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The Bay Area is home to popular, innovative restaurants such as Chez Panisse in Berkeley and Commis in Oakland—for which reservations must be made well in advance. Expect an emphasis on locally grown produce, hormone-free meats, and California wines. Many Marin cafés don't serve dinner, and dinner service ends on the early side. (No 10 pm reservations in that neck of the woods.)
Sushi aficionados swear that this tiny, stylish restaurant is the Bay Area's finest option for raw fish, but don't overlook the excellent Pacific Rim fusions, a melding of Japanese ingredients and French techniques. Book in advance or expect a wait, which you can soften by sipping one of the bar's 30 by-the-glass sakes.
More Tokyo street chic than standard sushi house, this izakaya—the Japanese equivalent of a bar with appetizers—is decked with bamboo-screen booths. Servers pour an impressive array of sakes and shōchū and serve up satisfying fare. Savvy diners make reservations and arrive early for the best selection. Several small plates are made in-house and are a must-order, including pickles, gyoza dumplings, and tofu.
Reservations are recommended at this hot spot where the outdoor seating is ideal for people-watching and the Japanese country food is uniquely prepared. Locals come for seasonally changing, eclectic dishes made with a blend of local ingredients, such as burdock root tempura and tamari-kombu cured salmon or a wonderful salad combining various kinds of sashimi with a spicy miso dressing.
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