Dan

For a very special occasion, and a quiet and classy restaurant, you might want to consider Silks. The food and ambiance are wonderful. When you reserve, tell them it is a special occasion and you would like one of the more private tables. You won't regret it.

xxx

Is anyone else curious if Blah has already had the anniversary? This post was a month ago.

Bill

For a walk on the wild side - well, not too wild - I'll share a secret dining place for those who might venture to the Castro:

The Red Grill (4063 - 18th St. between Castro and Hartford. 415 255-2733) serves very decent, affordable (for San Francisco) plain American food. They specialize in dishes mother made: steak, baked chicken, and simple fish, each dinner served with a choice of satisfying unadorned sides such as baked potato or creamed spinach.

Yummy! And the Bar upstairs is perfect for a well-poured drink and conversation with your party. Too many bars these days are so loud you can't hear the people you're with. This place is great!

Castro choice #2: 2223 Market - Again an excellent bar and great food - though it can sometimes feel crowded.

Castro choice #3: Fallen from its once hotter than hot spot favor, Mecca on Market St. still serves up a good beverage and dinner. This place used to be "the" place for Marina folks to "do" the Castro.

All restaurants within a block or right on the streetcar/subway line.

fly61

Wow. You're talking about a city that has almost as many good restaurants as New York (well, almost). Zuni, on Market Street, is still my favorite. It's about $100 per person (with bottle of wine), but the food is excellent and imaginative, the service impeccable but friendly, and the atmosphere is sophisticated without being pretentious or fussy. The wine list is usually peppered with interesting Italian wines and lots of wonders from California's rich wine country. You could also try Aqua, but it's REALLY expensive.

fly61

Hawthorne Lane is very good.

Blah1

Hello. No we have not gone to SF yet. We are still going to Harris' unless something changes. If we get stuck in Sausalito or somewhere similar, we'll just go there.. somewhere.

I appreciate all the posts and suggestions. Harris' is simple.. our taste. I know 5th floor, which we're also going.. has great food, but I doubt we'll enjoy foie gras or the like...

We're staying @ Mark Hopkins and it's comical we'll likely not eat @ Top of the Mark, which I have read is fun.. So, it will Harris' , Boulevard, Hawthorne Lane, Delfina, and possibly Ashford and Co (Sonoma)... who knows what will happen. Oh year, we want to go to Zuni for lunch if they are open.. but really, food is overrated.. I would rather spend time in Muir Woods than in restaurants, but I have a disctinct feeling we're going to eat well when there. I am worried that SF is not a "vacation" destination. We are really only going there because of a cottage in Sonoma... SF is really a pre-trip, so to speak. I sincerely hope we have fun, and that is up to us.. as stated, CA's politics turn us off tremendously... so it will be interesting to see if I can ignore the "blame America 1st" rhetoric I expect to see in SF and everywhere else in that area.... Thanks so much for the ideas!

Suzie

Blah1 I'm sure you must mean John Ash & Co in Santa Rosa.

Other yummy places in Sonoma to consider:

Cafe La Haye
Della Santina
General's Daughter (associated with the cooking school called Ramekins)

Suzie

Oops never mind. I just read that you prefer simply prepared american food. Maybe you'd like Saddles Steakhouse in Mac Auther Place in Sonoma. They serve many choices of beef with a variety of toppings like wild mushrooms, pepprcorns or carmelized onions.

Anyway, have fun. Congrats on 5 years.

Blah1

Thanks again. Yes.. Santa Rosa..

I have a question, if you all don't mind.. if we intend to hit Muir Woods, Point Reyes.. should we have a car 1st? (We do).. should we wait until after SF and then do those things..

Here is what will happen. Mark Hopkins is supposed to be nice.. we'll likely hardly be there. What we SHOULD do is stay somewhere cheap.. We got $260 a night aFTEr taxes, parking, and breakfast daily delivered to our room.

I really appreciate the comments.

PamSF

Gotta jump in here..California politics are varied and California politics are what allow us to still be able to visit places like Muir Woods and Point Reyes and enmjoy their splendor. BTW..if you are going to Sonoma after SF I'd say wait to rent a car and stop at Muir Woods and Point Reyes along the way. You can drive up the coast to Sonoma or head inland and reach Sonoma either from San Rafael or over the River Rd.

Blah1

Yes, Pam, I agree. I speak of extremists from both sides of thinking.. And SF has been know for that in the papers, including the SF Chronicle.

I think we'll cancel the rental car...

Another sad day today...

PamSF

I'd recommend at least a full day in Point Reyes itself. There are many hikes which are relatively easy and allow you to absorb some of the beauty amid a variety of landscapes. You can pick up an easy to understand map of the park at the visitor's center. My favorite hike which is really a walk is Abbott's Lagoon. This is a migratory waterfowl sanctuary. You walk a total of about 1.7 miles to the ocean part of the beach. You walk through pasture and past a lagoon. People walk out here with little kids it's that easy. No dogs are allowed so one can observe all sorts of birds. The pelicans might be back in full when you are here. Wild irises bloom all around the pasture land and start in early April.
You can spy whales migrating North from the lighthouse. Limantour Beach is another particularly beautiful spot. You can park in close proximity and the walk is maybe 1/4 mile to the beach itself. Get a map of Sonoma county and you will be able to see how easy it will be to get to your cottage from the coast. Much of Sonoma County is coastal. And..don't believe what you read in The Chronicle..it's (IMHO) a terrible newspaper. The LA Times is a far better read.

margieco

Thhought I'd toss a couple more things out at you...

I have not eaten at Harris', but I can recommend Acme Chop House (at pacbell park) for good simple straightforward food (with excellent cuts of meat).
In Sonoma/Napa, you might want to give the culinary institute at greystone castle a try. Really good food, gorgeous setting, and fairly easy to get a lunchtime reservation (and they serve lunch until 4:30 or so, then start dinner at 5).