While San Francisco is famous for its regional delicacies such as abalone, Dungeness crab, bay shrimp and crusty sourdough bread, the city is so cosmopolitan there are few dishes of any ethnic origin you cannot find among its hundreds of restaurants.
Choice, however, is never easy when there’s so much to choose from. To help, here are just a few restaurants that warrant a visit.
Long-established, well-respected and located in the Russian Hill-Nob Hill neighborhood, Acquerello is an Italian restaurant oozing old-world charm and sophistication.
Opened 29 years ago in a converted chapel, it is operated by maître d’ Giancarlo Paterlini, a native of Bologna who has worked for many years in the world of fine-dining, and friendly executive chef, Suzette Gresham-Tognetti, whose cooking skills are sewn into her DNA due to her familial culinary heritage.
Crisp white tablecloths, Villeroy & Boche cutlery and roses on the table reflect a high level of refinement, an atmosphere enhanced by vaulted, wood-beam ceilings and modernist paintings on the walls. Reflecting attention to detail, a choice of black or white napkins is offered to clients depending on the color of their attire. Subdued music and soft carpeting grants the restaurant a cozy, intimate feel.
A comprehensive wine list features mostly Italian varieties, with a particular emphasis on Piemonte reds and the Nebbiolo grape, but also with some US vintages and a selection of champagnes.
Fixed menus of three, four and five-courses are offered as is a more comprehensive paired seasonal tasting one, all featuring standard Italian dishes and contemporary interpretations of the classics.
Guests even have a choice of three different chowders - crab and corn, New England and Manhattan. Seven seafood mains cater to most tastes including linguini and manila clams, Dungeness crab cakes, mussels with chips and cioppino, a local seafood stew of crab, mussels, clams, calamari and prawns with tomato broth and garlic toast.
Carnivores, however, are not ignored. Among the starters are cheese and charcuterie with toasted bread, dried fruit, nuts and honey and grilled asparagus and prosciutto with shaved pecorino and aged balsamic. Grilled pork loin, New York steak, chicken and hamburger are among the mains. The restaurant also hosts special theme days such as taco Tuesdays and fresh-catch Fridays.
Street activity becomes even more interesting after a house cocktail. Fancy something spicy to tickle the tongue? Try ‘Mission District’ a combo of jalapeno-infused Don Julio Blanco, pineapple puree and lime. Something more soothing? Opt for ‘The Roots,’ a blend of Grey Goose vodka, carrot juice, ginger and lemon.
As for the food, hungry after a six-hour drive from Fort Bragg in northern Mendocino County and a stroll in the chilly evening air, I eyed a juicy New York steak and combined it with my favorite seafood dish, a plateful of crispy fried calamari. My companion, being much more experimental, chose as her starter the restaurant’s signature corn and crab chowder, thick and creamy in an edible bowl of the city’s iconic sourdough bread.
