Kim Thanh Restaurant

In previous posts I've talked about my love of all things salt & pepper (especially the lobster or crab!) at the restaurant R&G Lounge. If you don't mind a rather undesirable area (but not too far from Union Square!) you can come here and get seafood that is just as good. Just like R&G, salt & pepper anything is good here. Crab, geoduck, fresh prawns... this has become one of my new favorite places and prices are more reasonable than R&G. If you like Chinese & Vietnamese and love seafood, this is a place to check out.

Amici's East Coast Pizzeria

216 King St (between 3rd St & 4th St)

This is making the list for those who are going to AT&T park and need a place to eat. It is
entirely unlikely that you'll be around here otherwise and overall, it probably isn't worth a special trip. That being said, I think Amici's has some of the best thin crust pizza. For those who are vegan, they even offer vegan cheese. Prices are kind of high, but I still enjoy it. If you're in the area and you're craving pizza, this is worth a stop.

Golden Gate Meat Company

I had a hot dog here (*gasp* yes, even MsBlake likes a good hot dog once in awhile!) that was absolutely so yummy! Friends of mine rave about the bbq pork sandwich. I trust their taste so I'm recommending it, though I dislike bbq and pork so I can't comment from my own perspective. You can find a cheap lunch here ($7.50 for half a chicken and potatoes) and the portions are generous. A good alternative to many of the pricey lunch places in the Ferry Building if you're in this area. I have also picked up meat here to prepare at home and it has been very good, however, since that really isn't going to apply to most of you, I won't go on. : )

Fairmont Heritage Place

Many of the hotels near Fisherman's Wharf/Ghirardelli Square don't really give you a lot for your money. This Fairmont property has brought a much needed truly nice hotel (without a theme!) to the area. The feel of this place is more or less like your own apartment and some of the rooms have an absolutely killer view. I used to live in a building very near by that had the same view so I know what I'm talking about. Still rather low key given the location as word hasn't spread quite yet. If you're looking to stay in this area and aren't on a strict budget, this is the property you need to book.

(View will be similar, but this was not taken at the Fairmont.)

http://www.fairmont.com/ghirardelli

Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival

September 19 - 20

I get how weird this may sound to some of you Andrew Zimmern fans out there, but last year, there was a vendor selling durian mooncakes which were really good. If you want to try durian, I tend to think this is a fairly good way to do so. : ) There are all kinds of good foodie treats and it is also very family friendly. If you're in the area, this is an event you may wish to check out. If you want to try a mooncake, you can also get them in various Chinatown bakeries around this time. Amazingly, I don't have a photo... must take one!

A Taste of Greece Greek Festival

http://annunciation.org/festival/

I feel like everyone likely already knows I come from a Big Fat Greek Family. If you want to experience a bit of this, join in the fun at the Greek Festival. September 25 - 27. You can even go to the website I listed above and print out a ticket to get free admission. : )

I bought a lot of apples this weekend...

The title of this entry makes it sound like I'm ready to launch in to some werid indie song I wrote. lol Anyway, I bought a ton of apples and what better thing to do with them than make one of my favorite fall desserts? I got this cute little pie mold from Williams Sonoma and made a bunch of mini apple pies with them. Then I decided to make one big pie as well. You can really use any standard apple pie recipe... the only thing I add that certain recipes may not include is madacascar burbon vanilla to both my crust and filling. I used a mix of pink lady and granny smith apples. I may have gone a bit overboard, but I had a good time. : ) Happy Fall.

Primo Patio Cafe

214 Townsend Street



Primo Cafe is a good place. They serve carribean food and it is inexpensive and they have good sangria. Standouts are the tropical tacos, finger snaps and calamari... actually, everything I've had here is really tasty. Everyone I know loves the jerk chicken so while I can't speak from personal experience, that also seems to be a solid choice. Chances are, unless you're going to a ball game, you probably won't be in this are of town, but if you are, this is one place I recommend in the area for good, affordable food. Do keep in mind that it is a hole in the wall. If you're looking for anything upscale, this isn't it.

Sebo

This is probably some of the all around freshest fish you'll ever get in SF. If you want a more traditional Japanese sushi experience, this is it. If you like rolls, you probably won't enjoy this place. Now on to the bad: service can be hit or miss and can come with a bit of an attitude. Prices are high, however, for the quality, I don't think the prices are totally out there. All in all, a great meal. If you can ignore spotty service, this is worth the visit.

Oh, and if you're a fan of Anthony Bourdain No Reservations, he ate here on the San Francisco episode.

Zuni Cafe

I've been working on this blog for close to a year (I apparently need more of a life) and I've not blogged Zuni yet. This surprises me. You hear a lot about the chicken here and it really is good. It is kind of on the expensive side for chicken. Okay. It IS expensive. *mumbles* $48... But there is a reason people rave about it. They also do oysters which I really enjoy. A solid neighborhood restaurant.

www.zunicafe.com

Ruby Skye

Remember that movie Party Monster? This place kind of reminds me of that, minus the awesome costumes. This is where old ravers come to die. I will admit, I am not in to the nightclub scene at all any more. Sorry. You have an old fart (who really isn't *that* old!) giving you advice. I remember when this was the place to come. I was much younger then. Ruby Skye is just kind of a meat market. There have been some really good DJs but as a whole, I'll leave this club to other people. Lots of tourists looking for some booty and plenty of pervs*. I think the guy who rides a certain muni line solely to rub up against unsuspecting people is a regular. Fun, fun nights.

I'm sure a bunch of you are just dying to take me as your super fun date to this club, huh?
*I'm totally not kidding abuot the perv population who frequents this place.

Walgreens - Union Square

This one time, I came here late at night (open 24 hours) thanks to my drunk best friend and upon exiting, we were confronted with a homeless guy beating it out front. At least it wasn't in the store. Ah, San Francisco!

Oh... um... you can buy toothbrushes here if you forgot yours!

McCormick & Kuleto's

So I have mixed feelings on whether to write this one or not...

So simply put, native San Franciscans typically avoid restaurants in the Fisherman's Wharf area. With that being said, I used to live very near this place. Something always has to be said for location. What makes me actually write about this restaurant is one thing: their happy hour menu. If you come on Mon - Friday from 3:00 - 6:00, you can order off of this menu and order items anywhere from $1.95 - $4.95. Obviously, if you're on a budget and want some cheap eats, this is a good deal. There is even a burger/fries included. There is better food to be had and while I certainly wouldn't direct you here as a first choice, if you're staying in the area and you are on a serious budget, this is worth checking out. Good views are a plus. If you are not here for the happy hour food, this place is absolutely not worth the regular menu prices.

Bay Bridge Closure Labor Day Weekend!

http://baybridgeinfo.org/1/index.html

This will begin at 8:00 pm, Thursday, Sept 3 and reopen on Tuesday, Sept 8 @ 5:00 am. You will want to plan ahead. Public transit is recommended or if you must drive, you will need to find an alternate route.

Fries rock my world

I love fries. I can turn down chocolate and most other sweets without a problem, but you put fries in front of me and I can't say no. I could probably have filled my blog with posts only about what fries I like, but that would be even more boring than it already is but I am going to do a few posts on them. I promise to use restraint.

Pictured above, truffle fries with asiago cheese from Fog City Diner. I've mentioned these before in the post on Fog City, but they deserve their own mention. These are truly delish and probably one of the best things on the menu in my opinion. If you love fries, truffle oil and end up at Fog City Diner, these are a must order!

Sinbad's

This ranks very high... on my 'places to avoid' list.
The only reason I'm even giving this a mention at all is because it is being recommended in guide books and such. It is not good. Yes, there is a view of the Bay Bridge, however, you can walk across the street to the Americano and enjoy your drinks on the patio for the view. You can go over to the Ferry Building right next door and eat outside at Hog Island Oyster Company and enjoy the view... or you can go out and simply enjoy the view for free without eating. It is just not worth it. There are plenty of choices in the Ferry Building so if you're in the area, it isn't as though you're without choices.

Many years down...

And God willing, many more to come.

Happy birthday to me.

1 California - Muni Stories Revisited

This bus always seems to have the most bat shit crazy drivers. They will stomp on the gas throwing people around and then hit the break so hard that everyone goes flying forward. I seriously thought that someone was going to break their neck one day. Get your ass on the bus and grab a seat or hold on to whatever you can would be my recommendation... assuming you don't have a death wish.
The cable car operators on the California line can be obnoxious too but I tend to take that rather than the 1 california. Oh and if you're a reasonably attractive female, the cable car operators will probably be nicer to you. I'd rather chance having a car crash in to the side of it than be killed by the bus driver.

Americano

I tend to come here after work a lot. Even though it is located in a hotel, I really enjoy it. The drinks are nice, but they are also a restaurant and the food has always been good. They have these parmesan fries that are one of my favorite things ever. All of the entrees I've ordered are yummy as are the desserts. They have a huge patio which is great on a warm night... or frankly, even on the not-so-warm nights as they have a bunch of heat lamps. I live in a the area so it is easy to hit the Americano on my way home. Now I have to say, the place is an utter zoo on Friday & Saturday nights so if that is a problem, don't come here on those days. You'll be miserable. The crowd on those nights can be a bit... um... well... not fun.

Kung Fu Tacos

I make an effort to go when this is in the FiDi. Yet another street food craze, Kung Fu Taco truck is kind of a mix of asian fusion with mexican food. They have these duck tacos that are extremely good. Now the draw back here is the cost. $3/each would be a deal except that these things are kind of tiny. Nonetheless, I still recommend trying it if street food is your thing. It is creative and the food is very yummy. I also highly recommend the vegetarian tacos. Follow on Twitter to find out where the tacos will be.
http://twitter.com/kungfutacos