Digesting The Reviews: Reporters Discover The Best San Francisco Cuisine Is In San Francisco

The good news is that most of issues improved with every visit, but just not enough to avoid a 1.5-star review. [SFGate]

On our first visit, our waiter, who seemed genuinely frazzled by the busy Saturday night, dispensed with a greeting and went straight into recording our drink orders. She delivered the drinks quickly, but the appetizers–Dungeness crab cakes ($13), grilled artichokes ($8) and calamari ($8)–were cold and placed on our table with our menus still lying there.

The good news is that most of issues improved with every visit, but just not enough to avoid a 1.5-star review. [SFGate]

Miriam Morgan lavishes ample praise upon Palo Alto neighborhood favorite Bistro Elan. Full of regulars in a comfortable atmosphere, Bistro Elan’s only downside is its lack of, ahem, elan:

However, there can be a downside to consistency: The food can seem dated … The preparation and pastel-colored food felt last century, and the flavors lacked spark.

All in all, Morgan applauds it as the epitome of a really good two-star neighborhood restaurant; every neighborhood should be as lucky. [SFGate]

Elsewhere, our SF Weekly gal Meredith Brody recounts her time as the ultimate SF food tour guide for her out-of-town guests. She hits two “San Franciscan” spots: the Westfield Centre’s Out the Door (rather than forge the revered Slanted Door), followed by the Mission’s Universal Cafe (“a little off the beaten track, which serves seasonal, fresh New American cuisine from the open kitchen that takes up half of its cozy quarters”). [SF Weekly]

Rounding out the week in reviews: CAV Wine Bar’s Cavateria events gets a thumbs-up on Chowhound, Stacy Finz and Bargain Bite head to Taylor’s Automatic Refresher, the SF Bay Guardian at mid-90s favorite Aperto and finally, SF Mag unearths lots and lots of notable pub grub at Salt House.

[Photo courtesy: The San Franciscan Restaurant]

Digesting The Reviews: Reporters Discover The Best San Francisco Cuisine Is In