Shannon,
My two don't miss places in SF are Tong Kiang and Swan Oyster Depot.
Swan Oyster Depot for pristinely fresh oysters, crab, clams, chowder and near perfect Crab Louie salad. Also not to be missed at Swan is the in-house made/aged red wine vinegar. Swan's mother (vinegar starter) is supposedly 100+ years old and the intensity of flavor rivals all but the very best balsamic I have tasted.
I also love Tong Kiang, though not only for dim sum, which it's known for, but their regular menu as well. Tong Kiang's salt baked chicken with oily, scallion/ginger dipping sauce springs to mind. My brother who lives in Marin, but works in the city, loves Tong Kiang almost as much as I love 'Little' Three Happiness.
I also enjoy
Yank Sing for dim sum, but it's a distinct second to Tong Kiang.
As an aside, my brother loves Tong Kiang so dearly that before he let his 15-year-old daughter drive across the Golden Gate Bridge the first time, she just got her learners permit, they ate at Tong Kiang. That way if they went off the bridge, in a big splash, at least their last meal would be memorable.
Enjoy,
Gary
Swan Oyster Depot
1517 Polk St
San Francisco, CA 94109
415-673-1101
Ton Kiang Restaurant
5821 Geary Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94121
415-752-4440
http://www.yanksing.com/
Last edited by
G Wiv on September 11th, 2005, 9:09 am, edited 1 time in total.