It has been a better year in general for the San Francisco dining scene. The economy leveled off and the tourists were back, although not at peak levels. San Francisco was again lauded for good reasons by numerous media sources, as one of the best dining cities in the world. Zagat Survey 2004 is out and the top 5 Bay Area restaurants are Boulevard, Gary Danko, French Laundry, Aqua, and Chez Panisse.

San Francisco saw the Watergate Restaurant open on Nob Hill. We attended the grand opening event and were treated to some of their best. We loved the Roasted Herb Pecan Crusted Rack of Lamb, Crab Cakes, and the perfect Ginger Crème Brule. Chef Walter Liang and general manager Rebecca Kwan have a hit with their high quality cuisine and reasonable prices making Watergate a prime Nob Hill fine dining destination.

Town Hall opened on Howard Street, South of Market, with a team from Postrio including Chef-Proprietor's Steven and Mitchell Rosenthal, general manager, Doug Rosenthal and Pastry Chef Janet Rikala Dalton. Its pleasing atmosphere, “New American" menu, and quality team are sure to make it very successful.

We enjoyed being judges at the 10th Annual Shuck & Swallow Oyster Challenge held at McCormick & Kuleto's Seafood Restaurant in Ghirardelli Square. Teams from local restaurants competed to see who would be this years champion. Scott Dammann’s team from East Side West in the Marina with Martin Chimas and John Marrs won with a total of 140 oysters shucked and swallowed, beating last year’s record of 138. All proceeds went to the Surviving Family Fund Local 798 of the San Francisco Fire Fighters.

We then dined at McCormick & Kuleto's a few weeks later. We had a great seafood dinner and enjoyed the stylish décor and stunning Bay views. Executive Chef Armen Jeghelian, who has been there for 5 years, has managed to create delicate yet bold flavors that are complex but true to the natural flavors. We loved our Scallop appetizer, and the Salmon stuffed with Crab was delicious.

The multilevel seating makes it a great destination restaurant in Ghirardelli Square. Bobiviqua Steak House is the newest addition to “Classic Steak Houses" in San Francisco and has already received great reviews. We still love The House of Prime Rib for special occasions, as you can see by the accompanying photo of the King's Cut Prime Rib. However, save room for Cuban styled restaurant, Habana Bar- Restaurante, just down the street. Sabor De Cuba opened on Van Ness by Chef-Proprietor Joseph Kohn and Partner Sam Duval (Izzy's Steak House). A few restaurants (to say the least) have tried to make it in that location, but their theme of “Hot Hot Hot Cuban" is a great contribution to the neighborhood. We recommend the Pato Capri, a pan seared Duck Breast with Tamarind Chili Glaze, Smoked Bacon and Yellow Squash...delicious!

We had a terrific power lunch at One Market. It always impresses clients when there's a celebrity sighting and who better than Joe Montana to enliven the atmosphere. We loved Executive Chef Adrian Hoffman's grilled Hawaiian Prawns. Jitney's Bar & Grill opened on Broadway and is a fine destination for live jazz and comfort food. Chef Jamie Sinsheimer has created some great dishes including an excellent Glazed Flat Iron Steak with Gratin of Chard and Fingerlings, with Crispy Root Vegetable Chips. We also loved the Blackened Catfish Jambalaya that was made with Andouille Sausage and Creole Sauce.

In the East Bay, we enjoyed a satisfying Italian dinner at Bar Ristorante Raphael in Berkeley. Chef Domenico Testa from Lazio, Southern Italy and Noah Alper, founder of Noah's Bagels recently opened this authentic italian kosher restaurant. The décor has a Mediterranean touch with murals on the walls. The meatless menu is perfect for vegetarians and vegans as well as those who enjoy fresh seafood dishes. As a starter, we had Funghi Trifolati, Savory Sautéed Mushrooms in Garlic, White Wine and Parsley. The fresh halibut was delicious but the best entrée was the light and tasty Gnocchi Aurora, an exotic dish of Potato Pillows in Tomato Cream Sauce with Parmesan. Probably the best Gnocchi we've ever tasted. Canvas Restaurant in Montclair also makes great Gnocchi. Downtown Oakland has a great new stylish upscale restaurant near the convention center, Twist, in the Washington Inn. Twist brings a very high level of dining to ““Old Oakland", Executive Chef George Wong really knows his way with sauces and the dinner we had was exceptional. We fell in love with the warm Grilled Prawns and Avocado Salad with Cucumbers, Grapefruit and Butter Lettuce, accompanied by a superb Grapefruit Vinaigrette!

The Dungeness Crab Cake appetizer gets our highest praise as well. The entrees were terrific, and we enjoyed the Lobster Tail in a Raspberry-Champagne reduction served with Red Potatoes and an Aegean and Garbanzo Bean Salad. The Lamb Loin Chops Gremolata with Haricots Verts, Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes and Sweet Pepper Ratatouille was also a dish not to be missed. White Chocolate and Cabernet Raspberry Gelato for dessert was the perfect finish to a great meal. The Blackhawk Grill in Danville has a new chef, Scott Sasaki, who brings his experience and superior skills from The French Laundry and Lark Creek Inn with dishes such as the Beet Medley Salad and Peking Crisp Duck a la Orange entree. We are sorry to say that Ginger Island in Berkeley is now closed. We loved the Smoked Salmon and Avocado Sandwich and the Ginger Pudding, and hope it will make a comeback in some new creation of the owners.

Views and fine dining usually don't always mix but we found a few destinations in the East Bay that buck the trend. We enjoyed our Lobster Salad lunch at Paragon in the Claremont Resort that has a San Francisco and Bay view. Executive Chef Andrea Froncillo of The Dead Fish is known how to please with a fabulous Killer Crab Sandwich and Caesar Crab Salad. This restaurant overlooks the Carquinez Straits and the new Zampa Bridge. Skates on the Bay in Berkeley has a spectacular San Francisco and Golden Gate Bridge view and has the Best Key Lime Pie this side of Key West.

Up in the North Bay, young chefs are getting their chance to shine. Sassafras recently opened in Santa Rosa. Chef /Proprietor Jack Mitchell told us that after 20 years of working for others he is so pleased to be able to make all the decisions and do things his way. We loved the Baked Brie, Black Mission Figs, Hobbs Prosciutto and Aged Balsamic appetizer. Try the ““Surf & Turf" entrée with his signature Pan Fried Lobster. There are always special events so check their website, www.sassafrasrestaurant.com. Jean-Claude Balek Chef/Partner brings his wealth of experience to The Wolf House in Glen Ellen. Honing his craft at The California Culinary Academy and under the tutelage of Jeremiah Tower and Gary Danko, his ““Sonoma Valley Cuisine" is well worth the drive. We loved the Sparkling Wine Battered Prawns with Upland Cress Salad appetizer and The Pan Roasted Skate Wing served with Crème Fraiche, Smashed Potatoes and Truffle Braised Endive in a Brown Butter Sauce. The Classic Lemon Tart was a terrific dessert and the perfect ending to a great dining experience.

The Girl and the Fig in Petaluma is also drawing big crowds with their excellent cuisine and river views. We finally made it to The Martini House in St. Helena and had a lovely lunch dining outdoors. We couldn't believe it was open for 2 years already. First Crush opened a second location in Mill Valley and the early reviews are that it's casual upscale atmosphere and delicious cuisine at reasonable prices is just as good as the San Francisco location. Executive Chef Jacob Whitener who was trained at the California Culinary Academy and worked at Chez Papa, is in charge of the Mill Valley location. Try the Pan Seared Scallops. We also loved the Tuna Tartare and the Spicy Prawns that were blackened and served on a bed of Corn Relish with Spicy Remoulade Drizzle. At The Buckeye in Mill Valley, Chef Robert Price continues to get rave reviews even from Michael Bauer. We've loved his cuisine since we first met at P.J. Mulherns in San Francisco. Brix in Yountville is a great destination for lunch or dinner. The vegetable garden and vineyards behind the restaurant with the mountains in the background make it an idyllic setting. Executive Chef Ryan Jackson has changed the menu to more of seasonal foods including grilled meats and seafood. We loved the Pan Roasted Filet Mignon with Potato Puree, Glazed Root Vegetables in a Green Peppercorn Sauce. The Ross Valley Brewing Company with new Chef James Lloyd, previously at Paragon, is making people think better of Brew Pub food. We enjoyed the Crispy Polenta with Wild Mushrooms as a starter and the spicy Southern Style Jambalaya entrée. Our dessert was fabulous, an incredible Chocolate Banana Cream Pie! Of course, they brew some excellent beer, as well as root beer and orange cream soda.

San Jose is now officially on the fine dining map. Chef Michael Mina has put it there. He opened the fashionable upscale Arcadia in the San Jose Marriott bringing his Signature Lobster Pot Pie (We loved it at Nob Hill Restaurant in Las Vegas) and Dry Aged Roasted Prime Rib entrees along with his Modern American style. Santana Row was not far behind realizing that the South Bay was starved for fine dining with new additions like Yankee Pier, The Left Bank and Blowfish Sushi.

We took a weekend trip to Tahoe City on Lake Tahoe's North Shore and dined at Wolfdale's overlooking the beautiful blue lake. As a pioneer in Asian California Cuisine for over 25 years, Executive Chef - Proprietor Doug Dale, has blended the flavors of the West and Far East to create ““Cuisine Unique." We can't praise this superb dinner enough! We loved the Tuna Sashimi with Ginger, Arame, and Wasabi appetizer, and the Seared Alaskan Halibut with Thai Basil Pesto and Green Thai Curry over Jasmine Rice, prepared with a crispy skin and poached to perfection.For dessert we had the delicious Peach Kuchen with Chantilly Cream. The food had the effect of comfort food, as each dish tantalized our appetite and made room for more wonderful flavors.

Until we eat again...

Other Great Toques by the Writers:
Years End
Where to Dine in this Great City
More Where to Dine in San Francisco
Dining Dectives
It has been a “better” year...for the San Francisco Dining Scene.
Le Colonial is certainly the place to "see and be seen.
San Francisco Grand Opening Gala The Onmi Hotel
The Dynamic San Francisco Bay Area Restaurant Scene

Until we eat again…
Joe@DiningDetectives.com
Carol@DiningDetectives.com

See our reviews on the web….
www.DiningDetectives.com