Sometimes it is nice to break out of your normal routine and try a new restaurant. All too often people find one place that they like that is close to their house and they make it their regular haunt. Part of that refusal to deviate could be fear that something different might not taste as good, therefore making the trip a waste of time and money. To help you get out of your restaurant rut, here are a few restaurants that are guaranteed to be worth your while.
"Food & Wine" magazine has been raving about this Mission District restaurant since April of 2004. With Executive Chef Charles Phan at the helm, this Vietnamese eatery has fully embraced the concept of serving local foods to customers, as opposed to having meat and produce shipped in from other parts of the world. For that reason, the freshness of the lamb racks, pork chops, squid and broccoli is second to none. However, you would never guess this is one of the top-rated restaurants in the city from the prices. The most expensive main dish on the dinner menu costs just $36, and it is accompanied by a slew of offerings that will set you back only $15 or $20.
The Slanted Door
1 Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 861-8032
slanteddoor.com
On March 20, 2007, the "San Francisco Business Times" reported that Boulevard restaurant was nominated yet again for the honor of being named America's Best Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation. Perhaps customers are drawn to the tastefully appointed dining room designed by well-known restaurateur Pat Kuleto, or maybe foodies simply cannot get enough of the Pan Roasted Sonoma Duck Breast and the Wood Grilled Walu delicately prepared by Chef Nancy Oakes. Whatever it is, the city's enthusiasm for French-inspired eatery never seems to flag.
Boulevard
One Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 543-6084
boulevardrestaurant.com
Checking out the trendy restaurants along the Waterfront can leave your pocketbook feeling a little light. But your lack of cash flow does not mean that you have to stay home and eat beans from a can. You need to go to The Broken Record, one of the restaurants listed in the "Bargain Bites" section of the "San Francisco Chronicle." This Excelsior District eatery specializes in hearty Southern food with dishes like shrimp gumbo and pulled pork sandwiches. The dining room is a little on the unpolished side and the customers tend to be a bit noisy, says Matthew Stafford of the "SF Weekly," but the cash-strapped, jeans-wearing diner will feel right at home in this unpretentious eatery.
The Broken Record
1166 Geneva Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94112
(415) 963-1713
brokenrecordsf.com
