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Restaurants
In a warm, dimly lit space, La Provence carries a romantic, timeless vibe, just right for a date, although service has been sorely lacking at times. Balancing traditional Provencal cuisine with a California sensibility for local ingredients (the vegan salad, for example, is a fresh, satisfying delight), dishes are elevated with fresh herbs rather than butter and cream. Smoked salmon comes on a plank with a smoking pine branch for a rustic/exotic touch. Entrée prices are extremely reasonable, topping out at $24 for a grilled lamb filet dressed with thyme jus. More
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Restaurants
A popular spot amongst the business suit set, Mixt Greens offers flavorful salads slightly pricier than your average lunch spot, but is well worth the extra change when salads include coriander-encrusted seared ahi over butter lettuce and a mélange of veggies, or the herb marinated grilled chicken over greens, asparagus and white-truffle potatoes. If that’s not enough to get over the guilt of spending $12 on lunch, then helping conserve the environment will -- Mixt Greens was constructed following green building guidelines, and all take-away packaging is made from corn and is compostable. More
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Restaurants
Newly opened Nua Restaurant feels like a charming secret spot you happen upon wandering some street in some chic European city. With a Mediterranean bent, this sleek new restaurant and wine bar offers up some solid fare in a sexy, but overlit interior. As the restaurant opened early 2007, some details still need to be worked out. While focus has been placed on presentation, portion sizes need more attention – some appetizers are overwhelmingly large, while others fall more on the skimpy side. More
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Restaurants
If the brunch line at Pomelo down the street is too long, Toast is a great greasy-spoon alternative with a small, modern space with a counter and a few tables outside. Pick and choose amongst the tasty brunch plates of chicken fried steak, corned beef hash, scramblers, and omelets. For the sweet tooth, opt for the croissant French toast or Nutella Belgian waffles. There’s also a small, equally tempting selection of burgers, made with Niman ranch beef of course. More
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Restaurants
The Tide is High -- and Dry
I’ve often wondered how restaurants that serve three different menus a day manage not to go manic. How can one be an expert baker in the morning, and then a genius with a quiche come noon, and then follow it all up with a full roster of dinner entrees just a few hours later? This challenge is rarely, if ever, executed well, but I always admire the goals these eateries set for themselves -- and often wish for simpler fare. More
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Restaurants
A Cool Mediterranean Hot Spot
From the moment you walk in, you’ll notice that Nua is not the traditional family style Italian-American restaurant typical of North Beach. It’s a sophisticated, sleek yet comfortable, cozy restaurant and wine bar. The Nua website describes the restaurant as seasonal Mediterranean and that couldn’t be more true. Portions are less American and more petite and European-sized. More
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Restaurants
Brunch Around the World
There’s nothing like brunch on a rainy, lazy Sunday in the neighborhood. It’s even better when brunch is at Pomelo and the neighborhood is the hip-to-be-square Noe Valley. It would be easy to pass right by the 38-seat boite if it weren’t for the huge, plump yellow pomelo hanging over the café’s awning. More
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Restaurants
Filling a void in SOMA
Remember when fondue was all the rage and not only could you find it on most menus but restaurants also started popping up that were entirely devoted to the dipping craze? Well, wine bars seem to be the newest fashion, especially those that offer small plates to nosh on. While wine and gooey cheese dips are different ends of the longevity scale, this recent outcropping still begs the question: does every neighborhood need its own wine bar … or two? More
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Restaurants
Lounging in South Beach
Baraka, Chez Papa, and Chez Maman welcomed a new sister restaurant in October 2006 when the exotic French-Asian restaurant-lounge Sutra opened in the space that was once La Suite (and Slanted Door before that). Sutra is a decidedly different endeavor for Jocelyn Bulow, and after a somewhat rocky start with chef switches and name changes, Sutra has emerged with seductive décor and a menu that offers a bit of something for everyone. More
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Restaurants
Hit-and-Miss Global Small Plates in the Presidio
The Presidio, once a leafy bunker, appears to be morphing into San Francisco's new dining destination. Joining the nearby Presidio Social Club and La Terrasse, Walnut Creek's Va de Vi restaurant family opened Pres a Vi in December 2006 in Lucasfilm's Letterman Digital Arts complex, a former army hospital. Serving a hit-and-miss mix of Spanish, Filipino, French, Italian and Latin American small plates -- and a grand selection of wines -- Pres a Vi struggles to meet the high expectations inherent to its location. More
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