Fancy Restaurants.

[boomchakabowwow]

this is my wife Birthday week. we ate at fine dining this past Sunday. Gary Danko in San Francisco. I knew we were off to a good start when I drove there and found a free parking spot at the curb right across the street. that NEVER happens!! we cleared out all temptation from my beater truck and and parked it on the streets. haha. no windows were smashed. yay!

anyways. the meal never disappoints. the wait staff are complete professionals. they never miss a beat. well, once. they forgot my wife's non alcoholic drink. it showed up late and it was comp'd. the wait staff is my favorite part. all smartly dressed in suits like they were all fashionable lawyer types. I think they try to read our minds. and they all talk and chatter like regular folks.

the food is all good. I have been there 3x now and every time I see the first dish and I joke to the wife, " we can grab a slice of pizza on the drive home". it never seems like enough food with the tiny portions. but we leave stuffed. its a lot of money for us but totally worth it for the wife's birthday. we can't do it often. no way.

but memorable meals? yea..the pomp and circumstances, the delicaious and beautiful food, etc make Gary Danko a great meal. but honestly, I have had some memorable meals at tiny cash only places. my tastes trend towards the dive joints. which is usually my birthday meal. hahaha..

but dang it if I dont love how a special meal at a fancy restaurant makes you feel. I wish I pooped gold bars. I would eat at one more often.

 

[esoo]

For my wife's 50th birthday, I took her to one of the top restaurants in town. It was as much as the good food as the experience. We spent half the time looking at the quality of the wait staff and service. Little things like when a course was coming out to the table for 8 next to us, that eight waiters brought the food to the table so everyone got their food at the same time.

That said, I do love trashy food. Toronto was in the Michelin guide for the first time this year and my favourite smoked meat place got a Bib Gourmand which was so awesome.

 

[Delat]

@boomchakabowwow would love to hear your other fav restaurants in SF, but more ones you get a reservation on short notice or just show up early and get lucky. Plus more casual places for sure. I travel to SF on business and sometimes my wife tags along and we both love eating out.

 

[boomchakabowwow]

@boomchakabowwow would love to hear your other fav restaurants in SF, but more ones you get a reservation on short notice or just show up early and get lucky. Plus more casual places for sure. I travel to SF on business and sometimes my wife tags along and we both love eating out.

I had a conversation with a waiter. I asked about the stools at the bar. he said those are first come first served. the patrons were wearing regular street clothing. super cool, since you get the exact same menu. there was two seats opened the entire time I was there.

my favorite restaurant Jardeniere didn't survive the pandemic.

 

[Heckel7302]

I try to only eat at fancy restaurants when someone else is paying, lol. Fanciest time that ever happened was at Per Se in NYC around 2007. Dinner for three with wine parings, supplements, a bottle of champagne, tax and tip neared four grand. It was memorable and delicious, but for my dime my belly is just as happy with a hole in the wall.

 

[WildBoar]

Friend of mine was in CA a couple months ago with his wife, visiting their daughter in college. They took her and a friend to French Laundry for her birthday. Over $3k and totally underwhelmed for the $. At least they didn't drink much... He was crying. His wife thought it was great because she could come back to the East Coast and tell all her friends she ate there.

 

[parbaked]

my favorite restaurant Jardeniere didn't survive the pandemic.

And now it’s a vegan, Italian restaurant…go figure.
I’m sure Danko was great. They know what they’re doing.