Looking for an incredible meal in/near San Fran (French Laundry, etc.)

poincaraux · #1 10-05-2005, 05:03 PM

I want to eat a really good meal in the Bay Area on November 3rd. I didn't call the French Laundry early enough, so I'm on the waiting list there. I was thinking of going to Gary Danko, but El Diablo's recent thread has me thinking that I should look elsewhere. What restaurants in this range left you thinking "oh my God, that was an absolutely incredible meal!"?

Ulysses · #2 10-05-2005, 05:25 PM

Gary Danko will be great. I doubt you'll be disappointed.

Aqua is always a fantastic meal if you like seafood.

Do NOT go to Michael Mina.

J.A.Sucker · #3 10-05-2005, 06:17 PM

... or that place by the ballpark. Ask Zee.

poincaraux · #4 10-05-2005, 07:29 PM

Gary Danko and Aqua are now officially on the list of contenders. Thanks.

ChipWrecked · #5 10-06-2005, 09:33 AM

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Do NOT go to Michael Mina.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can you expand on this? That' pretty emphatic.

sfer · #6 10-05-2005, 05:26 PM

In no particular order (and this could easily be a couple of years out of date):

Boulevard
Globe
Jeanty at Jack's (was there in August and it was terrific...get the tomato soup with puff pastry)
Aqua
Yuet Lee
Slanted Door
Chez Nous
Jardiniere
Hawthorne Lane

Ulysses · #7 10-05-2005, 06:47 PM

[ QUOTE ]
In no particular order (and this could easily be a couple of years out of date):

Boulevard
Globe
Jeanty at Jack's (was there in August and it was terrific...get the tomato soup with puff pastry)
Aqua
Yuet Lee
Slanted Door
Chez Nous
Jardiniere
Hawthorne Lane

[/ QUOTE ]

I would knock Boulevard and Hawthorne Lane off this list, they are overrated imo and not terribly interesting. OP: Yuet Lee is awesome, but it is a pretty low-rent Chinatown place, definitely not a fancy restaurant.

M2d · #8 10-05-2005, 07:19 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I would knock Boulevard and Hawthorne Lane off this list, they are overrated imo and not terribly interesting. OP: Yuet Lee is awesome, but it is a pretty low-rent Chinatown place, definitely not a fancy restaurant.

[/ QUOTE ]
for dining experience, where do you put thanh long?
if op wants a real "experience", go to flints in oakland (for lunch, not dinner).

poincaraux · #9 10-05-2005, 07:38 PM

[ QUOTE ]
OP: Yuet Lee is awesome, but it is a pretty low-rent Chinatown place, definitely not a fancy restaurant.

[/ QUOTE ]
A good friend is getting married on Saturday and I'm showing up on Thursday to help out .. this means I'll be running around the city quite a bit. If I go near Chinatown, I'll check this place out. Oh, man .. I wish I had time for a day of dim sum and hanging out in Chinatown. Do they still sell soft-shell tortoises on the street?

sfer · #10 10-06-2005, 09:29 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
In no particular order (and this could easily be a couple of years out of date):

Boulevard
Globe
Jeanty at Jack's (was there in August and it was terrific...get the tomato soup with puff pastry)
Aqua
Yuet Lee
Slanted Door
Chez Nous
Jardiniere
Hawthorne Lane

[/ QUOTE ]

I would knock Boulevard and Hawthorne Lane off this list, they are overrated imo and not terribly interesting. OP: Yuet Lee is awesome, but it is a pretty low-rent Chinatown place, definitely not a fancy restaurant.

[/ QUOTE ]

Boulevard was my favorite spot and Hawthorne Lane a close second when I lived there, but again, I haven't been to either since 2001. I heard that HL had a series of kitchen changes. Oh well.

Yuet Lee is really great and well worth the hassle of trying to find parking in North Beach/Chinatown.

Lulu is another place I liked a lot.