brunch

Restaurant Website: http://www.myizakaya.comGoogle Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&q=nombe+san+francisco&fb=1&gl=us&hq=nombe&hnear=san+francisco&cid=0,0,991014118131577965&ei=VeVYS6OEE8ejlAftuoHzAw&ved=0CBAQnwIwAw&ll=37.759791,-122.418594&spn=0.006412,0.012789&z=16&iwloc=A

Japanophiles and savvy Missionites fill the two-part dining room of this unlikely izakaya restaurant that has the remnants of its former trappings: The space used to be a café, complete with a black-and-white checkered tiled floor, that then became a taqueria. Sidle up to the bar, revel in the funky space and focus on the great food.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p><span style="font-size: small;">Nicolaus Balla, the former chef of O Izakaya Lounge, has spent time cooking in Japan and it shows. Roasted beets are tossed with nothing more than a tingle of freshly grated wasabi and a salad of fried calamari is mixed with fresh mizuna. Balla is also doing traditional yakimono, grilled skewers of everything from chicken skin to chicken thigh with ume and shiso. Don’t forget to look to the specials, which might include a perfectly balanced dish local halibut sashimi on thinly sliced fennel, with hijiki seaweed, grapefruit and sesame seeds. The restaurant is open until 2 am on weekends, serving ramen, which paired with a beer, makes the ideal midnight snack.</span></p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1199+Valencia+St,+San+Francisco,+cA&sll=37.781536,-122.440845&sspn=0.012007,0.025148&g=1199+Valencia+St,+San+Francisco,+cA&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr

2009 EDITOR'S PICK: BEST NEW RESTAURANT

2009 READER'S CHOICE AWARD: Best Cocktails

This quiet corner of Valencia once housed the Last Supper Club, which was given a complete face-lift before reopening in April 2008 as Beretta. A large communal table anchors the upstairs dining room, and the bar is now the focus of much of the action. Tables in the picture windows are great for people-watching.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Chef/owner Ruggero Gadaldi (who also owns Antica Trattoria and Pesce—both on Polk Street) continues to cook according to his Italian roots, but at Beretta he’s turned his focus to pizza and antipasti. Pies are of the thin-crust variety, with blistered edges and restrained toppings—we’re fans of the potato, radicchio and Gorgonzola version. Antipasti change seasonally, but keep your fingers crossed that the eggplant caponatina with burrata cheese is available. The mostly Italian wine list is made for this kind of food, but you’d be remiss if you didn’t begin your meal with a cocktail, prepared from top-quality juices and spirits by some of the best in the business.</p> <p>MUST ORDER: Eggplant Caponatina and a Dolores Park Swizzle</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=398+hayes+st.+san+francisco&ie=UTF8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ll=37.777058,-122.422993&spn=0.009396,0.016673&z=16&g=398+hayes+st.+san+francisco&iwloc=addr

2007 EAT + DRINK AWARD: Best Restaurant Cocktails

One of a select group of San Francisco restaurants that has passed the 10-year mark, this Hayes Valley anchor continues to bring brasserie style, superb cocktails and Cal-French food to the neighborhood.

 

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Since Jamie Lauren assumed the role of chef last year, the food at Absinthe has only gotten better. Though there are some stalwarts on the menu for the diehards (the croque monsieur and French onion soup, for example), Lauren has infused the menu with smart, satisfying dishes that expertly walk the line between rustic and refined. The menu changes seasonally, but fish dishes are particularly good here, and you can make a meal of larger-than-average “share” plates, such as the rich sautéed mushrooms topped with a poached duck egg.</p> <p>MUST ORDER: Anything with scallops</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Chouquet's+++sf&sll=37.74481,-122.484598&sspn=0.006583,0.013261&g=1713+Taraval+St.++sf&ie=UTF8&ll=37.809377,-122.434559&spn=0.052621,0.106087&z=13&iwloc=A

This airy corner bistro features a warm, modern interior of orange and brown and wall-sized windows through which couples and groups of girlfriends watch the passersby on Fillmore. In warm weather, outdoor tables line the sidewalk.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>The basic French menu at Chouquet’s highlights bistro classics—at lunch, try a classic croque monsieur or goat-cheese tartlette; at dinner, dig into the seven-hour braised lamb shoulder or the salad of fingerling potatoes, smoked trout and mâche, but save room for the chocolate fondant. The fresh ingredients and simple, elegant presentation complete the impression you’re in a Left Bank café instead of the 94115, and weekend brunch brings delicious omelets and benedicts.</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=568+Haight+St.,++SF&sll=37.819277,-122.400913&sspn=0.040952,0.068665&gl=us&ie=UTF8&ll=37.778347,-122.430911&spn=0.010244,0.017166&z=15&iwloc=r0

Housed in a small storefront in the Lower Haight, Uva Enoteca is like a slice of New York’s West Village right here in San Francisco. Uva’s white-marble bar is a great neighborhood perch from which to enjoy Italian-inspired snacks alongside glasses of unusual Italian wines.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>You could easily make a meal out of the platters of cured meats (sliced on a fire-engine-red hand-cranked slicer) or cheeses, the latter served with house-made condiments dished up tableside, though Uva also serves more substantial plates. Bread-heavy snacks—such as panini, tramezzini (like an Italian version of an English tea sandwich) and bruschette—are also available, along with a few pizzas and an assortment of antipasti, including eggplant caponata and burrata cheese with arugula salad.</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=500+Brannan+St.,+San+Francisco&sll=37.776479,-122.395806&sspn=0.011838,0.019312&g=330+Townsend+St.,+San+Francisco&ie=UTF8&ll=37.778279,-122.396858&spn=0.011838,0.019312&z=16&iwloc=addr

Despite this neighborhood restaurant’s off-the-beaten-track location (where Cortland and Mission streets intersect) and notoriously unpredictable hours, those willing to put up with these idiosyncrasies will be rewarded with superior Mexican food cooked and served by owner Irma Calderon.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Brunch-goers have trouble ordering anything other than the superb chilaquiles, but the truth is that everything here is terrific, from the chiles rellenos to the sautéed chicken, topped with chiles and crumbled cotija cheese. The menu changes according to Calderon’s whims, but not to worry: It’s all good.</p> <p>MUST ORDER: Chilaquiles</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1300+fillmore+sf&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hl=en&ll=37.783384,-122.43207&spn=0.007377,0.013518&z=16&iwloc=addr

The arrival of 1300 on Fillmore (along with Yoshi’s next door) heralds the revitalization of the part of town formerly known as the Fillmore Jazz district. The lounge is hung with vintage sepia photographs depicting the glory days of the neighborhood, and spotlights complete the theatrical effect. The crowd, a mixture of ages, race, families and couples, is refreshingly diverse.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Elements of soul food permeate the menu, including grits, cornbread and fried chicken, but they’ve all been given an upscale twist. The grits are enriched by mascarpone and topped with wild mushrooms; cornbread is accompanied by house-made pepper jelly; and crispy fried chicken has a dash of cumin in the crust and, on the side, whipped potatoes perfumed with truffle oil.</p>

This famous Castro corner lot is the place for 24-hour people-watching on the weekends. You’ll see everything from dog-walking couples on weekdays to six-foot-tall divas vamping around in the wee hours. Sit by the window or huddle at the counter and let Bagdad’s all-American eats fuel you up for the night ahead or ease you into the morning after. Eats:What's on your menu.: Half-pound Angus burgers are a hit, especially with a side of “desert-spiced” fries served with a glug of ranch dressing. If breakfast’s what you’re after, try Odetta’s potato pancakes with sour cream, applesauce and sausage. Body-conscious types should stick to the Gluteus—four scrambled egg whites with fruit, cottage cheese and toast.

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=3108+16th+St.,+San+Francisco&sll=37.784896,-122.406906&sspn=0.011837,0.019312&g=845+Market+St.,+San+Francisco&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr

You can’t miss this sky-blue crêperie near the corner of the Mission’s main intersection, 16th and Valencia. A sidewalk table makes you part of the neighborhood scene, whereas the pub-like dining room offers an array of seating options to suit your mood—the counter for a casual bite, the bar for mingling or a corner table for getting cozy.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Breton-style buckwheat crêpes are the base for a long list of savory sauces and fillings—shrimp with parsley butter, caramelized onions, ratatouille and seafood sauce, for instance, or smoked salmon with crème fraîche and scallions—available for diners to mix and match. White-flour dessert crêpes ooze with citrus butter and homemade jam or the ever-popular Nutella and banana. Salads and charcuterie plates round out the menu.</p> <p>MUST ORDER: Ham and Cheese Crepe with a Fried Egg</p>

You can’t miss this sky-blue crêperie near the corner of the Mission’s main intersection, 16th and Valencia. A sidewalk table makes you part of the neighborhood scene, whereas the pub-like dining room offers an array of seating options to suit your mood—the counter for a casual bite, the bar for mingling or a corner table for getting cozy. Eats:What's on your menu.: Breton-style buckwheat crêpes are the base for a long list of savory sauces and fillings—shrimp with parsley butter, caramelized onions, ratatouille and seafood sauce, for instance, or smoked salmon with crème fraîche and scallions—available for diners to mix and match. White-flour dessert crêpes ooze with citrus butter and homemade jam or the ever-popular Nutella and banana. Salads and charcuterie plates round out the menu.