So its Thien's 30th birthday this weekend and my usual desperate rush to prepare for these kinds of events, I am late with my plans. I've been trying to think of a fun thing to do for her birthday, and so I've been soliciting advice. It turns out I had to look no farther than Anil Dash, aka Mr Romance, for some great suggestions.
The one that I think I'm going to take up is 30 dinners for 30 years. These would be, of course, consecutive dinners and probably spaced up over the course of the year. So, I now ask you gentle notcomet reader, for your favorite restaurant. It doesn't have to be expensive fancy schmancy and it doesn't have to be in SF proper.
The tricky part of this is that Thien doesn't eat at the same restaurant twice. There are too many restaraunts in the bay area to try to be encumbered by repeat visits to any one of them, or so the logic goes.
So send me all your favorites! I promise to blog about them and let you know what we thought!
Aww, what a great idea!
Be sure to take your camera, and document each one. Then you can give that to her in a book, as a gift for her 31st. ;D
Posted by: Melissa | 03/28/2006 at 08:07 PM
(what a great pic!) i really love R&G lounge, especially their salt and pepper crab. Sultan, the new indian place we went to before tatsuhiko left, is just about the best indian I've had in SF proper. And Chef Jia (which is next to House of Nanking and just as good) is consistently good for me.
Posted by: Anil | 03/28/2006 at 08:17 PM
our co-worker rommel said that napenthe (which is down by big sur) is great.
Posted by: nonogirl | 03/28/2006 at 11:11 PM
Kiss (Japanese) near Japantown, Chez Pannise is nice, Tu Lan's in Tenderloin, Maki inside the Japantown mall is good, Norikonoko in Berkeley for homestyle Japanese food.
Posted by: Kokochi | 03/29/2006 at 11:19 AM
+1 for Kiss and Maki, also Chapeau in the Richmond is the fancy french place we talked about a while back. I'm also in love with the dim sum at Mayflower on Geary at 25th (26th? therabouts, anyway.)
such a pretty photo!
Posted by: miz_ginevra | 03/29/2006 at 02:53 PM
+1 on gorgeous photo of Thien!!!
Here's a few of my SF favorites:
* Minako: Organic sushi. Mission near 18th.
* Matterhorn: fondue, on Van Ness.
* South Beach Cafe: best thin crust pizza in SF. On the Embarcadero.
* Sauce: "New American". Gough near Page. The portabello mushroom fries are a must!
* Sushi Bistro: 5th Avenue near Balboa. Yummy baby lobster rolls!
* Slow Club: "New American". Potrero Hill/outer Mission.
Posted by: Lilia | 03/29/2006 at 05:20 PM
OMG! Thien's birfday! How sweet! ^_^ !!! Send her extra squishy's for me. How is APT hunting going?
Anywho here's my list:
* E&O Trading Company (Downtown)
http://www.eotrading.com/ /> (everything is good) She should order the mango ribs. =d
* Uncle Vito's Pizzeria (Nob Hill)
Pizza is good.
* Isuzu (In Japantown)
We went there for noodle club. =)
* Sweet Inspiration (market near castro)
Nummy desserts! ^_^ !!
<3
<3
Posted by: Cat | 03/30/2006 at 07:20 AM
Oh! And one more...
Zona Rosa (Upper Haight)
Burrito joint...
Tommy's (Geary/23rd Avenue)
Azteca/Best Margaritas!
<3
Posted by: Cat | 03/30/2006 at 07:23 AM
+1 on Minako. Get there early, be REALLY nice to Judy (she owns the joint as well as waitresses, and hates tourists like you don't even know), and plan on a slow, relaxed dinner.
Millenium for super-upscale and delicious vegan fare $$$
Big Nate's BBQ for meat & slaw $
Barney's for gourmet and stupidly large burgers $$
Scoma's for seafood and old-time Italian SF ambience $$$
Citrus Club for the best big-ass bowls of soups and noodles $
Posted by: Nicole | 03/30/2006 at 12:17 PM
If you like oysters, you can't beat the Hog Island Oyster Company. They opened an oyster bar/restaurant in the Ferry Building and while it is not romantic in that low-lighting-you-look-lovely-tonight kind of way, the atmosphere is nice (great view of the Bay) and the food is divine. I always order the special without even asking what it is. It's never the same thing twice and it's always great.
It may be passe, but I still love Zuni Cafe. Perfect for champaign and roasted chicken (and man, their fries are sooo good).
One of my favorite places when money is no object (or someone else's object) is La Folie. Fantastic French food and perfect for celebrating something special.
Posted by: karen | 03/31/2006 at 10:59 AM
Dude, that is *such a great idea*. :D
Posted by: Abe | 03/31/2006 at 08:43 PM
Happy birthday to Thien !!
What a nice gift ;)
I enjoyed Pizza d'Angelo in Mill Valley.
Posted by: caro | 04/02/2006 at 11:35 AM