along with nice views of the Pacific Ocean.

I had heard about the planning for this restaurant for many months but had missed news of its opening. Earlier this week, my wife and I had the opportunity to dine at Sam's. We are both East Coast natives, with West Coast sensibilities, who are picky about our seafood.

Upon arrival, we immediately noticed that Sam's has the ambiance of an East Coast seafood joint: nothing fancy and a bar with sports on the big screens. However, being on the West Coast, Sam's has a good wine list and some microbrews on tap. In addition, the menu tells you that Sam's "do(es) not thicken their chowders with tons of flour," fries their food in "cholesterol- and trans-fat-free vegetable oil," and "serves sustainably-fished seafood whenever possible and practical."

The real test, though, is the taste of the food; and we gave Sam's a tough test. My wife summered in Maine and is extremely picky about lobster rolls. I am a native of Baltimore and am the same way about crab cakes. We both felt that Sam's serves the best lobster rolls and crab cakes in the Bay Area. My wife believes a good lobster roll has three ingredients: fresh lobster, butter, and a roll. Sam's serves the mayonnaise on the side for those who prefer a little dressing on their roll and adds a fourth ingredient -- celery. For me, crab cakes should be all crab with just a little binder to hold the meat together. Sam's crab cakes passed the test but, not unexpectedly, are made with Dungeness Crab rather than my favorite Blue Crab. Excellent coleslaw accompanied both dishes. The crab cakes came with fresh, thin-cut fries and the lobster roll with house-made potato chips.

I highly recommend a visit to Sam's. On a nice day, dine outside so you can watch the waves while you eat. Sam's Chowder House is located on Highway 1, just south of Princeton Harbor. To make a reservation call (650) 712-0245. More information may be found at www.SamsChowderHouse.com.

Chinatown and North Beach Restaurants

I frequently get asked for recommendations for dinner in both Chinatown and North Beach. In Chinatown, I have long recommended the R and G Lounge at 631 Kearny Street (between Clay and Sacramento Streets). However, many of my guests and many concierges have praised the Oriental Pearl at 760 Clay Street (between Grant Avenue and Kearny Street). I recently checked it out and will definitely include it among my Chinatown recommendations. Every dish we ordered was quite good, particularly the Peking Duck. Plus the service was friendly and informative. When you are in Chinatown, you will dine well at either the R and G or the Oriental Pearl.

In North Beach, I am harder pressed to name good restaurants. There are some that are good, like Calzones and Caffe DeLucchi on Columbus, but nothing exceptional. Recently some guests and friends recommended Trattoria Contadina on the corner of Mason and Union Streets. This past weekend we gave it a try. All of us enjoyed our meals, which consisted of well prepared typical San Francisco Italian fare. Trattoria Contadina's meals are not as refined as the Italian restaurants I have recently written about. However, the food is good and, if you are in North Beach, you won't go wrong by dining here.

If you would like to take a San Francisco tour that inclcudes visits to North Beach and Chinatown, please call me at (866) 326-4237 or e-mail me by clicking here.

Small Plates Again

I do tend to go on dining jags. Now it's small plates, which are always a favorite of my wife who loves to nibble through a variety of dishes.

This time we revisited Platanos, which features dishes from throughout Central and South America. We had been here a few years ago, but a favorable rereview in the "Chronicle" encouraged us to make a return visit. The food remains very good. Starting with excellent guacamole that came with plantain chips, we grazed through six dishes from throughout the Americas. Other favorites included steak with carmelized onions, Peruvian style ceviche served with sweet potatoes, red beans and rice that combined more tastes than are usually associated with this dish, and a yummy tres leches cake. I was also pleasantly surprised to find cafe da olla on the menu, a spiced coffee that I discovered earlier this year in Oaxaca.

I find food from the Americas a welcome change to the common California/French cuisine that dominates in San Francisco. Packing a little more spice and using ingredients not found in European-based dishes, Latin American food provides a welcome change of pace.

Platanos is located on the corner of 18th and Guerrero Streets, an intersection that also features the excellent bakery, Tartine, and the well-known Italian restaurant, Delfina. Reservations may be made by calling (415) 252-9281.

Small Plates in Cow Hollow

In the second edition of "Rick's Tips," Blue Heron's free, quarterly newsletter of fun things to do in the Bay Area, I wrote about small plates restaurants in San Francisco. The three restaurants featured in the article are all still producing top-notch food.

Now I would like to add a new restaurant, Terzo, to the list. Located in the Cow Hollow district of San Francisco, near the corner of Union and Steiner Streets, Terzo features small plates of Mediterranean food. On a recent visit, we sampled excellent dishes such as Calamarata pasta with seafood, roasted eggplant with peppers, roasted Niman Ranch beef, and a green bean and heirloom tomato salad. Desserts were also quite tasty. We had a wonderful pairing of Brillat Savaurin cheese with fig compote and a chocolate cake with allspice ice cream and chantilly. The wine list, while not extensive, contained a reasonably priced Cote du Rhone, which paired nicely with our food.

Terzo joins its sister restaurant across the Street, Rose's Cafe, as nice places to dine in Cow Hollow. Terzo is open for dinner nightly. Rose's Cafe is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. To make a reservation at Terzo, call (415) 441-3200.

If you would like to subscribe to "Rick's Tips," click here and let me know.

Escape to Elk Update

Two years ago, "Rick's Tips," Blue Heron's free, quarterly newsletter of fun things to do in the Bay Area, focused on Elk, California. Elk is located about three hours north of San Francisco and overlooks a spectacular cove on the California Coast.

Recently we returned to Elk and found many things unchanged, along with a few changes. The spot is still lovely -- we had sunny skies and 70 degree weather. There is still little to do in town other than walk on the beach and sit on a chair overlooking the cove and watch the waves crash. Ledford House in Albion still breaks the rule that the better the view, the worse the view. Lisa Geer's food is still delicious. Service is friendly. Watching the sun slowly set while nursing a glass of wine is an experience that can't be beat.

Sandpiper House Inn appears to have gone out of business, at least temporarily house. Griffin House Inn has remodeled its cottages.

Mendocino, the coastside village about 30 minutes north of Elk, still has some interesting shops and galleries. There were a few newcomers, but many of the shops have been there for as long as we can remember.

The Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, 2 miles north of Mendocino, has been restored and is open to the public daily from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. A bed and breakfast will open any day in one of the restored lightkeeper houses.

If you are interested in a custom-designed vacation along the spectacular Sonoma and Mendocino coasts, call (866) 326-4237 (toll free). I would be pleased to work with you to plan a vacation that you are sure to enjoy.

Lunch and Art in Bodega Bay

We were heading up the coast the other day and decided to stop for lunch in the coastal village of Bodega Bay. This small town is a good place to embark on a whale watching trip during the late fall or late winter. You also have a pretty good chance of seeing whales from Bodega Head, the nearby spit of land that creates the harbor. If you are a fan of the movie director Alfred Hitchcock, you probably have seen scenes from Bodega Bay and the nearby village of Bodega in "The Birds."

We had visited Bodega Bay quite a few times but had never found a restaurant of any quality. Recently I read about a couple of good places to eat, so we lunched at the Seaweed Cafe. We were not disappointed.

Their Sunday brunch menu contains old favorites like French toast and a Hay ham and cheese sandwich with egg. Both looked terrific. I had an open-faced sandwich of freshly grilled sandwich while my wife enjoyed a special salad with grilled prawns. The dinner menu looks equally interesting with items such as baked butter beans, duck sausage and clams, and duck breast with lentils and dates. The appetizer list includes such Japanese influenced items as uni sake shooter, hijik, burdock & sashimi, and oysters in green jackets.

There is a small, but interesting, wine list featuring Sonoma County wines. The restaurant features brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Dinner is served from Thursday through Sunday. You may make a dinner reservation at the Seaweed by calling (707) 875-2700. The restaurant is located at 1580 Eastshore Road. To find the Seaweed, head north through Bodega Bay on Route 1. After passing through the center of town, the road will turn right and then left. After the left turn, look for Eastshore Road on your left.

When you are done eating, take a look in the gallery next door, Local Color Artist Gallery features Sonoma County artists.

While Bodega is a little far for a day trip from San Francisco, if you want to experience the Northern California coast, let us take you on our Oceanside Vistas or Point Reyes Ramblings Tour. You may book a tour by calling (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mailing by clicking here.

Italian Food One Last Time - For Awhile

Over the past few weeks I had the chance to dine at two more Italian restaurants. (Yes I've been on an Italian kick and I need to move on.)

The first, A16, has gotten rave reviews. I concur. Excellent wine list. Superb first courses; although, the grilled fava beans in the pod did not work. Terrific thin crust pizzas. We were pleasantly surprised that the restaurant was not overwhelmingly loud. I highly recommend A16. It's just too bad that reservations are usually needed as this would be a great place to just drop in on the spur of the moment. For visitors to San Francisco, A16 is very convenient if you are staying on motel row on Lombard Street. Otherwise, you'll need to take a taxi from Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf to get here.

The second, Vivande Porta Via, is a restaurant in Pacific Heights that we frequented with some regularity a few years back. Then we just drifted away for no particular reason. While the pastas we had were all good, they were not terrific. The appetizers were tasty, but not as finely prepared as A16's. I still recommend Vivande for those who find themselves on Fillmore Street, but it is not worth traveling from downtown to get here.

"Zagat" lists the following San Francisco Italian restaurants as their tops for food: Quince, Acquerello, Delfina, Tommaso's, Albona, Sociale, Incanto, Pesce, Antica Trattoria, Venticello, Ristorante Bacco, A16, and Parma. (The last 5 are tied with 23 points.) I have been to all in recent years except Tommaso's, a pizza joint in North Beach that I have not been to in years, and Parma, which I have never visited. I have no qualms with the list; although, I might reorder it. What I find interesting about the list is that only Tommaso's is in North Beach - San Francisco's Italian neighborhood - and only A16 and Tommasos feature food from the south of Italy.

So this is the last word on Italian food in San Francisco for awhile. Maybe I'll summarize French restaurants in the near future.

If you want to take a private, custom tour of San Francisco that visits the neighborhoods where these restaurants are located, call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Best Italian Restaurant in San Francisco

Over the years, I have eaten at many of the Italian restaurants in San Francisco. But I never made it to Acquerello, an extremely well-reviewed restaurant in Polk Gulch. Last Saturday night I did.

Acquerello is definitely, in my opinion, the best Italian restaurant in the City. Of course, you pay for it. Dinner for two, including tax and gratuity, was $200.

Nowhere on the menu is pasta with red sauce, so you need to think of Italian cuisine in the same light as upscale French cuisine. The extensive list of Italian and California wines will certainly contain one or more wines you will enjoy.

I had the five-course tasting menu and my wife picked from the regular menu. From the "Chef's Surprise" of an asparagus soup, through the sea bass carpaccio, raviolis, guinea hen, and semifreddo, everything was superb. Each course was paired with an interesting Italian wine. I have gotten into dessert wines over the past year or so, and particularly enjoyed the Muscato di Asti. My wife had the freshest mozzarella we have ever tasted. It was air expressed from southern Italy directly to the restaurant. Her duck was delicious. Since she had three fewer courses than I did, our friendly and knowledgeable server brought her a "Chef's Surprise". We were able to share the pasta and dessert courses so she didn't feel too left out.

Acquerello is located at 1722 Sacramento Street (between Polk and Van Ness). The restaurant is open nightly, except Sunday and Monday. Reservations may be made by calling (415) 567-5432 or though Open Table.

Wine and Food in SOMA

I wanted to go to Bacar, a well-reviewed restaurant South of Market, ever since it opened a couple of years ago. I put off visiting because I feared the restaurant would be overly loud with its nightly (except Sundays) live music. The perfect opportunity presented itself when we decided to see a show at the Golden Gate Theater and wanted to dine beforehand.

When we arrived at Bacar, we found a bright, open space with light coming in through the windows and skylights. As we were dining early, the restaurant was not crowded and music would not begin for a few hours. The food is described as Northern California cuisine. However, the menu takes its inspiration from France with foie gras flan and duck confit; Italy with risotto and woodburning-oven baked pizzas, as well as California with mesquite grilled mahi mahi and jumbo artichokes. We ordered a nice, lightly dressed salad of lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and bacon; excellent duck confit and pan roasted prawns; and a yummy chocolate mousse.

Bacar features an extensive list of wines by the bottle and the glass. For the latter, pours are offered in 2 oz., glass, 250 ml, and 500 ml sizes. Flights of three to four two-ounce pours are included in each of the wine categories.

We enjoyed our time at Bacar and highly recommend it. As for the noise, it was no problem while we were there. The waiter advised us that, once the jazz starts, the bar and front of the restaurant are noisy, with the tables in the back being the quietest.

Bacar is located at 448 Brannan Street (between Third and Fourth Streets). Reservations may be made by calling (415) 904-4100.

New Brunch Spot in Noe Valley

I took the day off today and decided to head out for a Sunday Brunch. I read about a new place in Noe Valley, Kookez Cafe, and decided to give it a try.

As soon as we walked in the door, we noticed the cookies and cupcakes. We learned that all of the baked goods were freshly prepared by Kookez' owner Lynn Marie Presley. Unfortunately, the large portions at brunch precluded us from trying any of the yummy looking sweets.

Brunch was quite tasty. We had biscuits and gravy and a Mexican style egg scramble. Portions were good size, service was pleasant and quick. The brunch menu contains many of the standard items including omelets and eggs benedict. There are also many interesting sweet items on the menu including a Pennsylvania Dutch Pear Baby and Ghirardelli Chocolate Belgian Waffle.

Kookez is located at 4123 24th Street, Between Castro and Diamond. In addition to weekend brunch, Kookez is open for dinner from Wednesday through Sunday. I'll have to go back to check out dinner and the pastries!

If you want to take a San Francisco tour that includes a visit to Noe Valley, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Excellent Italian Fare in Noe Valley

I go back and forth between my love for Italian and French food. I've been on a bit of Italian binge recently and revisited a favorite in Noe Valley - Incanto. This isn't your typical North Beach red sauce and pasta place. Rather, here you get interesting Italian-influenced California food featuring the freshest of ingredients. On the day we visited, the menu featured many "leftovers" from the restaurant's annual "Whole Beast Dinner." While duck tongue was too much for my fairly adventuresome palate, we did enjoy the Antipasto platter that featured house-cured meats. I also enjoyed the nettle papparedelle, which must be in season now as they were also included on Sociale's menu, which I discussed in a recent posting. Incanto's menu changes daily, so you are always in for a new treat no matter how often you visit.

Incanto also has a terrific list of Italian wines, as well as knowledgeable staff who can direct you to wines you are likely to enjoy. On my first visit, I said that we enjoyed Sauvignon Blanc and was directed to our first wine made from the Greco varietal. This time I told our waiter that we enjoyed medium to full bodied red wines with soft tanins He suggest we try a wine that is equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Nero d'Avola. (The latter was a varietal that I had never heard of, much less tasted, before.) Again the waiter's suggestion was perfect.

Incanto is located at 1550 Church Street. Dinner is served nightly, except on Tuesday. Reservations may be made by phoning (415) 641-4500.

If you would like to take a tour of San Francisco that visits neighborhoods, such as Noe Valley, that are not on the usual tourist route, call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Italian Food in Laurel Heights

Last minute plans found us dining with friends at Sociale Restaurant in Laurel Heights last Saturday night. This small neighborhood gem is found in a courtyard at 3655 Sacramento Street. Both indoor and outdoor dining are offered.

Sociale features Italian fare with a California accent. While we had to wait to be seated for 30 minutes beyond our scheduled reservation when earlier guests lingered, the staff at Sociale more than made up for the delay by offering us glasses of Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) and two appetizers on the house. We particularly enjoyed the deep fried olives.

We all had salads to start the meal. Two of us had delicious pasta with duck. One of my friends had nettle filled ravioli. I had never tried nettle, which is a green similar in taste to mint. Desserts included tasty goat cheese cake and panna cotta.

In addition to the Prosecco we enjoyed an Acorn Winery Dolcetto. Acorn is a small family-run winery in the Russian River Valley.

Call (415) 931-3200 to make a reservation at Sociale. Winetasting at Acorn is by appointment only. Take one of our Hidden Vineyards Tours and we can include a stop at Acorn. Tour reservations may be made by calling (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mailing me by clicking here.