Known for its fine dining traditions and culinary trend-setting, the Bay Area attracts foodies and culinary adventurers around the globe. Northern California chefs emphasize fresh local ingredients. This is why wild game appears on many San Francisco menus, most of it obtained via local hunting cooperatives. Depending on the season, expect to find wild boar, moose, buffalo, venison and other exotic meat dishes which -- pardon the cliche -- probably taste nothing like chicken.
Tucked in the ritzy Huntington Hotel in Nob Hill, the Big 4 features a new nightly wild-game special made with alligator, ostrich, wild boar, yak or another uncommon meat. A nightly special may include pan-seared saddle of black buck antelope, with white corn polenta and vanilla roasted peaches. Each game dish is paired with a suggested wine to complement the flavors. Big 4's chef is committed to introducing patrons to new meat dishes and has earned a reputation for bold combinations. For those who prefer something a little more predictable, the menu features familiar staples such as rack of lamb, halibut, steak and homemade pasta.
Big 4
1075 California St.
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 771-1140
big4restaurant.com
The house specialities at Incanto Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar include venison heart tartare, goose intestines and Sardinian cured tuna heart. The chef at Incanto is also known for fashioning edgy variations of everyday meats, such as pork, beef, poultry and fish. He serves offal, entrails, sweet meats, feet and other unusual cuts. The Noe Valley eatery has three different meat-focused dining options, including Whole Pig Dining for a group, Leg of Beast, featuring your choice of an entire leg of beef or ham, and the Il Quinto Quatro Tasting Menu, which features dishes for adventurous diners who want to sample what Romans may have eaten during the Middle Ages. Incanto's menu is designed for culinary daredevils and doesn't always include conventional options for timid diners.
Incanto Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar
1550 Church Street
San Francisco, CA
415-641-4500
incanto.biz
A San Francisco institution since the 1960s, Fleur de Lis is now owned by celebrity chef Hubert Keller and features classic French dishes infused with Northern Californian ingredients and flavors. It's located off Union Square. Intrepid diners will find a range of unexpected meat dishes on the menu. Appetizer options include veal sweetbread sauteed in butter-morel sauce or a foie gras and smoked duck "torchon," a French culinary term that roughly translates to "poached in a towel." The entrees feature boneless quail stuffed with ris de veau (calf sweetbreads, specifically the thymus and pancreas), roasted venison chops in a cocoa-red wine reduction, waygu beef cheeks with a pretzel crust and pan-seared buffalo strip steak. Those who prefer less exotic dishes will find filet mignon, duck breast, a signature burger and sophisticated vegetarian plates.
Fleur de Lys
777 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94109-6416
415-673-7779
fleurdelyssf.com
