Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
farmed, and they're incredibly well-priced—$8 each for selections such as black-
ened catfish with fruit salsa and sautéed tilapia (a mild fish) with carrots and leeks.
Vegetarians aren't left out; in addition to fish and chips done with tilapia ($10), it
does the dish with tofu, tempeh, or seitan. As you can imagine by the name, it's
a self-mocking, arty scene: the storefront is denoted by a hanging sculpture of a
horse with a curvy fishtail. In 2008, locals voted it their favorite seafood restau-
rant in
SF Weekly.
$$
The owners of
Dosa
5
(995 Valencia St., at 21st St;
%
415/642
-
3672;
www.dosasf.com; Sun-Fri 5:30-10pm, Sat 11:30am-11pm; AE, MC, V)
are aware
that not everyone will have tried South Indian cuisine before, so they delight in
walking guests through the experience when asked. The specialty here, in a sim-
ply decorated space, is the most theatrical dish: the
dosa
(most are $10.50), a huge
cone of crepe-like bread stuffed with your choice of masala and chutney, along
with spicy sambar soup for dipping. A meal here is lively and lots of fun. The din-
ner menu is fuller than the lunch one, with several additional meat dishes added
for around $14 each. Try the saffron-flavored
kulfi
(ice cream).
$$
For real Spanish, not the Mexican and Central American that pervades the
rest of the Mission, the joyous and busy
Esperpento
5
(3295 22nd St., at
Valencia;
%
415/282
-
8867; daily 11am-10pm; AE, DISC, MC, V),
buzzing into the
night, could fool you into believing you were hanging out in a neighborhood
joint in Barcelona with a bunch of sangria-soaked friends. The menu is affordable
tapas (take note of the grilled artichoke, a specialty) and given that the orders
emerge from the kitchen in small portions, the flavors are permitted to pack a
punch, including tons of garlic in nearly everything. Paellas go for a little less than
$10 per person, as do combo platters of an entree and two sides, but the real
appeal are the grilled mussels, clams, shrimp, and other seafood. On fine days,
there are a few tables out front, but the big difference between this place and
Barcelona is that it's easier to get a table late (after 8:30pm) than earlier.
$$$
The upscale
Medjool Restaurant/Lounge
(2522 Mission St., at 21st;
%
415/550
-
9055; www.medjoolsf.com; Sun-Thurs 5-10:30pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-1am;
AE, MC, V)
pretty much has it all. For before dinner, it has a wine bar. Then, its
kitchen produced gourmet-level, authentic dishes from the Mediterranean and
the Middle East (like sugar-crusted quail, grilled baby octopus, or sumac-dusted
calamari)—the meats are particularly well done. It's reasonably priced (all dishes,
served as small plates to share, are in the low teens). And late in the evening, it
turns into a DJ bar, and that's when you head up to the rooftop “sky terrace” to
enjoy the view of the city—one of the best enjoyed by any restaurant here. The
terrace also has its own menu of skewers and other simple dishes for about $12
each.) Then you can dance and watch the people. So it's an excellent place to
spend a complete evening.
$$-$$$
Social and festive, with an open kitchen and hung with chandeliers, the
hipster-chic
Luna Park
5
(694 Valencia St., at 18th;
%
415/553
-
8584; www.
lunaparksf.com; Mon-Thurs 5:30-11:30pm, Sat 11:30am-11:30pm, Sun 11:30am-
10pm; AE, MC, V)
is one of a bunch of popular, groovy dining spots along Valencia
