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Thread: Bay Area Intel for Tourons
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03-19-2019, 08:10 PM #51
Bay Area Intel for Tourons
I’ve held off on the restaurant recs because OP hasn’t hinted at that interest... BUT, if he’s out there for work then the more expensive joints are often in play, so it makes sense. I love splurging on work trips... a co-worker and I managed to ring up a $750 bill for the two of us at dinner in Miami recently. I... kind of remember it being good. ;-)
I ski 135 degree chutes switch to the road.
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03-19-2019, 08:19 PM #52Registered User
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Hike from Mill Valley up the Dipsea to Muir Woods. Check out the park, hike back and get a burger at Super Duper or a coffee at Equator or both.
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03-19-2019, 08:21 PM #53
That's ok. I really don't mind the high end suggestions, because even though I can't afford it THIS time, doesn't mean I don't want to bring my wife back someday to do it right. She works in fine dining herself and we really love the category, so we've been known to splurge before. It just won't be this trip. Haha. Neat thing about the area is it seems there are great options for ALL budget categories. Actually found a great little hole in the wall in a commercial park today with deli sandwiches and asian fare. Odd mix, but it was awesome and was under $6!!!
I do want something better for dinner tonight though. I don't have to be TOO cheap. Just nothing outrageous. Prolly somewhere in the middle.
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03-19-2019, 09:12 PM #54
At Henry's Hi-Life. Seems legit. Smells awesome. Will put them to the test shortly.
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03-19-2019, 09:52 PM #55Registered User
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Ha, I'm a mile away from there, also on a work trip, currently in a shitty hotel that smells like a wet fart. lemme know if you wanna grab a beer tomorrow night around here.
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03-19-2019, 10:03 PM #56
Actually, my restaurant list included 4 greasy taco joints. I looked back on the Chez Panisse site tonight, and it's about double the $60 I spent about 13 years ago. So, maybe I am out of touch on that one. Also, I didn't recommended Michael Mina, I just used it as an example of how to get in without a reservation.
I can definitely come up with more budget-friendly options, but I shot for low-to-mid range. It wasn't intended to offend."Yo!! Brentley! Ya wanna get faded before work?"
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03-19-2019, 10:49 PM #57Registered User
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Bay Area Intel for Tourons
I haven't been upstairs to the chez cafe in a long time, but it used to be pretty reasonable to eat without techbro money
I do wish we had a del taco in town though. Their hot sauce is the crack of hot sauce
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03-19-2019, 11:14 PM #58
Sheeeet. No way! Sorry I missed ya tonight! I might be down for a beer tomorrow night but have an evening meeting in Sacramento, so will have to see how long that takes me plus drive time back. At least I should miss rush hour! I'll hit ya up.
Oh, and Henry's was good. Would recommend. My clothes reek of pit smoke. As it should be! I'm flipping stuffed. Very healthy portions. They seem to know what they're doing there.
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03-20-2019, 12:39 AM #59Registered User
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Guess I’m late for your San Jose dinner suggestion, but I can recommend Yiassoos in Campbell for Greek food, and Yas in SJ for Persian. Both have good food and not that expensive. The kebabs are good at either place.
I could probably come up with a dozen more, but these are the first two that came to mind.
There’s also a lot of good Vietnamese and Thai restaurants in town. Can’t remember the names, but just use Yelp.
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03-20-2019, 01:05 AM #60
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03-20-2019, 06:02 AM #61
Had the bright Idea. Once. To leave San Jose about 4 on a friday headed to tahoe. The fuckin traffic didn't let up until weill past sacramento. Wasn't on any particular schedule but jeazus what a grind.
And, speaking as a touron, the oakland bay bridge at night into San Fran is a hell of a drive. City all lit up, it's a thing.
But sweet jezus. Thought we knew somethin about traffic in ATL...."Can't you see..."
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03-20-2019, 09:18 AM #62
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03-20-2019, 09:38 AM #63
Vik’s is so good! I used to work in that hood for a few summers and there were weeks I ate lunch there Tuesday to Friday. One of the highest quality to price ratios around.
I love Zachary’s too, but I don’t usually feel great after. My friend has a childhood birthday tradition of eating Zachary’s with his dad that he usually keeps up even towards middle age. My girlfriend fed herself through college on Zachary’s by getting a pizza, having a slice, and then making it last for lunch the rest of the week.
Anyway, I thought the list of recs was pretty balanced. I don’t go to chez panisse on the regular, but it’s definitely the kind of place I’d want to splurge on when traveling. Or just get the $25 late night special and it’s not even much of a splurge.
I’m pretty sure the cost of ice cream at birite is the same as one from Mitchell’s, too, and at this point it’s at least as much of an institution as Mitchell’s.
BiRite happens to be a place fifty yards from the park that you can get really good beer or wine that you can take and drink on the grass. Sure, that in itself is a pretty hipster activity, but it’s a pleasant one when the park doesn’t turn into a total shit show.
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03-20-2019, 10:30 AM #64
Ha, my girlfriend (now wife) and I used to live in South Berkeley near the Rockridge location and would do the exact same thing. I really love Zachary's but it's definitely a gut bomb. Thinking back, I'm wondering what the total count would be of burritos I had from LaBurrita during that stretch.
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03-20-2019, 12:39 PM #65
No offense taken on my part.
If I'm being honest, your list was legit.
I was just taking the piss.
When I lived in SF (1999-2012) the El Faralito vs Cancun thing was hot and heavy amongst my friends. I don't eat meat, so I was partial to Cancun's massive veggie burrito and their chunky, avocado infused verde salsa.
You honestly can't go wrong with any of the taquerias in The Mission (shit, everything down there beats the hell out of the crap we have here in the North Lake!).
And to Jorian's bit about Bi-Rite, I used to hit their ice cream spot when it first opened, but we'd go really late at night just before closing to avoid the crowds.
Quite honestly, I took much of my time in The City for granted and didn't eat out that much, so I missed a lot of good epicurean moments. I did spend an inordinate amount of time noshing sushi (at least once a week), but I'd be willing to be that a number of my favorite spots are long gone by now.
The one thing all of us commenting on this thread neglected was to ask AustinFromSA the pertinent questions:
1. How long are you in the area?
2. what are your priorities: food, entertainment (i.e. live music, theater), education (i.e. museums)?
2b. what kind of food do you like?; what kind of music/theater do you like?; what kind of museums do you like?
3. How much downtime will you actually have (i.e. free time when not driving to/from meetings, etc.)
4. What are your budgetary restraints? (i.e. do you have an expense account or will you be selling plasma to fund this trip?)
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03-20-2019, 04:50 PM #66
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03-20-2019, 05:11 PM #67Registered User
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03-20-2019, 05:17 PM #68
BTW - flowing alpy - I just realized you used "dying" in reference to that thread about Seattle and that news piece saying Seattle is dying. Well, everything going wrong there is a solid 10 years behind SF.
Going to Tokyo several weeks ago was a real wakeup call... felt like I could lick the sidewalks in comparison.
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03-20-2019, 05:35 PM #69Registered User
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03-20-2019, 06:07 PM #70
Yeah but where the hell do you get a decent super carnitas burrito in Tokyo?????
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03-20-2019, 06:22 PM #71
you can sit on a highway for hours and go nowhere, I recommend the 237 Eastbound in the afternoon. You can see all the greats!
Hello darkness my old friend
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03-20-2019, 06:45 PM #72
You guys are fucking pussies
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03-20-2019, 07:25 PM #73
If you're inclined to check out some of the redwood parks (such as Portola, which is very nice) out of the South Bay, check first to see if they're open; high creeks cause maintenance headaches and they close for that sometimes.
Yeah, as others said, the stretch of the PCH from Santa Cruz to HMB is nice, and with some nice beach strolling possibilities along the way. The elephant seals at Ana Nuevo are worth checking out, but probably fully booked (and, for their protection, you can't approach them without being on the tour).
If you go to SF, and park anyplace that might be where a tourist might park, be aware that there are teams that do smash-and-grabs as efficiently as McDonalds assembles Big Macs. They will break in, quickly, just for a closed daypack.
A few people mentioned Marin. Yes, Dipsea Trail from Mill Valley, which also lets you visit Muir Woods without dealing with the parking/ shuttle bus gag-spew. Or park at Pan Toll and get outstanding ocean views and/or go to Muir Woods from there. Or if you're a runner, run the Dipsea trail (home to the 2nd oldest running race in the US). And what? No one mentioned Avatar's Punjabi Burritos in Mill Valley?
For a more quick & conventional Marin swing, drive up the cliff west of the GGB, check out the Point Bonita lighthouse, and return to the freeway via the tunnel route, before dining on the water at some tourist fish joint in Sausalito (or Avatar's sit-down place in that town).
And, not that you'll be stopping at our little burg of Belmont, right by Oracle's world headquarters, but if you did, we've got the best little falafel joint outside of SF (and there would only be a couple there that are arguably as good), Falafelle.
edit: Really, for SJ <--> SF, don't drive. Look up when the express CalTrains are, and, once in SF, take Uber anywhere that Muni Metro + walking won't take you. Oh yeah, why not ride a cable car, between the Powell Muni Metro stop and Fishermans Wharf (and stroll west along the Marina); tourist cliche, but worth doing once.
Re traffic, it's not so terrible if you don't do it at the worst times. Use Google Maps to preview the best route, traffic, and estimated travel time, at a selected day of the week and time, and assume it will be a bit worse than that. For peninsula to Sacto, I'm going through Stockton more often than via Vallejo or Benicia.Last edited by bobz; 03-20-2019 at 08:22 PM.
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03-20-2019, 08:39 PM #74
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03-20-2019, 09:18 PM #75
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