Top 10 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants

It is only appropriate that my initial ranking posted here be about food, as it's one of my favorite passions (that list to come later) and definitely my most commonly ranked set of options for my friends (another list to be published, of course).

So here's my top ten list for dining out in the San Francisco Bay Area, where I've lived, eaten, drunk and cooked for most of my 30 years. For dining, my most important criteria is always quality per dollar, with food quality trumping all other elements but not excluding other very subjective measures like experience, service, appropriateness of menu, ingredient quality and sources, authenticity... and the list goes on.

So here you go, and let the debates begin:

1. Redd (Yountville) -- in particular the bar at Redd. Those fish tacos are incredible, as are the many other wonderful options on the very reasonably priced bar menu. Every meal I've had at Redd, both at the bar and in the restaurant, has truly been perfect. I can't even try to complain about any component of them.
2. Dopo (Oakland) -- I must disclose personal bias, as Jon Smulewitz, the chef/owner, is one of my favorite people around (that list will not get published, I don't think!). However, the food is top notch, with a fantastic, changing menu, ingredients that other famous restaurants would kill to have, and a general feel of the place that sets the bar for every neighborhood trattoria in the world (and I'm writing this from Rome). Kayta saves a lasagna for me for dessert after I have to share it with the table during the regular meal-time; it's the best lasagna I've ever had. Jon also converted a non-fish-eating friend [LORENA/LP/SOON TO BE LPSCOTT -- see comments :)] to a tuna crudo lover with his concoction I will also say is an absolutely wonderful combination of tastes.
3. Zushi Puzzle (Marina) -- "my" sushi place. Roger does as well as anyone, with a breadth of fish options that I haven't seen elsewhere. Don't ask for the "Scott Special," though, unless you really do know me. Roger will test you, because he really doesn't love to make it -- it takes too much time.
4. Delfina (Mission) -- this is the restaurant that to me defines San Francisco's culinary superiority. Here's the example that illustrates the point: at a cooking class in 2003, Ron Siegel (see below) was asked how much he would charge at Masa's for the meal he was teaching us. He replied that he didn't make the prices, but he expected it would be typical of a Masa's tasting menu, somewhere around $125. Then he encouraged the audience to go down to Delfina, where we'd find a very similar meal with ingredients of the same quality and preparation of equal standing, for $30. And there you have it.
5. Tartine Bakery (Mission) -- the #1 bakery, bar none, and an awesome place to grab lunch. Truly indulgent in every way and just plain cute.
   
6. Taylor's Refresher (St. Helena more than SF Ferry Plaza) -- There's good reason why this favorite of the local wine industry generated the reputation it did; it's so in the Northern California spirit. Casual, comfortable, easy, super high-quality, "road-side" food... with a great wine selection.
   
7. Ritz-Carlton Dining Room (Nob Hill) -- this is really a "nod" to Ron Siegel, who I think was better at Masa's and is rumored to be heading over to Myth very shortly as the new owner and chef there. However, I think he's the top high-end chef in San Francisco, with creativity and careful-ness that I have not seen elsewhere. The menu at the Ritz is bigger than what it was at Masa's, and I don't know how that has affected his sense of flexibility. I've had only two meals at the Ritz during his tenure, and three at Masa's when he was there. All were truly perfect expressions of his artistry and all were incredible, memorable experiences.
   
8. Hog Island Oyster Co. (SF Ferry Plaza) -- on an oyster list, this place would be #1, and on a grilled cheese list, this place would also garner the top spot. And since both oysters and grilled cheese will show up on my certain-to-come list of favorite foods, Hog Island needs to be in this ranking.
   
9. Zuni Cafe (Castro/Market) -- the quintessential San Francisco restaurant. I had my first disappointing meal here just two weeks ago, but I fault myself for my choice in ordering; the person with whom I dined doesn't eat oysters, and that just got us off on the wrong foot! The roast chicken is the best anywhere other than perhaps my own apartment (which is modeled after Judy's recipe anyway, and I've just been able to make it more to my own liking because I make it for myself and those I love). And go on a Sunday for a late lunch, so that you can have the burger that's not on the menu for dinner time.
   
10. Chez Panisse and Chez Panisse Cafe (Berkeley) -- I know, I'm sort of cheating here by putting both as my #10. Really, this is just an attempt to somehow give appropriate credit to the woman who deserves so much for my enjoyment of food and all of the restaurants above on this list. Alice Waters is the pioneer of California cuisine, of local sourcing, of organic, of nearly every important innovation in the way we eat. It is because of these innovations that I love food, and while I'm not sure Chez Panisse is good enough to beat out the many restaurants that are not on this list, it definitely has with many of the meals I've enjoyed there. And the cafe is one of the truly great values in the world, a place you can find incredibly high-quality ingredients -- inventive combinations of tastes that are uniquely simple and elegant. And if you really are a "foodie," Chez Panisse is your mecca.

In order to recognize to some of my other favorites, here's a list of "honorable mentions":

• Top Dog (Berkeley)
• Pauline's Pizza (Mission)
• Range (Mission)
• Bistro Jeanty (Yountville)
  
• Chouquet's (Pac Hts)
• Frascati (Russian Hill)
• In 'N Out (all over)
• Harris' (Russian Hill/Van Ness)
• Vik's Chaat House (Berkeley)
  
• Jimmy Bean's (Berkeley)
• Ton Kiang (Richmond)
• Kabuto (Richmond)
• Yankee Pier (Larkspur)
• Chapeau! -- now moved to Clementine (Richmond)
• Boulevard (Downtown/Embarcadero)
• Picante (Berkeley)
• La Taqueria (Mission)