Saturday, November 19, 2011

What's the best gourmet restaurant in San Francisco?

How much would a three-course meal cost Including a good Californian wine and 2 after-dinner brandies (Remy Martin) ?|||Gary Denko on Northpoint at Hyde.





Will run you $250-300 for a couple and worth every penny.|||I like the California Culinary Academy, because it is all you can eat. You are eating someone's homework, but the students go on to work in top hotels, cruise ships and so forth, and by the time they are in their final stages they are darned good. The hors d'oeuvres are works of art. Call and see when they do buffet night; last time I was there is was once or twice a week.





Chez Pannise, across the bay in Berkeley, ranks in the top 10 every time I see a list of the top 10. Their cafe is a little less pricey than the regular dining room and a little easier to get into.





Figure $125 - $175 for the two of you. CCA will be less.|||Incanto


1550 Church St.


415-641-4500


www.incanto.biz





If Incanto were in your neighborhood, you'd eat there several times a week. The vaulted stone ceilings and blond wood furniture create a feeling of casual comfort. The ever-changing Cal-Ital menu is short but always seems to have just what you want: house-cured olives with salumi, a creamy bowl of pasta carbonara, or seasonal vegetables dressed in a veil of olive oil and lemon. The wine list is lovingly crafted to show off the breadth and depth of Italy's enological bounty. So go ahead: Order that second bottle of Brunello di Montalcino and make yourself at home. 鈥擩.L.











Range


842 Valencia St.


415-282-8283


www.rangesf.com





First things first: Do not, under any circumstances, miss out on a cocktail at this laid-back neighborhood restaurant. The impeccably prepared libations change frequently, and the talented bartenders set the tone for chef Phil West's accessible New American cooking. His food, like split pea soup with sour cream and chives and coffee-rubbed pork with hominy and greens, is simple but suffused with flavor and changes with the seasons. Desserts, somehow both homey and sophisticated, are some of the best in the city. 鈥擲.H.











Swan Oyster Depot


1517 Polk St.


415-673-1101





Opened in 1912, this seafood shop isn't a restaurant, it's a landmark. Today, the fifth generation is behind the original marble counter, and the ground rules remain unchanged. Except for the rich, creamy clam chowder, everything here is served cold. "Cooking" means tossing shrimp salad with Louie dressing (sort of a homemade Thousand Island), shucking oysters, or cracking crab (ask Frank to make you the special Dijon-butter-mayo sauce for dipping). The stools at the long narrow counter fill up during the lunch hour, so try to get there before or after noon. But be warned, they close when they sell out. For dessert, go to See's Candy next door鈥攖his one-two combo on Polk Street is a perfect taste of old-school San Francisco. 鈥擩.L.








Zuni Cafe


1658 Market St.


415-552-2522


www.zunicafe.com





Officially the food's called Mediterranean, but the menu of burgers, raw oysters, and Caesar salad is pure California. Opened over two decades ago by chef/owner Judy Rodgers (an original member of the Alice Waters farm-to-table sorority), Zuni Cafe has become an icon of West Coast cuisine. Multiple expansions have given the sunny space a topsy-turvy feel, but that's just part of the charm. The must-eat here is wood-oven-roasted chicken, all smoky, golden-crisp skin and succulent meat, portioned for two and served with a bread salad. 鈥擩.L.

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