My readers tell me they love the postings about places to see and visit in San Francisco– even ones who have lived here for years enjoy being reminded of forgotton nooks and crannies. With that in mind, here’s a posting about SF dining that may jog your memory about some cool places to eat.

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Realtors tend to be big foodies. We eat out a lot and we fancy ourselves very up-to-the-minute about which restaurants are in or out of favor.  I’m personally not a huge food fanatic, but I love a really nice dinner out in a great, fun new restaurant.

But. . . when relatives visit, I’m often frustrated by their culinary timidity. Dim Sum overwhelms them and  restaurants with things like bacon ice cream and duck fat french fries are out of the question.  Even so, once they’re done trying out Scoma’s or Aliotos on Fisherman’s Wharf, they want to try someplace the natives frequent, where they can feel like a bit of an insider.

If you have relatives like mine and want to take them someplace where you can all enjoy the meal, here are some “oh-my-gosh-I-totally-forgot-about-that-place-its-great” restaurants:

Tadich Grill

Tadich is one of the places my Dad took me when I was a kid when we were having ‘father-daughter time.  Today, when I enter Tadich I’m transported to the glamour and style of the past.   Its old-world atmosphere, with dark wood paneling, 80-foot mahogany bar, and natty staff in shirts and waistcoats always makes me expect to see Herb Caen or Dashiell Hammett pop out of one of the booths any minute to surprise me.

I love the waiters at Tadich. They are funny, polite, efficient, and often Croation (no I don’t know why). They will happily deliver any cut of meat or fish just the way you want, be it charcoal broiled, grilled, poached, or baked to perfection.  If you’re really up for playing tourist guide afterwards, you can all jump on the California Street cable car right outside for a trip up Nob Hill.

Greens
          
Before Greens opened 25+ years ago in the Marina District, the term “Gourmet Vegetarian” was an oxymoron.   Now, even committed carnivores dine here regularly, on a rich menu of hearty vegetarian fare.

I love how Green’s unassuming front door next to the City’s Yacht Harbor opens up to wide open space that always bowls me over with a breathtaking view of the Golden Gate Bridge, framed by swaying masts and bobbing boats.  On sunny weekends, a brunch at Greens can be followed by a scenic walk along the Marina green and shoreline.  You can also take your visitors to walk off the calories on nearby Chestnut Street.

Momos

I stay away from Momos like the plague during a ball game, but any other time of the week it’s a great place to power lunch and a perfect choice for sports fans who want to make a pilgrimage to our beloved ball park.  The superb front patio deck takes in a view of the Embarcadero, the Ball Park and the South Beach Harbor, and is a great place to people watch.  Momo’s indoor dining room offers the same spectacular outlook, along with an open kitchen, wood-fired oven, and busy earnest staff. 

BTW, on non-game days, MoMo’s offers the entire restaurant for special events, and can hold up to 400 for cocktails.  For smaller groups of 125 or less, there’s a  “Hall of Fame” room, lined with oil paintings of the Giant’s famous stars in action.

LuLu

Including LuLu right after MoMos may make me seem a bit SOMA/South Beach eccentric, as well as inclined towards cutesie names. But I include it because it’s one of my favorite ‘forgotten’ restaurants– and a solid choice for foodies and conservative eaters alike.

Lulu opened in 1993, when the Yerba Buena complex was still an apple in San Francisco’s eye and open kitchens with wood-fired ovens seemed very cutting edge.  Today, it still feels fresh and new, with consistently good food that continues to meet the high standards set by San Francisco’s fine dining crowd.   Lulu’s central restaurant area is noisy and showy, with raised tables, a long crowded bar, and open kitchen. 

I love Lulu most for its reliability. When I met a girlfriend there last week for lunch, it was exactly what I expected. Fun, easy, casual  and elegant, with great food and good service.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 at 8:16 pm and is filed under Living in San Francisco. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

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