In an earlier post about Mikaku (a Japanese restaurant located right next to the Chinatown gate), we mentioned the chirashi, slices of fish carefully layered atop sushi rice. On a recent visit, we had the opportunity to try a couple of the dinner specials written on the white board located just east of the sushi bar; the restaurant really shines in its preparation of these specials.

At dinnertime only, Mikaku offers house-made soba (buckwheat) noodles. The noodles, which are served cold in the form of zaru soba,

had a nice bounce and texture, easily superior to the soba noodles offered at many of the more popular noodle houses in Japantown. The noodles are served with the tsuyu dipping sauce, a refreshing and light yet robust combination of soy sauce, dashi, and the sweet rice wine mirin. Perhaps best of all, Mikaku also serves the traditional sobayu,

which is the water in which the soba noodles were just boiled. Pouring the sobayu into the cup containing the leftover tsuyu dipping sauce makes for a delicious drink and is an excellent way to cap off a plate of soba noodles.

We also sampled the chawanmushi,

a traditional savory Japanese egg custard with surprise fish, meat and vegetables inside the custard that are to be unearthed. The chawanmushi we had at Mikaku, which included crab and chicken, was a delight, with a clean egg flavor that was a good complement to the other ingredients. Mikaku's rendition of this dish is quite nice.

At a standard dinner, Mikaku offers at least a dozen specials. Recently, in addition to the soba noodles and chawanmushi mentioned here, we've seen daikon soup, dishes involving yam and kabocha ("Japanese pumpkin"), different preparations of clams, and hirame usuzukuri, which are paper thin slices of fluke sashimi dressed in a very light ponzu sauce. Although Mikaku's menu has all the standard tempura, teriyaki, and sushi roll combination deals that Americans have come to expect from Japanese restaurants, the skill of both the sushi chef and the kitchen are most clearly displayed in these authentic specialties, and we're glad to have gotten the chance to sample Mikaku's versions of these dishes. "Averaging" this with our previous visits to Mikaku, an upgrade of Mikaku's rating is definitely in order:

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Please scroll to the bottom of our original review for the restaurant hours and contact information.

Well, one thing is for sure: the starting salad certainly did not. If you read our first review of Perbacco, you might recall we were a fan of the beet salad, both for its delicious combination of contrasting flavors and for its bright, diverse colors. We enjoyed the salad so much that Short Exact and dining companion ordered it again at this dinner, but unfortunately, it did not live up to the expectations set by our first experience. Actually, the salad looked as though it had been only partially finished but accidentally brought out to the table anyway, as it was noticeably smaller (with far fewer gold and red beets) than the dish we received at lunch a few months ago. The Castelmagno cheese had the same great flavor and crumbly texture as before, but the whole salad was dry, and the promised white balsamic vinaigrette was nowhere to be found. We really should have just sent this dish back, but we were also on a time crunch to make it to a Symphony concert, and the salad was not the focal point of the meal in any case, so we just brushed the whole thing off.

Next up was the uni (sea urchin) crudo:

This crudo had a nice bright flavor furnished by the lime and kumquat, while the small slice of Serrano chili included in each bite of the crudo added an appropriate amount of heat to finish it off. Still, the impact of the Serrano was somehow too disconnected from the lime and the kumquat; we were hoping for the effect of these different ingredients to be more unified, but instead, the trajectory of each single crudo bite was a little abrupt. Meanwhile, the delicate brininess of the uni was overpowered by the other elements of the crudo, so the main contribution of the uni was its nice creamy texture, rather than its flavor. Not perfect, but this was a pretty good crudo. We didn't have the opportunity to try any of the other crudo dishes, but on the day we visited Perbacco, four crudo total were available. In addition to the uni, there was hamachi with blood orange and fennel, a yellowfin tuna with grated apple, and sea scallops with grapefruit oil.

From the pasta section of the menu, we tried the the tortelloni,

pasta filled with bits of roast pork and prosciutto. The peas provided a well-rounded sweet flavor that was a good complement to the tinge of saltiness provided by the pork in the tortelloni. The pasta here was not quite of the delicate fine quality exhibited by the tagliatelle (with pork sugo) that we ordered on our first meal here, but it was definitely decent. To top it off, the dish was served with a teasing broth that is a mixture of beef, lamb, and pork stocks. This pasta dish was not a revelation, but it was still rather successful, on the whole.

By far, the winner of the night was the milk-braised Berkshire pork shoulder:

One note here: Short Exact split this entree with our dining companion, so the portion size you see in the above photo is smaller than a full entree portion.

The pork shoulder rested on a bed of fresh, crispy Savoy cabbage, and it was served with a side of Anson Mills polenta that was creamy, with a very delicate sweetness. The main star of the show, though, was the pork shoulder, which was rich and deeply flavorful. It was certainly tender, but not consistently so. While some sections of the shoulder were merely somewhat soft, other sections were so exceedingly tender that the meat literally melted underneath the slightest pressure from our fork. Nonetheless, it was a very good dish, and we would order it again. Judging from this pork shoulder, the pasta with pork sugo we ordered on our last visit, and the house-cured salumi misti (also from our last visit), it is clear that despite the availability of vegetarian dishes on the menu, Perbacco excels in its preparations of meat dishes, particularly pork.

Although we reported on our first lunch at Perbacco on January 29, 2007, the actual lunch took place a month earlier, at the very end of December 2006. We're going to be completely honest and transparent here regarding our first review of Perbacco. The entirety of 2006 was an extremely difficult, taxing, emotional roller coaster sort of year for us, and the lunch at Perbacco was literally and symbolically a celebratory way of looking forward to what would hopefully be a much better year in 2007. Given this, it is entirely possible that our initial exceptionally high rating of this restaurant was colored by our enthusiasm and hope at being able to put the hard times behind us. The recent dinner we had at Perbacco was not quite as stellar of an experience, and this is likely due to a combination of an actually inferior experience and the fact that we were a bit more discriminating this time than we were at the lunch in December. The service the second time around was at least as helpful and enthusiastic as it was the first time, but the food did not perform at the level that a rating of 4.5 stars implies.

In any event, despite the mishap with the beet salad, our recent dinner at Perbacco probably floats in the 3-to-3.5 star range, with the quality service putting it at a more solid 3.5. Averaged with the 4.5 stars from our last review, we'll update Perbacco's rating to 4 stars. Even though the dinner was not as nice as the lunch, our overall impression is still a favorable one, and we would like to return to explore more of the menu.

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Please scroll to the bottom of our original review for the restaurant hours and contact information.

We started with the chicken salad,

served with vermicelli noodle and cabbage. It was a light and refreshing start to the lunch. You know, for what it is, this salad was fine, though it could have used stronger flavors (which is a nice way of saying we really wish it actually tasted like something). We're being a bit flippant, but a more pronounced fish sauce and herbal flavor would have really enlivened this dish. The preparation here is loosely Vietnamese, but left some to be desired.

If you're a regular reader, you've probably noticed that when it comes to food photography, we're usually pretty consistent and straightforward (read: slightly boring) about it-- we pretty much always just take aerial shots. For some reason though, we thought we'd try something a little more artsy for this next shot. Anyway, we think it turned out pretty well, and maybe you will even agree. There's a fuzzy background compared to the sharper focus of the plate in the foreground, along with the rice bowl and water glass:

Oh, right: the food. This is a food blog, not a photography blog. These were the caramelized tiger prawns, featuring a somewhat rich chili sauce, with organic onions providing both soft crunch and a delicate sweetness. The prawns, hearty and with a slightly toothsome texture, were perfectly cooked. This was definitely good, but no stunning culinary achievement here; when it comes down to it, this dish was just a good way to enjoy some very nice prawns.

The cha gio (imperial rolls) were up next,

featuring a mixture of pork, shrimp, peanuts, and glass noodles, of course served with the expected greens in which to wrap the rolls. These were delicious, and surprisingly authentic, as well. The nuoc cham dipping sauce that was provided was on the sweet side and not especially nuanced, but it definitely was not bad either. Meanwhile, the rolls themselves were light, clean, and very fresh. Nice work here.

The cellophane noodles with Dungeness crab meat

is the signature dish at the Slanted Door, and with good reason we believe. This dish is all about demonstrating how subtle tastes and textures can be just as enchanting as bold ones. Crab does not have an especially strong flavor, and in general, it is too often the case that whenever crab is used in a dish, the flavor is overwhelmed, and the only part of the crab we can really enjoy is the texture. Not so here. The flavor of the cellophane noodles is even more delicate than that of the crab, and yet the noodles do a great job of simultaneously supporting and enhancing the crab, which rises to take the center stage in this dish.

The last entree was the shaking beef,

featuring delicious and mighty tender chunks of Meyer Ranch filet mignon, accompanied by watercress, garlic, and organic onions. The dipping sauce was a bright and well-balanced combination of salt, lime juice, and freshly ground black pepper. For restaurants that offer it, the shaking beef usually turns out to be one of the most expensive items on the menu, and the Slanted Door is no exception. There is no doubt that the shaking beef was well-executed (and we would be lying if we said we did not enjoy it), but at $24 (at lunchtime, probably slightly more expensive at dinner), you're definitely paying for it. We still aren't convinced that this rendition so outstripped its competitors (at other restaurants) as to be worth the premium.

As it turns out, discussions about The Slanted Door are some of the most contentious you'll probably find in the San Francisco food scene; actually, they are very reminiscent of the discussions that take place over whether or not the landmark Zuni Cafe is overrated. On the one hand, this restaurant provides a quintessential San Francisco experience. San Franciscans are suckers for great views (probably because of all the hills and scenic vista points), and the prime Ferry Building location makes The Slanted Door the exception to the rule that good food and good views are mutually exclusive. San Francisco is also famously an aquatic peninsular city, being surrounded on 3 out of 4 sides by water. So yes, there is something quintessentially San Francisco about eating Asian food in bright surroundings, looking out at great water views.

On the other hand, this diverse city is full of so many different cuisines that many foodies here are hell-bent on finding authentic, treasured gems (and if you're a regular reader, you know that Short Exact definitely falls into this category). In that sense, the Slanted Door, with its posh surroundings and collection of dishes which are really only "Vietnamese inspired" (and have been altered to suit American tastes), runs directly counter to this urge to constantly search out the authentic spots, no matter how dirty or run-down they might be. The fact that the Slanted Door often charges quite expensive prices (for dishes that you could find for much lower prices at other restaurants) only adds to the insult, and for many naysayers, this is the last straw. We imagine that this would be especially frustrating for those of Vietnamese descent, who might resent the fact that their favorite home-cooked dishes are being touted as stylish and gourmet, and with prices to match. There are also many people who are familiar with this restaurant from its original days on Valencia Street, no doubt still mourning the loss of their treasured neighborhood spot that has since morphed into a regional destination. Lastly, throw in the fact that the place is always packed and never seems to have any available bookings, and it's suddenly not so difficult to see why the Slanted Door is such a controversial restaurant.

At first, we were always a little torn about the Slanted Door, for exactly these reasons. Since then, we've learned to chill a bit -- it's just food after all, right? We would never say that The Slanted Door is our favorite Vietnamese restaurant, but to call it "bad" would be very unfair. The food here ranges anywhere from pretty good to great, the surroundings are very nice (although noisy and a bit hectic), and we've always had helpful and kind service. Some of the prices are definitely out of line, but you have to remember that you are paying for more than just food here. You will be served some high quality ingredients, yes, but you are also paying for the location, the environment, and the general dining experience. Obviously, this restaurant does not provide the best value, so if you visit here looking for value, you're really just setting yourself up to hate it. From solely the food perspective, which is where we tend to place most of the emphasis, the Slanted Door could never be our favorite Vietnamese in town -- certainly not a place to visit regularly. Every once in awhile, though, a more upscale place is required, perhaps to celebrate a special occasion, and for those cases, The Slanted Door fits the bill. Despite the controversy, The Slanted Door still offers good (or better) food and a nice dining experience.

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Please scroll down to the bottom of our original review for restaurant hours and contact information.

We got a side order of the sweet potato fries ($3.99),

The menu claimed these were "dusted in chili spice", which they were, but so slightly they might as well not have been dusted at all, as the chili spice was barely perceptible most of the time. The use of sweet potatoes is a nice twist (they do taste good with ketchup!), but after a few of them we were actually already a little tired of them. A decent side dish, but these are good to share, as they give you quite a lot.

Short Exact and dining companion also shared two burgers; first, the standard cheeseburger ($6.49):

The meat used in the burger was good quality ("all natural, hormone free California beef" as proclaimed on the menu), and the vegetables in the burger (just the standard lettuce, tomato, and pickles) were fresh and crisp. The "secret sauce", albeit used somewhat excessively, was as tasty as you'd want it to be, and the use of quality ingredients did elevate the experience. This was no doubt a solid burger, but it did not stand out in our mind as being especially amazing or noteworthy. It did sure have a lot of cheese oozing out of it, though!

Possibly the most infamous item on Taylor's menu -- and the item which most sets it apart from other burger joints -- is the ahi burger ($13.99), which was the other burger we shared:

The ahi burger features a fresh steak of ahi tuna, seared rare, and is served with cole slaw and ginger wasabi mayo in place of secret sauce. Wasabi and ginger are such stereotypical accompaniments for ahi, and casting it in the form of an aioli suits this preparation of ahi as a burger. The ahi was good, and definitely seared rare, as promised; we enjoyed it, but we would probably not order this sandwich again, or very often. The price of the burger is understandably high, but a seared ahi should be featured in a more subtle preparation. Slathering the ginger/wasabi mayo all over it and sticking it between two pieces of bread is not the best way to show off a good piece of tuna. Taylor's is really just an upgraded fast food restaurant, so we probably shouldn't be too picky, but the ahi burger is $14, and -- in our opinion -- probably not worth this premium. The ahi burger is a curiosity, and it is certainly a tasty and hearty sandwich, but if you are craving seared tuna with a ginger/wasabi preparation, plenty of other restaurants in the Bay Area offer better interpretations that treat the tuna in a way it deserves to be treated.

All in all, Taylor's is a solid burger joint in a convenient location; certainly a fine place to drop by if you're in the area, but we wouldn't recommend going out of your way, since these burgers aren't really so noteworthy as to be worthy of a trek. You may also want to keep in mind that the prices are fairly expensive, given that we're talking about burgers here. The cheapest burger on the menu is just the standard burger, at $5.75, and other non-ahi burgers reach as high a price as $8.49 (at the time of this review). So if you get a burger and a shake, or some sort of side dish, you are pretty much guaranteed to spend more than $10, which may very well be more than you want to spend on a burger. If you're in the area, though, it's a decent choice, as the fare is tasty and satisfying.

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1 Ferry Building #6
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: 866.328.3663
Hours: Daily, 10:30 am - 8:00 pm.

Cuisine: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Financial District

How to get there: BART and Muni Metro access via Embarcadero Station. Muni lines: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 21, 31, 38, 41, 71, F, J, K, L, M, N, and T.

Perbacco is a superb Italian restaurant located in the Financial District, in the same block as Aqua and the venerable Tadich Grill. Opening in just fall of 2006, it is a recent addition to the local dining scene, yet it seems to have hit its stride almost immediately. The word "perbacco" means "by Bacchus", and it is essentially an exclamatory sort of remark. After you visit Perbacco, you may just inadvertently find yourself doing a lot of exclaiming, because it is actually that good.

Perbacco specializes in the cuisines of Piemonte and Liguria. These two regions are located in the northwestern corner of Italy, and the geographical proximity to France can be felt in their cuisines as well. With respect to the growing of grapes and production of wine, the Piemonte region is especially rich, and, unsurprisingly, Perbacco stocks a variety of these wines; the wine menu is quite extensive and is carefully divided by type of wine and region of origin. The restaurant also has a long and deep menu, chock full of appealing choices. Unfortunately, on our visit to Perbacco, we were not even able to make it to the entree section of the menu, because there were so many delicious options under the appetizer section and the soup/pasta/risotto section. Short Exact cannot wait till our next visit to try out more dishes, with the hope of one day reaching the entrees.

The Bay Area's most noteworthy Italian restaurants usually have a collection of house-cured cold cuts. Perbacco is no exception, and the assortment and quality of the salumi misti here is superb. The prosciutto had a light, almost ethereal texture, and the finocchiona (fennel salami) featured a perfectly smooth, balanced, rounded fennel flavor. The mortadella was delicately soft, while the ciccioli (pork pate) was rich and smooth. In short, there wasn't a bad one in the bunch.

We enjoyed an appetizer of squid,

featuring perfectly grilled local squid with a subtle, yet well-balanced background set of flavors furnished by arugula and an orange vinaigrette. The meatiness of the Corona beans (a large, white type of Italian bean) and the soft sweetness of the tomato was a great complement to the squid.

Next up was a salad,

featuring beautiful red and gold beets. The subtle sweetness of the beets was delicately offset by a white balsamic vinaigrette and the crumbly Castelmagno cheese. Castelmagno, which is a cheese from the Piemonte region, has a pungent quality that is reminiscent of Gorgonzola, but it also has an extra bit of tang behind it, and the effect of the cheese in this salad is great. Not only were the flavors spot-on delicious, but the plate had a great mix of colors: deep purple and gold from the beets, bright leafy green rucola, and the white cheese sprinkled on top. All in all, this was a superb salad with excellent composition.

For an entree, Short Exact ordered the hand-cut tagliatelle with pork sugo:

This dish was exquisite: easily one of the best pasta dishes that we've had in a long time. The pork sugo, which the menu proudly proclaims (and justifiably so) is cooked for 5 hours, has all the depth and richness of flavor you would expect from a slow cooking. The pork sugo was served atop a bed of fresh, housemade pasta which was of high quality: light, delicate, and perfectly cooked.

Dessert included a vanilla panna cotta

with amarena cherries marinated in grappa. The alcohol and cherries lent a very nice fragrant quality to this dessert, which was a great complement to the sweet vanilla and the perfect custardy texture of the panna cotta. However, what really caught our attention was the trio of gelati misti,

The three gelati were pistachio, bittersweet chocolate, and caramel. All of three of these were excellent, with rich and clearly delineated flavors. Still, our favorite of the three would certainly have to be the caramel, which, by a stroke of genius, was served with black sea salt. The black sea salt lent a very light crunch which, when combined with the cool, rich gelato, created an almost sparkly sensation in our mouth. It was a superb effect, and it just goes to show how the seemingly simple addition of one ingredient can make the difference between a special dish and a dish that is merely very good. As you can tell, our meal at Perbacco featured many great moments, but if we were hard-pressed to pick one favorite moment, it would probably have to be our first taste of the caramel gelato with black sea salt.

At this point, we will say that our report on these Perbacco desserts is probably already out-of-date. The Tablehopper has reported that Ted Nugent, who was the pastry chef at Perbacco when we dined there, has already left, and is now to be found at Scala's Bistro, in Union Square. She also reports that Nugent has introduced "salted caramel gelato" to the menu at Scala's, so it might well be that if you want to try this excellent caramel gelato, you will have to visit Scala's instead. Still, that should not discourage you from visiting Perbacco; even without the caramel gelato, this is a strong and very interesting menu.

Perhaps what struck us most about this restaurant was the smoothness of our lunch there. Not only was every dish well-prepared, but the service was kind, helpful, and attentive. Although the restaurant was crowded at a busy lunch hour, service was smooth, and the delivery of the dishes was well-timed. Perbacco has only been in town for a few months, and so it's only natural to expect some mistakes, or perhaps a timing disconnect between the floor and the kitchen. There was no evidence of any such mistakes on our visit. Perbacco has a very established feel, almost like it's been there all along. While we may wish that they had been here all along, we are certainly glad that they are in town now. As a superb addition to the Financial District arsenal and one of our favorite new restaurant openings for 2006, we highly recommend Perbacco for all your downtown Italian cravings. Short Exact can't wait to return.

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230 California Street (between Battery St. and Front St.)
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: 415.955.0663
Hours: Mon-Thurs, 11:30 am - 10:00 pm; Fri, 11:30 am - 11:00 pm; Sat, 11:30 am - 11:00 pm. Closed Sundays.

Cuisine: Italian
Neighborhood: Financial District

How to get there: Perbacco is located right on the California Street cable car line, and is near Muni lines 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 21, 31, 41, 71, F, J, K, L, M, N and T. Embarcadero BART/Muni station is a couple blocks away.

Given its ultra-touristy location, located just south of the Chinatown gate at Bush and Grant, Mikaku is a surprisingly good Japanese restaurant nestled between Union Square, Chinatown, and the Financial District. Mikaku serves a variety of well-loved dishes, ranging from cooked dishes and special items, to sushi, sashimi, and chirashi, to a collection of noodle dishes. Although nothing here is truly spectacular, preparations here range from decent to quite well done.

In general, Short Exact prefers to order sushi at sushiyas that will be more likely to stock special or seasonal fish. Mikaku is certainly not a sushiya, nor does it stock any special fish. Recently, though, we were attending a meeting just around the corner from Mikaku, and we had a hankering for raw fish, so we instead of ordering sushi, we settled for the chirashi deluxe.

The chirashi is a dinner combo that begins with an unremarkable but perfectly serviceable salad and miso soup,

which is then followed up by the chirashi deluxe, the main event:

The deluxe chirashi features fresh cuts of maguro, hamachi, sake, ebi, ika, unagi, saba, and tamago (among others), all served atop a bed of seaweed and sushi rice. This was certainly not a perfect chirashi: the texture of the maguro was a bit on the stringy side, and the tamago omelet was good, if ever slightly too sweet for our taste. In addition, the delicate flavors of the sushi rice were not well-balanced, leaning a bit too heavily in the direction of the vinegar. However, the saba was actually quite nice, and the house marination did a nice job of enhancing the natural mackerel flavors, without overpowering them. The fish used is definitely not of the most pristine quality, but, in our experience, it has been rather fresh and reasonably tasty.

All in all, Mikaku is a good restaurant, featuring tasty food with service that is both prompt and quite friendly. Mikaku is certainly not a destination in its own right, but it is a good choice if you are in this touristy quarter of the city and have a craving for Japanese food that is at least a step above tourist chow. The varied menu will satisfy diners with a wide range of tastes, and those who are not fans of raw fish have plenty of other good options to choose from. True, Mikaku is not making any grand culinary achievements, but the restaurant serves solid, reliable Japanese food in a convenient location, at reasonable prices, making it a good choice of restaurant to drop in on if you are in the area.

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323 Grant Avenue (between Bush St. and Sutter St.)
San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone: 415.781.6730
Hours: Mon-Fri: 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm; Sat: 12:00 noon - 3:00 pm. Closed Sundays.

Cuisine: Japanese
Neighborhood: Union Square, Financial District

How to get there: Mikaku is within 3-4 blocks of the Powell BART/Muni subway station, as well as Muni lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 9X, 30, 38, 45, 76, F, J, K, L, M, N, and T. The restaurant is also 2 blocks from the cable car lines running on California and Powell streets.

served with Moroccan spices and herbs and lemon confit. This dish was delicious, and if it weren't for the spectacular ahi preparation we had at Boulevard recently, we might have viewed the Aqua version even more favorably. Nonetheless, the Moroccan spice assortment is a creative and slightly unusual pairing for the ahi, but the taste of the ahi was still allowed to shine through the spices, and the lemon confit provided a bright backdrop for the interplay of flavors. However, it was a different story with the appetizer of hamachi:

First off, let us begin by saying this was a very well-executed dish, and in some ways, it was fantastic. Just on a visual level, the presentation was creative, and the geometric layout of the ingredients emphasized the wide disparity of textures, colors, and flavors exhibited by the different ingredients. The rich lightness of the avocado mousseline and the slight bite from the piment d'Espelette -- when taken with the bright tartness of the Kaffir lime and the lusciously multidimensional layers of sweetness from the Sharlyn melon -- combined to create a new, truly bold, beautiful flavor. But what's missing here? Of course: the hamachi! The primary ingredient of the dish. The flavors here are bold, but too bold: so much so, that in terms of flavor, the presence of the hamachi is overwhelmed. The hamachi certainly contributes to the texture, but as the raison d'etre of this dish, it should have been given the chance to participate more.

Our entree, the spring garlic risotto,

served under grillied Hawaiian prawns, with Meyer lemon and tomato vinaigrette, rested on safer ground than the hamachi, but was simultaneously less intriguing. Some flavors here were slightly muted, and in this case, we would have preferred a contrasting ingredient in the tomato vinaigrette, because this dish really can take a greater intensification of flavor, more so than the hamachi. The end result is an admittedly well-prepared melange of slightly too much subtlety. The garlic was an appropriate balance to the very fresh and tasty shrimp, and the risotto had all the right texture, although it was less delectably rich than our most favorite risotti. The final verdict? After experiencing the starters, we had hoped to see an extra dose of creativity in a dish that could really have used it. Still, it was well-prepared and delicious.

As for the service, Short Exact has heard accounts from others about Aqua having snooty, arrogant, or perhaps just poor service. To be honest, we experienced nothing of the sort on our visit. Our waiter had a very thorough knowledge of the ingredients and preparation of all the dishes we ordered. The service was both attentive and courteous, but not overbearing, and since we went later in the afternoon, after the main lunch rush, it was not too slow either. The pace at which different courses were presented was right on.

All in all, Short Exact had a highly enjoyable meal at Aqua, and not just because we were in good company. The food is delicious, and while we believe there are subtle shortcomings (which Short Exact feels obliged to consider carefully because of Aqua's reputation as an established member of the Bay Area's fine dining scene), the dishes challenge and engage the palate with interesting flavor combinations and sound culinary technique. This is certainly a recommended dining experience in downtown San Francisco.

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252 California Street (between Battery St. and Front St.)
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: 415.956.9662
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11:30 am - 2:30 pm; Mon-Thurs, 5:30 pm-10:30 pm; Fri-Sat, 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm; Sun, 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm.

Cuisine: French, Seafood
Neighborhood: Financial District

How to get there: Aqua is located right on the California Street cable car line, and is within reasonable walking distance of Muni lines 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 21, 31, 38, 41, 71, F, J, K, L, M, N and T. It's just a couple blocks from the Embarcadero BART/Muni Station.

Ah, Boulevard: the famous restaurant at the heart of San Francisco's fine dining scene, and the quintessential Financial District power lunch. Since 1993, Boulevard has been serving contemporary American dishes, executed with and influenced by the flair and technique of French cuisine, yet still hinting at an international palette of flavors. Under the superior and artful direction of Chef Nancy Oakes, Boulevard has drawn to itself like a magnet Financial District workers and their clients, tourists, and diners from the Bay Area and beyond, all in search of the promised culinary holy grail. Boulevard hardly needs any sort of endorsement, so what could Short Exact possibly add? Well, probably not much; but you know us: we'll try anyway. Anyway, we would be remiss if we visited Boulevard without documenting the visit! For Short Exact, that would border on criminal.

For one entree, we ordered a very fresh halibut dish,

served with a thoughtful dressing of aioli, sauteed spinach, and a salsa rosa featuring capers, currants, pine nuts, and peppers: a simple yet superb accompaniment to the clean flavors of the halibut. We also ordered a fire-roasted Angus filet mignon:

which was cooked to perfection: well-seasoned, juicy, rich, and incredibly flavorful. The vegetables here are bright, colorful French beans cooked perfectly al dente, accompanied by delicious, delicate button mushrooms. This is essentially a "meat and potatoes" dish that is made with excellent ingredients and superb execution, and so, true to such a dish, the filet is accompanied by a light, very tasty potato cake that includes bacon and sour cream. The dressing here is Roma tomato relish and shallot herb vinaigrette.

These entrees were memorable and delicious, but what especially stood out for us was the ahi tuna tartare appetizer:

Served with accompanying crisps (not pictured above), this was truly an amazing delight. The crisps provided a superb contrasting texture to the very fresh ahi, and the flavor was incredibly bright and refreshing, with the avocado providing a subtle backdrop for the jalapeno and ginger, which literally sparkled in our mouth. This dish featured a fantastic set of ingredients with strong flavors that nonetheless did not overpower the delicate ahi, but instead complemented it perfectly. With an exquisite presentation, bright colors, and such an array of contrasting flavors and textures, this is easily one of the best plates Short Exact has eaten in awhile. Boulevard usually has some sort of tuna tartare appetizer (though with somewhat different preparations), and we would highly recommend you investigate them, whatever its incarnation happens to be when you go. This is definitely not to be missed.

If we had to make a criticism of Boulevard, it would be that the food here is slightly too comfortable. Boulevard takes its diners to heights of the culinary art, and the preparations and presentations are certainly creative, but we had hoped that a restaurant of this stature would be more overtly innovative. We hoped that it would take us further out of our culinary comfort zone; in short, we wanted to be more startled than we were. In addition, relatively rare for San Francisco, the entrees here also decidedly unfriendly to vegetarians, as there is not one truly vegetarian entree here at dinner. We're sure that the restaurant would be accomodating to a vegetarian diner, but it would be nice to see the kitchen here turn its powers towards creating an innovative dish that is wholly vegetarian in concept, through and through.

Nonetheless, it really is difficult to criticize too much. With its relaxing ambience and comfortably stylish interior, excellent and attentive service, supremely fresh ingredients, and subtle, exquisite food preparation, Boulevard provides a superb and highly recommended dining experience.

RATING:

COST:

1 Mission Street (at Steuart St.)
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: 415.543.6084
Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 2:00 pm, Mon-Wed 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm, Thurs-Sat 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm.

Cuisine: American (New), French
Neighborhood: Financial District, South of Market

How to get there: Boulevard is within easy walking distance of Muni lines 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 21, 31, 38, 41, 71, F, J, K, L, M, N, T, and the California Street cable car line. BART riders should use Embarcadero Station; for Muni Metro riders, either Embarcadero or Folsom Station is a short walk.

Oasis is a great casual, pick-up-and-take-out place in the Financial District serving up Mediterranean/Middle Eastern favorites such as falafel, gyros, kebab, and shawarma. (N.B. There isn’t really a seating area at Oasis, so we do mean “take-out” quite literally.) They also offer chicken platters, and standard fare such as hummus, baba ghanoush, mezze platters, and dolmas. Here is a picture of a falafel wrap, with a few falafels on the side, and hummus:

Generally, Oasis turns out a good product; their falafel wraps are tasty, and we’ve heard from reliable sources that the kebab is even better. They add hot sauce, which adds some kick to the flavor. It is important to note that the food quality does vary depending on who is cooking your food. Sometimes the falafel is overcooked and excessively crunchy. The wraps are usually moist enough, but I almost always feel as though adding more tahini would brighten both the texture and flavor. In addition, the hummus is entirely average; it’s better than some of the unsavory concoctions one often finds pre-packaged in the grocery store, but it’s not really good. The food here is certainly not wholly authentic Middle Eastern, but it is generally tasty, quick, and inexpensive. Recommended for a quick meal on the go.

RATING:

COST:

91 Drumm Street (near Sacramento St.)
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: 415.781.0313
Hours: Everyday, 10:00 am - 10:00 pm (approx).

Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Neighborhood: Financial District

How to get there: Oasis is easily accessible via Muni lines 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 21, 31, 38, 41, 71, F, J, K, L, M, N, T, and the California Street cable car line. Just steps from the Embarcadero BART/Muni Station.

which, after I was just thinking about their resemblance to French fries, our poetic waiter referred to as "fries with eyes." The smelts are served with a garlic-potato skordalia, which actually does not really add much to the dish, although it would seem bare to have only smelts on the plate. The zucchini cakes, which were served with a minty yogurt dip were a delight, though the cakes were flavorful enough alone, and hardly required any dressing. The grilled octopus

is minimally cooked with olive oil and topped with oregano, but the freshness and perfect texture of the octopus easily carry the dish without any more fuss -- and although nothing quite beats the (sadly) defunct Splendido's grilled octopus appetizer, Kokkari's version delivers the goods. For an entree, I ordered the ravioli of horta, whose main sidekick participants were feta cheese and finely roasted porcini mushrooms:

It was, all in all, quite a good dish. My only criticism would be that the preparation was almost too subtle, so that the powerful flavor of the feta tended to overpower rather than combine with the other flavors. Nonetheless, the ingredients used were all quite fresh. Kokkari does an excellent job of blending a Californian penchant for fresh ingredients with Greek cuisine.As for the rest of the dining experience, it was just as good. The service was friendly and attentive, and the restaurant itself is very cozy to be in (even more so because when I went, it was in escape of an otherwise cold, dreary, rainy day). The restaurant space has many different nooks and crannies. The front area has loaves of bread piled in front of an inviting fireplace, and there are padded, high-backed chairs at the tables, topped off by a nice bar,

so that this particular room more resembles the lounge/common area of a nice hotel than a restaurant. Venture in a little further, and there is a whole other half to the restaurant, which looks more like a regular restaurant. There's even an intriguing basement area. All in all, Kokkari provides a grand dining experience. Unfortunately, it also does so at great cost. This a great place to go to if you can expense the meal, or if someone else happens to be paying. If necessary, skip a couple meals to save up, and then run, don't walk, to Kokkari, and experience great Greek cuisine.

RATING:

COST:

200 Jackson Street (at Front St.)
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: 415.981.0983
Hours: Mon-Thurs, 11:30am - 10:00 pm; Fri, 11:30 am - 11:00 pm; Sat, 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm. Bar menu only on weekdays, 2:30-5:30 pm. Closed Sunday.

Cuisine: Greek
Neighborhood: Financial District

How to get there: This restaurant is a short walk from Muni lines 1, 2, 7, 9X, 10, 12, 14, 21, 41, 71, F, J, K, L, M, N, T, and the California Street cable car line. Closest BART/Muni Metro station is Embarcadero.

This restaurant seems to be perpetually crowded and bustling, and it's not difficult to see why. Located in an open and airy space at a prime location in the Ferry Building, the casual elegance of The Slanted Door and the attentive service welcomes hundreds of eager diners daily. They are always crowded, despite being open for both lunch and dinner everyday of the week, and reservations are strongly recommended.

Most important in explaining the appeal of The Slanted Door is, of course, the culinary experience it offers. The restaurant was launched and continues to be run by the Phan family. The location and surroundings of this restaurant may have changed considerably over the years (the upscale Ferry Building, replete as it is now with a gourmet establishments, is, after all, seemingly a whole world away from the old digs on Valencia Street), but what has not changed is the Phan family's resilient commitment to using always fresh, local ingredients in an innovative way. One glance at the entrees on their menu (and the corresponding prices) make it clear that the Phans have actively pursued the path less traveled (when compared to typical Vietnamese fare), but with often delightful results. The grilled ahi tuna

and oven-roasted halibut

were both pristinely fresh, and both were very well complemented by thoughtful salad garnishes. The halibut was served with a ginger-based fish sauce that wonderfully highlighted the flavor of the fish, and the ahi was served with a soy-ginger base well-suited to it. One of the cornerstone principles of Vietnamese cooking is establishing a balance between highly contrasting flavors (such as spiciness and sweetness). Even though there is nothing especially unique about ahi tuna served with a soy-ginger sauce, what makes the dish stand out is the close attention paid to the balancing of diverse flavors. Although this dish cannot be called Vietnamese, it is nevertheless true that when this dish is served at a purely Western restaurant, it is much less imaginative. The subtle flavoring makes all the difference in the world. Although The Slanted Door functions in a different plane of existence from the typical Vietnamese restaurant, it pays homage to long-abiding characteristics of Vietnamese cuisine.

Nonetheless, it is important to remember that Slanted Door is not a "real" Vietnamese restaurant. It isn't fusion cuisine, and one can only really say that the flavors here are Vietnamese-inspired. The food here is pure and well-prepared, but the flavors aren't quite as deep as what one encounters at a really good authentic restaurant, which we believe justifies giving it only 3.5 stars, rather than a full 4 stars. Nonetheless, authenticity isn't really in the mission statement. Don't come here expecting it to be authentic, because you'll be disappointed, and probably bitter at the fact that you paid a lot more than you would've had you gone elsewhere.

But if you're willing to open your mind (and your wallet) to look beyond pure authenticity, we think you'll enjoy what The Slanted Door has to offer: interesting flavors, quality ingredients, and a generally refreshing approach.

RATING:

COST:

1 Ferry Building #3
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: 415.861.8032
Hours: Everyday 11:30 am - 2:00 pm, Sun-Thurs 5:30 - 10:00 pm, Fri-Sat 5:30 - 10:30 pm.

Cuisine: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Financial District

How to get there: The Slanted Door is within easy walking distance of Muni lines 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 21, 31, 38, 41, 71, F, J, K, L, M, N, T, and the California Street cable car line. BART and Muni Metro riders should use Embarcadero Station.

Sorry about the poor, blurry quality of the last photo. We think it's probably due to the fact we were shaking with outrage at the prices. At most pho joints, one could practically order two bowls of pho for the same price. The prices here are probably a direct reflection of their rather swanky (for pho) digs,

not to mention the high rents charged by Boston Properties for coveted square footage in Embarcadero Center. Unfortunately, the extra cost doesn’t seem to have contributed to the food quality at all, as the fare here is below average. Actually, we ordered a hot and sour seafood pho, but we didn't get hot and sour; instead, we received a poor imitation of a standard broth. The soup base was flat, uninspired, and generally unimpressive, while the noodles were so unevenly cooked that the combating textures had a jarring effect on the tongue. This was by far the worst bowl of pho we’ve had in recent memory. It wasn’t authentic, but this is to be expected from a member of the Pho Hoa chain. Nonetheless, better (and cheaper) pho can be found even at other Pho Hoa chain restaurants – and one can sample even richer and more flavorful pho at one of the Bay Area’s more authentic Vietnamese restaurants. For your enjoyment, here are pictures of the soups we (Short Exact and dining companion) ordered:

It is well-known that attentive, courteous service is not the hallmark of the typical pho joint. Pho Hoa Embarcadero Center, however, brings lack-of-service to a whole new level: when you order your bowl of pho here, you get a complimentary side dish of attitude. Short Exact and our dining companion were actually having a conversation during this meal – so the length of the meal took somewhat longer than it would’ve if we had just kept only to eating, without any talking. As were leaving, the restaurant staff felt the necessity to point this out to us, by remarking, “Well, that certainly took you a long time!” For context: the restaurant was still at least 45 minutes away from closing time when we left, and it was almost empty, so it wasn’t as though we were using a precious table that another customer was waiting to use.

We suppose that daytime workers in Embarcadero Center and the nearby office towers might find Pho Hoa an adequate place to get lunch. All in all, though, the strange experiment of transplanting pho into corporate surroundings was not successful. If you want to have a truly memorable pho experience, we suggest heading elsewhere. But stay tuned: before you know it, we will probably have many-a-post for superior pho joints for you to try -- brought to you by Short Exact.

RATING:

COST:

Three Embarcadero Center (street level)
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: 415.399.9099
Hours: Everyday, 8:00 am - 10:00 pm.

Cuisine: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Financial District

How to get there: This restaurant is in a very transit-rich area, served by Muni lines 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 21, 31, 38, 41, 71, F, J, K, L, M, N, T, and the California Street cable car line. BART and Muni Metro riders should use Embarcadero Station.