Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Eating
11
Benu
$$$
CALIFORNIAN, FUSION
SF has refined Cal-Asian fusion over 150 years, but no one rocks it like chef Corey Lee
(formerly of Napa's French Laundry), who remixes local, sustainable fine-dining staples
and Pacific Rim flavors with a SoMa DJ's finesse. His Dungeness crab and black truffle
custard bring such outsize flavor to faux-shark's-fin soup, you'll swear Jaws is in there -
especially paired with 1968 Madeira by star-sommelier Yoon Ha.
(
415-685-4860;
www.benusf.com
;
22 Hawthorne St; mains $26-42;
5:30-10pm Tue-Sat;
10, 12, 14, 30, 45)
12
Boulevard
$$$
Belle époque decor adds grace notes to this 1889 building that once housed the Coast Sea-
men's Union, and James Beard Award-winning chef Nancy Oakes has kept the menu hon-
est, effortlessly elegant and reliably tasty with juicy pork chops, enough Dungeness crab on
salads to satisfy a sailor, and crowd-pleasing desserts like chocolate ganache cake with
housemade bourbon ice cream.
(
CALIFORNIAN
415-543-6084;
www.boulevardrestaurant.com
; 1 Mission St; mains
$30-40;
11:30am-2pm & 5:30-10pm Mon-Thu, to 10:30pm Fri & Sat;
Embarcadero,
Embarcadero)
Local Life
Union Square
Lately sales are more top-of-mind than the Emancipation Proclamation on this plaza bordered by Neiman Marcus,
Macy's, Saks, Louis Vuitton - but
Union Square
(
OFFLINE MAP
,
E2; intersection of Geary, Powell, Post & Stockton Sts; Powell-Mason, Powell-Hyde,
Powell, Powell) was named for pro-Union Civil War rallies held here 150 years ago. People-watch with es-
presso from
Emporio Rulli
(
415-433-1122;
www.rulli.com
;
Union Sq;
7am-7pm) , and score half-price
