yk's San Francisco + Bay Area Trip Report (focus on food and museums)
Sep 3rd, 2008, 02:15 PM
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yk's San Francisco + Bay Area Trip Report (focus on food and museums)
Before I begin, let me first start by thanking all of you guys from SF/Bay Area who answered my questions and made suggestions to my prior threads. My mom and I had a great time there, and everyday we were greeted with gorgeous weather (blue sky, cool breeze, not a wisp of cloud).
When?
6 days over Labor Day Weekend, 2008
Who?
Me, mid-30s. My husband could not take so many days off, so I asked my mom to join me instead. My mom just turned 65 last month, so she is entitled to many senior discounts. We have both visited SF at least 1/2 a dozen times in the past.
Why?
It was prompted by a fall fare sale on AA - $344 r/t from Boston. My main goal was to visit my relatives in the Bay Area, whom I have not seen for quite some time. Also, I have 2 friends who had given birth to their childs within the last few years and I wanted to meet them.
In addition, despite my prior visits, I have never stepped into any museums in SF. So museums were a huge focus on this trip.
Transportation
For our 6 days there, we used public transportation during the first 2 days. I rented a car for the last 4 days (for ease of visiting relatives who live outside of the city).
Public Transit
We used BART, Muni buses, F street car, Golden Gate Ferry on this trip. Overall, it was a breeze to ride. During my planning stage, I found the Muni website a bit difficult to navigate, but it got easier once I got accumstomed to it.
Driving
I brought my Garmin Nuvi with me, so driving was no hassle. I did have to park on the street in Chinatown one day, and found parking a car on a steep hill a bit of a challenge despite an automatic car. Traffic was not bad over the holiday weekend, but our last day (Tuesday after labor day) we did hit afternoon rush hour traffic. It wasn't too bad compared to LA traffic which we encountered last year.
Where we Stayed
Thanks to Priceline, we were able to stay at 4* Business hotels for 2* hotel prices. We were there for 5 nights, and because of weekdays + weekends, I had to break up my bid in order to find something cheap.
Our first night was at the Hilton Financial District, which is located at the eastern edge of Chinatown, across the street from Portsmouth Square. I got this with a $120 bid.
Location-wise, it's not very convenient for public transport as it is a 15-min walk from the closest BART; and very few bus lines nearby. However, the proximity to Chinatown is great for us, as it was just 1/2 block walk for great Chinese food.
We were upgraded (without charge) to a Deluxe BayView room, which usually costs about $50 more. On the 16th floor, we had a great view of Telegraph Hill, Coit Tower, and of course, the bay.
My biggest complaint about the hotel & room is the poor sound insulation. I believe the hotel was previously a Holiday Inn, and perhaps they didn't spend the $ for building materials. I could hear foosteps from upstairs and out in the hallway despite carpet, and could hear the elevator "ping sound" (sound to announce the arrival of the elevator) even though our room was 1/2 way down the corridor. Lastly, we heard traffic noise bright and early the next morning.
I would not recommend this hotel unless one needs close proximity to Chinatown.
For the next 4 nights, we stayed at the Hyatt Embarcadero. I won this with a $85/n bid.
I like this location much better. It is right above BART/Muni, plenty of bus lines along Market Street, the F Street trolley, plus near the Ferry Buildling. I also prefer this to Union Sq area; given that I am not interested in shopping at all. It is more quiet and subdued compared to the shopping frenzy around Union Sq.
Our room has a view of the Ferry Building and the East Bay. It is much more quiet than the Hilton; both in terms of street noise and in sound insulation. Overall, no major issue with this hotel.
Parking at the hotel is $57/night ($50+tax). Instead, I parked at the Embacadero 4 garage for $30 (max 24 hours). The garage is a 1 minute walk from the hotel, and is open 7 days a week (closes between MN to 5am).
When?
6 days over Labor Day Weekend, 2008
Who?
Me, mid-30s. My husband could not take so many days off, so I asked my mom to join me instead. My mom just turned 65 last month, so she is entitled to many senior discounts. We have both visited SF at least 1/2 a dozen times in the past.
Why?
It was prompted by a fall fare sale on AA - $344 r/t from Boston. My main goal was to visit my relatives in the Bay Area, whom I have not seen for quite some time. Also, I have 2 friends who had given birth to their childs within the last few years and I wanted to meet them.
In addition, despite my prior visits, I have never stepped into any museums in SF. So museums were a huge focus on this trip.
Transportation
For our 6 days there, we used public transportation during the first 2 days. I rented a car for the last 4 days (for ease of visiting relatives who live outside of the city).
Public Transit
We used BART, Muni buses, F street car, Golden Gate Ferry on this trip. Overall, it was a breeze to ride. During my planning stage, I found the Muni website a bit difficult to navigate, but it got easier once I got accumstomed to it.
Driving
I brought my Garmin Nuvi with me, so driving was no hassle. I did have to park on the street in Chinatown one day, and found parking a car on a steep hill a bit of a challenge despite an automatic car. Traffic was not bad over the holiday weekend, but our last day (Tuesday after labor day) we did hit afternoon rush hour traffic. It wasn't too bad compared to LA traffic which we encountered last year.
Where we Stayed
Thanks to Priceline, we were able to stay at 4* Business hotels for 2* hotel prices. We were there for 5 nights, and because of weekdays + weekends, I had to break up my bid in order to find something cheap.
Our first night was at the Hilton Financial District, which is located at the eastern edge of Chinatown, across the street from Portsmouth Square. I got this with a $120 bid.
Location-wise, it's not very convenient for public transport as it is a 15-min walk from the closest BART; and very few bus lines nearby. However, the proximity to Chinatown is great for us, as it was just 1/2 block walk for great Chinese food.
We were upgraded (without charge) to a Deluxe BayView room, which usually costs about $50 more. On the 16th floor, we had a great view of Telegraph Hill, Coit Tower, and of course, the bay.
My biggest complaint about the hotel & room is the poor sound insulation. I believe the hotel was previously a Holiday Inn, and perhaps they didn't spend the $ for building materials. I could hear foosteps from upstairs and out in the hallway despite carpet, and could hear the elevator "ping sound" (sound to announce the arrival of the elevator) even though our room was 1/2 way down the corridor. Lastly, we heard traffic noise bright and early the next morning.
I would not recommend this hotel unless one needs close proximity to Chinatown.
For the next 4 nights, we stayed at the Hyatt Embarcadero. I won this with a $85/n bid.
I like this location much better. It is right above BART/Muni, plenty of bus lines along Market Street, the F Street trolley, plus near the Ferry Buildling. I also prefer this to Union Sq area; given that I am not interested in shopping at all. It is more quiet and subdued compared to the shopping frenzy around Union Sq.
Our room has a view of the Ferry Building and the East Bay. It is much more quiet than the Hilton; both in terms of street noise and in sound insulation. Overall, no major issue with this hotel.
Parking at the hotel is $57/night ($50+tax). Instead, I parked at the Embacadero 4 garage for $30 (max 24 hours). The garage is a 1 minute walk from the hotel, and is open 7 days a week (closes between MN to 5am).
Sep 3rd, 2008, 03:24 PM
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WHAT WE DID
Museums
DeYoung Museum
The biggest attraction for me is the museum building (architecture) and the current Chihuly exhibition.
http://www.famsf.org/deyoung/
If you live in the Bay Area and haven't seen the Chihuly - please go! It is fantastic. I have seen quite a few of Chihuly's works before at various museums and venues, and also went to the Chihuly show at the NY Botanical Garden in 2006. But this one at the deYoung tops it all. It's not just the works that are beautiful, but more to do with the stunning installation.
The exhibit area is in the basement devoid of natural light. All the gallery walls are painted black. The glass pieces are illuminated by spotlights. This really enhances the visual element of how colorful they are.
In addition, each room has a thematic presentation, and each subsequent room outdoes the room prior.
My favorite has to be the "underwater" room, where hundreds of small pieces are held up by a glass ceiling. So when one walks into that room, one feels that he/she is underwater looking up at the surface of the pond, with flowers and leaves floating above our heads.
[BTW, several art review critics blasted this show, saying that Chihuly's "art" doesn't deserve to be in a art museum, but rather perhaps the lobby of some chic boutique hotels. In any case, they are pretty to look at, though not necessarily sparks any deep emotions.]
After Chihuly, as we aren't into Oceanic/S American/African art, we spent the rest of our visit in the American Paintings and Contemporary Art galleries. Before we left, we visited the outdoor sculpture garden, which includes a commissioned piece by James Turrell. It is one of his skyscapes project. Unfortunately, we were unable to appreciate the full intention of his work during our visit as it was too bright out.
Lastly, we took the elevator up the Tower to the observation deck. What a magnificent view of the city!
I am not too crazy about the architecture. I know this is probabaly blasphemy on Herzog & de Meuron. To me, the building looks like a pile of rusted steel (due to the copper skin) smacked in the middle of Golden Gate Park.
Bargain tip: $2 off with a Muni transfer; free every first Tuesday of the month. Admission ticket is valid for Legion of Honor if visited on the same day.
Asian Art Museum
We spent most of our time there at the current exhibition on China's Ming Dynasty.
http://www.asianart.org/courtarts.htm
Three galleries full of paintings, ceramics, decorative items; and most of the works are on loan from museums in Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing.
We also did a quick walk through of the permanent collection galleries, with our main focus on the Chinese art. It has a huge collection and one can easily spend hours there.
Bargain tip: Free every first Sunday of the month. $5 admission on Thursdays after 5pm.
More to come....
Museums
DeYoung Museum
The biggest attraction for me is the museum building (architecture) and the current Chihuly exhibition.
http://www.famsf.org/deyoung/
If you live in the Bay Area and haven't seen the Chihuly - please go! It is fantastic. I have seen quite a few of Chihuly's works before at various museums and venues, and also went to the Chihuly show at the NY Botanical Garden in 2006. But this one at the deYoung tops it all. It's not just the works that are beautiful, but more to do with the stunning installation.
The exhibit area is in the basement devoid of natural light. All the gallery walls are painted black. The glass pieces are illuminated by spotlights. This really enhances the visual element of how colorful they are.
In addition, each room has a thematic presentation, and each subsequent room outdoes the room prior.
My favorite has to be the "underwater" room, where hundreds of small pieces are held up by a glass ceiling. So when one walks into that room, one feels that he/she is underwater looking up at the surface of the pond, with flowers and leaves floating above our heads.
[BTW, several art review critics blasted this show, saying that Chihuly's "art" doesn't deserve to be in a art museum, but rather perhaps the lobby of some chic boutique hotels. In any case, they are pretty to look at, though not necessarily sparks any deep emotions.]
After Chihuly, as we aren't into Oceanic/S American/African art, we spent the rest of our visit in the American Paintings and Contemporary Art galleries. Before we left, we visited the outdoor sculpture garden, which includes a commissioned piece by James Turrell. It is one of his skyscapes project. Unfortunately, we were unable to appreciate the full intention of his work during our visit as it was too bright out.
Lastly, we took the elevator up the Tower to the observation deck. What a magnificent view of the city!
I am not too crazy about the architecture. I know this is probabaly blasphemy on Herzog & de Meuron. To me, the building looks like a pile of rusted steel (due to the copper skin) smacked in the middle of Golden Gate Park.
Bargain tip: $2 off with a Muni transfer; free every first Tuesday of the month. Admission ticket is valid for Legion of Honor if visited on the same day.
Asian Art Museum
We spent most of our time there at the current exhibition on China's Ming Dynasty.
http://www.asianart.org/courtarts.htm
Three galleries full of paintings, ceramics, decorative items; and most of the works are on loan from museums in Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing.
We also did a quick walk through of the permanent collection galleries, with our main focus on the Chinese art. It has a huge collection and one can easily spend hours there.
Bargain tip: Free every first Sunday of the month. $5 admission on Thursdays after 5pm.
More to come....
Sep 4th, 2008, 01:07 PM
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WHAT WE DID continuted
Museums
Legion of Honor
http://www.famsf.org/legion/index.asp
Wow! What a magnificent setting! The building is majestic, but the grounds are even lovelier, with great views of the ocean and Golden Gate Bridge.
The current exhibit is Women Impressionists, which we decided to skip due to time contraints. Instead, we toured the permanent collection. While deYoung holds collections of Africa and S America etc, Legion of Honor is dedicated to European art.
Currently, 4 galleries holding the Italian Renaissance are closed. We started with the French Rococo (Boucher), then the Dutch interior paintings (Hals, Steen), then the British portrayists (Gainsborough), and finally the French Impressionists. We also visited the Porcelain room located downstairs.
Bargain tips: same as deYoung Museum
SF MOMA
I decided not to see the current Frida Kahlo special exhibit.
Currently, the 4th floor is hosting a Contemporary Chinese Art exhibition. I have never been that interested in Contemporary Chinese art, but I found it ever so fascinating. Many of the works reflect the artists' emotion & response to the Cultural revolution, to Mao, and to the Tiananmen Sq Massacre. While viewing the artwork, I feel a sense of connection; something that I hadn't felt with regards to lots of other artwork. For example, I find it difficult to understand Max Beckman and German Expressionism given that I never lived through or experienced that time period. But this, I can relate to.
On the 3rd floor is a photography exhibit on the works by Lee Miller, model, photographer, and eventually, photojournalist during WWII.
Finally, I toured the 2nd floor with a docent-guided tour. The 2nd floor holds permanent collection. The tour focused only on 6 pieces (plus the foyer panels by Sol LeWitt which are to be taken down in 2 weeks to be replaced by sculptures by Martin Puryear). The 6 pieces are covered chronologically, starting with Matisse, then Diego Rivera, Magritte, Rothko, Rauschenberg, and finally Jim Hodges. I always find it educational to take the guided tours as I inevitably learn something new.
The Rothko there is one of the most beautiful Rothkos I have seen (though my favorite remains the Seagram Murals at Tate Modern).
After the tour, I re-visited the permanent collection again. One cannot compare the SF MOMA with the size and scope of collection at the NYC MOMA, or Tate Modern; but I find the SF MOMA managable and has a good representation of "cream of the crop" so to speak.
Contemporary Jewish Museum
http://www.thecjm.org/
This museum just opened back in June 2008. I am not Jewish nor I am that interested in Contemporary art (I prefer modern art); but I went ahead to visit the CJM because of the architecture.
The museum building is a marriage between an old substation for PG&E, and a brand new design by Daniel Libeskind. Thanks to the guided tour I took, I learned that the building means "chai", which is a combination of "yud" and "chet". The yud is the new building whereas the chet is the old substation.
The guided tour took us through the current show, with many pieces commissioned for the CJM. The title of the show is "genesis" and the artists are free to create their own piece based on their interpretation of Genesis.
I find it crucial to take the docent-guided tour, or else I doubt I would have understood anything...
Museums
Legion of Honor
http://www.famsf.org/legion/index.asp
Wow! What a magnificent setting! The building is majestic, but the grounds are even lovelier, with great views of the ocean and Golden Gate Bridge.
The current exhibit is Women Impressionists, which we decided to skip due to time contraints. Instead, we toured the permanent collection. While deYoung holds collections of Africa and S America etc, Legion of Honor is dedicated to European art.
Currently, 4 galleries holding the Italian Renaissance are closed. We started with the French Rococo (Boucher), then the Dutch interior paintings (Hals, Steen), then the British portrayists (Gainsborough), and finally the French Impressionists. We also visited the Porcelain room located downstairs.
Bargain tips: same as deYoung Museum
SF MOMA
I decided not to see the current Frida Kahlo special exhibit.
Currently, the 4th floor is hosting a Contemporary Chinese Art exhibition. I have never been that interested in Contemporary Chinese art, but I found it ever so fascinating. Many of the works reflect the artists' emotion & response to the Cultural revolution, to Mao, and to the Tiananmen Sq Massacre. While viewing the artwork, I feel a sense of connection; something that I hadn't felt with regards to lots of other artwork. For example, I find it difficult to understand Max Beckman and German Expressionism given that I never lived through or experienced that time period. But this, I can relate to.
On the 3rd floor is a photography exhibit on the works by Lee Miller, model, photographer, and eventually, photojournalist during WWII.
Finally, I toured the 2nd floor with a docent-guided tour. The 2nd floor holds permanent collection. The tour focused only on 6 pieces (plus the foyer panels by Sol LeWitt which are to be taken down in 2 weeks to be replaced by sculptures by Martin Puryear). The 6 pieces are covered chronologically, starting with Matisse, then Diego Rivera, Magritte, Rothko, Rauschenberg, and finally Jim Hodges. I always find it educational to take the guided tours as I inevitably learn something new.
The Rothko there is one of the most beautiful Rothkos I have seen (though my favorite remains the Seagram Murals at Tate Modern).
After the tour, I re-visited the permanent collection again. One cannot compare the SF MOMA with the size and scope of collection at the NYC MOMA, or Tate Modern; but I find the SF MOMA managable and has a good representation of "cream of the crop" so to speak.
Contemporary Jewish Museum
http://www.thecjm.org/
This museum just opened back in June 2008. I am not Jewish nor I am that interested in Contemporary art (I prefer modern art); but I went ahead to visit the CJM because of the architecture.
The museum building is a marriage between an old substation for PG&E, and a brand new design by Daniel Libeskind. Thanks to the guided tour I took, I learned that the building means "chai", which is a combination of "yud" and "chet". The yud is the new building whereas the chet is the old substation.
The guided tour took us through the current show, with many pieces commissioned for the CJM. The title of the show is "genesis" and the artists are free to create their own piece based on their interpretation of Genesis.
I find it crucial to take the docent-guided tour, or else I doubt I would have understood anything...
Sep 4th, 2008, 01:08 PM
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so glad to hear that about the exhibit. we're going this weekend for our anniversary and already have tix to the Chihuly exhibition. we're also going to our first and only giants game this year because DH was complaining we haven't been to one yet!
Sep 4th, 2008, 02:01 PM
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WHAT WE DID
The Rest
Ferry Building and Saturday Farmers Market
What a glorious sight with all the stalls selling gorgeous-looking organic fruits and vegetables! We arrived relatively early (before 9am) which at that time mainly consisted of locals doing their shopping (rather than tourists). We got to taste lots of fruit samples and we eventually gave in and bought some pluots. They were incredibly sweet so we went back and bought some more! We also tasted strawberries, tomatoes, cheeses, grapes...
We enjoyed the Farmers Market so much that we returned again on Tuesday. However, the Tuesday Market is much smaller in size, less than half the stalls we saw on Saturday.
Conservatory of Flowers
This is located in Golden Gate Park, not far from deYoung Museum. The conservatory is housed in a beautiful Victorian greenhouse, which reminds me of structures normally seen in England (Kew Gardens and Brighton comes to mind).
I was a bit disappointed by the interior display... just a bit small as we were done within 20 minutes. It does have some lovely orchids and many, many pitcher plants!
The outside of the Conservatory (free) has beautiful landscape and flower beds. The Dahlia garden is in full bloom with hundreds, if not thousands of dahlias in bloom, of at least couple of dozen varieties and colors. We also enjoyed the desert garden full of interesting succulent plants and cacti.
Yerba Buena Gardens
I stopped by the Yerba Buena Gardens twice, as it is right next to the SF MOMA and CJM. It is smaller than I had thought, but a nice place to stroll and relax. The terrace level offers a fine view of surrounding skyscapers.
Sausalito
We took the Golden Gate ferry from the Ferry Building to Sausalito one morning. The fog in the Bay was still lingering as we set off (we took the 10:15am ferry), but pretty much burned off by the we returned (~1pm). Sausalito itself was sunny without fog.
We are not shoppers, so we spent our time there (~90 mins) walking along the marina checking out all those beautiful yachts. We also saw many jellyfish in the water. In our last 1/2 hour there, we did some window-shopping. We find that spending 1.5-2 hours there was perfect.
BTW, initially we were going to bring a picnic lunch there. In the end, we ate at the Farmers Market at the Ferry Building before we set off. At Sausalito, I spotted a couple of picnic tables in the small park leading to Spinnaker (next to its parking lot). It offers a great view of the ocean and is shielded from the parking lot by trees. If we go back again for a picnic, that's the spot I would choose.
Muir Woods
I must admit I was a bit disappointed. I have the impression that the trees are huge (image of the sequoias); instead, they are just very, very tall. Yes, some have big trunks, but just not huge. I still enjoyed our outing there. We had about 2 hours to spend there, so we picked the 2-mile loop to hike. The path is relatively gentle so my mom had no trouble with it (she can't do steep inclines). Along the path, we came across quite a number of deer. They must have gotten used to human beings because they had no qualms at all crossing our paths and muching on leaves right next to the path.
As I've read that Muir Woods can get very crowded, we visited on a weekday in the late afternoon. We arrived after 3:30pm and departed just before 6pm. There were definitely people around but the place didn't feel crowded or overun.
Next... FOOD!
The Rest
Ferry Building and Saturday Farmers Market
What a glorious sight with all the stalls selling gorgeous-looking organic fruits and vegetables! We arrived relatively early (before 9am) which at that time mainly consisted of locals doing their shopping (rather than tourists). We got to taste lots of fruit samples and we eventually gave in and bought some pluots. They were incredibly sweet so we went back and bought some more! We also tasted strawberries, tomatoes, cheeses, grapes...
We enjoyed the Farmers Market so much that we returned again on Tuesday. However, the Tuesday Market is much smaller in size, less than half the stalls we saw on Saturday.
Conservatory of Flowers
This is located in Golden Gate Park, not far from deYoung Museum. The conservatory is housed in a beautiful Victorian greenhouse, which reminds me of structures normally seen in England (Kew Gardens and Brighton comes to mind).
I was a bit disappointed by the interior display... just a bit small as we were done within 20 minutes. It does have some lovely orchids and many, many pitcher plants!
The outside of the Conservatory (free) has beautiful landscape and flower beds. The Dahlia garden is in full bloom with hundreds, if not thousands of dahlias in bloom, of at least couple of dozen varieties and colors. We also enjoyed the desert garden full of interesting succulent plants and cacti.
Yerba Buena Gardens
I stopped by the Yerba Buena Gardens twice, as it is right next to the SF MOMA and CJM. It is smaller than I had thought, but a nice place to stroll and relax. The terrace level offers a fine view of surrounding skyscapers.
Sausalito
We took the Golden Gate ferry from the Ferry Building to Sausalito one morning. The fog in the Bay was still lingering as we set off (we took the 10:15am ferry), but pretty much burned off by the we returned (~1pm). Sausalito itself was sunny without fog.
We are not shoppers, so we spent our time there (~90 mins) walking along the marina checking out all those beautiful yachts. We also saw many jellyfish in the water. In our last 1/2 hour there, we did some window-shopping. We find that spending 1.5-2 hours there was perfect.
BTW, initially we were going to bring a picnic lunch there. In the end, we ate at the Farmers Market at the Ferry Building before we set off. At Sausalito, I spotted a couple of picnic tables in the small park leading to Spinnaker (next to its parking lot). It offers a great view of the ocean and is shielded from the parking lot by trees. If we go back again for a picnic, that's the spot I would choose.
Muir Woods
I must admit I was a bit disappointed. I have the impression that the trees are huge (image of the sequoias); instead, they are just very, very tall. Yes, some have big trunks, but just not huge. I still enjoyed our outing there. We had about 2 hours to spend there, so we picked the 2-mile loop to hike. The path is relatively gentle so my mom had no trouble with it (she can't do steep inclines). Along the path, we came across quite a number of deer. They must have gotten used to human beings because they had no qualms at all crossing our paths and muching on leaves right next to the path.
As I've read that Muir Woods can get very crowded, we visited on a weekday in the late afternoon. We arrived after 3:30pm and departed just before 6pm. There were definitely people around but the place didn't feel crowded or overun.
Next... FOOD!
Sep 4th, 2008, 02:31 PM
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Where and What We Ate
Breakfasts
We had breakfasts 3 times during our visit. 2 of them were in Chinatown and 1 was at the Saturday Farmers Market at the Ferry Building.
Prather Ranch Grill at Saturday Farmers Market
Tempted by the pancakes, I ordered the pancakes & sausage combo breakfast. It has 2 fluffy pancakes and a sausage on the side.
My mom ordered the lamb sausage (served on a bun). That was very good with great flavor.
Total was $14.
Washington Bakery in Chinatown
733 Washington St
This is a Hong Kong-style eatery that serves Hong Kong-style breakfast.
My mom ordered a set breakfast, which has a choice of congee (rice porridge), a side of chinese fried bread, plus tea or coffee; all for just $4.25.
I had a special toast (extra-thick white bread with a dollop of condensed milk on top), plus HK-style milk tea.
The breakfast menu is in both Chinese and English. Total was $11.
ABC Bakery in Chinatown
650 Jackson St
This is similar to Washington Bakery, but has more items to choose from for breakfast.
As we were full from dinner the night before, the 2 of us split a breakfast set which consisted of congee, a plate of steamed rice noodle roll ("cheong fun" in chinese), plus a cup of HK-style milk tea. This is only $4.50.
We prefer Washington Bakery over ABC, as the setting at Washington is nicer and the staff is more attentive. The breakfast menu at ABC is only in Chinese.
Breakfasts
We had breakfasts 3 times during our visit. 2 of them were in Chinatown and 1 was at the Saturday Farmers Market at the Ferry Building.
Prather Ranch Grill at Saturday Farmers Market
Tempted by the pancakes, I ordered the pancakes & sausage combo breakfast. It has 2 fluffy pancakes and a sausage on the side.
My mom ordered the lamb sausage (served on a bun). That was very good with great flavor.
Total was $14.
Washington Bakery in Chinatown
733 Washington St
This is a Hong Kong-style eatery that serves Hong Kong-style breakfast.
My mom ordered a set breakfast, which has a choice of congee (rice porridge), a side of chinese fried bread, plus tea or coffee; all for just $4.25.
I had a special toast (extra-thick white bread with a dollop of condensed milk on top), plus HK-style milk tea.
The breakfast menu is in both Chinese and English. Total was $11.
ABC Bakery in Chinatown
650 Jackson St
This is similar to Washington Bakery, but has more items to choose from for breakfast.
As we were full from dinner the night before, the 2 of us split a breakfast set which consisted of congee, a plate of steamed rice noodle roll ("cheong fun" in chinese), plus a cup of HK-style milk tea. This is only $4.50.
We prefer Washington Bakery over ABC, as the setting at Washington is nicer and the staff is more attentive. The breakfast menu at ABC is only in Chinese.
Sep 4th, 2008, 03:05 PM
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Where & What We Ate continued
Lunches
The Slanted Door at Ferry Building
http://www.slanteddoor.com/
I made our reservation about 2 weeks in advance, and found plenty of times to choose from (it was a weekday). We ended up having to delay our reservation from 1:30pm to 2:15pm because my flight arrived late. During our lunch, the place was full until around 3pm. Most of the diners appear to be tourists.
We split the Kona Kampachi appetizer. It was tasty but just 4 thin slivers of fish for $15.
I then had the cellophane noodle with Dungeness crab. My mom had grilled tiger prawns served over rice noodle.
Both were tasty, but I have to say, not a "Wow! Once in a lifetime" experience. I thought it was quite expensive for the little food we got. I was still a bit hungry when we left. Of course, we could have ordered more, but it would have cost another $20-30 just to make me full.
Our lunch was $55.
Hotei Japanese Noodles near deYoung Museum (9th Ave corner of Irving)
http://www.hoteisf.com/
We ate here after visiting deYoung Museum. I had a SanSai Soba (soba noodles with mushrooms) which was okay. My mom had the SoySauce Ramen with pork. The ramen is very good, nothing like the packaged ramen of course. Our lunch was $19.
Samovar Tea Lounge at the Yerba Buena Gardens
http://www.samovartea.com/
I ate here by myself after SF MOMA. Given such a name, the place obviously focuses on teas. It also offers a number of "thematic" teasets including Indian, Chinese, English, Moorish, Russian & Japanese.
I asked the waitress for a recommendation and she suggested the Moorish tea service. What a great suggestion!
It consists of a platter of vegetarian kebabs, olives, dolmas, and Chevre-stuffed dates; plus a pot of mint tea.
It was a beautiful day so I sat on the terrace patio. There happened to be a free Latin Jazz concert going on at the lower level of the garden, so I got to enjoy my lunch with great music! Lunch was $24.
LuLu at SOMA
http://www.restaurantlulu.com/LuLu_about.html
I ate there with 4 friends. One of my friends ordered their 3-course prix-fixe. The entree, a lemon risotto, was very good. I chose the housemade olive and lamb burger. It was served with a side of boiled potatoes finished in a dijon mustard sauce. The burger pattie has good flavor, but a bit overcooked (probably my fault as I asked of medium-well). I also tried the beet salad which my friend ordered. It has 3 different kinds of beets and all were very sweet and ripe. Lunch came out to approx $19 per person.
Cliff House
http://www.restaurantlulu.com/LuLu_about.html
Undeniably, the best meal during our trip. I initially had not planned on eating there, thinking that it's probably a tourist trap (expensive and awful food). However, my friend from NY who was also visiting SF that weekend (who also went to LuLu) told me that he had an excellent lunch there a few days ago.
Since we were at Legion of Honor, it seems reasonable to go there for lunch.
We were there on a Tuesday and we arrived after 1:30pm, so we got a table next to the window with a commanding view of the beach and ocean.
Based on my friend's recommendation, we split a bowl of clam chowder. My mom then had the Dungeness crab cakes while I ordered the steamed clams.
Despite me living in Boston, I have never had clams this good. They were incredibly fresh, as if they had just been caught from the ocean. They were steamed in a broth made of thyme, garlic, white wine and a touch of cream. There must have been at least a couple dozen of clams, excellent value for just $14!
My mom's crab cakes were great too. The coating was light and crispy, and the filling is pretty much all crab with very little "fillers".
Oh, before I forget, they serve popovers in place of bread. Though not as great as the popovers at Jordan Pond House in Maine, they are still pretty darn good.
Our waiter was great, very friendly. He offered to split the soup for us without me asking, and the obligatory photo shoot. Our lunch was $50, a great bargain compared to The Slanted Door.
Lunches
The Slanted Door at Ferry Building
http://www.slanteddoor.com/
I made our reservation about 2 weeks in advance, and found plenty of times to choose from (it was a weekday). We ended up having to delay our reservation from 1:30pm to 2:15pm because my flight arrived late. During our lunch, the place was full until around 3pm. Most of the diners appear to be tourists.
We split the Kona Kampachi appetizer. It was tasty but just 4 thin slivers of fish for $15.
I then had the cellophane noodle with Dungeness crab. My mom had grilled tiger prawns served over rice noodle.
Both were tasty, but I have to say, not a "Wow! Once in a lifetime" experience. I thought it was quite expensive for the little food we got. I was still a bit hungry when we left. Of course, we could have ordered more, but it would have cost another $20-30 just to make me full.
Our lunch was $55.
Hotei Japanese Noodles near deYoung Museum (9th Ave corner of Irving)
http://www.hoteisf.com/
We ate here after visiting deYoung Museum. I had a SanSai Soba (soba noodles with mushrooms) which was okay. My mom had the SoySauce Ramen with pork. The ramen is very good, nothing like the packaged ramen of course. Our lunch was $19.
Samovar Tea Lounge at the Yerba Buena Gardens
http://www.samovartea.com/
I ate here by myself after SF MOMA. Given such a name, the place obviously focuses on teas. It also offers a number of "thematic" teasets including Indian, Chinese, English, Moorish, Russian & Japanese.
I asked the waitress for a recommendation and she suggested the Moorish tea service. What a great suggestion!
It consists of a platter of vegetarian kebabs, olives, dolmas, and Chevre-stuffed dates; plus a pot of mint tea.
It was a beautiful day so I sat on the terrace patio. There happened to be a free Latin Jazz concert going on at the lower level of the garden, so I got to enjoy my lunch with great music! Lunch was $24.
LuLu at SOMA
http://www.restaurantlulu.com/LuLu_about.html
I ate there with 4 friends. One of my friends ordered their 3-course prix-fixe. The entree, a lemon risotto, was very good. I chose the housemade olive and lamb burger. It was served with a side of boiled potatoes finished in a dijon mustard sauce. The burger pattie has good flavor, but a bit overcooked (probably my fault as I asked of medium-well). I also tried the beet salad which my friend ordered. It has 3 different kinds of beets and all were very sweet and ripe. Lunch came out to approx $19 per person.
Cliff House
http://www.restaurantlulu.com/LuLu_about.html
Undeniably, the best meal during our trip. I initially had not planned on eating there, thinking that it's probably a tourist trap (expensive and awful food). However, my friend from NY who was also visiting SF that weekend (who also went to LuLu) told me that he had an excellent lunch there a few days ago.
Since we were at Legion of Honor, it seems reasonable to go there for lunch.
We were there on a Tuesday and we arrived after 1:30pm, so we got a table next to the window with a commanding view of the beach and ocean.
Based on my friend's recommendation, we split a bowl of clam chowder. My mom then had the Dungeness crab cakes while I ordered the steamed clams.
Despite me living in Boston, I have never had clams this good. They were incredibly fresh, as if they had just been caught from the ocean. They were steamed in a broth made of thyme, garlic, white wine and a touch of cream. There must have been at least a couple dozen of clams, excellent value for just $14!
My mom's crab cakes were great too. The coating was light and crispy, and the filling is pretty much all crab with very little "fillers".
Oh, before I forget, they serve popovers in place of bread. Though not as great as the popovers at Jordan Pond House in Maine, they are still pretty darn good.
Our waiter was great, very friendly. He offered to split the soup for us without me asking, and the obligatory photo shoot. Our lunch was $50, a great bargain compared to The Slanted Door.
Sep 4th, 2008, 04:07 PM
#11
yk:
I agree: the food at Slanted Door is good, but $$$$. I left hungry also!! Plus, not enough California wines on the wine list.
The redwoods along the coast are a different species than the ones in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The coastal redwoods are known for being very tall. The giant sequoia of the Sierra are not as tall but very massive/large.
Great report.
MY
I agree: the food at Slanted Door is good, but $$$$. I left hungry also!! Plus, not enough California wines on the wine list.
The redwoods along the coast are a different species than the ones in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The coastal redwoods are known for being very tall. The giant sequoia of the Sierra are not as tall but very massive/large.
Great report.
MY
Sep 4th, 2008, 04:26 PM
#12
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Cliff House
You probably dined at the cafe at the Cliff House - and not the much more formal & expensive dining room with the windows everywhere. If you had dined at the more formal place, I expect the prices would have exceeded the Slanted Door's.
Stu Dudley
You probably dined at the cafe at the Cliff House - and not the much more formal & expensive dining room with the windows everywhere. If you had dined at the more formal place, I expect the prices would have exceeded the Slanted Door's.
Stu Dudley
Sep 5th, 2008, 07:00 AM
#14
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Where & What We Ate finale
Dinners
We only ate 1 dinner in the city. We had 4 other dinners out in the suburbs with friends and family. Those were all at Chinese restaurants and we ate family-style. I won't write about those dinners as I don't think it is of much interest to the casual visitor to San Francisco. If anyone is curious, let me know and I will describe them.
Our only in-town dinner was at Tadich Grill. I had a hard time choosing between Tadish vs Perbacco (right next door). In the end, we picked Tadish because of its history.
We sat along the counter. Our bartender/server was very friendly. We shared a crab bisque which has good flavor but too salty. My mom ordered the pan-fried Petrale sole, which we were told a local fish. It was fresh but didn't have much flavor. I ordered the mixed seafood salad, which was huge - a mountain of lettuce covered with a mountain of tiny shrimp and dungeness crab meat.
We enjoyed the ambience there though we didn't love the food. It was okay, but not that memorable. Our dinner was $64.
-------------------------------
Before I end the trip report, let me say something about the People of San Francisco.
I was pleasantly surprised by how friendly were the people. Everyone I came across (person behind Peet's Coffee counter, museum staff, Embarcadero garage attendant etc) was genuinely nice with a smile. Of course this was a shock to me, someone who live on the East Coast. Is it because of the nice weather? Or is it because of the fresh, organic produce?
Even on the roads & highways, the drivers are more or less courteous. People actually let me cut in when I found myself in the wrong lane! This concept is unknown here in Boston (the usual response is honking followed by a rude finger gesture).
Speaking of driving on highways, I have never come across so many speeding cars, and I mean by cars going 90-100 mph on Hwy 101. Here in the East Coast, people speed but usually 80-85mph, but those nutty Californians really zoom down the highway.
Dinners
We only ate 1 dinner in the city. We had 4 other dinners out in the suburbs with friends and family. Those were all at Chinese restaurants and we ate family-style. I won't write about those dinners as I don't think it is of much interest to the casual visitor to San Francisco. If anyone is curious, let me know and I will describe them.
Our only in-town dinner was at Tadich Grill. I had a hard time choosing between Tadish vs Perbacco (right next door). In the end, we picked Tadish because of its history.
We sat along the counter. Our bartender/server was very friendly. We shared a crab bisque which has good flavor but too salty. My mom ordered the pan-fried Petrale sole, which we were told a local fish. It was fresh but didn't have much flavor. I ordered the mixed seafood salad, which was huge - a mountain of lettuce covered with a mountain of tiny shrimp and dungeness crab meat.
We enjoyed the ambience there though we didn't love the food. It was okay, but not that memorable. Our dinner was $64.
-------------------------------
Before I end the trip report, let me say something about the People of San Francisco.
I was pleasantly surprised by how friendly were the people. Everyone I came across (person behind Peet's Coffee counter, museum staff, Embarcadero garage attendant etc) was genuinely nice with a smile. Of course this was a shock to me, someone who live on the East Coast. Is it because of the nice weather? Or is it because of the fresh, organic produce?
Even on the roads & highways, the drivers are more or less courteous. People actually let me cut in when I found myself in the wrong lane! This concept is unknown here in Boston (the usual response is honking followed by a rude finger gesture).
Speaking of driving on highways, I have never come across so many speeding cars, and I mean by cars going 90-100 mph on Hwy 101. Here in the East Coast, people speed but usually 80-85mph, but those nutty Californians really zoom down the highway.
Sep 5th, 2008, 08:30 AM
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Wow. Thanx yk. I rarely read trip reports anymore (at least for places I've been) but this is a model for how it is done.
Clear, beautifully organised format and great links plus above all personal. I like your style and your choices.
Took notes, bookmarked and started an itinerary for 8 days in late October. Great help in starting to get clear about priorities.
Clear, beautifully organised format and great links plus above all personal. I like your style and your choices.
Took notes, bookmarked and started an itinerary for 8 days in late October. Great help in starting to get clear about priorities.
Sep 5th, 2008, 10:37 AM
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Nice report! Thanks for posting. I'm also bookmarking for an October trip. So sad to see that the Chihuly exhibit only runs through 9/28 
.
As someone who grew up in MA and now lives in CA, I think your assessment of the driving is spot on. When we were driving in Boston this summer, I had to explain to DH that signaling to change lanes is interpreted by the other driver as a personal insult to his manhood (or her womanhood)
.
. As someone who grew up in MA and now lives in CA, I think your assessment of the driving is spot on. When we were driving in Boston this summer, I had to explain to DH that signaling to change lanes is interpreted by the other driver as a personal insult to his manhood (or her womanhood)
.
Sep 5th, 2008, 04:08 PM
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thank you - we appreciate the nice things you said about our part of the country. most people do try to be nice and courteous. we do drive fast tho! i live by a street- not freeway- that people go 90 on!!
Sep 5th, 2008, 04:43 PM
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yk - nice report ! Also appreciated you format with bolds and underlines - very easy to read !
You have us scheduling
a trip down to The City to enjoy the Chihuly exhibit followed by lunch at the Bistro in a few weeks. The Bistro is more appealing to us because it is part of the (semi) original Cliff House.
I lived for a year in Boston, and I tell everyone that's where I learned to drive, LOL! Ppl do drive fast here, and they are always passing me....
I am glad the weather was good for you during your stay. This past week has been quite warm - 100 here in southern Sonoma county and 90+ in SF.
Thanks again,
R5
You have us scheduling
a trip down to The City to enjoy the Chihuly exhibit followed by lunch at the Bistro in a few weeks. The Bistro is more appealing to us because it is part of the (semi) original Cliff House.
I lived for a year in Boston, and I tell everyone that's where I learned to drive, LOL! Ppl do drive fast here, and they are always passing me....
I am glad the weather was good for you during your stay. This past week has been quite warm - 100 here in southern Sonoma county and 90+ in SF.
Thanks again,
R5
Sep 5th, 2008, 07:15 PM
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For some photos I took on this trip, you can check out the TR w/photos I posted over on Travelerstogo.
http://europetogo.yuku.com/topic/729...-Bay-Area.html
http://europetogo.yuku.com/topic/729...-Bay-Area.html
