I LEFT MY HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO

"I eat merely to put food out of my mind." - N. F. Simpson

August 10, 2004

EVERY CITY IN AMERICA, LARGE AND SMALL HAS GREAT EATS. I truly believe that. In the past I have chastised several of my colleagues who have commented that San Francisco, along with several other cities, have truly fine dining while Denver is a cow town and is nothing but a plethora of fast food joints, chains and mom and pops that can't spell the word, "cuisine". I am here to tell you that ain't true. I will put up chefs like Frank Bonanno (Mizuna, Luca d'Italia), Jennifer Jasinski (Cava), Elise Wiggins (Panzano), Kevin Taylor (Kevin Taylor), Michael Beck (Brown Palace), Tyler Wiard (Mel's Restaurant), and a myriad of others against the best San Francisco or any other city has to offer. I will also tell you some of my finest meals and most memorable moments have been in the tiniest of hick towns, some not even towns, in Colorado, Nebraska, Missouri and you name the state, they got 'em.

Without being redundant, it appears that cities like San Francisco have greater dining than we do because we generally don't eat the same way there as we do here at home. There we are vacationing or on an expense account, so every meal we are looking for is The Best. While at home we don't normally have appetizers and dessert, on the road we have it all, often as much as our over-worked tum-tums can handle and then some. Having sed all that, G and I have been to the "City by the Bay" twice in the last year. Having relatives that love to eat reside in that great city and willing to be guides made our two visits quite memorable. By the by, if you need a tour guide for San Francisco, let me know. We have a pro in the family who is Italian/American and living in San Francisco. In fact, she and her spouse are in Italy this week. She will be doing tours of Italy for San Franciscans. Here's our list of favs arranged in alphabetical order.

Boulevard (One Mission St, 415/543-6084; www.boulevardrestaurant.com). You may never have a finer meal in your life. Certainly the best in San Francisco. This is true elegance but bring the American Express Card or lots of cash. You won't (or shouldn't) get out for under $60 per plus drinks plus tax and tip. If you do, you wasted your visit. That ain't bad $; I've paid lots more for not near the quality. There were four of us sampling the finest they had to offer. Chef Nancy Oakes is one of the nation's top toques. Each appetizer came with oohs and aahs from everyone at the table, and each dish was better than the one before. This place is so classy they have two executive chefs: Nancy and Pamela Mazzola. If money is really an object, go for lunch. Reservs are an absolute must. Don't miss the new Ferry Building across the street. It's the most fab renovation I've ever seen. And the shops are unbelievable.

Grand Café (501 Geary St, 415/292-0101 http://sanfrancisco.citysearch.com/profile/863366). A fine old room in a fine old hotel (Hotel Monaco). A maavelous fois gras will let you know you're in a classy joint. The menu is Californian and French. For the quality, the prices are reasonable (not cheap, tho). If you don't like banana pie you gotta have it anyway. It's weird, unusual, and 2-die-4. G had seared loin of lamb with mint and mustard crust. Yo!

House of Nanking (919 Kearny St, 415/421-1429; http://sanfrancisco.citysearch.com/profile/917590). Have Peter the owner order for you. You probably won't know what it is, but it's wonderful. This is a real hole in the wall directly across the street from Francis Ford Coppola's San Francisco office. A five-course lunch or dinner will set you back less than $15. Per. Try the sweet potatoes, Asian style.

Jianna (1548 Stockton, 415/398-0442; http://www.themenupage.com/jianna.html). This is one of North Beach's hottest eateries. Yes, I sed North Beach. No, it's not Eye-talian. But the menu in and of itself will make your mouth water. Cozy, fun, reasonably priced, with the most creative menu in an area known as the Italian capital of America. The website cited above is one of many you can use to find about this popular eatery. Just type in keyword "Jianna" on any one of the popular search engines and 9 out of the first ten hits will be about the restaurant.

Mama's on Washington Square (1701 Stockton St, 415/362-6421; http://sanfrancisco.citysearch.com/profile/917544). This is THE breakfast place in the Bay City; you'll wait for days in line. Well, quite awhile. Doesn't matter if its even close to breakfast or brunch time. I think there's a line even when they're closed. Cut to the chase. It's all fantastic. "M'omelettes" are perfectly cooked, bulging with fillers like pancetta and garlicky cheese. Fresh housemade breads, the best egg dishes you've ever had, and lots more. They have daily specials for breakfast and lunch. Buggers are allegedly huge, but who can stay all day?

McCormick & Kuleto's Seafood Restaurant (900 North Point St, 415/929-1730; www.mccormickandschmick.com). Part of the exclusive McCormick & Schmick's small family of fine eateries, this particular restaurant was a marriage of the M & S people with Pat Kuleto, a Bay area giant in the dining industry. There are several other eateries in Northern California that have either Pat's name connected with it, or his touch in the design (www.kuleto.com) There are over 150 restaurants in the U.S. that his signature is on. His "stumbling" into the restaurant ownership business was our good fortune. See the story on, Boulevard, above. That's a Kuleto-designed restaurant. Pat's office is next to this fab restaurant located in Ghiardelli Square, a few short blocks from the great piers of San Francisco. The food and service are first rate. And if you've had your fill of seafood (how dare you!) they've got steaks, poultry and other fare.

Tom Kiang (5821 Geary Blvd, 415/387-8012). This is dim sum at its finest (and most expensive). If you're not an aficionado you'll soon be one, but you'll probably eat way too much food. You'll also probably spend more than you planned, but it's sooo good. After sampling (cuz that's what dim sum is really all about) about a dozen dishes with G and nephew Mick, they brought Zee Duck. Oh, my! I thought I had died and gone to Heaven. If you're not into dim sum, or want to try their standard fare, they have a full menu of everything Chinese food should be. Tom Kiang is in the Richmond district, quite aways from the core city, but a fun bus ride or a cab will get you there in short order.

Washington Square Bar and Grill (1770 Powell St, 415/982-8123; http://www.wsbg.citysearch.com/ This is The Place folks. My all-time favorite San Francisco restaurant. Not the finest, just muh fav. It's smack in the center of North Beach and is quite Italian ceptin for the finest bugger in the screwed up state of California. Hey, these are the folks who voted for Prop 13 and Arnold!. Don't blame me for their troubles. Anywho, back to the "Washbag" as diners affectionately call it. The coolest ambiance, the finest service, the smoothest jazz nitely, and the best damn bugger. What more can a man ask for? The bugger is a huge, well-seasoned half-pound on toasted focaccia. Unbelievable. The accompanying fries, yummy. As to the Italian fare, it's as good as it gets. Deep-fried artichokes. Parma prosciutto. Shaved fennel and cremini salad. Oh, my goodness: "Sicilian penicillin" (chicken soup with baby chicken meatballs, spinach and pasta), capellini puttanesca, pappardelle, grilled rosemary shrimp risotto, grilled double cut pork chop, stuffed trout with garlic spinach and bread crumbs, and the Blot's favorite: sage roasted farm chicken with creamy butternut squash gratin, spinach and roasted garlic sauce. Hungry yet? And so kind on your wallet. Dessert? Don't even ask but if you can make it, go for it. Desserts are awesome.

Outta space, outta time. G is waiting for a Schwan's Neapolitan ice cream sangie from the freezer. Melanie bought them last week. Got the last box. Didn't even want the Neapolitan but they were out of vanilla. G luvs Neapolitan. Would kill for the stuff. Sed to either fire her or bring home a sangie, so Melanie was kind enuf to acquiesce. I got two.

Cya.