For those looking for a different type of restaurant, Skool Restaurant, 1725 Alameda St, San Francisco, CA 94103 is the place to try. It is fusion cuisine. Highlights were monkfish liver mousse, uni (sea urchin) flan, and blue cheese cake. The squid ink spaghetti was the one disappointing dish because it was not a squid ink sauce but simply a pasta in which squid ink had been incorporated and then dried (it was not a fresh pasta). The cost was $60 per person, we were five and had about $60 worth of drinks and alcohol. The wine list is a little pricey.

Monkfish liver mousse, sea urchin flan, blue cheese cake? eeeyew. Those three dishes sound awful. The one time I ordered a dish with squid ink, I was really disappointed watching the black ink spread throughout the entire plate to make everything charcoal grey. yuck.

Sounds like a miss for me.

As the saying goes, you think a food before you eat it. But a friend was in Vietnam and one of the best meat she ate there--clearly not part of her normal diet--was field rat, probably imported from Cambodia.

We like Skool a lot except for the noise level. Funny, but we thought the squid ink pasta was great, and didn't love the sea urchin flan (although friends we were with did). It is different, and in this case, that's good (not the same old-same old)

We also liked the deep fried salmon skins and the salmon collars. For the less adventurous, the restaurant does offer things like steak-frites.

Skool is one of our favorites. We go there about twice a year. Get there around 7 to avoid the noise.

>> Those three dishes sound awful

I was there for 2 Fodor's GTGs, once inside - too noisy, once outside, in nice weather it's great. Plenty of street parking. Cannot comment on food as it's been a while, they probably changed the menu. Check their Facebook page for freebies.

We did not have problems with noise, and yet I do not believe that they changed the décor. New places trying to be the latest tend to be noisy, and I am usually sensitive to it; not this time.

StuDudley, you don't usually stoop to snarky personal remarks, like this: "You sound like my 95 year old FIL. "I don't know what it is - but I know I don't like it".

My tastes are quite sophisticated, thank you very much.

I think the point is to try something before judging it, not vice-versa. Most everything does in fact taste pretty much like chicken. Although sea urchin is wonderful imo, especially in the hands of a good cook.

Thanks, fdecarlo. I think it's also a matter of knowing my own taste buds, and that those three dishes do not interest me.

I certainly was not trying to be snarky. My apologies if you felt so.

My FIL is from Indiana, and he doesn't like anything new. He moved here to California five years ago. "It tastes like chicken" or "tastes like sole" are common phrases in our house. We often "fool" him by slipping him some fennel, calamari, duck breast, or buffalo. He usually confesses that "it was pretty good". Fried calamari is one of his favorites now - he orders it at restaurants anytime it's on the menu. He even knows which restaurants prepare it the best way.

And I'm curious - how do you know you don't like it until you've tried it?? Your "taste buds" can't tell you much before you've had a bite. I suppose the small could be offending. I didn't like mushrooms 45 years ago.

Stu Dudley

Thank you, Stu. I'm really not like your FIL. Promise.

Gameworks, advertising is not permitted, and advertising your restaurant in Ontario, CA when the subject is San Francisco is just stupid. I've "triangled" you.

We went to Golden Era. It was an interesting lunch
After a traumatic (only related to food) experience in Sedona's vegan restaurant I was afraid to eat there. Turned out, much better than expected.

Ordered drinks - of course, no Coca-Cola (my husband's favorite) and beer only non-alcoholic. No wine list. Yes, it is California. Kale smoothie not only looked green, it tasted green

Golden rolls tasted just like regular egg rolls, the sauce with sesame seeds was better. I had House Rice Claypot which was surprisingly tasty. If you don't question what's in it.

There is a list of ice-cream flavors which we didn't dare to order - in a vegan place that would be non-dairy.