Thursday, March 10, 2011

Food in San Francisco: Places We Won't Revisit



San Francisco has some of the best food in the world. I say that after having lived in Manhattan. There are many, many places that provide truly excellent eats.

But there's also more tolerance for restaurants with low standards. Places that get away with a level of quality that is just not up to the prices they charge. There are many restaurants that would get chased out of town in New York by the more competitive place down the street, but thrive here.

(The worst: places that get by on location. For example: The Four Seas restaurant in Chinatown. Our experience there was terrible. Do not go, under any conditions.)

We've also experienced other restaurants here that are consistently voted "best" but ... maybe coast a bit. Mamacita's on Chestnut? We arrived two minutes before 5 p.m., and -- along with the other folks who'd shown up a few minutes early -- were treated as if we were imposing on the somewhat unfriendly greeters. Quite rude of us to show up, hungry with cash in hand.

I love San Francisco's laid back attitude, but ... waiters, if you see a hungry-looking guy push away his plate with more than half left uneaten, and he makes a face when you ask if you should box it, you might want to ask if it was okay. Because it wasn't.

Bar Crudo on Divisadero? I like the look. The food was fine, though not fantastic. But we stopped at appetizers instead of staying for dinner because your waitress showed up with her personal issues on display. I do not care if your boyfriend is a jerk, give me the damn horseradish without rudeness ... and I won't write out a note to your boss on the credit card receipt about your rudeness. When you're the type of restaurant that gets by on vibe ... create a positive vibe.

Above: a place I will be going back to, David's Delicatessen on Geary.

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