Bay Area Thread

[anvindr]

youre telling me they dont have 2009 LPK on their in house list at all times?

well damn.

 

[FoudreGuy]

youre telling me they dont have 2009 LPK on their in house list at all times?

well damn.

THATS IT RESERVATION CANCELLED FALSE ADVERTISING.

Checked their website's beer list. Really nice but also a reminder that SF is even more expensive than Seattle is when it comes to draft beer.

 

[AndresR]

Made reservations for State Bird Provisions for the Friday night we're there.

Hell yeah! One of the best, and funnest meals we had last year! It's a marathon, pace your boozing.

 

[rrryanc]

THATS IT RESERVATION CANCELLED FALSE ADVERTISING.

Checked their website's beer list. Really nice but also a reminder that SF is even more expensive than Seattle is when it comes to draft beer.

I don't think you need a qualifier there.

 

[FoudreGuy]

I don't think you need a qualifier there.

I am a bit curious/dreading seeing just how worse SF is with the disparity between Haves and Have Nots and the homeless situation compared to home, which is pretty terrible in it's own right.

 

[drgarage1]

I am a bit curious/dreading seeing just how worse SF is with the disparity between Haves and Have Nots and the homeless situation compared to home, which is pretty terrible in it's own right.

Honestly, it’s basically the same. Unaffordable is unaffordable, and crazy wealth is crazy wealth. For more nuance than that, you kind of need to live here.

If anything, our young homeless population is at low ebb, because they migrate to Portland and Seattle for summer.

 

[rrryanc]

I am a bit curious/dreading seeing just how worse SF is with the disparity between Haves and Have Nots and the homeless situation compared to home, which is pretty terrible in it's own right.

Ya, what drgarage said. Just spent the weekend in Seattle and it's not really different. SF may be a bit dirtier, but that just may be a factor of where I go when I'm in SF vs where I was in Seattle.

 

[FoudreGuy]

I don’t mind the homeless people (sure, I can see tents from my living room window and I’d rather they had somewhere better to go, but I don’t know the solution), it’s more the outspoken NIMBYs with zero empathy that want to arrest them that drive me insane.

 

[drgarage1]

I don’t mind the homeless people (sure, I can see tents from my living room window and I’d rather they had somewhere better to go, but I don’t know the solution), it’s more the outspoken NIMBYs with zero empathy that want to arrest them that drive me insane.

100%. More of them live on the peninsula, though. They exist here, but NIMBYs tend not to live in or even visit poor neighborhoods in the city.

 

[loeyjarko]

Made reservations for State Bird Provisions for the Friday night we're there, will try for Che Fico once we're 30 days out.

State Bird *****.

 

[loeyjarko]

We're up for good solid food, don't really care about Instagram-worthy/scenester ****, but also ok dropping $150-$200 on a great experience. Also if there is can't miss ramen that would be cool.

Mensho Tokyo is the best ramen in San Francisco and also probably in the entire United States. You’ll want to get there about 40 minutes prior to opening, coincidently that’s at 4:20, in order to minimize wait time and get in the first seating. Idk what other names have been thrown out in this thread, but no other ramen shop is even close.

 

[archagon]

How do you even compare top ramen places? I've eaten at a bunch of higher end ones, and past a certain level of quality they all taste more or less the same to me. (Delicious, but still.) What's the differentiating factor here?

The multi-hour long lines just seem absurd when there are about a dozen equally good places to eat ramen in SF (to my taste).

(With that said, I've been eager to try the vegan ramen at Mensho Tokyo for a while now, since I eat vegan on some days and people seem to rave about it.)

 

[loeyjarko]

How do you even compare top ramen places? I've eaten at a bunch of higher end ones, and past a certain level of quality they all taste more or less the same to me. (Delicious, but still.) What's the differentiating factor here?

The multi-hour long lines just seem absurd when there are about a dozen equally good places to eat ramen in SF (to my taste).

(With that said, I've been eager to try the vegan ramen at Mensho Tokyo for a while now, since I eat vegan on some days and people seem to rave about it.)

When you’ve been to many of the top places in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, you will start to see that much of the ramen in the USA considered “good” is just salty and rather uninspired Hakata style tonkatsu ramen.

In reality ramen is not nearly as monolithic as a sampling of these shops would have you believe. Mensho offers a good sampling of different styles popular in Japan, executed flawlessly, with premium ingredients. Second place is not even close.

 

[FoudreGuy]

When you’ve been to many of the top places in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, you will start to see that much of the ramen in the USA considered “good” is just salty and rather uninspired Hakata style tonkatsu ramen.

In reality ramen is not nearly as monolithic as a sampling of these shops would have you believe. Mensho offers a good sampling of different styles popular in Japan, executed flawlessly, with premium ingredients. Second place is not even close.

We go to Japan every four years and eat ramen every day we're there. I still happily eat ramen in the states, but I feel your pain.

American ramen shops also charge way too ******* much compared to Japan.

 

[Lupulin the 3rd]

Mensho’s superb but you have to plan for it if you want to avoid the gnarly lines. Coming from Chicago, I didn’t begin exploring ramen until I moved out west in 2003, but I’ve eaten at most of the top places in LA and am working my way through Bay Area spots. I’d like to think I’ve had a good view of how California’s ramen scene’s evolved over that time.These days I don’t trouble myself with limiting my options to the absolute best. As long as I’m not eating at a wack pan-Asian spot that hypes up their mega spicy ramen, I’m good. My Japanese in-laws are pretty much the same way. Since I’m in the east bay, I just go to Marufuku when I want my ramen fix.

 

[bigstrunso]

I like to hit up Mensho after 10PM. Usually not much of a wait at that point.

 

[trio2shine1]

Any favorite spots to grab a beer or 3 before a Warriors game (close to Oracle)?

 

[drgarage1]

Any favorite spots to grab a beer or 3 before a Warriors game (close to Oracle)?

Nothing close to Oracle itself, but there are lots of good spots at 12th Street and 19th street just a few stops up

 

[BrandoSF]

Any favorite spots to grab a beer or 3 before a Warriors game (close to Oracle)?

My go to is Temescal. Just a short walk from the MacArthur station.

 

[drgarage1]

Nothing close to Oracle itself, but there are lots of good spots at 12th Street and 19th street just a few stops up

And to elaborate: I like Diving Dog and Drake’s Dealership at 19th, and the Trappist near 12th.

 

[FoudreGuy]

Got reservations for State Bird Provisions on Friday and Che Fico for Saturday evening while we're down there, might do Mr. Jius on Sunday before catching a late flight back to Seattle.

 

[BrandoSF]

Got reservations for State Bird Provisions on Friday and Che Fico for Saturday evening while we're down there, might do Mr. Jius on Sunday before catching a late flight back to Seattle.

That’s a solid lineup! I’d suggest the Toronado prior to SB, & Fools Errand before CF. Enjoy your trip.

 

[pen15clubmember]

That’s a solid lineup! I’d suggest the Toronado prior to SB, & Fools Errand before CF. Enjoy your trip.

Fool’s Errand is sweet. I was sad to see the bike bar thing go, but at least something very cool went into the space.

 

[FoudreGuy]

That’s a solid lineup! I’d suggest the Toronado prior to SB, & Fools Errand before CF. Enjoy your trip.

I think I'm gonna hit Toronado on Friday while my wife takes a nap at the hotel. Their lack of wine and spirits is a turn off for her so I'll do that solo. Maybe I'll hit Mikkeller as well. We'll see.

 

[RyanG1]

I think I'm gonna hit Toronado on Friday while my wife takes a nap at the hotel. Their lack of wine and spirits is a turn off for her so I'll do that solo. Maybe I'll hit Mikkeller as well. We'll see.

Maven is right across the street and open for similar hours on the weekend. Cool interior with live walls and good cocktails too.

 

[loeyjarko]

Molotov’s is right across the street. Great interior and cocktails too.

 

[Arbitrator]

Crosspost from the Cellarmaker thread:

Would anyone here like a Cellarmaker 64oz screwtop or 2 32oz fliptop growlers? Free, of course.

Also adding: a Russian River palla and a blank palla.

 

[stupac2]

Anyone have a 2+ tap jockey box that I can use for the weekend of 6/29? It's my brother's wedding and I'm in charge of beer. I could build one out of the remnants of the ones from my wedding (which has been disassembled and turned into a planter) but I figure someone on here probably has one I can use. Looks don't matter, it'll just get covered with a tablecloth (or whatever).

 

[matedog]

Anyone have a 2+ tap jockey box that I can use for the weekend of 6/29? It's my brother's wedding and I'm in charge of beer. I could build one out of the remnants of the ones from my wedding (which has been disassembled and turned into a planter) but I figure someone on here probably has one I can use. Looks don't matter, it'll just get covered with a tablecloth (or whatever).

A friend that lives near you has a kegerator that might work?

 

[FoudreGuy]

Need some good coffee recommendations for the city. And more local vibe neighborhoods to walk around. Tourists annoy me even when I am one.