Hi. We are traveling to San Francisco, Carmel/Monterey, and the Wine Country in a few weeks, and would like some recommendations of good places to eat. We plan to splurge a few times, but would also like to hear about good, moderately priced restaurants. Your words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

There are many good restraunts in all the places but for the life of me can't think of the ones in Napa (I only live 20 min from there
I will give you a couple in Montery. Monteros is on Calle Principal right by the Double Tree. It looks like a tourist restraunt but it's not. There food is contintal and quite resonable in nice enviorment late at night it can get noisy. The same people that ownen then restraunt also own one called The Rio Grill in the Barn Yard in Carmel. The food is good but it is very pricey about $80.00 for 2 for dinner. There is a newish place in Carmel called ZigZag. I can't remeber what street it's on but the food is good. about $55.00 for 2 at dinner. One street down from Monteros is a French bakery they make wonderful bread & pasteries. They offer breakfast and lunch. One of the best places in town. It's not fancy but the food is wonderful!
If you like Spanish Pialla there is a place in San Francisco on 26th & Mission (not a great neighborhood but ok during the light, I would drive there) called Alijandros. They make the best Pilla in the city! Re Lepic on Pine is very nice, set meal and limited menu but every offering is excellent a 5 cours meal is $32.00 per person. If you wish to go make a reservaton there are only 12 tables. For a different dinning experience there is Asia SF. It is alot of fun and turely a San Francisco experience. It's an Asin Drag restraunt food is good the singing alot of fun it's on 9th and Mission. If you want a nice lunch take the boat to Tiberon from the warf and try Guymas the food is good and the view one of the best around. The boat docks right infront of the restraunt.
Hope this was of some help
Tracy

My recommendation is for Tra Vigne in Napa Valley - St. Helena, I think. More on the splurge side than budget - but a yummy experience.

In CARMEL (and environs) exceptional dining can be had at:

-- Rio Grill at the Crossroads: food and ambiance delightful

-- Montrio, up the road 10 miles in Monterey: very fine indeed. Make reservations as soon as possible!

-- Ventana, down the road some 25 miles in Big Sur: absolutely worth the drive (itself spectacular). Classy dining in a very special setting.

In WINE COUNTRY, I recommend:

[it may seem as if it's a rule that the names of all fine restaurants in these parts must start with a 'T' but I've been assured that's not so.]

-- TraVigne [noisy, difficult to get resevations, food is great, good wine list]

-- Terra: superb. Reservations a must.

-- Trilogy: more superb, ditto reservations

-- Mustards: everyone's fave

-- The French Laundry: No less an authority than the New York Times has proclaimed this establishment the finest restaurant in the land. Make reservations immediately. If you can't get in for dinner, do lunch.

-- Auberge du Soleil: fine dining, and even if you don't dine here, be sure to stop by just before sunset to enjoy champagne by the glass on the deck overlooking Napa Valley. Tres romantic.

-- Culinary Institute

There's a darling Cafe Berlin in Carmel with the greatest strudel in California--sit outside in the sunshine. Also, a new Il Fornaio in the Pine Inn is very pretty and good Italian, including wonderful pizza and pasta. In Napa, so many to choose from--in addition to the above recommendations, BistroDon Giovanni, Domaine Chandon (a splurge!), Mustards (one of the oldest and best in the valley), and Catahoula Restaurant and Saloon in Calistoga. If you're going to Sonoma Valley, Bistro Ralph, Madrona Manor and the Cafe at the Winery at Souverain, all near Healdsburg. A wonderful place for huevos rancheros is the Red Hen on Rt. 29 just outside Yountville after passing through Napa. It's on the left side of the road--budget and super Mexican! Books have been written about SF restaurants---our favorite in Chinatown is the Great Eastern, although a bit touristy. You won't need to look far to find great places. Enjoy!

Lucky you!! What a great trip--we did the same trip in Aug.'96, and these are the places we really enjoyed: In Napa Valley (I can't remember the little towns these are all in, but anyone in the area will probably be able to direct you) we LOVED the Auberge du Soleil (Rutherford, I think). We ate out on the balcony at sunset, it was SO romantic. The food was good, pricey, wine was great. We also returned for a drink the next night in their bar area which also has a pretty balcony. The interior of the restaurant is also very nice, but sit outside if you can. We also would recommend Mustards--noisy, not too expensive, and fun. In S.F., Aquas is very nice and good (in the financial district). We ate at a Fodor's-recommended place in Chinatown called the R&G Lounge. The name of the place is kind of strange, you go down to the basement to eat, but the place was packed and the food was good and inexpensive. Happy Eating!!!!

Splurge restaurants in SF - Hawthorne Lane (great California/Asian cuisine), Crustacean (get the crabs, garlic noodles and pesto mussel appetizer),
Boulevard (california). Good other restaurants -Michaelangelo (Italian, north beach), Cha CHa CHa (american tapas - haight - long wait), Slanted Door (Vietnamese fusion), The House (Asian fusion - NOrth Beach), Jackson Fillmore (Italian), Betelnut (Asian - Union Street), Yank Sing (Dim Sum), House of Nanking (Chinese - also very good, little place just to right of this very popular retsaurant), North India is best INdian food, Manora's and THep Phanom are best Thai, Zha's pizza, Swan's Oyster Depot. Hoep this helps!