We’re going up to the city this weekend, where we’re meeting up with our daughter’s best friend (who lives in Vancouver, BC) and her family. This trip is a gift to her from her parents in celebration of the young lady’s 18th birthday. We’re all staying in the same motel (yes, the Ocean Park once again!) and we’ll be showing them around the city.
On Friday evening, they’d like to go out somewhere for dinner, as part of the birthday celebration. They’re looking for a sit-down place that is “middle range” in price and that can accommodate vegetarians (this will be a “mixed party”…we’re veggies; they’re not). As my experience with San Francisco restaurants only runs to the “cheap” (Blondie’s) and the “expensive” (Millenium), I’m a bit stumped as to what to recommend.
I’m gathering that they like most cuisines (I know they like Indian, and they’ve also mentioned Chinese…though getting decent vegetarian fare at a Chinese restaurant can be dicey. Italian and Middle Eastern food can be good for veggies, though). We’re staying in the Sunset, but don’t mind venturing out of that area (we will be using MUNI to get around, so the only stipulation is that we can’t be out past midnight, as the L only runs once an hour as an “owl” route). I’m not keen on city driving (or parking!), but if there’s any place that, perhaps, along Skyline or 19th that’s not too hard to get to (and to park at) it would be worth considering.
If anyone here has any input, I’d greatly appreciate it! If they were coming to Santa Cruz I could think of all kinds of places, but my SF restaurant experience is limited.
It’s somewhere downtown. Sam Spade ate there, and I think they have one of the Maltese Falcons from the film.
The oysters wellington are to die for, probably the second best meal I’ve had over ten years of life on the road. Overall, I hate working in the bay area, so this is my reward when I have to do so.
It’s been a couple years, but I have fond memories of Enjoy Vegetarian Restaurant on Kirkham between 11th and 12th. It was the best vegetarian Chinese food I’ve experienced. It’s Inner Sunset so it’s not exactly next door to the Ocean Park but probably manageable. I’d appreciate it if a local could add a more current review. Restaurants can change quite a bit over time, but I think this place is likely to be pretty stable.
Three people from my choir separately recommended it to me (it was almost uncanny…one after another I got emails saying “you should try Park Chow”), the menu looks good, and the prices are about right. Easy enough to get to via transit too, whether we’re coming from the Ocean Park or downtown (in fact, both the SF locations are nicely accessibly on MUNI).
An important facet of this for our party was that some of the people who are going don’t want to go to a purely vegetarian restaurant, so I’ve been hoping to find something that leans toward “California Cuisine.” This looks like it will fit the bill.
Just updating to add that Park Chow was amazing! I had the polenta, and it was out of this world!
This evening we ended up at a Mexican restaurant on West Portal that was also outstanding (one of the best Mexican meals I’ve had in a lifetime of loving Mexican food!)…El Toreador, should you find yourself in the area.
