San Francisco/Napa Valley
This entry was posted on 7/7/2006 10:58 AM and is filed under Out of Town Destinations.
Here's a brief rundown of the great restaurants that we tried on our recent trip --
San Francisco:
Gary Danko -- Zagat rated #1 in both most popular and food categories in San Francisco; very tough to get a reservation; you pick whether you want 3, 4, or 5 courses, and then select among a number of options in various categories; seafood items were particularly outstanding (notably, the poached oysters topped with a generous amount of caviar); we weren't as impressed with the meat and poultry dishes (lamb was particularly disappointing); the cheese tray was amazing; from start to finish, the service was some of the best we've ever experienced.
Scoma's -- lunched at this Fisherman's Wharf institution that is somewhat touristy, but has very good seafood; the whole baked dungeness crab in olive oil and garlic was particularly delicious, as was the pan fried petrale sole; we could have skipped the calamari.
Farallon -- upscale seafood restaurant in the Union Square area; also highly rated in Zagat; beautiful interior, complete with chandeliers shaped like jellyfish; enjoyed the seafood bisque and soft shell crabs; one of us even forewent seafood for duck which was great.
Napa Valley --
Redd -- one of the newer, trendy places to dine; it's a difficult reservation, so call well in advance; chef/owner was formerly chef at Auberge du Soleil; food was very good although not exceptional; fish entrée was overcooked.
Taylor's Refresher -- very popular walk-up burger joint; looks like a Dairy Queen, but even serves wine; great late afternoon snack spot for well prepared greasy food (try the Patty Melt, it will heal all that ails you) after a day of wine tasting.
Bistro Don Giovanni -- bustling Italian restaurant with a very pretty outdoor terrace; recommend reservations even at lunch; tried the risotto and pizza; food was fine but sitting outside was the best part.
Bistro Jeanty -- cozy French bistro; call well in advance for reservations; classic French fare, including such dishes as pigs feet and frog legs (neither of which we tried); interesting duck confit and goat cheese pate; cassoulet and coq au vin were very good versions of these traditional dishes. (If, like us, you didn't call exactly 60 days in advance at the appointed hour to snag one of the much coveted reservations at Thomas Keller's foodie temple, The French Laundry, you might also try Keller's bistro style restaurant, Bouchon.)
