business lunch

Restaurant Website: http://www.michaelmina.net/rn74Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=301+mission+st.,+san+francisco&sll=37.782595,-122.407715&sspn=0.006605,0.009484&g=16+mint+plaza.,+san+francisco&ie=UTF8&hq=Millennium+Tower&hnear=Millennium+Tower,+San+Francisco,+CA+94105&z=14

The Mina Group's "casual concept" restaurant—led in large part by wine guru Rajat Parr—is named after the highway the runs through Burgundy. Oenophiles convene is the red-leather horseshoe booths here, swirling glasses of Pinot. A haute train-station theme runs through the handsome but whimsical room, including an old-school flip board that announces wines that are on special. Power lunching takes place here, but at night you'll see couples out for special occasions.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Despite the servers in jeans, the refined food here is clearly in the hands of a fine dining chef—Jason Berthold, formerly of the French Laundry. Should you be intimidated by the wine list, fear not. The sommeliers on staff are all at the top of their game. Let them make the pairing suggestions for the eclectic menu items such as the hamachi sashimi with hearts of palm, Asian pear and pine nuts; sautéed pork belly with clams; and a much healthier take on cassoulet made with duck, barley, and shiitake mushrooms.</p>

Restaurant Website: http://www.wexlerssf.comGoogle Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=568+Sacramento+St.,+san+francisco&sll=37.784825,-122.400055&sspn=0.204586,0.303497&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=568+Sacramento+St,+San+Francisco,+California+94111&z=17

The undulating sculpture that hangs from the ceiling at Wexler’s resembles a dinosaur skeleton a la New York’s American Museum of Natural History, but the rest of the room is pure modern—a back-lit bar, low lighting and a crowd that tends toward downtown post-work (not surprising, given its location in the heart of the Financial District.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>To call this Southern food wouldn’t be right, and this certainly isn’t a barbecue joint. Rather, it’s a hybrid of fine dining technique (which chef Charlie Kleinman honed during his days at Fifth Floor) and local ingredients, with elements of regional barbecue tossed in the mix. So you’ll see hush puppies and green tomatoes on the menu (the latter as a chutney for chicken live pâté), skate wing with a pulled pork filling and coleslaw and black-eyed peas as side dishes, but don’t go expecting racks of ribs or giant piles of brisket—it’s not that kind of place.</p>

Restaurant Website: http://www.lamarcebicheria.comGoogle Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Pier+1+1%2F2++San+Francisco&sll=37.753955,-122.404196&sspn=0.00928,0.013304&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=A

Superstar Peruvian chef Gaston Acurio’s first stateside restaurant occupies a breezy historic building smack-dab on the Embarcadero that, with its whitewashed beams and neon-blue webbed chairs, hints at country-club chic. Sample a refreshing pisco punch at the bar, grab a casual bite in the ceviche lounge or settle into a full supper in the dining room overlooking the Bay. The large deck provides some of the best waterfront dining in the city.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>A meal at La Mar is like a Peruvian primer—the menu is punctuated with traditional ingredients, from aji amarillo chiles to leche de tigre (a key ingredient in La Mar’s outstanding ceviche). Don’t miss the rice dishes, such as the arroz chaufa, an inspired Peruvian take on fried rice, and the full-flavored soups, among them a robust shrimp soup enriched by the addition of a poached egg.</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?client=safari&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&q=amber+india+sf&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&cid=0,0,10119862251705139471&ei=bk6jSY_xCIGEsQPc3ey0Ag&ll=37.788132,-122.40454&spn=0.00658,0.013261&z=16&iwloc=A

In contrast to the typical SF curry joint, Amber India is positively fancy—white tablecloths, expanses of marble and an upscale cocktail lounge fill the space, located on Yerba Buena Lane between the Four Seasons and the Westfield SF Centre. Peninsula dwellers will recognize this restaurant’s name: There is one location in Mountain View and a second in San Jose.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Amber India straddles the line between traditional and modern Indian fare, which means that you’ll find butter chicken (similar to tikka masala) and korma on the menu, alongside contemporary takes on Indian, such as the spinach-and-walnut raita and coconut-milk-steamed mussels with tomato and ginger. At lunch, the classic Indian buffet is available.</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=level+iii,+sf&sll=37.818192,-122.434044&sspn=0.051801,0.107632&gl=us&ie=UTF8&ll=37.798323,-122.408123&spn=0.024348,0.053816&z=14&iwloc=A

This capacious dining room, done up in an eye-popping palette of reds and oranges, has taken up residence on the third floor of the newly remodeled JW Marriott in Union Square, adjacent to the hotel lobby. Though the decor and service might have you thinking fancy, the whimsical food is pure fun.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>The kitchen, headed up by a French Laundry alum, presents upscale versions of familiar favorites—there is silky, crumb-topped macaroni and cheese, Kobe beef sliders on miniature brioche buns, topped with Lilliputian onion rings and a fancified version of chips and dip—geared to appeal to visitors and locals alike. Don’t miss the cooked-to-order chocolate soufflé with vanilla-bean ice cream.</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=luce,+++sf&sll=38.056742,-122.365723&sspn=0.776381,1.722107&gl=us&ie=UTF8&ll=37.817921,-122.406578&spn=0.103603,0.215263&z=12&iwloc=A

The in-house restaurant of SoMa’s new Intercontinental hotel, Luce (Italian for “light”) takes advantage of its corner location with floor-to-20-foot-ceiling windows that flood the spacious room with sunshine. Modern silver pendant lights and white leather booths add to the airy feel.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Chef Dominique Creen (named a “chef to watch” in 2007 by Esquire) recently returned to San Francisco after stints in Indonesia and L.A; the Frenchwoman has created a menu for Luce that showcases her global experience while taking advantage of the best locally sourced products. Lamb (chops and cheeks) is served with a Moroccan-style apricot tagine; a pristine piece of John Dory is accompanied by classic French artichoke barigoule—a kumquat escabèche adds a nouveau twist. For dessert, order the signature “study of chocolate,” a five-way variation on the theme, paired with a glass of grappa off of a (100-plus bottle) list.</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=83+Minna+St.,+San+Francisco&sll=37.739145,-122.417376&sspn=0.011844,0.019312&g=410+Cortland+Ave.,+San+Francisco&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr

2009 EDITOR'S PICK: Best New Restaurant

The team behind Town Hall and Salt House has done it again, this time converting a former auto-body shop downtown into an East Coast–inspired seafood shack with a NorCal twist. The big space is softened by distressed wood, antique light fixtures and lengths of nautical rope—the overall effect is more chic than kitsch.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>If it’s fried fish you’re looking for, or creamy chowder studded with white corn and littleneck clams, or a lobster roll bursting with chunks of meat, then Anchor &amp; Hope is the place. In addition to raw bar offerings (shrimp cocktail, crab claws and oysters) and all of the above, the kitchen also turns out a superior monkfish-and-mussel stew—with tiny chorizo meatballs, kale, roasted peppers and slices of potato—and some turf options, such as roasted, stuffed breast of guinea hen and the ubiquitous steak.</p> <p>MUST ORDER: Angels on Horseback</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=4+Mint+Plz,+San+Francisco,+CA+94103&sll=37.782739,-122.407898&sspn=0.006207,0.013454&gl=us&ie=UTF8&ll=37.787335,-122.407908&spn=0.012413,0.026908&z=15&iwloc=addr

The Maktub Group’s restaurants are familiar fixtures in the city’s dining scene (Chez Maman and Chez Papa Bistrot, as well as Couleur Café and Bossanova). With Chez Papa Resto, the first restaurant to open on the remodeled Mint Plaza, the team is up to its old tricks, serving food that’s Provençal in spirit, but in a loungey downtown location. A lovely outdoor patio is the best spot downtown for an alfresco lunch or dinner on the (rare) warm SF evening.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Longtime Maktub Group chef David Bazirgan heads up the kitchen, demonstrating a fine balance of classical training and think-outside-the-box preparation. You’ll see on the menu many of the ingredients you’d expect to discover in the South of France (lamb, olives and lavender among them), married with good French technique—the resulting dishes are expertly executed versions of such classics as lamb daube, bouillabaisse, steak frites and roasted chicken.</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2495+Third+St.,+San+Francisco&sll=37.778042,-122.421748&sspn=0.011838,0.019312&g=300+Grove+St.,+San+Francisco&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr

Owned by the team behind beloved Mission neighborhood restaurant Slow Club, Serpentine is on the fast track to filling that same niche in Dogpatch. Locals, grateful for the promised “honest food and classic cocktails,” fill the industrial-chic space nightly to sample young chef Chris Kronner’s creations.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>The signature Slow Club burger has made the menu here too, where it’s joined by Kronner’s simple NorCal fare, from a little gem lettuce salad topped with snappy shrimp and aïoli to more robust dishes, such as savory bread pudding and hand-cut egg noodles with rabbit sugo. Perfectly balanced cocktails seal the deal.</p> <p>MUST ORDER: Savory Bread Pudding</p>