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SF Michelin Bib Gourmand Restaurants 2018 (Andrew S Reviews)
The Michelin Bib Gourmand list includes restaurants that offer exceptional good food but at moderate prices. As I near completion of my SF Michelin star food journey, I started working this list, which represent up and coming restaurants.
28 Places
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Andrew’s 4-star review: I had an excellent Saturday morning brunch here where I ordered the Chef's special (Khao Kha Moo -five spice pork shank with onion garlic, plum sugar in black soy sauce served with broccolini, half an egg, pickled veggies and white rice) and the whole young coconut. The food was great and having grown up in the Philippines, eating a young coconut never fails to evoke a little bit of my childhood. The ambiance here is nice and festive but the restaurant can get a bit loud. Service is good and I recommend getting a reservation through yelp since this place gets really busy. With tax and tip, this was about $40 - good value for money, in my humble opinion. The only complaint I have is that they have one single unisex bathroom and the wait can be long when they are busy. Highly recommended!!! -
Andrew’s 1-star review: The wait here is too damn long for normal dim sum. When they gave me a number, they said 30 minutes. An hour and a half later, I'm still waiting. Just not worth it. Evening update - after abandoning brunch, I was determined to come in and judge the quality of their food. I came really early (10 minutes before the start of their dinner service) and was the first one in line. One minute before they opened, a family (including Chinese grandma in tow) just cuts in line in front of me. OMG - they really need a better system than this antiquated waiting game (other places have waitlist systems via yelp or others where they text you when you are almost at the head of the line). Having entered the restaurant, I ordered the beef with broccoli, steamed rice and the dim sum platter. The food was OK. They brought out the beef/broccoli first and forgot the rice. I had to try to get their attention to ask for the rice (there were like 2 tables seated at this time). When the dim sum platter came out, the big dumpling was deformed - just basically sums up my experience at this place today. With tax and tip, this meal was $50. Not cheap and certainly not worth the aggravation. I am confused as to how this place got on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list. Not recommended. -
Andrew’s 4-star review: This is the iconic South Indian restaurant in San Francisco. A group of us had a fantastic dinner experience here one Saturday night. We shared a bunch of plates - lamb dosa, rava masala, uttapams, chicken curry, goat belly and tapioca kheer. Everyone had a nice cup of chai with dinner as well. The goat belly (honey and pepper roasted) was definitely the best part of the meal. It was a real treat and we got the last order that night. Other items were also quite good - I would re-order that chicken curry and lamb DOSA any day. The ambiance inside the restaurant is nice. I particularly liked the high ceilings and the abundance of natural light. Service was really good and the food came out really fast. Relatively inexpensive for a fine dining experience - including tax and tip, this was about $70 per person. Highly recommend this place for those looking for an Indian feast. Definitely more fun with a group. -
Andrew’s 4-star review: If I lived in the Marina, you would probably see me eating here a couple of times a week. The food here is just fantastic: (1). The grilled octopus was sooo tender and is really one of the best octopus preparations I've had. (2). The cavatelli with beef bolognese was a hearty pasta dish and was absolutely delicious. I asked the server for something filling and this definitely delivered. (3). I saved room for dessert and this buttermilk panna cotta hit the spot. Since it was Friday, I had a beer to go with the above meal - just the best way to start the weekend. This place gets very busy and service can sometimes slow down a bit. With tax and tip, this meal was about $70 - about average for a nice dinner. Definitely see how this place made it to the Bib Gourmand list. Highly recommended!!! -
Andrew’s 5-star review: There's nothing better than great French food at the end of a hard week. I was warmly greeted by Chef Philippe when I got here and that really set up the tone for a fantastic dining experience. Their menu is a bit modular and I asked the server to create a tasting menu for me and it was fabulous. (1). The meal started with warm bread and a nice creamy asparagus soup as my amuse. (2). Next came the Salade Landaise (Frisée, Duck confit and smoked duck magret, fingerling potato chips and vinaigrette), which was a hearty salad. (3). It's been a while since I've had traditional escargot and this was delicious. (4). Palate Cleanser was apple sherbet with French apple liqueur (5). The main course was filet mignon with seared foie and marrow. Just decadent. (6). Dessert was French toast with caramel ice cream. At the end of this particular week, I needed this particular meal. The service was good and the ambiance was very energetic. With tax and tip, this meal was $130. It's about what you would expect to pay for fine dining in SF. Highly recommended and I'll be back to try out Chef's other items.
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Andrew’s 4-star review: Food and service here is good but prices are on the high side. I found Izakaya Yuzuki as I was working through the 2018 Bib Gourmand list and had a really good meal at the end of a particularly hard week. They don't have a tasting menu but the server helped me put together a good menu of their best items, including: (1). Zaru Tofu (4/5) - This is the specialty house made fresh tofu and it came with some special sea salt. The texture was really nice and it reminded me of a childhood bean curd drink from the Philippines that usually came with sweet syrup. The sea salt was nice but I wish they had some sweet syrup. (2). Albacore Tataki (3/5) - Good portion size but this was a little too salty for me. (3). Uni Chawanmushi (3/5) - On the salty side again but this was good. (4). Grilled Squid (5/5) - this was excellent. Highly recommended. (5). Kurobota Pork Belly Skewer (5/5) -really awesome skewers. Came with lemon and mustard. (6). Koshihikari Rice with Salmon and Ikura (5/5) - This is Japanese comfort food for me. Perfectly cooked rice with salmon and roe was enough for two people (ate half and took the other half home). (7). Anmitsu (4/5) - This was the recommended dessert with ice cream, agar, mochi, black sugar and red beans. This was a nice way to end the meal. Buckwheat tea was my non-alcoholic pairing for the night. The above was probably enough for two people and the check, including tax and tip, was about $160. Relatively pricey for relatively simple food. The portions are on the small size and the restaurant gets pretty loud. Not sure if I'd recommend this place. Lots of competition in the area and cheaper Japanese options in SF. -
Andrew’s 4-star review: Sociale is a classic SF neighborhood Italian spot. If I lived in the area, there's no doubt that I would come here often, sit at the bar and enjoy some good pasta with a glass of wine. I came here as I was working through the 2018 Michelin Bib Gourmand list. I ordered my normal formula of appetizer, pasta, entree and dessert. (1). The appetizer was stuffed mussels with bacon, parsley, bread crumbs and fermented garlic. This was really good (4/5) and I love the texture element on this dish. I just wished that the mussels were bigger. :) (2). Pasta was pappardelle with braised duck and porcini mushrooms, peas and truffle essence. I asked the server for their signature dish and he pointed this out as one that keeps customers coming back. I can taste why (5/5). I only got a half order since I wanted to try several things on the menu. Really appreciate restaurants that do this. (3). Main entree was halibut with broccoli romanesco, cauliflower, radicchio and three seed pesto. Perfectly cooked fish and the various textural components were interesting (4/5). (4). Blood orange flan with candied kumquats and coconut sorbets was my chosen dessert (3/5). The flavors were good but I found the flan itself a bit too dense. Service was great - attentive but not overbearing. The restaurant itself feels very warm and classic, almost anachronistic. Including tax and tip, this meal was about $100. I would recommend this if you are craving Italian and are in the area. That pappardelle is worth a return engagement. -
Andrew’s 4-star review: I really shouldn't come to dim sum places when I'm ravenous but that's exactly what I did the last time I went to Yank Sing. This restaurant is a bit of an institution for SF dim sum and it has maintained a great quality of food throughout the years. The food comes fast and furious - upon taking a seat, I was greeted by an army of dim sum carts. As usual, I ordered enough food for two and ate it all - chicken stuffed mushrooms, Peking duck, siu mai, sticky rice in banana leaves, Peking spare ribs, fried crab claw and mango pudding. My meal was done in 30 minutes flat. The real issue in this place is the service - it's really not that great and while they brought out the hot tea, I never got that initial glass of water. Including tax and tip, this meal was $80. Again, it's probably enough for two. I would recommend this place for higher end dim sum in SF.
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Andrew’s 5-star review: There's a special place in my heart for deep fried Tilapia (it reminds me of a time when my granny, my aunt and I would go to the local Ranch 99 and pick out live Tilapia that was then prepared and deep fried on the spot). I sometimes get the urge to get it and this time, I took the 38 bus to the Richmond and went to Sichuan Home. I ordered the whole fish with sweet and sour sauce and it was fabulous - amazingly, the fish wasn't too greasy and wasn't too fishy either (Tilapia can get really fishy). They gave me some pickled seaweed/veggies as amuse and a hot red bean dessert together with the meal. Hot tea was also complementary. Service was good and the restaurant is what you'd expect from a neighborhood Chinese place that's been around for a while. With tax and tip, this meal was $24. Highly recommended!!! I can definitely see why this place landed on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list. -
Andrew’s 4-star review: As an SF resident, I generally avoid touristy areas such as Chinatown but I will sometimes play tourist in my own city. I decided to try Z&Y since it's on a couple of SF top restaurant lists. The menu is a bit overwhelming but with the help of the server, I settled on the beef pancake, stewed duck with beer (one of the specialties and I wanted something not too spicy), some rice and hot tea. Everything was good and tasty. Note that there is a $2 charge for the hot tea but they brought out a nice pot along with a bottle of water (I really appreciate this since I always find myself in need of water and it's notoriously hard to get the attention of busy servers in ethnic places). Service was good but the restaurant itself needs some updating. I'd recommend this place for anyone in the area. -
Andrew’s 5-star review: When I was going to night school, I ate a lot of Mexican food - sooooo much that I overdosed on it and I've kinda been avoiding it ever since. For 2018, I wanted to go through SF's top restaurants and Nopalito has popped up on multiple lists (Bib Gourmand, Top 100) so I gave it a try. Based on the server's recommendations, I ordered the carnitas tacos, the quesadilla Roja con chicharon and the strawberry horchata. As a starter, they gave each table spicy garbanzo beans. Everything was great! It's enough food for two but I devoured it. Not that they made me fall in love with Mexican food again but that was definitely worth the calories. Service was awesome and the restaurant is nice and open. Including tax and tip, this meal was $40 (again, enough to be shared by two people). I think Nopalito is the rare gem that has great service, good food and relatively affordable prices. Highly recommended!!!
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Andrew’s 4-star review: A16 is a really solid Italian restaurant in the Marina. I came here for dinner and was seated at the chef's counter (always the best seat in the house and it's a treat to see the chefs prepare pizza and the entrees in a wood fired oven). The meal included the heirloom cucumber salad, half order of the pasta special that night (perfectly cooked carbonara with truffle), the chicken meatballs with beans and garlic on the side and strawberry panna cotta for dessert. I really wanted to try a pizza but, alas, I was already stuffed by the end of the meatballs. It's really good food but it's not the best Italian I've had in SF (the pork and veal meatballs at Zero zero are better and I would go to Cotogna or SPQR for pasta). Service was so-so but the ambiance definitely exuded the Marina vibe. With tax and tip, this ended up being $115. Overall, I think four stars is about right and I would recommend this place if you are craving Italian food and are in the neighborhood.
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Andrew’s 4-star review: This was a nice rustic Italian meal served in a relatively trendy (circa 2010) restaurant near the Yerba Buena Center. My friend and I decided to share my normal formula for an Italian restaurant - (1) crudo, (2) salad, (3) secondi, (4) pasta and (5) pizza. Here's a quick review of each item: (1). Hamachi Poke Crudo (5/5) - This was just great and the tempura crisps were the standout component of this dish. (2). Spring Pea Panzanella (3/5) - This was good but nothing special. (3). Pork and Veal Meatballs (4/5) - One of the better meatballs in SF. (4). Rigatoni (3/5) - The pasta was a little past al dente and that's nigh unforgivable for an Italian place. The duck confit was fabulous though. (5). Judah Pizza (5/5) - Pizza crust was fantastic and the bacon/shishito pepper/sweet corn combination was perfect. Alas, we did not save room for dessert and we had plenty of leftovers. Service was good and this was great value (including tax and tip, this was about $70 per person). Highly recommended!!!
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Andrew’s 5-star review: I don't know what traditional Sri Lankan cuisine tastes like but the contemporary version offered by 1601 Bar and Kitchen was just fabulous! I came here as I was working through the Michelin Bib Gourmand list and was just so pleasantly surprised by a really strong tasting menu: (1). Frozen Savory Uni Watalappam with caviar (5/5) - basically this was uni ice cream with caviar. This is a really strong start to the meal. The bite itself was so unexpected and really made a statement about the caliber of this restaurant. (2). Hokkaido Scallops Crudo with Passion Fruit and Goraka with Chip (3/5) - The scallops and chip was perfect but the passion fruit flavor felt odd to me. (3). Maine Lobster Bisque with Mulligatawny Spices (4/5) - it's a play on lobster bisque but with different spices. The lobster meat was nice and tender and the spices just worked here. (4). Traditional Egg Hopper with Jidori Egg and Sambols (4/5) - this is very playful but the coconut sambol really overpowered this dish for me. (5). Dungeness Crab Kottu Roti (5/5) - really nice, hearty dish. (6). Crispy Okra with Dessicated Coconut and Cashews (5/5) - I get apprehensive when I see Okra on the menu (not a fan of the slimy texture) but this preparation was just great. They've figured out how to largely de-slime the okra and create tempura. The cashew also adds a great textural element to this dish. (7). Smoked Cornish Game Hen-Maldive Fish "Tisane" (4/5) - this is a consommé and really well placed in the menu. It's like dashi but with fowl. It was on the edge of being too salty for me. (8). Duck Leg Curry with Wild Rice, and Acharu Pickles (5/5) - This was just a great, hearty entree. There's a lot of love in this dish. (9). Mulberry Sorbet (4/5) - great palate cleanser before the main dessert. (10). Bittersweet Valrhonna Chocolate Custard with Toasted Spices (4.5/5) - love this dessert - it's the right amount of bitter, sweet and texture components. Fever Tree Ginger Beer was the best non-alcoholic pairing for me. I came here during Game 4 of the NBA Finals so the restaurant wasn't packed. Service was great and the ambiance is nice and modern. Including tax and tip, the above meal ended up being about $160. It's what you would spend for a one star Michelin place in SF and my experience here was consistent with that level. They also have an a la carte menu that's competitively priced. Highly recommend this place!!! -
Andrew’s 4-star review: Had a great pre-Lunar New Year dinner celebration with a group of friends here. Loved everything we ordered - Honey glazed BBQ pork belly with bao, crispy black pepper riblets, steamed BBQ pork buns, soup dumplings, wok fired sliced lamb, house pan fried noodle and Peking duck. The house pan fried noodle was particularly outstanding. Service was really, really fast. We were in and out in about 45 minutes. Highly recommended!!! -
Andrew’s 5-star review: My friend suggested that we come here for a pre-set menu featuring Oden Yatai. A yatai is a small wooden food stall in Japan while oden is a common variety of hot pot. It's Japanese street food culture in the heart of SF and I loved it. Rintaro has always been one of the top Japanese spots in SF and they have a nice outdoor space that's just perfect for something like this. The oden featured traditional Daikon, Egg, Burdock and two types of fish cakes. The pre-set menu also included really fresh sashimi (toro, halibut and amber jack), grilled kanpachi kama, croquets and udon. Add-ons included their gyoza and hojicha panna cotta. Definitely get the add-ons. We also got the yuzu soda as our pairing for the evening. This was a very nice balanced meal and was a nice way to celebrate my friend's birthday. With tax and tip, this was around $80-$85 per person. Highly recommended!!!
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Andrew’s 4-star review: M Y China is almost like old faithful for me. Before I started doing my food tour of SF top restaurants and pop-ups a couple of years ago, my friend and I often came here for dinner before going to see a show at the Golden Gate Theater. The food is always good but not great and the service was always fast and attentive. Came here again for dinner before a show and ordered our usual - the pork and crab roe dumplings, the pork riblets, the string beans, wok seared beef, steamed sea bass, forbidden rice, tea infused creme brulee and lychee panna cotta. Everything was as good as I remembered. The forbidden rice and steamed sea bass are a must try. The desserts (lychee panna cotta and tea infused creme brulee) are surprisingly good for an Asian restaurant and not too sweet. With tax and tip, this ended up being $80 per person. As far as mall restaurants go, this is probably one of the better ones and definitely worth a try when you are in the area. -
Andrew’s 5-star review: This was a good Omakase value ($68) and the fish was very fresh. I also ordered the unagi chawanmushi, the Atlantic crab and unagi nigiri. Everything was really good and the meal was well paced. Service was good and the location is trendy. -
Andrew’s 3-star review: Three of us came here for dinner on a Saturday night (restaurant, not food truck) and shared a couple of appetizers, three individual pizzas and a couple of desserts. It's a really mixed experience: (1). The broccolini and the kale salad were great. (2). Our server recommended the margherita, the Bianca and salami pizzas with the house made sausage and peppers as toppings for the margherita. The main issue for me was that the pizza crust was doughy and soggy (it's not what I would expect from a wood fire oven). It was a real let down after the great appetizers. (3). The desserts were OK - the creme fraiche panna cotta and a split order of chocolate ice cream and blackberry-lime sorbet (these two flavors and consistencies went really well together). (4). Service was good and the food came out fast. (5). The ambiance was good - it's nice to see a restaurant centered around a wood fire oven. Overall, this is a 3.5 rating but I rounded down because of the pizza dough (it's a pizza place after all). The above meal plus a glass of wine each plus tax plus tip cost about $60 per person. I would not recommend this place but I'm glad I checked this place out. P.S. The owner reached out to me and he explained to me that the Neapolitan-style pizza is intentionally soft. -
Andrew’s 5-star review: Came here for lunch and just wanted to order the sushi set but once I saw the menu and the special nigiri they offered, I couldn't stop myself from ordering more (a lot more) and I was happy that I did. This is the sister restaurant to Omakase next door (one of the top Japanese restaurants in SF) but they source the fish from the same place (really, really fresh fish flown in from Japan). I ordered the sushi set, the Alaskan cod, the chicken Karaage, a couple of special pieces (Amaebi and A5 Wagyu) and the white sesame ice cream. As expected, all of the sushi pieces were perfect and fresh. What was unexpectedly good was the Karaage and the Alaskan cod (lots of places in SF offer a version of this dish but this is one of the better ones). Service and ambiance were both great. Prices are about average for a casual Japanese restaurant In SF. Highly recommended for lunch or dinner. -
Andrew’s 5-star review: Tourists love the gimmicky clam chowder in a bread bowl but what they should really be looking for is a great bowl of Cioppino. As a long-time San Franciscan, I've always been on the hunt for the best bowl of Cioppino and I think I've finally found it. I was going to be in the area anyway and had some time to kill around lunch time. This place is on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list so I decided to put my name on the waitlist and was promptly seated at the counter. I ordered the "smaller" cioppino (it's enough for two) and was quickly intimidated by the massive mound of shellfish in a huge bowl. I was just blown away by the depth of flavor and all the fresh seafood in this dish (crab, shrimp, fish, mussels and clams). I thought about eating half and taking half home but once I started eating, I couldn't stop myself. IT WAS THAT GOOD!!! The garlic bread was great too. I will definitely be coming here again with some friends so we can try the other items on the menu. Quick notes - pack your patience because there's a wait to be seated and the Cioppino looks like it's made to order (about 30 minute wait). Say no to the bread and yes to the bib. Also, bring a friend so you can enjoy the oyster plates (comes out a lot faster) while waiting for the Cioppino. Including tax and tip, the "Smaller" Cioppino comes out to be around $50 but it's easily enough for two people. -
Andrew’s 5-star review: Ever since I ate at Quince I've always wanted to try their sister restaurant next door (Cotogna). Getting a reservation took me a while but it's definitely worth the wait. The food here was excellent and felt like more casual versions of some of the items I had at Quince. Ooops I did it again - ordered enough food for two people just to sample the menu and then ate it all! My rule when I'm eating Italian is to order a salad, pasta or pizza, entree and dessert. The line-up for me that night included: (1). Purple snow, snap and English peas with fresh horseradish and house ricotta (5/5) - Cotogna and Quince source their vegetables from a local farmer where they control what's grown and this has really elevated all of the fresh vegetables in this dish. The peas are definitely the star of this dish and deservedly so. (2). Garganelli with fava bean, pancetta and morel mushrooms (5/5) - great pasta cooked perfectly and I love the earthiness of the mushrooms with the saltiness of the pancetta. (3). Pork chop with spigarello, calcot onion and aceto balsamico (5/5) - I saw the pork chop roasting when I entered the restaurant and I knew then that I was going to order this. No regrets whatsoever. It's one of the juiciest and well cooked pork chops I've had. (4). Torched meringue with strawberry sorbet and buttermilk granita (5/5) - just a perfect dessert to end the meal. I also had New Zealand ginger beer (fantastic) during the meal and peppermint tea before dessert. Service was great (Thanks Katia). The ambiance here is very warm and modern. The above meal, including tax and tip, was about $120 (again, I think it's more than enough for two people to share). I'll definitely be coming back here. Highly recommended.
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Andrew’s 5-star review: This place achieves the three things I look for in a restaurant - great food, good service and affordable (relatively speaking) prices. Came here for dinner with a couple of friends and we absolutely loved it. The menu is relatively straightforward with a nightly prix fixe with streamlined choices and a pasta supplement (pasta can be shared) with complementary grilled bread. Impressive beer and wine list as well. I ordered the orange and beet salad (4/5), Mt. Lassen trout (4/5) and Dark Chocolate Creme Brûlée (5/5). Three of us shared one pasta supplement (buccatini - 5/5) and the grilled bread (4/5). This was just the right amount of food. The highlight of the meal was the dessert - really unique and Michelin star quality. Service was good but we ended up waiting a bit for the bread (the kitchen got backed up) and it came right after our salad/soup and pasta but before the entree. The ambiance is very modern but very loud (we ended up straining to hear each other at times). The meal was very well paced (about 90 minutes) and the above meal plus beer and tax and tip ended up being around $70 per person - really a tremendous value relative to other SF restaurants. Overall, it's a 4.5 rating but I'm rounding up because of the prices and the really impressive dark chocolate Creme Brûlée. Highly recommended!!! -
Andrew’s 4-star review: This place is fun with a group of friends. Came here on Saturday night and ordered way too much food. We (four of us) shared the white purée with flatbread (4/5), cheese plate (3/5), beet salad (5/5), chicken liver patee (4/5), goat cheese dumpling (4/5) and bacon pizza (5/5). I got the grilled bavette steak with parsnip purée (4/5) and ate some of the fries that my friends couldn't finish (5/5). Food wise, it's a solid 4 and I highly recommend that bacon pizza. The ambiance is nice but it gets very loud and very busy here. The food came out really fast but the service got a little spotty when it got busy. Our one main complaint was that the seats were really uncomfortable. It's a good value though - the above meal plus some wine is around $70 per person, including tax and tip. I would definitely eat here again. -
Andrew’s 5-star review: This is a really great Spanish tapas restaurant along the Embarcadero. We came here after a rather long day of walking around the city. Our reservations were at 5 pm but we got here around 4:15 pm. They seated us in a tent/bar area while we waited. I wanted something non-alcoholic and the J&T tonic did the trick for me. Once seated, the server walked us through the menu and suggested great options for a party of three who don't want any seafood. This fantastic meal included Manchego and chorizo skewers (4/5), Jamon Iberrico (5/5), kale salad (4/5), pan con tomate (4/5), patatas bravas (5/5) and the gaucho (5/5). It was enough food for all of us but we did not have room for desserts. The restaurant is a bit loud but I really appreciate the tent lounge area before guests are seated. Service was good. This place is a bit pricey - it's about $90 per person including tax and tip. Highly recommended and I can't wait to come here with some of my seafood eating friends. -
Andrew’s 5-star review: My Friday tradition is to celebrate the start of the weekend by eating a fantastic meal - either at a pop-up or at one of the great dining spots in SF. Kokkari certainly counts as the latter and I was really looking forward to this meal. Whenever I go to a Mediterranean restaurant, the two things I typically order are octopus and lamb chops. Both were available here and both were just perfect. A virgin mojito provided the perfect pairing for the appetizer and the entree. Dessert was shredded filo dough with semolina, creme fraiche, vanilla, honey and pistachio (it's one of their specials that night). I also ordered the lemon verbena mint tea to end the meal. Overall, this was a really wonderful experience. Definitely deserves the spot as one of SF's top 100. The meal was well-paced, the ambiance is really nice and service was just impeccable. Including tax and a good tip, the above meal was about $120. Well worth it. Highly recommended and I will definitely come back here. -
Andrew’s 5-star review: Āina is a must stop for anyone who is craving Hawaiian food while in SF. They offer elevated versions of familiar foods we associate with the islands. Though I didn't get the tasting menu (you have to specify chef's counter and prepay at the time you make the reservations if you want this), I think I put together a great meal: (1). Misoyaki spam musubi with fried egg purée, smoked trout roe and crispy shallots (5/5) - this is the definition of Hawaiian comfort food for me. They make their own spam and this is just really fun and tasty. (2). Kombu cured Hawaiian kampachi with garlic chili, sea grapes, koji cucumber and yuzu ponzu (5/5) - this was so good I had to have a second serving. The sea grapes and cucumbers add so much flavor and texture to the kampachi. This is a must-order item. (3). Broccoli di Ciccio with kimchi vinaigrette, smoked sesame powder and chimichurri (4/5) - I really like the combination of flavors and the char on the broccoli. It just works. (4). Heritage Pork (3/5) - the best part of this dish was the rice that came with it. The pork itself was cooked well but it was bland. No good especially since all of the prior courses were really impressive. (5). Baked black sesame mochi with salted dulce de leche, sesame tuile,matcha meringue and macademia nut ice cream (5/5) - this is Michelin star meets iron chef quality dessert. It's sweet, savory with textures, meringue and ice cream. All of the elements come together as perfectly Hawaiian to me. I had the blood orange soda as my beverage pairing for this meal. Service was great and the restaurant itself has the kind of vibe (modern, well-lighted with Hawaiian type music playing) that just transports you into a Hawaiian vacation mood. Dinner was about $120 per person including tax and tip and I was really full at the end of the meal (I probably ordered enough for two people). Highly recommended!!! -
Andrew’s 4-star review: One of the best things about deciding to do a year-long food journey of SF is that I not only get exposed to new restaurants offering innovative dishes but also discover classic restaurants like Delfina. I came here for Memorial Day dinner and was treated to a great dining experience. The menu can be overwhelming but the server helped me pick out a few great items: (1). Parmesan custard and porcini mushrooms (5/5) - really delicious way to start a meal. This was not listed on the menu since they can only make a few dishes that night but I was one of the first diners for the evening and lucked out. (2). Grilled calamari with white bean salad (5/5) - This item is always in the menu and I can taste why. The char on that grilled calamari was just perfect and really went well with the white beans and olives. It's nice to have calamari grilled instead of breaded and fried. It's rustic Italian at its absolute best. (3). Hen and Pancetta Agnolotti (5/5) - fresh pasta perfectly cooked stuffed with ground chicken and pork. Decadent little bites of heaven that I could eat all day long. (4). Black Cod with saffron aioli and fennel broth (5/5) - perfectly cooked cod with crispy skin with that broth and the aioli. I almost just drank the broth from the bowl. It's that good. (5). Orange blossom panna cotta with apricots and honey (2/5) - it's good but not the best panna cotta I've had. Also, something was off with the texture (it's a bit softer/runnier than what I expected). (6). Chocolate hazelnuts as small bites to end the meal was really nice and good recovery after that panna cotta. They also made a virgin Bellini for me which served as the non-alcoholic pairing for the meal. Service was good and the restaurant itself is nice but a little outdated. Including tax and tip, the above meal ended up being $125, which I think is a fair price for the level of food and service. Overall, I think this place is 4.5 stars but I'm rounding down due to the panna cotta. This is definitely recommended for rustic Italian cuisine with a California twist.
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