notable chef

Restaurant Website: http://www.frances-sf.comGoogle Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Frances+san+francisco&sll=37.783062,-122.418938&sspn=0.051283,0.10231&gl=us&ie=UTF8&hq=Frances&hnear=San+Francisco,+CA&ll=37.782926,-122.44091&spn=0.051283,0.10231&z=13&iwloc=A

This intimate dining room, done in a palette of brown, white and black, has neighborhood restaurant written all over it. Tables are crowded convivially—close enough you’ll be able to see your neighbor pay for dinner with his black Amex. Walk-ins gather at the small bar in the front for snacks and wine sold, rather novelly, by the ounce.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Chef-owner Melissa Perello, who earned her chops at Fifth Floor, where she was awarded three stars by the Chronicle, has created a sweet stage for her classic Franco-California fare. Silky chestnut soup studded with cipollini onions and Boccalone pancetta warms up a chilly winter night, clams with green garlic are understated and elegant; a generous wedge of “lumberjack cake,” rich with the caramel notes of fresh dates and offset by a scoop of Humphry Slocombe maple ice cream, is a cozy way to end a meal in the ’hood.</p>

Restaurant Website: http://www.saisonsf.comGoogle Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2124+folsom+st.,+san+francisco&sll=37.778825,-122.394065&sspn=0.006606,0.009484&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=2124+Folsom+St,+San+Francisco,+California+94110&z=17

Foodies looking for an experience that they'll never forget come here to see what happens when a fine-dining chef takes over an informal kitchen and gallery space in the Mission District (directly behind Stable Cafe) on weekends. Huddling outside the outdoor heat lamps while waiting for your table inside in the compromise you might have to make. On warm nights, take advantage of the garden patio.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>The "restaurant" put on by Mina (as in Michael) Group alumnus chef Joshua Skenes and sommelier Mark Bright is casual when it comes to service but the food is star quality, with a new menu each week, with such food as sublime uni soup, beautifully presented liver mousse and honey-roasted squab. If you choose to reserve a seat at the chef's table—an affair that puts you two steps from the stoves as well as the dishwashers—you might even be served by Skenes himself.</p>

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.heavensdog.comGoogle Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1148+mission+st.,+san+francisco&sll=37.787176,-122.407398&sspn=0.006605,0.009484&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=1148+Mission+St,+San+Francisco,+California+94103&z=17

Located at the base of the SoMa Grand building, Heaven’s Dog offers two visions of the celestial. A dark side, where dangerously good cocktails are served on a beautiful blond-wood bar cut from one 28-foot-long trunk of cypress and diners lounge on midcentury-inspired orange-vinyl couches while supping on dan dan mein.And, directly next door, an illuminated side called the noodle bar—stark white with counter-only seating and a long open kitchen where cooks roll out dumpling dough and flame-licked woks jump with green beans tossed with salty Szechuan pickles.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Charles Phan’s first venture, cuisine-wise, out of Vietnam and into China is being manned by chef Andy Wai, whose simple, small-plates menu includes a gorgeous braised pork belly sandwiched within a soft and sweet clamshell bun (undoubtedly a nod to Momofuku’s version in NYC), handmade little shrimp-and-chive dumplings and an egg omelet with pork. The menu is no-frills, but it’s also stamped with Phan’s fresh touch.</p>

Restaurant Website: http://www.burgerbarlv.comGoogle Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=251+geary+st.,+san+francisco&sll=37.788139,-122.399056&sspn=0.02642,0.037937&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=251+Geary+St,+San+Francisco,+California+94102&z=17

The interior of Hubert Keller’s burger emporium (his second—the first is at the Mandalay Place in Vegas) is nothing much to look at, but thankfully the restaurant—which is located in Macy’s, one floor beneath the Cheesecake Factory—has an amazing view of Union Square. Ask for a table near the window, and try to ignore the techno music and the rhinestone and logo adorned underwear for sale behind the bar.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Every permutation of the burger is represented here, from classic (American cheese, bacon) to luxe (foie gras, truffles). It’s not just beef, either—you can choose from bison, salmon, chicken or vegetarian. The toppings are limitless, but beware the sin of overindulgence: too much of a good thing sometimes is too much. Naturally, you can also choose your fries—skinny or fat, sweet potato or regular, even zucchini. This warning about overdoing  it extends to the milkshakes—the best among them are the simplest.</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.canerossosf.comGoogle Maps Link: This is Mexican food with a NorCal spin—snack-tastic totopos, freshly-made tortilla chips tossed in arbol chile salsa and topped with crema and cotija cheese (think of them as chips with salsa) blue corn quesadillas, sandwiching cheese and braised greens, and chunks of bay-scented pork carnitas that you pull apart with your fork, accompanied by a tart cabbage salad. Complimentary fried chickpeas and Mexican wedding cookies bookend the meal.

A small corner of the Ferry Building has been transformed into a reasonable facsimile of a rustic Italian rotisserie. Open shelving holds apple boxes piled high with seasonal vegetables and fruits and chickens and porchetta spin on spits behind an open counter, where chefs lovingly prepare sandwiches, salads and plates. Order from the wall-mounted menu, then grab a table (or take it to go).

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Everything at Cane Rosso is remarkably fresh and perfectly delicious. Lunch may be the heart of the business (and with offering such as beef brisket sandwiches, the meat piled high on a soft bun, why shouldn’t it be?) but you can also assemble a fine dinner from some of the rotisserie-cooked meats and a few sides, which run towards the rustic—giant white beans, roasted potatoes and rich polenta. On the weekends, gear up for the day with housemade yogurt topped with fruit compote, fried egg sandwiches and broken farro, which takes the place of oatmeal.</p>

Restaurant Website: http://www.flourandwater.comGoogle Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2401+harrison+st.,+san+francisco&sll=37.760252,-122.505019&sspn=0.006607,0.009484&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=2401+Harrison+St,+San+Francisco,+California+94110&z=17

Located on an unlikely stretch of Harrison street, Flour and Water has quickly become the darling of the neighborhood. There’s almost always a gaggle of hungry diners waiting outside for a table (they only take reservations for large parties). The interior has a quirky design courtesy of Paxton Gate’s Sean Quigley—be sure to check out the bathroom. Those looking to shorted their wait might consider a stool at the convivial communal table—the only con: bumping elbows (literally and figuratively) with your neighbor.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>The dynamic duo in the small kitchen (Jon Darsky on pizza, Thomas Mcnaughton on everything else) have racked up an impressive array of accolades in a remarkable short time. Their formula—blistered thin-crust pizzas, handmade pastas stuffed with corn or sauced with a rich pancetta-studded tomato sauce, as well as a small assortment of Cal-Ital first courses, such as braised lamb’s tongue topped with a soft-cooked egg or tuna conserva with fresh shelling beans—is not revolutionary, but it’s very well done.</p>

Restaurant Website: http://www.cliffhouse.comGoogle Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1090+point+lobos+ave.+San+Francisco&sll=37.782638,-122.401836&sspn=0.009277,0.013304&ie=UTF8&ll=37.777516,-122.511914&spn=0.009277,0.013304&z=16&iwloc=A

From a wall of windows, diners at this sweeping restaurant set at the site of the historic Sutro Baths are treated to one of the most stunning ocean vistas in the city—a true amuse-bouche. A mix of diners (heavy on the tourists, but increasingly more locals) come for special occasions. Time your most romantic dinner reservation to coincide with the sunset. The view also comes cheaper at brunch.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Although Sutro’s has never cultivated the foodie set, the decision to place veteran chef George Morrone at the helm is changing that. Morrone, who famously started Aqua, has his delicious signature tartare on the menu, but you’ll also find “New American” dishes such as citrus-and-coriander cured Loche Duarte salmon with beets, crab bisque and a thick cut of veal prime rib with marsala sauce and roasted parsnips.</p>

Restaurant Website: http://www.zareflytrap.comGoogle Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=606+Folsom+St.+San+Francisco&sll=37.753751,-122.407608&sspn=0.00928,0.013304&ie=UTF8&ll=37.786216,-122.396944&spn=0.009276,0.013304&z=16&iwloc=A

Those who remember the original Fly Trap, that bastion of classic San Francisco cuisine, will recognize this dining room; little has changed, decor-wise, since chef-owner Hoss Zaré took over. Walls are still a brilliant red and botanical prints still decorate the walls.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>While the interior design may not have changed much, the menu has been given a complete overhaul. Gone are the liver and onions and the Hangtown Fry, replaced by Hoss Zaré’s masterful Persian techniques and ingredients, such as braised lamb shank with pickled grapes, oversized meatballs stuffed with myriad delights and silky eggplant in a sun-dried yogurt sauce with walnuts</p>