broadwayboy

We'll be in SF next month for 3 days. So far I've made plans for dinner at GARY DANKO and a dim sum at YANK SING.

I have one more unplanned dinner. Am thinking of MICHAEL MINA, but that seems to get mixed reviews. Any recommendations? FRENCH LAUNDRY is out as we're not driving. Been to FIFTH FLOOR a couple of times and would like to try something new.

bigguyinpasadena

Ya know-the last two times I have been at Yank Sing(Rincon)I was less than thrilled-Especially when the bill arrived.
I checked out YELP.COM for some recomendations for an upcoming trip and there is a place on an alley in the finacial district I am going to checl out.
$85 for two people is just two much for DimSum.
I am sure you know about Zuni -still the best bet in SF

opus17

Try Le Colonial -- upscale Vietnamese. Very good, not wildly expensive.

number_6

Gary Danko does have fabulous food and gets great reviews, so it appeals to a wide variety of people (unlike some other SF restaurants with equally good food but more specialized appeal). The best review I ever saw for a restaurant was for Gary Danko, and included the following:

"WARNING: If you take your girlfriend, she may exclaim that she had been looking forward to sex that night, but after having the chocolate souffle she already felt fully satisfied."

The other SF restaurants in the Gary Danko class, sans chocolate souffle, are Michael Mina (by Union Square) and Fleur de Lys (an SF classic but still memorable). But one of the joys of SF is getting good food at cheap restaurants, or distinctive food. In the latter group is Greens, a vegetarian restaurant that appeals to non-vegetarians.

For dim sum, try going to the Richmond and eat at Ton Kiang on Geary.

malgudi

Try the SF Chronicle's Top 100 restaurants listing:

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...2/CMTOP100.DTL

SFFlyman

I second Ton Kiang for dim sum... better than Yank Sing, imho, and a bit less expensive. For a stellar meal, try La Folie. The prices are a bit steep, but worth it. As an alternative, I have always enjoyed Quince, but reservations can be difficult to get.

Eastbay1K

The newest great "hot spot" seems to be Perbacco. I'm going there for lunch soon, so I can't personally comment. I've had one of "life's great dinners" at Michael Mina, but the people I went with (who agreed) didn't find the meal anywhere near close on their next visit. I went to Yank Sing awhile back (it had been years, and my first time since they moved to Rincon) and it was good, but not worth the price at all. We all sort of laughed when the bill came. But it was an uncomfortable (YHTBFKM) laugh. You could also consider a BART trip across the bay to Chez Panisse or something else in the Gourmet Ghetto (walkable from Berkeley BART), or to Rockridge and have a great meal at Oliveto.

brendamc

It's touristy, but I really like Boulevard.

StudentExplorer

In the Richmond, I'd sooner go to Mayflower. As for Yank Sing - you can cut down on the price by staying away from the specials and ordering the "traditional" dim sum. Still relatively expensive though.

StudentExplorer

I've also heard good things about Coi and Ame. Both are on my list to try.

entilzhaFT

I was very surprised at the bill at Yank Sing. At least 50% more what I had expected. And this was all with traditional dishes. It wasn't even as good as hyped. Nevertheless, it was tasty.

rjque

I haven't been to Yank Sing in some time, though I remember it being very good but expensive. I've had a great and not too expensive dim sum experience at Gold Mountain (Broadway near Columbus).

There are already some good recommendations for very upscale dining on this thread. Here are a few more casual but still fantastic dining places:

- Coco500 near the ballpark is fantastic for California cuisine.

- Nopa (Divisadero and Hayes) is my favorite neighborhood restaurant, though it seems that the whole City is dining there every night.

- Delfina on 18th St. in the Mission has consistently fantastic ingredient focused Italian food.

- Zuni on Market street is good (search this forum for more info).

- For classic French food in a nice setting, I like Jeanty at Jacks in the Financial District.

You can also find some good leads by reviewing/searching the dining section of sfgate.com. I personally find Michael Bauer's reviews to be spot on when it comes to the better places in SF.

VL83

My wife and I have eaten at the French Laundry, Gary Danko, Alain Ducasse, and others of that calibre. For the sake of those less familiar with it, we would put the Dining Room of the Ritz-Carlton in that league - ahead of Danko and about equal to the Fr. Laundry. Impeccable, but friendly, service; superb New French food; excellent wine list, not overpriced. Moreover, there is an elegant ambience to the setting on Nob Hill. It is cable car accessible, and the overall cost to the diner is considerably less than that of the Fr. Laundry. Check the menu on the Web.

StudentExplorer

I also have had good experiences at Gold Mountain.

brendamc

Sorry to be contrary, but we were totally underwhelmed by the tasting menu & service at the Dining Room. Way too slow, waiting for wine glasses to be refilled several times, food was just ok. Perhaps the fact our last tasting menu had been at El Bulli...