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Tracie Broom Managing Editor Food Editor at SF Station since 1999, Tracie Broom is a freelance writer, editor, copywriter and event planner in San Francisco. Catch her daily posts at SF Station's Bay Area food blog, The Yum Diary: http://www.yumdiary.com |
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 | Leisure and Lunch on the Valencia Corridor By now, nearly everyone knows that Valencia Street's chic spot for inexpensive, quality dining is Luna Park, and as a result, the cozy, hip bistro is always packed. However, for anyone with a lunch hour or a leisurely daytime schedule, weekday lunch at Luna Park is the real deal, and you never have to wait in line for a table.More |  | San Francisco Dining Suggestions Once I realized I had a sweet little servers-in-T-shirts theme going with a recent column on Delfina, Blue Plate and Emmy's, I didn't have room to talk about some other totally kick*ss meals I've had lately. Here's the skim.More |  | Habana, MC2, Rex Cafe Newcomer Habana has settled nicely into the San Francisco dining scene, MC2 recently underwent an identity redesign, and the fellows who run Rex Cafe introduced a new menu. We thought we should check it all out.More |  | Piperade and Bacchanal We've hit upon some fine and delicious dining of late, so read up and eat up, pilgrims!More |  | Chez Papa, Beach Chalet, Café Riggio, Le Colonial Our tireless research teams have checked out a number of established chefs in new digs, and new chefs in establishments we dig already. From the neighborhood bistro to an expense account fantasyland, here's a froth-free survey of what's up.More |  | Fringale Offers a Posh Take on the Traditional Bistro Most entree prices hover at the fifteen dollar mark. One of the best of these is the pork tenderloin confit with shredded cabbage, deeply browned apples, and caramelized onions. If you've read any Tom Robbins novels, you're familiar with the mantra, "Yum." This dish is the edible version.More |  | So you're skipping dinner but you need to add some public stimulation to your evening. Then it's time to visit one of the plenty makeout bars in this town.More |  | The Grand Café Enrolls a Star Chef All in all, the cuisine at the Grand Café is delicious, although few dishes made our heads spin with visions of finely architected, ethereal scrumminess. Still, it's an incredibly elegant space, the wine list and cocktail bar are stocked with all the best (try the Chartreuse after dinner), the tables are spacious, and the service is top-notch, at least on a weeknight. Oh, and the shoestring frites are tremendous!More |  | Luna Park's Immaculate Conception In the shadow of a huge, cherubim-studded fountain gurgling by the open kitchen, start with an exquisite vegan soup of giant butter beans and asparagus shards ($5), or a stimulating beef carpaccio overrun with shaved artichoke hearts and fresh herbs ($7.50). Also stunning are the oversized, pluffy gnocchi glazed with a luxurious venison Bolognese ($12.50), for which a return visit was made recently (the service was much smoother on that visit).More |  | High Design Conquers the High Art of Haute Cuisine There is no debating that Le Colonial is a beautiful space. The atmosphere is swank-conservative; the interior consists of creamy walls, dark wood moldings, potted greenery, and high ceilings. The outdoor veranda is a long, heat-lamped row of dark wicker tables, chairs, plants, and low lights. Sunshine pours through the glass roof on a clear day, rain sheds off when it's wet out. The old black and white photographs of Vietnamese folks are chintzy, but they add visual legitimacy to the decor. The owners and designers of Le Colonial certainly have achieved both the look and the feel of the exclusivity of private dining clubs of days past.More |
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