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are good at guessing your gastric threshold as they wheel stainless-steel carts carrying small plates of exotic dishes around the vast dining room; if they whiz right by your table, there’s probably a good reason. If you’re new to dim sum (which, translated, means “to touch the heart”), stick with the safe, recognizable classics such as spare ribs, stuffed crab claws, scallion pancakes, shrimp balls, pork buns, and steamed dumplings filled with delicious concoctions of pork, beef, fish, or vegetables. A second location, open Monday through Friday from 11am to 3pm, is at 49 Stevenson St., off First Street ( 415/541-4949) in SoMa, and has outdoor seating for fair-weather dining.

101 Spear St. (at Mission St. at Rincon Center). 415/957-9300. www.yanksing.com. Dim sum $3.65–$10 for 2–6 pieces. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Fri 11am–3pm; Sat–Sun and holidays 10am–4pm. Validated parking in Rincon Center Garage. Bus: 1, 12, 14, or 41. Streetcar: F. Cable car: California St. line. BART: Embarcadero.

SOMA

For a map of restaurants in this section, see the “San Francisco Restaurants” map.

Very Expensive

Ame ★★★ NEW AMERICAN Restaurateurs Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani, the owners of the sensational Napa Valley restaurant Terra, have blessed us foodies with an equally fantastic restaurant in the city. On the ground level of the très chic St. Regis Hotel, the L-shaped dining room with its mesquite flooring, red accents, and long striped curtains fits right in with the hotel’s minimalist theme. Sone, a master of Japanese, French, and Italian cuisines, offers an array of exotic selections that are utterly tempting: ragout of sweetbreads with salsify and forest mushrooms; Japanese egg custard with lobster and urchin; mushroom risotto topped with foie gras; grilled Wagyu beef with fried Miyagi oysters and rémoulade sauce. If you can’t figure out where to start on a menu where everything looks wonderful, opt for Sone’s A Taste of Ame, an $85 five-course tasting menu that, for an additional $65, is paired with a bevy of wines by the glass. After dinner, be sure to enjoy an aperitif at the hotel’s swank bar where the city’s elite congregate nightly.

689 Mission St. (at Third St.). 415/284-4040. www.amerestaurant.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $22–$38. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5:30–10pm. Valet parking $15 for the 1st 3 hr. Bus: 15, 30, or 45. Streetcar: J, K, L, or M to Montgomery.

Boulevard ★★ AMERICAN Master restaurant designer Pat Kuleto and chef Nancy Oakes are behind one of San Francisco’s most beloved restaurants. Inside, the historic Belle Epoque interior with its vaulted brick ceilings, floral banquettes, mosaic floor, and tulip-shaped lamps sets the stage for Oakes’s equally impressive sculptural and mouthwatering upscale American dishes. Starters alone could make a perfect meal, especially if you indulge in pan-seared day boat sea scallops with sautéed fresh hearts of palm, pomelo, basil, toasted shallots, and macadamia nuts, or the pan-seared foie gras with rhubarb syrup on whole-grain toast. The nine or so main courses are equally creative and might include grilled Pacific sea bass with fresh gulf prawns, grilled artichoke, spring asparagus, and green garlic purée; or fire-roasted Angus filet with crispy Yukon gold potatoes, béarnaise sauce, spinach, crimini mushrooms, and red wine jus. Finish with warm chocolate cake with a chocolate caramel center, caramel corn, and butterscotch ice cream. Three levels of formality—bar, open kitchen, and main dining room—keep things from getting too snobby. Although steep prices prevent most from making Boulevard a regular gig, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better place for a special, fun-filled occasion.

1 Mission St. (btw. Embarcadero and Steuart sts.). 415/543-6084. www.boulevardrestaurant.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $14–$22 lunch, $29–$39 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Fri 11:30am–2pm; Sun–Thurs 5:30–10pm; Fri–Sat 5:30–10:30pm. Valet parking $12 lunch, $10 dinner. Bus: 12, 15, 30, 32, or 41. BART: Embarcadero.

EPIC Roasthouse ★★ STEAKHOUSE Location is everything,