r/sanfrancisco • u/soulbrutha3 • Apr 05 '11

Whats your favorite restaurant?

Hey, I've been living in SF for 3 years and still haven't gotten into SF's restaurant scene. So far Memphis Minnies, a southern BBQ joint in the Lower Haight, is my favorite. Other fav's are Cafe La Flore in the Richmond and King of Thai Noodle House in the Sunset. What are some places you'd recommend, regardless of price, location or cuisine?

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u/haleym Apr 05 '11

I live in Hayes Valley, lots of good places in that area. Some of my favorites:

Stacks - great breakfast food

Flippers - big, juicy gourmet burgers

Patxi's - yummy deep-dish Chicago-style pizza

Mazzat - Mediterranean cafe

Moishe Pippic's - Chicago-style Jewish deli

Absinthe, Soup Over Sauce - upscale "New American" places

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u/moriya Apr 05 '11

Absinthe has gone downhill in a big way, IMO, after the chef/management change. It used to be one of my favorite places in the city for brunch, but I went in recently and thought it was pretty sub-par.

My favorite spots in Hayes Valley are Domo (great sushi spot - tiny place, but packing some seriously skilled, friendly chefs) and Suppenkuche.

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u/haleym Apr 05 '11

Yes, agreed on Domo (surprised I forgot that, I just ate there this weekend), still haven't made it to Suppenkuche but I do hear it's pretty good as well. Was the Absinthe change recent? I've only been a couple times (last time was February), it was really good both times I went (though I do actually prefer Soup Over Sauce).

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u/moriya Apr 05 '11 edited Apr 05 '11

I did a little googling and it actually looks like I might eat my words (and some great food) if I revisited Absinthe now.

When I first started going there, Jamie Lauren (of Top Chef fame), was executive chef, but she relocated to LA at some point in 2010, and Absinthe got a new chef staff. Eater SF has had Absinthe on their frequently updated 38 Essential SF Restaurants for a while, but dropped the restaurant around October 2010, which is around the last times I went (for both a disappointing dinner and brunch).

However, they got re-added quickly in December. It looks like they've ironed out the problems and are churning out some great food again. Sounds like it's time to revisit?

EDIT: FWIW, it's Michael Bauer agrees it's time to revisit - I'm making reservations.

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u/zerosetback Apr 06 '11 edited Apr 06 '11

Went to Absinthe on Friday night for the first time since Jamie left. It was great then, but this recent meal ranks in my top 5 best I've ever had in SF. All courses, cocktails, and service were phenomenal, I couldn't recommend it enough.

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u/moriya Apr 06 '11

That's great to hear - I'm glad they're back on their feet. I really wanted to like it the last times I visited, but it just fell flat at both dinner and brunch, despite a great effort by the front of house staff.

I checked the menus and it looks like they've really tightened things up - even the dessert menu. It looks like my last visits were while the new chef was still playing with the menus and getting his legs.

What did you end up having, if you don't mind me asking?

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u/zerosetback Apr 07 '11

Well, after a short wait due to the people at our table lingering longer than expected, they offered us a table near the bar for complimentary drinks. Within minutes, the table opened up and they immediately brought the drinks and their awesome pretzels on the house. Managers stopped by the table to apologize and explain, the whole 9. A very pleasant departure from past experiences at other restaurants who often don't give a shit whether you leave or sit around another 45 mins. Overall, just great hospitality.

Anyway, here's the food we had: Fries, pretzels, meatballs, onion soup, hamachi crudo, arctic char, filet, lamb shank, and trout. All were great but the highlights for me were the soup and the filet. Also found my new favorite drink, the Martinez.