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With outoftowners, you get a chance to either be treated or pick up the tab. Since it was my turn and their hotel was down the street, why not? I use to go to Nancy's place a lot when she was on Geary st, out in the fog avenues, my , from a quiet intimate place to a dining room soccer match. THIS PLACE IS LOUD! Not a place for intimate conversations, HUH WHAT DID YOU SAY? Starter where exquisite, calamari perfection, followed by the 2nd Martini, then Lamb chops the size of a manhole cover. Enough to take home for lunch the next day. The service was good, not over the top, but good. Not one of those once in a life time experiences like Gary Danko's or Hubert Keller's. Tidy bill because of the spirits, worth every slurpy penny! Too bad the noise level was high. I would love a ear protector concession in front.....
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BOULEVARD
Cuisine: American (New)
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Embarcadero |
8/16/2009
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Out of town treaters just had to see the oldest restaurant in the city if not the west coast. I offered to cover the 40 dollar parking tab while they picked up the tab for Chopin Martinis, cioppino and cheesecake! White jacketed professional life term food servers orchestrated touchdowns in the packed noisy ruckus dining room. My solitary fried food platter was my quota of delight, with tender crispy morsels of correctly bathed chunks of fish will provide sufficient memories until the next family tourist shows up sporting an American Express card!
All had fun, lost our famine memories and had fun and best of all, were entertained by the staff. Bravo, worth a encore!
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Tadich Grill
Cuisine: Seafood American (Traditional)
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Downtown |
8/16/2009
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Pesky persistence prompted prior to a ball game, from visitors who think The Olive Garden is a 5 star eatery, allowed our party to succumb to this horrid event. The nest odor seemed strange, but it matched the fowl fish that was presented as a "Captains Choice" plate. I have to quiz the positive ratings from newbie raters, and agree with seasoned critics who also wasted their money attempting to bring a Phoenix out the ashes. The solo saving slice of slight reward was the scintillating vision of the bay with the bridge framing the background. The service was strained as if we were an tolerated relative chitchatted with small talk, the cost matched the self exaggerated relevance of their own esteem.... Our treating visitors were not impressed, and they impress easy.
I am surprised it stays open.
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Sinbad's
Cuisine: Seafood American (Traditional) Brunch
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Embarcadero |
8/16/2009
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A perfect place to go have dinner with friends if all are attached to your IPOD. You can have some Mozart enhancing your food experience because as soon as you hear the bellow of the other customers it throttles down the experience to that of Chinese water torture. This tiny place is overwhelmed with noise! The food is excellent, done well, flavors with no overpowering nuances of the spice rack. My Maine crab cake was my main rave. Tender, juicy, perfect balance of flaky fresh morsels of the bottom feeder without the usual bread mush gooping up the taste. The tea smoked sea bass was one of the memorable plates I have experienced. Bravo to the chef for knowing when to remove the fish from the tea sauna. A pleasant surprise sans the noise, good service and pleasant ending in the bank account! A definite encore will be pursued. Come on an off night so you can leave the Ipod at home. Don't miss the oysters, for they are divine and affordable.
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The HOUSE
Cuisine: Pan-Asian Pacific Rim
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North Beach |
1/22/2008
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If value is sought I am afraid this rates a negative! Chicken, what you had at your families dinner that fed all for a sawbuck has turned into a brick of gold for the owner! Unless the chicken is hand fed, massaged and serenaded to, it cannot command the price of $48.00 Yes, you read that correct. It serves two, and comes with a bread stuffing, BUT $48 bucks? I concede that it is not quantity but the quality of food that establishes the paramount of perception but That equates to me a 1.75 lit bottle of Grey Goose! Just imagine the fun that can bring as you drain the bottle with your friends! You can even pick up a chicken or two from the whirly spit at your favorite grab and run supermercado. Ok, there is value for being seen here, the rant and rave of the lower Haight, so unless you are a dotcommer got out in the nick of time person, or an invited guest, pass on the Zuni unless a Caesar salad will satiate you, that is only 12 bucks for an 1/2 head of romaine......
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Zuni Cafe
Cuisine: Mediterranean
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Hayes Valley |
1/22/2008
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This is my kind of place where the chef comes out to be embellished with praise and adorations. He humbly glad-hands all, only missing a hat to pass for collection of his gratuity. The food was excellent although suffering plainness in presentation, but perfect ingredients and execution deserve accolades. Wine list is daunting as was the limited bill of fare, nevertheless a return engagement awaits at some regular occasion. The stage was small and abet loud, but that's show business! Note: The women love the one on one attention!
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Chapeau!
Cuisine: French (Bistro)
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Inner Richmond |
1/4/2008
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Seeing parking in front and almost lunchtime why not try it especially since we had seen reviews, some from freebies other not. This tiny old storefront shared to me it's poor feng shui. It seemed awfully cold and uninviting inside. Our server was pleasant but detached as the specials where announced in a robotic timbre. I opted for the salmon and my friend tried the turkey burger. Both arrived quickly as the lunch crowd started stirring up the volume level. We both were disappointed and for the same reason. OVERCOOKED. I enjoy salmon because of it's moist buttery flakes and fat level when done correctly, this one was dry, dry, dry. My friends burger was also dry, from both overcooking and any lack of residual fat in the meat. At least he was able to down his with the help of some additional aioli which was fetched quickly after the waiter notice our displeasure. For the price and popularity of the place I expected better.
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Triptych
Cuisine: Fusion
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SoMa |
1/4/2008
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Call it underwhelming or disappointing I had better expectations of what occupies a Westin Hotel. The ambiance is expensive but the opulence of flavor got repossessed somewhere between the raw product and the presentation. One of my reasons for paying to have food made for me is the luxury of having someone actually bring it to the table and remove the exhausted plates when finished, Unfortunately the staff tried several times to remove our plates, wishing that the same effort would have been volunteered in the preparation and taste of the food. Between overcooked dry fish and risotto with just a hit of scorched grain, just couldn't be washed down with enough $ 14 dollar Martinis. This experience make me a candidate for electro shock.
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Ducca
Cuisine: Italian
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Downtown |
1/1/2008
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There is nothing that can be said that will change the perception of value when it comes to paying hundreds of dollars to be able to fill ones stomach. The end result 8 hours later from here or Denny's will be exactly the same. Well not really, here you feel like trying to hold on to the mass of 90 minutes of oohs and ahs. For me having a tomato suspended via three types of gelatin remind me of a dish my mother use to make with pigs feet. The difference is that this person is able to convince his flock to pay, pay and pay. More power to him, this is probably one of the end of the road restaurants that can top this visual presentation. So what if they cost your whole paycheck. Superb wine selections, what else would one expect?
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French Laundry
Cuisine: French
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Napa |
11/6/2007
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Savor absolutly nothing!
The experience here which should have been pleasurable required my immediate exploration of the yellow pages, for a local supplier of Hemlock to create a nice salad for myself. A perfect location to send your worst foe, ex-wife or mother-in-law!
Simply said, bad karma from the front door to the back!
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Savor
Cuisine: Mediterranean
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Noe Valley |
8/20/2007
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Invited for Bastille celebrations to this Mission location turned my dining occurrence into deeper understanding of how one feels behind walls unable to leave, think or speak. Wedged into this small room, with loud, intoxicated patrons proved that even the French believe in brutal treatment. Food wise the provisions were acceptable even though most of it arrive tardy, indifferent as if plate were passing on a assembly line and the chow dropped from a mechanical arm from 3 feet high. My dish was a slow hare apparently either too fat or crippled unable to outrun Elmer Fudd. Disgusting slow, inept service partially due to too much wine and joie de vivre of the staff that evening. Pricing was moderate from what I remember thankfully I was a guest at this inconvenience. Possibility another nite, another time, better yet another restaurant would be more brilliant.
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La Provence
Cuisine: French
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Mission |
7/27/2007
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Searching for amusement while my spouse was enthralled in draining our bank account at the stores on premises, I stumbled into this cantina disguised by mosquito netting, to attempt to flood my palate with some cold hop fermented beverage. Planting my seat at the bar I noticed that the shelves displayed more bottles of tequila than space allowed. Thinking that I would enjoy acting as a human mattress directly under the glass shelving during the next trembler I requested the menu. Ogling such I confirmed that my paycheck was not sufficient for lunch and would have to settle only for a single brew. I also discovered that the end result of one avocado changing into a common Mexican dish called guacamole for 12 dollars was distressing. Pondering of what his answer might be, I considered how my Mexican friend would respond of paying 120 pesos for it? I concluded that it would be followed by moments of uncontrolled chortling and mockery. I finished my beer and departed. Pricy comes to mind.
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Zazil
Cuisine: Mexican Seafood
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Downtown |
7/22/2007
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HA! Would any sober genuine city resident ever expect a serious meal here? Not since the Banduch, took the chariot our of town years ago has the place even attempted to satisfy the hunger of what Italian style café creations were manufactured during the early years. This perfect tourist magnet reminds me of those sticky rolls of narrow paper which flies get attached to as they saunter down Broadway peeking at sights they do not witness on a Dayton street. Ka ching, Ka ching, two more, welcome!
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Enrico's
Cuisine: Italian
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North Beach |
7/14/2007
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Quaint little eatery with a cacophony of spinning flavors created by an offspring of a French Thai Italian Mexican Hawaiian personality disorder sadomasochistic garde manger wishing to impress and prove his worldly travels. Plate presentations conflict for dominace confuse and overwhelm the palate necessitating rapid multiple infusions of wine or premium spirits. The pinnacles of the dinner are the vistas of the airborne seagulls following commuters as they feast on a submarine and a beer. My rating should be positively neutral or neutrally positive, sadly there is nothing midpoint.
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Butterfly
Cuisine: Californian Asian
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Embarcadero |
7/11/2007
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One of the better places in the 101 corridor. Perfect burgers, excellent balance of grease to condiment layer. Order the fries so the drippings will flavor the spuds. Beware of evenings with women on safari quests looking for a tribute.
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Balboa Cafe
Cuisine: American (Traditional) Hamburgers Brunch
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Cow Hollow |
7/4/2007
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nothing finer, horseradish , oysters fresh bread washed down with a ice cold beer. A perfect breakfast! Don't bother to show up after 11 or their will be a line out the door of other oysterites.
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Swan Oyster Depot
Cuisine: Seafood
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Polk St./Van Ness |
7/4/2007
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This has delicious cafeteria soup kitchen style food! I despise cafeteria soup kitchen style food! Between the dust on the walls and the antique men weating hats, leaning on canes and with their trousers 12 inches below their neck this place is too old. The food is awful, simply awful. The redemption of the time to come here was provided solely by the alcohol.
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Tommy's Joynt
Cuisine: American (Traditional)
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Downtown |
7/4/2007
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Felt like a home cooked meal! spinach salad with fresh feta cheese, nice serving , prompt happy service,Chicken ravioli with spinach great flavor and texture! Although a little pricy, worth the cost. Full Bar,YES!
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Trattoria Contadina
Cuisine: Italian
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North Beach |
5/5/2007
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