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Kristian's Corner | Wine & Food | Italy 2007 | Atlanta 2007 | Vegas | New York 2005 | Buenos Aires | London ON THIS PAGE
San Francisco and Napa Valley...some general ramblings A friend of mine recently asked for some advice about SF and Napa, so this is what I advised: San Francisco dining: Low-end: Shalimar, 523 Jones St. Walk up Geary, past Union Square, to Jones, take a left and go down the hill a half a block. It's on the left. It is an UGLY hole in the wall Indian restaurant with some of the best food in the city. Dirt cheap. Walk up to the kitchen counter and grab a menu (printed on newsprint). When you are ready to order, tell the cook/cashier what you want (definitely some naan, a curry and something from the tandoori pit). Walk over to the cooler, grab a drink and sit down. They'll find you. When you're done, go back to the counter, remind him what you had and pay. Figuring this stuff out on your own is daunting. I've seen people go into Shalimar, only to leave a few minutes later because they couldn't figure out what to do. If you like Indian food, you HAVE to go here. Medium: Slanted Door, Ferry Building (at the beginning of Market St) Vietnamese. Not cheap, but also not crazy expensive. Incredible food. Beautiful restaurant. Reservations recommended. Les Amis, New French, 568 Sacramento St near Montgomery. Excellent little place. Very romantic and the food is stellar. Reservations recommended. A16, Southern Italian, 2355 Chestnut. Excellent, rustic Italian. Very busy place. Make reservations. Dessert treat: Beard Papa, 760 Mission Street (and Yerba Buena?which is like a walk-through out to Market St) This place does one thing--cream puffs. Holy crap! They kick ass! It's a Japanese franchise (hence the stupid name) where they bake fresh puffs and fill them to order. Unbelievable. I'd have a serious weight problem if there was one in Columbia. High-end (and worth EVERY PENNY): Gary Danko, 800 N. Point Street at the corner of Hyde St. Probably one of the best restaurants in the country. It's not groundbreaking and weird, its just GREAT. Reservations a must OR drop in and eat at the bar (which is what I do, since you can get the scoop on the city from the staff). Something to do: Tour the Anchor Brewery over in the Potrero Hill area. Awesome beer, great staff and a neat tour. You finish by sitting in their saloon and drinking all their selections. You may even run into Fritz Maytag, who owns Maytag appliances, Maytag Blue Cheese, Anchor, and a whole lot more. If you see a 60 year-old guy in jeans, it's probably him. Great guy! Loves motorcycles and has a bunch of them in the basement, including the one he rode across Europe after college. Napa Valley Lots of choices. Too many. Most are outstanding. Here are some of my favorites: Tra Vigne- St. Helena, when you are done, go further down Charter Oak to the Napa Valley Olive Oil Company. It's a little garage-looking place that sells freshly-pressed olive oil, Italian meats, cheeses and such. Awesome place and the girl that usually works there is smokin' hot! Look for the Mr. Friendly's, Gervais & Vine and Solstice business cards on the wall while you surreptitiously check her out. There are so many wineries along Hwy 29 that its like driving through a mall. Just pick and choose which you want to stop at. Do not buy wines that are available here. Ask about 'winery only' selections. Otherwise, you'll pay more than you would pay here AND have to lug it back
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