Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [84]
1152 Taylor St. (btw. Sacramento and Clay sts.). 415/776-6500. www.nobhillcafe.com. Reservations not accepted. Main courses $7–$17. DC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am–3pm and 5–10pm. Bus: 1.
Swan Oyster Depot ★★ SEAFOOD Turning 98 years old in 2010, Swan Oyster Depot is a classic San Francisco dining experience you shouldn’t miss. Opened in 1912, this tiny hole in the wall, run by the city’s friendliest servers, is little more than a narrow fish market that decided to slap down some bar stools. There are only 20 or so stools here, jammed cheek-by-jowl along a long marble bar. Most patrons come for a quick cup of chowder or a plate of oysters on the half-shell with an Anchor Steam beer. The menu is limited to fresh Dungeness crab, shrimp, oyster, clam cocktails, a few types of smoked fish, Maine lobster, and Boston-style clam chowder, all of which are exceedingly fresh. Note: Don’t let the lunchtime line dissuade you—it moves fast.
1517 Polk St. (btw. California and Sacramento sts.). 415/673-1101. Reservations not accepted. Seafood cocktails $7–$15; clams and oysters on the half shell $7.95 per half-dozen. No credit cards. Mon–Sat 8am–5:30pm. Bus: 1, 19, 47, or 49.
CHINATOWN
For a map of restaurants in this section, see the “Chinatown & North Beach Restaurants” map.
Inexpensive
Brandy Ho’s Hunan Food ★ CHINESE Fancy black-and-white granite tabletops and a large, open kitchen give you the first clue that the food at this casual restaurant is a cut above the usual Hunan fare. Take my advice and start immediately with fried dumplings (in sweet-and-sour sauce) or cold chicken salad, and then move on to fish-ball soup with spinach, bamboo shoots, noodles, and other goodies. The best main course is Three Delicacies, a combination of scallops, shrimp, and chicken with onion, bell pepper, and bamboo shoots, seasoned with ginger, garlic, and wine, and served with black-bean sauce. Most dishes are quite hot and spicy, but the kitchen will adjust the level to meet your specifications. A full bar includes Asian food–friendly libations like plum wine and sake from 11:30am to 11pm. Note: There’s a second location in the Castro at 4068 18th St. (at Castro St.; 415/252-8000).
217 Columbus Ave. (at Pacific Ave.). 415/788-7527. www.brandyhos.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $8–$13. AE, DISC, MC, V. Sun–Thurs 11am–11pm; Fri–Sat 11am–midnight. Paid parking available at 170 Columbus Ave. Bus: 15 or 41.
Great Eastern ★ CHINESE If you like seafood and Chinese food and have an adventurous palate, you’re going to love Great Eastern, which is well known among serious foodies for serving hard-to-find seafood pulled straight from the myriad tanks that line the walls. Rock cod, steelhead, sea conch, sea bass, shrimp, frogs, soft-shell turtle, abalone—if it’s even remotely aquatic and edible, it’s on the menu at this popular Hong Kong–style dinner house that’s mostly frequented by Chinese locals (so you know its good). The day’s catch, sold by the pound, is listed on a board. Both upper- and lower-level dining rooms are stylish in a Chinatown sort of way, with shiny black and emerald furnishings. The dim sum is excellent here as well—some say it’s even better than the venerable Yank Sing—so give it a try as well. Tip: Unless you can translate an authentic Hong Kong menu, order a set dinner (the crab version is fantastic) or point to another table and say, “I want that.”
649 Jackson St. (btw. Kearny St. and Grant Ave.). 415/986-2500. Most main courses $8–$13. AE, MC, V. Daily 10am–midnight. Bus: 15, 30, 41, or 45.
House of Nanking ★ CHINESE This place would be strictly a tourist joint if it weren’t for the die-hard fans