One Market: So Much More Than a Power Lunch

Dungeness Crab Salad One Market

One Market. One Michelin star. One hell of a good lunch.

From the outside, One Market resembles many of its Embarcadero neighbors – a conspicuous, sprawling, posh space dotted with white tablecloths and men in suits. But don’t let the exterior fool you. Unlike many waterfront restaurants, which exude a Power Lunch confidence but have little substance, the quality of the food being served inside far surpasses its nearby competitors...Continue Reading

Read more

Sausages in the Mission? Yes, Please!

[rating: 4]

This place is going to be dangerous. Why? Because now juicy, delicious sausages are right off of the 24th street Bart station, and I will have to walk by it at the end of the day when I'm tired, hungry, and too lazy to cook anything for myself. The chances of me eating a sausage every day went from 1 in 300,000 to about 2 in 5. Obesity here I come!...

Read more

Frances Delivers Clean, Well-Exectuted Food That Brings the Farm to Your Table

[rating: 4]

When I walked into Frances, I wasn’t sure if I had entered a restaurant, or a room in my friend’s upper-middle class, suburban home. Cream walls, walnut tables, black-and-white stock-art – if Restoration Hardware died and came back as a restaurant, this would be it.

Starting with that first impression, it’s clear that they want you to feel at home. I was almost surprised that a Labrador retriever didn’t greet me at the door with a pair of slippers. Much like a pair of Ralph Lauren khakis, both the atmosphere and the attitude of the service embody this feeling of relaxed casual, but still exude a certain air of sophistication...Continue Reading

Read more

Luce: Bring a Camera But Not Your Appetite

[rating: 3]

Luce, I'm sorry to have to say this, but you're all about the presentation. You're that chick who is great to have as arm candy for the night, but good luck getting into a meaningful relationship with her. Great looking decor, great looking bar, beautifully presented food. But, I think you should spend a little less time making the food look pretty and a little more time thinking about the flavors you're putting on the plate...

Read more

"SPQR U Seriously This Good?" Updated - A More Detailed Review

[review: 5]

The many years of hopelessly searching for an upscale Italian restaurant to rival Delfina finally led me to the doorstep of SPQR. Actually, because the entrance is so nondescript, I walked by the place two times, in the rain, before realizing it was what I was searching for. But, when I walked in, I knew I was in for an amazing experience...Continue Reading< /strong>

Read more

Gitane: If Only the Food Was as Flavorful as the Atmosphere

[rating: 3.5]

This restaurant has a lot going for it: owned by the same people in charge of Cafe Claude (one of my favorite restaurants in the City), good location, beautiful decor, lively atmosphere, outdoor seating, french/spanish small plates (rather unique in this city), an extensive cocktail menu, and listed as one of the 100 Best of the Bay this year. Whew, that's one impressive list!

It's like they thought of all the ingredients to make a perfect date environment, and if that's the reason you're going here, you will not be disappointed. Plus, they have mirrors on the walls so you can secretly watch other people without your date remarking on your wandering eyes!

What it doesn't exactly have going for it is the food, which is my bottom line. I can deal with a snippy server, minimalist decor, and a short beer/wine list if the food is amazing. I mean, the whole point of going to a restaurant is to eat, right?...Continue Reading

Read more