San Francisco - Alison Bing [132]
No one remembers the name, but everyone knows the one taqueria that lures Missionites away from their home turf. Load up with carne asada (grilled beef) or al pastor and fresh beans on tortillas made without lard, and choose from six salsas and hot pickles at the condiment bar, and this Casa will become your home away from home-cooking.
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DINNER & A MOVIE, SF STYLE
Dim sum at Ton Kiang and a Hong Kong action flick at Four Star Theater
A hot slice from Escape from New York Pizza and a cult hit at the Red Vic Movie House
Classic seafood at Catch and a silver screen classic at Castro Theatre
California-Vietnamese fusion from Slanted Door and a best-foreign-film Oscar contender at Embarcadero Center Cinema
The sustainable catch of the day at Tataki and a Sundance winner at ecofriendly Sundance Kabuki Cinema
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HOT COOKIE Map Bakery $
415-621-2350; 407 Castro St; 11am-11pm Mon-Thu, to 1am Fri & Sat, to 11:30pm Sun; 24, 33, F, K, L, M, Castro St
If this place seems familiar, that says something about your taste in cookies and entertainment. After a couple of adult film scenes were shot here, Hot Cookie became the place to be seen and photographed for porn stars – hence the wall of signed Hot Cookie underwear, and customers eating chocolate chip cookies with a certain gusto.
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THE HAIGHT
The Upper and Lower Haight have mural-covered eateries that are easy on the wallet and great for people-watching, but Divisadero St between Fell and Fulton Sts offers more trendy, sexy options for hot dates. When the folks are in town and in the mood for upscale dining, try Cole Valley.
BAR CRUDO Map Seafood $$
415-409-0679; www.barcrudo.com; 655 Divisadero St; 5-11pm Mon-Sat, to 10pm Sun; 5, 21, 24
An international idea that’s pure California: choice morsels of local seafood served raw Italian-style, with pan-Asian condiments and Belgian beers. Stick to the pilsners with delicate raw Hawaiian kampachi served with Asian pear and mustard oil, and graduate to darker ales with gingery yellow-fin tuna served with Thai fish sauce and spring onion.
UVA ENOTECA Map Californian, Italian $$
415-829-2024; www.uvaenoteca.com; 568 Haight St; 5-11pm Sun-Thu, to 11:30pm Fri & Sat; 6, 7, 22, 71
Boys with shags and girls with bangs discover the joys of Bardolino and Barbera by the tasting glass, served with inventive small plates of local veggies, cheese and charcuterie boards by a sassy staff of tattooed Lower Haight hotties.
ZIRYAB Map Middle Eastern $$
415-522-0800; www.ziryabgrill.com; 528 Divisadero St; 5-11:30pm Mon-Thu, 11:45am-11:30pm Fri, 9am-11:30pm Sat, 10am-3pm Sun, brunch Sat & Sun; 5, 6, 7, 21, 24, 71
Banish all traumatic memories of dry chicken shwarmas with this succulent, organic poultry rolled in flatbread and sealed by hummus with a tantalizing whiff of curry. The lentil soup is so robust it’ll make your voice drop an octave, and the hookahs on the front porch provide solace to smokers rendered furtive by SF’s antismoking laws.
LITTLE STAR PIZZA Map Italian $$
415-441-1118; www.littlestarpizza.com; 846 Divisadero St; dinner Mon-Sat; 5, 21, 24;
Midwest weather patterns reveal that Chicago’s thunder has been stolen by Little Star’s deep-dish pie, with California additions of cornmeal crust, fresh local veggies and just the right amount of cheese. The all-meat pizza is a Chicago stockyard’s worth of meat – not for the faint of heart.
MAGNOLIA BREWPUB Map Californian, American $
415-864-7468; www.magnoliapub.com; 1398 Haight St; noon-midnight Mon-Thu, noon-1am Fri, 10am-1am Sat, 10am-midnight Sun; 6, 7, 33, 37, 43, 71;
Organic pub grub and samplers of homebrews keep the conversation flowing at communal tables, while grass-fed Prather Ranch burgers satisfy stoner appetites in the side booths – it’s like the Summer of Love all over again, only with better food. Magnolia smells vaguely like a brewery because it is one, which can be a problem at brunch but is definitely an asset otherwise, with seasonal microbrew ales and wheat beers you won