Carolyn Alburger
SF's Most Talked-About Restaurants of 2012, and What They Bring to the Table
Ever hungry for the next best restaurant, San Franciscans begin calling in favors for reservations before the doors have even opened. But for all the pre-launch hype, there are no guarantees. Here’s a look at the 10 most talked-about restaurants of 2012 and what they really bring to the table. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding.
Favorite Chinese Take-Out Spots For Holiday Nights
Over the next few weeks, when you're not shoveling pigs in a blanket, dip, champagne and quiche, you are most likely to order Chinese food for delivery or take-out. A recent survey conducted by the food delivery mavens over at Seamless Web confirms this: 20% of delivery orders on Christmas Day are for Chinese Food. So, what number to dial? We asked friends, readers, and 7x7 staff members about their favorite places to order from, when they don't feel like lifting a finger. The favorites follow below.
Five Winter Stews To Ward Off The Cold
It's not exactly popsicle weather out there right now. Soggy, wet streets set the mood for hot, boozy cocktails. And my mind is on stew. Here's a list of five San Francisco restaurants ladling out steaming bowls of heartiness that are worth getting out of the house for. All of them put your Crock-Pot to shame.
Epic Christmas Dinners at Restaurants Around Town
This Christmas, you've finally let go of the silver tongs, the last minute Bon Appetit recipe break-downs, and any aspirations of making your own buche de Noel. You're going out. Now, where can a Yuletide-loving fool snag a holiday feast in this town? Here are five tried-and-tested hotel restaurants serving a variety of holiday appetites, from voracious children to adults seeking a private meal under the mistletoe.
Favorite Holiday Cookies from Tartine, Miette, Batter Bakery, and More
Sprinkles, peppermint, icing, sugar and spice are the heartbeat of December baking—the most cookie-centric month of the year, no doubt. Pro bakers around town are churning out extra festive creations in the coming weeks. We asked a handful of our favorites what's new on their cookie trays for the holidays, and here's what they came back with.
Gitane's Path to Spain Is Paved with Crispy Sweetbreads
If you still think Gitane is a Moroccan restaurant on Claude Lane, it is time for a revisit.
First Bite: Roku Izakaya
The izakaya openings flurry of 2010 and 2011 has abated, but the genre lives on. We've yet to see a major izakaya shutter, and one more hit prime time six weeks ago: Roku (1819 Market Street), from Jay Hamada of the JapaCurry food trucks. On Saturday, I ventured out through the downpour to try it out. It was a perfect, chilly night for fatty, warming izakaya fare, but—given how young the restaurant is—I was still a little surprised to see the place packed, with a waitlist running for tables.
Hot Boozy Cocktails to Help You Drink Away the Cold
When it's cold enough to start cranking the Christmas carols, every San Franciscan should have at least two Irish Coffees on speed dial: The one from Tosca, and the one from Buena Vista. (Come on now, Scrooge your way through some tourists at least once.)
This said, our city's winter beverage wonderland is not all coffee, topped off with whiskey and cream. Some very talented bartenders are doing some very classy things with hot water and booze. Check out our latest favorites here—just in time for the cold snap.
Six Great Restaurants Next Door To The Longest Waits In The City
San Franciscans love excruciating waits for food, but there are times when hunger is so overpowering that the baby behind you in line starts to look like a rather large and delicious burrito. For moments of weakness this bad, we bring you Six Great Restaurants Next Door: Very good eating places that are easy to get into, and strategically close to the most unbearable lines in the city.
It's Crab Season! Here's Where To Get Your Dungeness
Obviously you should hit up the classic spots like Tadich Grill, Sotto Mare, and Swan Oyster Depot during Dungeness crab season. But now that it's that special time of year, you'll find crab walking into a way larger breadth of menus—especially since the coastal fisherman are saying it's going to be a great year. We asked a bunch of chefs around town how they're using the local bounty, and gathered up the best dishes to pass on to you. Get ready for Dungeness crab in salads, chowders, flatbreads, dips, sandwiches, benedicts and more.
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