Some San Francisco Questions
 

Just a weekend visit the end of July to see ds and I have a few questions:

Has anyone taken the 'Rising Steel: Two Centuries of SF Architecture' walking tour thru the SF Library? Is it one of the 'don't miss' tours?

Is there really an entrance to the parking garage in GGPark outside the park on the north side?

Is it always a very long wait to have lunch at Pizzeria Delfino in the Mission District? I was thinking of a Fri afternoon. If it's always impossible to get in, I'd appreciate a heads up and we'll plan something else.

Has anyone recently stayed at Le Meridien? I got a very good rate there as well as at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero (stayed there last Sept), but Le Meridien includes a full breakfast.

Parking in the Embarcadero area - in case we decide to keep the car (coming from Sonoma), are there any reasonable garages with comparable rates to those in the USq area?

Had a wonderful dim sum brunch at Yank Sing last visit. Is there another dim sum restaurant that takes reservations that you would highly recommend or should we go back to Yank Sing?

As always, thank you for your help!

<<<Is it always a very long wait to have lunch at Pizzeria Delfino in the Mission District? I was thinking of a Fri afternoon. If it's always impossible to get in, I'd appreciate a heads up and we'll plan something else.>>>

Depends on how many of you there are and whether you want to sit at the bar. We were there, just two of us, recently on a Friday, fairly early - around 6:00 - and waited less than 1/2 hour and had our choice of a table outside or the bar (we chose the bar). If you're there "off-hours", obviously less of a problem. Last time, we waited 45 minutes for a seat at the bar, also on a Friday night, but a little later.

<<<Parking in the Embarcadero area - in case we decide to keep the car (coming from Sonoma), are there any reasonable garages with comparable rates to those in the USq area? >>>

What kind of price are you talking about? The least expensive indoor garages in the Embarcadero area would be 1) Embarcadero Center ($32.50 per day), 2) Maritime Plaza, 3) Portsmouth Square Garage, 4) St. Mary's Square Garage. They're all in the high $20s-low $30s for 24 hours.

I wouldn't mind sitting at the bar if that's all there is. My guess is that I would be there sometime between 12:30 and 2:00. There will be two of us. I don't think that is "off hours," do you?

As for parking, I was thinking high $20's as opposed to $50.

My favorite dim sum place in the City--Harbor Village, does not take reservations. I actually don't know any that do. Maybe that is why my Chinese friends refer to Yank Sing as the best dim sum place for round eyes. :) Other places that have been recommended to me New Asia Garden and Gold Mountain and Koi Palace in Daly City, don't take reservations either.

I have never used a parking lot entrance on the N side of GGP since I usually walk over to the Concourse--but I think it's at 10th Ave, off Fulton.

Is this the same Harbor Village that used to be in 4 Embarcadero? If so, it's very very good (or was).

<I>"Is there really an entrance to the parking garage in GGPark outside the park on the north side?"</I>

Yes, CPG, we use this when driving
down from Sonoma COunty and visiting the park.

http://www.famsf.org/deyoung/visitin...subpagekey=575

Otherwise, SF is best done without a car :)

R5

When you google Harbor Village, a few sites say it's closed. How long ago did you dine there?

r5, thanks for that link. While you're here, have you eaten in El Dorado in Sonoma? How does it compare to Cafe la Haye? I've eaten in neither.

Sorry about that, it has been awhile since I went there--I should have checked it was still open. Too bad it was good. Most of my dim sum eating friends go to Koi Palace, but the lines and wait are too long for me, so I gave up going with them.

I don't want to wait on a long line either. I don't like it at home and especially when I'm visiting someplace for such a short time. There are too many good places to eat on this little planet of ours. That's why I asked about reservations. Yank Sing might not be authentic and might be pricier, but it was delicious. It won't be a bad choice if we end up there.

Similar to Yank Sing is City View on a small alley in Chinatown. Although Yank Sing is still my favorite!

Cafe La Haye is a small, casual restaurant with very good food, while El Dorado Kitchen is much more ambitious and upscale.

Susan

PS - I agree that having a car in SF isn't optimal, similar to Manhattan. There will be very few places near your hotel where you can take the car in and out for less than $30/day.

We parked at the Embarcadero garage when we stayed at the Hyatt Regency. It was safe and easy to use. Beware that some other cheaper options may be just an open lot; and some are NOT open on weekends. The Embarcadero garage is open 7 days/week; but it's closed between MN-7am (I think - double check to be sure).

Yes, as waldrons has said, Cafe la Haye is small, intimate
with about 30 tables on different levels. The small kitchen
amazes at what it turns out. Simple preparations. I'd call it Sonoma/CA/American cuisine. Lots of local used here.

EDK is in it's 3rd rebirth since it was a Piatti.
A big room with partitions-Dark wood floors. There's a large communal table in one area and in another you can watch the goings on in the kitchen. Also, there's possible seating by the pool.

Check out one of my favorites -Harvest Moon Cafe -especially the back patio !

R5

<<<There will be very few places near your hotel where you can take the car in and out for less than $30/day.>>>

There will be ZERO places where you can take the car <i>in and out</i> for less than $30/day. The garages I mentioned are NOT in-and-out.

I second City View for dim sum; we've been there 3 times now and really like it.

I was considering Yank Sing because they take reservations (and I had a good experience before). We will be coming from a walking tour that I think ends about 1 pm and I want to be sure that I don't have a problem being seated. How large is City View. Is it always packed or not so bad on a summer weekend?

City View is a good sized place; have never been on weekend. I did notice they have a lower floor, but not sure it is used for public or is for private functions.

The fact that it is on a small side street and most tourists would never even see it might make it easier to get in. We went in about 15 minutes before noon and it wasn't crowded so we got right in. Not sure about weekends. Google it and read some of the comments; all good.

The carts a plentiful, fresh and come out at a good pace.

Re: Pizzeria Delfina, we went on a Sunday morning, got there just as the place opened. We got right in and sat at the small bar. It was fun and it was delish.

Would love opinions about the car in SF:

I may want the car for flexibility because:
a)don't know where ds will be living, but it won't be near my hotel near the Embarcadero.
b)itinerary example: I might want to go to a timed exhibit at the De Young the first thing in the am on Sat, lunch somewhere else and then to the Paris exhibit (free the same day as the Impressionist exhibit at the DY) at the Legion of Honor.

The only public transportation in SF that I've used has been buses - kind of slow like in NY. What would you do?

be aware parking is at a premium in San Francisco so some locations have "stickered" parking where you have to be a resident to park more than 2 hrs; or meters with 2 hr limits. Meters can be as high a a dollar a minute. (I say this in case you are wanting to park near DS)

If you factor in parking per day you'd be better off taking cabs from the de young to the legion of Honor.

mztery - are you serious about meters $1 per minute? That is outrageous!

I'm not against cabs. My impression of SF is that they're not plentiful like in NY. How likely would it be to find a cab at the Legion of Honor or even from the DY to LOH? Would it just be getting lucky that someone was dropped off there?