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Nice bar selection, contrary to one of the other reviewers, I thought the "bar staff" was great. Fries were excellent. Grilled octopus didn't seem all that grilled - I'd prefer bigger pieces actually char-grilled, but that's more Portuguese style, I suppose. Lamb robata was good. Some sort of roll, wasn't that memorable... Overall, 3 stars.
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Nihon
Cuisine: Japanese Sushi
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SoMa |
4/14/2007
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Wow, great stuff! I finally got over to Little Nepal and the food is GREAT! Very tasty, and although it does seem a little expensive I will be back for sure. 3.5 stars!
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Little Nepal
Cuisine: Nepalese
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Bernal Heights |
3/4/2007
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Not spectacular, but solid high-end all-american in the Mission. I'm sure if this place is really *necessary*, but serves its purpose well. I had a nice, simple salad with greens and a bit of grapefruit; my friend's beet salad was well cooked and seasoned. My entree was rib eye - sauce was on the sweet side, it lacked the peppercorns described on the menu, and well, it should have been hotter, but it was still tasty. Unfortunately, a little like first-class airplane food - but better? Cheese plate was good. Wine was excellent. Service top-notch. Certainly not outstanding, but serviceable. 3 stars ***
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Maverick
Cuisine: American (New)
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Mission |
2/19/2007
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Second visit last night, and I was impressed. Great atmosphere (cool music, but not too loud to talk), and your choice of sit-up tables or sit-down lounge seating. We had mostly a couple of veggie rolls, saba and waloo nigiri, and a great bottle of sake (Nagakawara, nosted for it's "stress-relieving" effects). A much-needed alternative to Blowfish for hip, tasty, fun sushi. 3.5 stars -- I'll be back!
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Tsunami
Cuisine: Sushi
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Western Addition |
2/13/2007
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Stepped in today for lunch on the way to Ameoba. Lunch special green veggie curry was excellent! Very tasty, not lacking in heat (still could have been hotter), lots of veggies, good tofu, good rice, nice little salad. Nothing fancy, just perfect. A solid three stars ***
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Ploy II Thai Cuisine
Cuisine: Thai
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Haight-Ashbury/Cole Valley |
2/9/2007
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The decor is nice - the place feels relaxed, but the service isn't so great, and the food leaves a lot to be desired. We had four different items, and none of them had much in the way of flavor or heat. Even the curry dish was fairly bland until we added a bunch of Siricha (sp?) sauce, and, well, that isn't good food, it's good hot sauce (which can be applied to anything). Sorry, two stars - I won't be back.
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Tao Cafe
Cuisine: Vietnamese
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Mission |
2/9/2007
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Hmm. Lots of reviews over on Y**p and none here... Anyhow, I agree with the overall take over there: interesting, colorful, pleasant decor, great cocktail (Red Monkey), and the food was pretty good too. Not the *best* Thai food I've had, but not mediocre by any means. Seared scallop salad was quite good, spicy curry beans very good. The relish thing sounded really interesting, but turned out to be fairly boring, and not spicy at all. The interior is really quite nice - warm and attractive, not funky, and not tiny like House. 3.5 stars!
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Citizen Thai
Cuisine: Thai
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North Beach |
2/5/2007
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Consistently the BEST American breakfast and lunch place in town. I eat here as often as my calorie count will permit - whenever I'm feeling like a pancakes, eggs and bacon breakfast or a great burger. They make their own bread. Great pasta specials for lunch. Good coffee. I can always get a seat at the counter. Love it. Perfect. 5 stars.
Be warned, non-locals, this place is *very* out of the way, it's *very* hard to find, and parking is *impossible* - stay away! ;)
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Mabel's Just for You Cafe
Cuisine: Coffee Shops/Diners Bakeries
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Potrero Hill |
10/26/2006
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Calamari salad was OK. Broccoli rabe with anchovies and red pepper flakes was *excellent*. "1000-year old" bucatini recipe was interesting enough that we both ordered it, but turned out rather bland. Not too noisy. Decor clearly says "Italian" without being overbearing. The service was very good overall. aside from the mumbling trainee waiter who was a little over-eager to "pack up" what was left (nothing) of the pasta, and a slight delay in the mains coming out. I'd give the place another shot if I'm in the neighborhood -- 3 stars.
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Trattoria La Siciliana
Cuisine: Italian
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Berkeley |
10/26/2006
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A friend and I had a couple of drinks at the Lone Palm and then went walking looking for dinner. I thought *again* what a bummer that Mangiafuoco had closed (why, why, why?!), and that the neighborhood could sure use a decent Italian place. We remembered seeing a little place across from the Makeout Room and sat down.
The bad vibes started right away. Intrusive, ultra-cheesy music. Crappy posters and faux-Euro brickabrack, including a giant fake Venetian Carnival mask hanging over the kitchen door. Cheap xeroxed menus bound into term-paper plastic folders. Misspellings on the menu. Same old generic Italian restaurant-in-a-box menu items. Tired spongy white foccacia with (nice bright-green) oil and balsamic (feh). No particular smell coming from the kitchen. White-boy college kid greeting us with "buona sera".
Give me an effing break. We got up to leave just as the water glasses arrived. Arrivaderci, ciao, what a disgrace.
This place should close immediately.
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Vogalonga
Cuisine: Italian
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Mission |
10/26/2006
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Great pizza, and a really nice feel to the place. It's true the back room doesn't have the same ambience as the front, but it isn't half bad. 4 stars, I'll be back for sure.
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Pizzaiolo
Cuisine: Italian Pizza
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Oakland |
10/4/2006
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Great drink menu - lots of unusual herbs and things that sound like potions. The dinner menu is also very inventive: clearly a cal-organic-foodie take on middle eastern food. Arugula salad with figs was good, but could have used a more bitter green to better balance the figs. My date loved the baked giant lima beans (sort of a casserole, with a light feta), and they were good, but I'm not super-crazy about feta, so... The berber vegetable tagine was *great* if you like fresh vegetables, which we do, and it came with a little couscous, but it could have had more of the spinach that was advertised as a main ingredient - that was hard to find. Halibut claypot was beautifully cooked but could have used more pizzaz - the potatoes and olives set it off nicely, but the fish itself could have been spiced more, somehow - the saffron just didn't do it for me.
My online reservation went through without a hitch, and service was very good - nice timing and clearing, and good advice. 3.5 stars!
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Aziza
Cuisine: Moroccan
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Outer Richmond |
9/16/2006
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Funny how places change. What I remember most about this joint is that years ago (before Timo's, before whatever else it was in between) it was the Crystal Pistol - an run-down old watering hole run by a very enthusiastic transplant from the Castro who was a bit hungry for business. I was never a big fan of Timo's (bad color scheme), but Range hits the spot. We walked in and it seemed jammed, but the hostess found us a high-top immediately. Service was _perfectly_ timed - kudos for that, it really stands out. Each order was taken and each item arrived exactly when it should. Little gem lettuce salad was lovely (although the capers could have had more kick for my taste), and the pasta appetizer was great as well. My friend had the halibut, I had bass - both outstanding, and the "s'more" dessert was well done as well. Again, the service really stood out. Smiles all around. It was quite loud, but we were seated up front near the bar - I'm sure it's quieter in the back. 4 stars.
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Range
Cuisine: American (New)
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Mission |
8/1/2006
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Mitchell's _is_ a bona-fide SF institution, and they have some wacky-cool flavors, but the sad fact is, their ice cream is junk food. It's fulla junk! Chemicals, milk paste, sweeteners, preservatives, whatever. My personal SF classic ice cream favorite is Swiss Orange Chip at Swensens on Hyde Street. Or the new-fangled Ciao Bella Blood Orange Sorbet - that's amazing stuff. Anyhow, I still go to Mitchells sometimes, but it usually leaves me feeling a little funky, and in general I think it's overrated.
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Mitchells Ice Cream
Cuisine: Ice Cream Dessert
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Mission |
8/1/2006
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Just had lunch here - everyone seemed to be having Chicken Pot Pie, so I did too. Yum. Lovely, warm, casual atmosphere. I didn't see the dinner menu, but the rest of the simple lunch menu looked great - empanadas, a pasta of the day, organic salads. Big espresso machine! I'll be back.
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Liberty Cafe & Bakery
Cuisine: American (Traditional) Bakeries
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Bernal Heights |
7/28/2006
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I haven't been in a little while, but this little place has consistently had some of the best, high quality, simple, tasty Italian in SF. Great date spot. No reservations. I've been here at least a dozen times, probably more, and I they've never failed me.
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L'Osteria del Forno
Cuisine: Italian Pizza
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North Beach |
7/28/2006
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Awesome. Cute, tiny little place with a range of international, mostly noodle-based dishes. I had quinoa cakes with fresh fish - very very good, fresh, and healthy. It's a little cramped, but you get to watch the cook do his thing. Reminds me of Chez Maman on Potrero Hill - it's a similar size. Great execution. I'll be back.
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Pomelo
Cuisine: Eclectic
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Inner Sunset |
7/28/2006
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I really want to love this place. I love Sardegna and all types of Italian food, and in general it's hard to screw up with quality ingredients. However, La Ciccia failed on a more than a few counts. The lamb was overcooked and the "fresh" peas that came with it even more so, and both together in a watery broth was far less than appetizing. The gnochetti did taste of fresh pasta, but little else. The cheese plate was OK but could have been more interesting. Great sardo wine list, points for that. The service was very friendly and prompt - too prompt actually - we felt rushed through the meal. I'll wait a while and give it another try...
UPDATE: 2 strikes, you're out. Scallops included unadvertised bottarga - if you're going to use fish eggs, make a note of it. Fresh pasta had great texture again, but no taste, again. Wild boar stew was brown sauce with chunks of meat - I've had my share of cinghiale, and this did not measure up. And where is the contorno (veggies?)!?! Bye!
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La Ciccia
Cuisine: Italian
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Noe Valley |
7/19/2006
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This is just what 16th St needed. No, really, I'm not being snarky. The other sushi places are overpriced or a little dowdy. Crazy Sushi is quick, cheap, really good, and the owner is Crazy - he's always in a good mood. Watch out for the specials - ask the prices before you order because they're often much more than the regular menu items.
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Crazy Sushi
Cuisine: Sushi
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Mission |
7/19/2006
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This is a failed execution, with several different ideas competing for attention and none succeeding. Is it a sports bar, an "authentic" Chicago-style pizza place, a cozy neighborhood restuarant, a late-night pizza joint, or what? The tiny space is too crowded, and a lot of space is wasted by the ADA-compliant wheelchair ramp along the east wall. The "bar" seating along the front windows is entirely wasted. Why are there flat screen TV's on the wall? You can't see them, and they don't serve beer.
Service was a mess - we ordered five salads and got one in 3 minutes, three more 20 minutes later, and the last one 5 minutes after that. The salads themselves were nothing special. The pizza was also just OK - Little Star is better, if you like the deep dish style. This place needs a good floor manager and some time to settle in - it'll probably end up just fine, since the neighborhood was so badly in need of restaurants.
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Patxi's Chicago Pizza
Cuisine: Pizza
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Hayes Valley |
6/24/2006
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I'm not sure how long Palio has been around, but I have the feeling it's been a long time. I booked a dinner for 25 there last week, and, having done this sort of large group event on a frequent basis, I know how hard it is to deliver quality service and keep the food up to the standard of the restaurant. Palio delivered very well on both counts. The headwaiter introduced himself and took great care of the group throughout the night. Nice little appetizers of proscuitto-wrapped asparagus and mushroom crostini. *Excellent* pasta: orechiette with a kid (goat) sugo, herbs and green peas. Very good rack of lamb with side of fritto misto baby artichokes. Overall, they did a great job with the group. That may have been helped along by the fact that the rest of the joint was largely empty, but I'll keep Palio in mind for Italian in the future.
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Palio d'Asti
Cuisine: Pizza Italian
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Downtown |
4/29/2006
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I had never eaten here, and while I wasn't expecting Chez Panisse or Zuni, I did expect at least a fair swing at good, clean California cuisine. Whatever the reason, it felt like they were slinging hash for the Moscone conference crowd. Our appetizer plate was largely tasteless (some sort of pale pate, overcooked, mealy beets). The server offered to fillet my fish, and then basically dumped the meat on my plate. A second server returned a few minutes later with "the rest" and dumped that on top too. It tasted fine, but it was more fast-food than anything else. The espresso was good, at least -- but I won't be going back.
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Restaurant LuLu
Cuisine: Mediterranean French
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SoMa |
4/29/2006
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Great place. Cheap, excellent quality sushi. Zero trendy atmosphere, but who needs it? Hokki-Gai Nigiri for $2.50? I'll be back!
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You See Sushi
Cuisine: Sushi
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Inner Sunset |
3/12/2006
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I have lunch there all the time - i may not be a noodle expert, but I love sitting in the wooden booths and eating ramen & gyoza. This place strikes me as authentic enough, the ambiance is very relaxing, and I can always walk in and get a table.
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Iroha Restaurant
Cuisine: Japanese
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Japantown |
3/10/2006
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Stepped in last night for late-ish dinner (9:30pm). Coming in through the bar it smelled, well, like a bar. It was a wet night, but even so, it wasn't exactly welcoming. I was hoping for fish, and although I should have known better I ordered seared ahi. What was I thinking?! You can *almost* blame it on me for ordering that in the first place, but any restaurant of mine simply wouldn't serve the stuff. It was like airplane food, more or less. The bread was good though, as was the Sazerac.
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Absinthe
Cuisine: French Brasseries
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Hayes Valley |
2/2/2006
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Wow - deep fried cheese. The pork was coated in something tasty. Plantains, beans and rice. Good stuff -- heavy, but that's to be expected. HUGE portions! Worth a trip.
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Nicaragua Restaurant
Cuisine: Nicaraguan
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Mission |
1/27/2006
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Great dim sum. Especially good after skateboarding down the hill from the Legion of Honor!
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Yet Wah
Cuisine: Chinese Dim Sum
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Outer Richmond |
1/25/2006
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Great stuff. Porc Chuc is great, as is the black bean turkey soup. Watch out if you ask for "hot sauce" of any kind - it's scotch bonnet: the hottest peppers on earth!
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Lindo Yucatan
Cuisine: Mexican
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Mission |
12/8/2005
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I love this place. It's big, comfortable, the food is GREAT and very much my style. The only thing that keeps me from going back much more often is the cost -- high but worth it. Four stars ****
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Kokkari Estiatorio
Cuisine: Greek Mediterranean
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Downtown |
11/9/2005
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Very local sit-down Puerto Rican/Cuban place. This is viejo, not "nuevo" latino - the real thing, and you won't find any fusion bullshit. Warm atmosphere. Good tamarindo agua fresca-style drink. Excellent chuletas (pork chops) and ropa vieja, great black beans. The next table over recommended the vaca frita -- I'll try that next time. at least 3 1/2 stars - I'm going back soon.
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El Nuevo Frutilandia
Cuisine: cuban pan-latin
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Mission |
11/7/2005
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We had tortellini carbonara, wide ribbon pasta with squash and peas, and corvina (fish) done quite nicely. This is a fun place, not a tourist trap, good, fast, very "Italian" service, and the food is pretty good. I had a glass of sangiovese that was mediocre - maybe they need to redo the wine list. I've been back often enough to give it 3 1/2 stars.
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Caffe Macaroni
Cuisine: Italian
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North Beach |
11/6/2005
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Old school. The main room is fairly drab, and looks like it needs a bit of a scrubbing. Get one of the nice train-car wooden booths. Stick with the fish: halibut, black bass. Watch out for the triple pour of grappa after dinner - I recommend a caffe corretto (espresso with a little shot of grappa) instead.
3.5 stars - I'd go back, but not the same sort of experience as, for example, Peter Luger in Brooklyn.
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Sam's Grill & Seafood Restaurant
Cuisine: Seafood
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Downtown |
10/15/2005
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I don't know why Yum Yum House hasn't been listed before. Great clean Chinese, friendly service. A little ($1) pricier than what might be considered super-cheap, but worth it for the quality.
Three stars ***
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Yum Yum House
Cuisine: Chinese
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Mission |
8/10/2005
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In my opinion the fancier plates are overpriced, and they should have a cheap house wine (or do they?), but I love the shack for the the spaghetti -- it's good and a fair deal. Plus you can have a Tecate next door while you wait.
3.5 stars ***+
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Emmy's Spaghetti Shack
Cuisine: Italian
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Bernal Heights |
8/9/2005
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We stumbled in here having found Turtle Tower closed. The food was pretty damn good, and the service was amazing for such a cheap place. Our guy was really nice, informative, and friendly. Something about that helped make our meal a really pleasant experience. The slightly more "posh" atmosphere is nice too. 3.5 stars, I'd go back anytime!
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Pagolac
Cuisine: Vietnamese Asian
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Tenderloin |
8/9/2005
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I'm partial to cinghiale (wild boar), so I'll have it whenever it's offered. I also like sausages! I had the boar sausage with hot peppers - excellent. I would prefer slightly chewier, less "bready" bread, but hey, who's complaining about a $4 sausage?
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Rosamunde Sausage Grill
Cuisine: Hot Dogs
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Lower Haight |
7/30/2005
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I love Golden Boy. Wish it was open 24/7. It was better back when they played louder music and the pizza girls were hotter but it's still a classic and never fails to deliver when I need a slice and a copy of City Bike (in the newsbox outside).
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Golden Boy Pizza
Cuisine: Pizza
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North Beach |
7/30/2005
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Fast & cheap. The Indian place on the South side of 16th just past Valencia towards Mission is perhaps better, but Pakwan is a good standby if you're starving and need to grab something quick. Garlic Naan could have had more garlic, less naan, and the cauliflower dish was tasty but broken into little bits; I would have preferred larger pieces so as to be able to taste the veggie more. Chicken was small pieces with bones but plenty of meat. Tasty. Don't eat off the tables. Free water too!
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Pakwan
Cuisine: Indian
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Mission |
7/30/2005
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Ceviche was great, the pork was OK, and the crab enchiladas were fair at best. Both entrees lacked heat - I asked for salsa picante and got Tabasco, which I like, but the food should have been spicier. I wasn't hugely impressed by the menu, but I'd give it one more shot. 3 stars ***
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Platanos Cocina Latina
Cuisine: Central American Fusion
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Mission |
7/29/2005
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I really like Mai's. Last night the hot & sour soup was *excellent* - not like anything I've had before, and the lemon grass pork chops are great too. Try the salty plum drink. Mai's is also great because it's not crowded (vs. Burma Super Star across the street), and they are nice, friendly people.
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Mai's Authentic Vietnamese Restaurant
Cuisine: Vietnamese
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Inner Richmond |
7/29/2005
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I really like Dusit - never been disappointed, and the delivery is fast! Amazon used to have their menu online, but now it's here:
http://ca.local.yahoo.biz/dusitthai/services.html
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Dusit Thai
Cuisine: Thai
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Bernal Heights |
7/22/2005
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I've been to the Grand Cafe twice for large-group dinners in the past month or so. Good food, great old-school art deco atmosphere (not dated, somehow), excellent cocktails (at least as far as martinis and manhattans go), overall seems to be a great place for a group business dinner. I might even go back sometime for a personal visit. The bar is certainly worth a stop for an after-work drink if you're downtown. 3+ on my 1-5 scale.
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Grand Cafe (Formal Dining Room)
Cuisine: French Californian
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Downtown |
6/8/2005
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Zuni is great. They were, and are, _the_ pioneer of what is now known as "California cuisine." Lunch there today was nothing extraordinary: cheese Zuni-burger, pizza, salad, but the setting is great, everything _smells_ great, and it makes you want to come back over and over again. A very solid "4" on my 1-5 scale.
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Zuni Cafe
Cuisine: Mediterranean
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Hayes Valley |
6/8/2005
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I was suckered in by the reviews, but this place only rates a 3- (1-5 scale) at best. Poor physical design (narrow, feels like a hallway) and only fair food (the ravioli with mint and fava beans was the only standout) don't merit the prices ($240 for two, including pre-dinner drinks, wine, dessert!). Frankly, there's better food for less exhorbitant prices at _plenty_ of other places in town. Perhaps worth another visit with a larger group just for drinks and a snack, but otherwise I probably won't be back. These guys are raking it in though, got to give them credit for that ;|
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Cortez
Cuisine: Tapas Mediterranean
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Downtown |
6/8/2005
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I took a group of 16 for dinner at B44 last week. They were very accomodating (partly because the place wasn't anything like crowded on a Tuesday evening), which makes a big difference when you have a large group. Everyone seemed to like the food, and my paella negra was excellent (just as someone else noted above, it's the "squid ink" paella). I hadn't been there in a while, but I'd go back. 3+ stars.
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B44 Catalan Bistro
Cuisine: Spanish
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Downtown |
5/3/2005
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Great food and excellent service - a rarity these days. We had ceviche de pescado and an empanada to start. I had the lamb filet(s) and she had some sort of crab tower thing (?). All very good, and again the service was great. They didn't leave things stiting around and wiped the table down immediately after each course. What's more, we stepped in out of the rain at 7:45 on a Friday night and they managed to find us a great table right off the bat. Maybe we just got lucky on that score, but it did put a smile on our hungry faces.
I give Limon a "4" on my personal 1-5 scale, meaning that I'd go back before going somewhere else.
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Limon
Cuisine: Peruvian
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Mission |
4/13/2005
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