BIN 38

February 2009

I had a lovely pre-movie dinner at Bin 38. It was totally packed at 8pm on a Saturday, with every table booked and a gaggles of yuppie Marina folks around the bar. Our table was out in the front by the bar, so I didn't see the rest of the place.

We had a good bottle of Rioja (well, two between three of us), and then several courses of food to share. The winter crudites were small but refreshing, and the spinach artichoke bruschetta were great. Good crab and citrus salad. Love roasted cauliflower and broccoli (did not love the random patron from the bar who kept asking us about it), and lamb meatballs were pretty good. Not huge portions all around.

It was a bit loud, but a fun girls dinner. Final tab ~$70 per person.

http://www.bin38.com/

3232 Scott St (between Chestnut St & Lombard St), San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 567-3838

Mamacita

Dinner with Shreni

YUM. Favorite fusion Mexican place in the city, it was so delicious. Ceviche was amazing, as was the guac. Both our entres were amazing. Really great margaritas too :)

You can get reservations for half of their seats, and rest is walk-in, so especially prime time, should definitely try for a ressie.

www.mamacitasf.com

2317 Chestnut St, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 346-8494

Ristorante Parma

August 2008
Dinner

Standard Italian on Steiner between Chestnut and Lombard. Gerri and I went there at 6pm the night before our half marathon for our "pasta dinner," as was the rest of the customers for the restaurant to be packed at such a geriatric hour. Good authentic, though not super exciting Italian food.

3314 Steiner Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 467-0500

Judy's Cafe

December 2007
Brunch with GSBers

Judy's is a popular Marina brunch spot that always has lines in front of it on weekend mornings. We waited over half an hour to get a table for 7 (worked out well since most of the party was late). There is outside seating, and then two floors upstairs, but still pretty cramped. The food was good, though not phenomenal -- we were wondering what all of those long waits were for. Bechelli's two blocks down is about the same food for less wait and money I think.

2268 Chestnut Street (between Scott and Pierce), San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 922-4588

Bechelli's

Sunday, October 7, 2007
Brunch with Lowell

Cute little diner-esque place on Chestnut near Scott. Had an amazing artery clogging Italian omelette, which was basically a lasagna with eggs instead of pasta. YUM. Fantastic breakfast potatoes too, I would go back just for that. Lowell had a much healthier avocado and cheese omelette that was pretty good too.

2346 Chestnut Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 346-1801

Barney's Gourmet Burgers

Friday, September 28, 2007
Dinner with Lowell

Barney's is a good burger joint on Steiner and Chestnut. I still like the Counter better, but there are dozens of options for different meats and toppings, and they have good appetizers as well. Beware, while the vegetable platter was very good, it consisted of fried batter and little vegetable, and I think I am now due for a heart attack. Yummy though. I had the Baja burger with avocado, bacon and cheese, which was very good.

3344 Steiner Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 563-0307

Andale

Saturday, September 22, 2007
Dinner with Lowell

Andale is a chain of reasonably priced Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area. Order at the counter and they bring it to you, so not full service. They have a salsa bar and good menu. I had a yummy shrimp quesadilla and Lowell had a ginormous burrito.

2150 Chestnut St, San Francisco CA 94123
(415) 749-0506

Askew

Friday, September 21, 2007
Dinner with Lowell and Rohin

Askew Grill is a Bay Area chain with great BBQ and comfort food. Awesome ribs and good "starchy" garlic mash and cous cous.

3348 Steiner, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 931-9201

Isa

Saturday, September 15, 2007
Birthday dinner with Lowell

I had a lovely birthday dinner for Lowell at Isa, on Steiner and Chestnut in the Marina. I found it on Zagat's (25 for food) and had a 8:15 reservation. We had a funny seat -- it was cute in the end because we were on a date, but we had a little corner table where we sat next to each other facing a window.

I ordered the Frogs Leap Zin 2005 ($49) which was really good. They serve everything family style at Isa. We started with tuna tartare with avocado, edamame and radish and crostini- amazing, we loved it. Flavorful, with lots of depth, and a decent size dish too. We also loved the scallop on bed of mashed potato with corn and beans - also amazing with great juicy scallops. Wonderful, seasonal side of summer corn.

We chose the seafood paella over the mushroom risotto because it looked amazing at the table next to us. Unfortunately it was kind of like risotto -- a little soupy, bland, not great. The duck breast was ok. The duck itself wasn't great, though with combination with the beet juice and greens was good.

Dessert brought us back. Grapefruit granite, which turned out to be a sherbet, was just fantastic. Super fresh and not too sweet.

Total cost was $130 (plus tip). I want to go back and try some of their more simple dishes, but overall really liked Isa.

3324 Steiner Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 567-9588

Squat & Gobble

Saturday, September 15, 2007
Brunch with Lowell

One of my favorite brunch places near Lowell in the Marina, Squat & Gobble Cafe & Crepery has awesome crepes, breakfast foods and salads. You order and they bring you your food, but pretty casual place, with tons of people during brunch and lunch times.

I had a shrimp omelet special, which I didn't love, though the marina crepe I had last time was awesome. Lowell's breakfast sandwich on a toasted croissant was pretty amazing. Dishes are about $9. Looks like they have a bunch of locations.

2263 Chestnut Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 441-2200

Yukol Place

Friday, September 7, 2007
Dinner with GSBers

2380 Lombard Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 922-1599

Grove Cafe

Sunday, April 29, 2007
Brunch with Lowell, Carolyn and Mal

Grove is a wonderful little cafe on the corner of Chestnut and Avila (between Pierce and Scott). We met Carolyn and Mal for a noonish Sunday brunch. There are seats on the sidewalk outside as well as benches along a large window that looks out into the street. You have to get in line to order your food or drinks, but they bring them to you at your seat.

AWESOME Bloody Mary's, thick and spicy with garnishes of spicy peppers, olives and green beans. They also come in a glass that has to be a foot tall. The food was equally impressive in size -- the breakfast burrito looks like a baby seal -- and you can ask for additional ingredients like bacon or guacamole. Carolyn and Lowell had Dave's Downfall (I think) which is a eggs benedict with avocado. Sides of bacon, salad and 4-cheese mac & cheese were nice too. (We might have overeaten). Our neighbors had some good looking coffee drinks.

Cute brunch place with great Bloody Mary's. Parking is a pain but it is the Marina.

2250 Chestnut Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 474-4843