Restaurants San Francisco - City View Restaurant

This is a delicious upscale dim sum place in Chinatown (near the Transamerica building). Don't be disappointed if you get there and are expecting a great view, there is no view of the city, but you will have a great view of the delicious food that will be passing by on trollies.

It is one of the most delicious dim sum places I have been to. Even though London and New York have great China towns, I must say this place is one of the best I have tried.

They have a huge selection of dim sum. Many new and exciting dishes tempted my palate. We tried various dim sum: char siu bao (steamed barbecued pork dumpling), shaomai (prawn and pork), char siu sou, shrimp fun roll, chinese broccoli, peking duck and many more.

The value for money was also good. We were a large group and therefore were able to try many dishes, but everyone was definitely full at the end and we paid 20 USD per person including tip.

City View Restaurant

662 Commercial Street

San Francisco

CA 94111

Tel. (415) 398-2838

Restaurants San Francisco - Benjarong Thai Cuisine (recommendable)

This is a charming little Thai Restaurant on Lombard street. If you are in the area it is a nice place to go to. I do not know why it is quite an empty place because it is a good restaurant.

We tried the yellow curry with sticky rice, pumpkin curry, and a shrimp fried rice. The main dishes with rice were around 12 USD per person, so good value for money.

Benjarong Thai Cuisine

1968 Lombard Street

San Francisco

CA 94123

Tel. (415) 441 8999

www.benjarongsf.com

Restaurants San Francisco - Bodega Bistro (recommendable)

This is a simple, perhaps some would even call it kitschy place, but great Vietnamese food! So ignore the scooter that is standing in the restaurant as decor and enjoy the food!

We tried the following dishes NOM (finely shredded papaya topped with tender beef and coarsely grounded peanuts with a tangy sauce), Cha Gio (crispy vietnamese egg rolls filled with crab meat, hicama and wood ear mushrooms), Goi Cuon (pork and shrimp wrapped in summer spring roll), Pho Ga (chicken in rice noodle soup), Bun Cha Handi (marinated pork served with vermicelli, salad wrap and a delicious sauce) and Bo Luc Lac (filet mignon marinated with garlic, pepper and a special seasoning sauce.

My two favourite dishes here was the Bo Luc Lac and the Bun Cha Handi.

Again the value for money is good - we paid around 20 USD per person.

Bodega Bistro

607 Larkin Street

San Francisco

CA 94539

www.bodegabistrosf.com

Restaurants San Francisco - Thanh Long (recommendable)

This Vietnamese Restaurant is in a residential area west of the Fisherman's Wharf of San Franciso (by the Golden Gate Park).

We tried the garlic noodles, garlic rice, roast crab (a whole crab roasted with garlic sauce)! Even though every dish was delicious here, one of my favourite dishes here was the Shake Beef (tender cubes of marinated steak flambeed in Chardonnay served with potatoes, mixed greens & cherry tomatoes).

Main dishes are around 20 USD per person, so not on the cheap side, but definitely worth a try. This place has a more trendy restaurant which is more central called Crustacean San Francisco, but according to a local source the food is not as good as in Thanh Long.

Thanh Long

4101 Judah Street (Corner of 46th)

San Francisco

CA 94122

Tel. (415) 665-1121

www.anfamily.com

Restaurants San Francisco - Lori's Diner Ghirardelli

If you are looking for simple burgers with a nice view, this is the place to visit.

Lori's Diner has a beautiful view and simple comfort food at reasonable prices.

We paid $11 per person for a main dish.

Lori's Diner at Ghirardelli Square
900 North Point St, SF, CA 94128
(415) 409-1950

www.lorisdiner.com

Restaurants San Francisco - Alioto's

Alioto's is a fish restaurant. One has a stunning view (at the tables upstairs) of the Golden Gate Bridge, good service and the food is fine. It is a bit of a tourist trap, but I must say that the lunch menu is good value for money.

I had shrimps in a spicy (not very spicy) tomato sauce with rice. The taste was not very complex, but just right for a quick lunch.

The main course was $13 per person.

www.aliotos.com

Restaurants San Francisco - Scomas

Scoma is a great seafood restaurant which has a little bit of a touristy ambiance, but one hardly notices the surroundings due to the delicious fresh fish they serve.

The baked filet of petrale topped with mushroom and white wine sauce tasted delicious. The Alaskan Ivory King Salmon on crab ravioli was memorable too.

Certainly worth trying, especially if you like seafood!

The service is good.

$45 per person.

Pier 47 on Al Scoma Way
San Francisco, CA 94133

www.scomas.com