One of those where should we go topics... [from SF / Bay]

We'll be visiting from the SF Bay Area. I'm familiar with the Chicago and know my way around for a non-resident. But I'm not that on top of the restaurant scene beyond what I read on the internet and from some experience and word of mouth. So it would be great to get some input from those of you who know so much more than I do.

Mainly, we want things that we might not easily find in SF and environs. To a large degree, that means Mexican food for us since the choices and quality are so much greater in Chicago. But I'm open to anything and don't fully have a feel for what's in Chicago that's not in SF.

We're not looking for Charlie Trotter's or Alinea formality and prices, but can handle something in the $50 per person range, excluding drinks. That said, something in the $10 per person range is hardly out of bounds for us.

Anyplace cooking with fresh, local, artisan (I’m starting to tire of that word...) quality ingredients is a contender for us, though that's not imperative in all cases. Local color is good, but not to the point of cliche. In other words, when in Philadelphia, I don't eat cheese steaks.

For Mexican, I'm looking at the Bayless places, which I know well, but also ones I don't, like French/Mexican (Mexique, Dorado, Sabor Saveur), Mundial Cocina Mestiza, Amelia's, Xni-Pec, Mixteco Grill, Chilam Balam and Birrieria Zaragoza. If we get a chance, the Maxwell St. Market would be nice, too, but timing might not work out there. If anyone has any strong recommendations in any direction about these or other Mexican spots, please let me know.

We've been to and enjoyed avec and Lula Cafe and would go to either again. I see that not everyone likes Lula Cafe, but we enjoy the eclecticism and the crowd. Hot Doug's was fun for us, but I don't think I'd return during a short visit. What about Girl and the Goat?

I'd probably tend to avoid Asian places since we have so much of that here. I think there's a lot more Greek food in Chicago than in my area. Are there any contemporary places using the aforementioned sorts of ingredients? Other cuisines?

Decades ago, I used to go to the long gone Gino's on Rush. I'm actually not much of a pizza eater, but the kids might enjoy something, particularly if it's different than what we have in the SF area. If there's a deep dish place that really stands out in a foodie kinda way, I'd be open to it. Or some other style, too.

Based on the entirety of what you wrote, the one place I would single out for you would be Birrieria Zaragoza. That place serves such a high quality product, made with passion and care. And I don't think that you will find that style of birria in San Francisco. The owner told me that there are only three places outside of Mexico doing it, and the other two are in the LA area. Much more info on this thread and here, of course. Not sure where you're staying, but Zaragoza is not hard to get to from downtown. Just a couple blocks walk off the Orange Line stop at Pulaski.

It sounds like you have been looking around LTH Forum a bit, but in case you haven't yet found it, the listing of Great Neighborhood Restaurants (GNRs) is a great place to start. The list is full of the type of places you are looking for.

In addition to Mexican, I'd strongly recommend visiting some of our great Thai restaurants, which are among the best in the country. There are several on the GNR list, but in particular, I'd recommend a visit to Aroy Thai or TAC Quick. As for deep dish pizza, Gino's is still around, but personally I feel that Lou Malnati's is a better representation of the style these days..or even better, visit Burt's Place (be sure to call ahead to order your pizza and reserve a spot). Burt's has been featured on the cover of Saveur and Anthony Bourdain says it's the only Chicago Deep Dish pizza he "gets", plus Burt is quite the character. For Greek prepared with great ingredients, skip Greektown and head to Winnetka and Avli Estiaoria.

There are many other great recommendations on the GNR list, so look around. Also, there is a Google map available that lists all of the GNRs, so that will help you out geographically. The map is at http://tinyurl.com/GNR-Map.

Enjoy your visit and yes, do go to Birrieria Zaragoza.

I noticed there is no mention if Indian/Pakistani food. Don't know if you get this in the Bay area, or just aren't interested in that food, but a trip to Devon Ave. can be a wonderful whole experience above and beyond the food. It's also very distinctively Chicago, in its way. If you have any interest in the food at all, encourage you to explore the site in that regard.

Indian and Pakistani food is always on my radar. But we have many such restaurants to pick from here. Still, thanks for the Devon pointer. I'll check it out as it's turf I'll be wandering through at one point or another and my interest level is high. Any particularly distinctive spots for someone already accustomed to food from those countries? Maybe a regional place, somewhere doing something unique or just a great place? My preferences tend toward the less oily when it comes to all food, so that's a priority for me when it comes to this region. I also tend not to favor the starchy dosa/idly southern cooking, though there are some regional exceptions.

I saw Bourdain's visit to Burt's Place. Maybe we'll head out there at some point.

Avli Estatorio looks good and like something we'd enjoy.

Birrieria Zaragoza was already at the top of my list, so your confirmation all but guarantees we'll get there. I can't overstate how much more appealing the Mexican restaurant landscape is in Chicago than where we are. So we'll check out more than just that. The hardest thing for me when eating at lots of Mexican restaurants is the potential for too much meat and too few veggies. Sooner than later, I just can't eat any more meat. But I'm thinking that some of the places I mentioned will offer a fair amount of other choices, too.

Thanks for all the input so far.

I'm betting the Polish food scene in SF isn't that great; it's strong here. Some of the best pierogies I've ever had were at Smak Tak (an LTH-certified Great neighborhood restaurant), and the other offerings there are also worth seeking out. It's on the Northwest side.

Or, with kids in tow, you might want to try the slightly Disney-esque (not in a bad way) interior at Szala's, down near Midway. Large water wheel in the middle of the room, and you can sit in an old sleigh to dine. It's highland-style Polish, a little different than Smak Tak.

Smak Tak
5961 N. Elston Ave.
Chicago
773-763-1123

Szala's
5214 S. Archer Ave.
773-582-0300

maigre wrote:Indian and Pakistani food is always on my radar. But we have many such restaurants to pick from here. Still, thanks for the Devon pointer. I'll check it out as it's turf I'll be wandering through at one point or another and my interest level is high. Any particularly distinctive spots for someone already accustomed to food from those countries? Maybe a regional place, somewhere doing something unique or just a great place? My preferences tend toward the less oily when it comes to all food, so that's a priority for me when it comes to this region. I also tend not to favor the starchy dosa/idly southern cooking, though there are some regional exceptions.

If you end up in the area, I recommend Khan BBQ and Sabri Nihari. The former for perfect, charcoal-tandoored kabobs (get the chicken boti) and the latter for Nihari (beef shank stew), biryani and chicken charga. Chicago is an oily, greasy city, and good Northern Indian/Pakistani food is too, so be forewarned.

Head up Devon to (just east of Kedzie) and check out Taza Bakery if you have a chance. Excellent Iraqi/Lebanese/Assyrian style baked goods, all made fresh to order. The spinach pie and lahmbilajeen or sujouk (minced beef or sausage pie, respectively) are delicious, especially washed down with some yogurt drink.

I heartily agree with the Thai recomendations. I don't know what its like in SF, but Chicago's Thai places blow even NYC out of the water, Aroy particularly.

Ooh. I like these latest suggestions.

We do have a little bit of Polish food here, but nowhere near as much as you do. We'll keep those two places in mind. Taza Bakery strikes me as a near certainty for us. Great suggestion. Would some of their stuff be suitable for takeout and reheating later? I hate to even suggest that, as I don't usually do it that way and it's far from optimal, but under the circumstances of this trip, that might be something that could work out for us.

Aroy looks like exactly the kind of Thai place I'm interested in, unlike the usual cliched stuff.

I think we're going to eat well on this trip.

maigre wrote: Taza Bakery strikes me as a near certainty for us. Great suggestion. Would some of their stuff be suitable for takeout and reheating later?

Absolutely. The pies (open-faced and closed) all reheat very well in an oven or toaster oven. The round flatbread, tannur is my favorite thing about Taza. Take some home, reheat it in the oven, and go to town on hummus, labneh, good olive oil, etc.

maigre wrote:I saw Bourdain's visit to Burt's Place. Maybe we'll head out there at some point.

You know the rules, right? One does not simply head out there.

maigre wrote:For Mexican, I'm looking at the Bayless places, which I know well, but also ones I don't, like French/Mexican (Mexique, Dorado, Sabor Saveur), Mundial Cocina Mestiza, Amelia's, Xni-Pec, Mixteco Grill, Chilam Balam and Birrieria Zaragoza.

I love our creative provincial Mexican restaurants! I've been to nine of the ones you list, some of them numerous times. (I'm a junkie for provincial Mexican!) My absolute top favorite is Mundial Cocina Mestiza, with honorable mention for Mexique and Mixteco.

maigre wrote:We've been to and enjoyed avec and Lula Cafe and would go to either again. I see that not everyone likes Lula Cafe, but we enjoy the eclecticism and the crowd. Hot Doug's was fun for us, but I don't think I'd return during a short visit. What about Girl and the Goat?

Girl and the Goat gets a lot of hype. I went there this past winter and I thought it was just okay; there were hits and misses among the savory dishes, and I thought the desserts were dreadful. Also note that they fill up the reservations book months in advance.

As an alternative (especially if you're a Top Chef fan, given Chef Terhune's upcoming appearance), I've loved Sable every time I've gone there. They feature contemporary American cuisine, with many of the dishes available in half portions so you can try a lot of them. They also offer a rather amazing list of artisanal cocktails. My most recent dinner there was the best meal I've had in Chicago so far this year. You can read more opinions in the Sable discussion here.

maigre wrote:Decades ago, I used to go to the long gone Gino's on Rush. I'm actually not much of a pizza eater, but the kids might enjoy something, particularly if it's different than what we have in the SF area. If there's a deep dish place that really stands out in a foodie kinda way, I'd be open to it. Or some other style, too.

I also love deep-dish. I think the best ones in town are Lou Malnati's (all locations), Pizano's (all locations) and the original Uno and Due (original locations in River North only). (If you mention where you're staying, we can tell you which is the closest of these.) You know that these three places are related by family, right? Rudy Malnati Sr. was one of the principal folks in the early decades of Uno and Due, and his sons grew up working there with their dad. Lou founded his namesake restaurant in the 1970s and Rudy Jr. founded Pizano's in the 1990s. I've been to Burt's Place and eaten the pizza there, and I'm not a fan; I think it's overhyped and overrated, and every pizza I've ever had at Malnati's is far better.

Not sure if there's good Afghan in SF but Kabul house is terrific and they recently opened an outpost with a limited menu on Devon (if you have a chance to get to the original, even better).

I'm not a fan of the Rick Bayless outposts with the exception of Xoco, which is worth going to at off hours for a torta ahogada and churros (and/or a cookie). Cemitas puebla is an even better option for Mexican sandwiches if you have a car.

2nd, 3rd, 4th, whatever on Aroy. Make sure you order off the Thai classics menu.

If you are here on a Sunday, consider the Maxwell street market for a nice selection of antojitos and a good deal on used car parts...

Another option for contemporary greek is Taxim, in Wicker Park. And if you liked Lula's, consider its "sister" restaurant, Nightwood, in Pilsen. Nightwood accepts reservations and does a killer Sunday brunch.

Taxim
1558 N. Milwaukee Ave.
http://taximchicago.com/

Nightwood
2119 S. Halsted St.
http://nightwoodrestaurant.com/about.html

Lots of great stuff here. Thanks, everyone. I can't wait to eat at the places we're able to get to.

Sable is now on our radar, as are Taxim and Nightwood. We've got our share of Afghan, including a substantial community centered in Fremont with various restaurants. I'll probably let Kabul House slide because of that.

I didn't know that the Malnati family had anything to do with Uno and Due. I'd never heard of Pizano's. I don't know the Burt's rules. Maybe I shouldn't learn, just to see what happens. I better call first if we decide to go there.

Of the suggestions you've gotten, I really like Taxim and Nightwood which, I think, are both doing some really fun things and aren't your typical foodie-tourist spots (like say, Girl and the Goat), as well as Aroy, Zaragoza and Smak Tak for things that are unique here (not just because of the cuisine but because of the level of execution). I would also add Purple Pig to the list of special "foodie" places to hit--it gets a lot of press but I happen to think it lives up to the hype. It's also a great place to go off hours--and they're open late.

I must respectfully disagree with Nxtasy on recommending Uno or Due--the quality has really slipped, the experience is solidly tourist/annoying and I'm afraid you'd come away wishing you'd gone elsewhere with limited meals to enjoy in our city. I don't do deep dish myself but I've never had anything but raves from anyone I've sent to Malnati's or Pizano's and I'd stick to those.

One thing to note about Zaragoza's--the choice is basically, goat, goat and, uh, goat The only item for the unadventurous is a cheese quesadilla (but oh what a quesadilla it is, with freshly pressed tortillas and the most wonderfully oozy cheese...) I recently brought goat virgins visiting from out of town and the adventurous half of the pair was in heaven--the one who barely eats chicken, not so much...personally, it's in the category of food I'd miss most if I moved away from Chicago.

Looking forward to hearing where you end up and what you enjoyed!

It's the goatiness of Zaragoza that is a big part of its appeal for us. And if the kids aren't up for it, the quesadillas will make them happy.

There's a lot of stuff here that has me looking forward to the trip. We'll be in and out of town for close to two weeks, so hopefully, we'll get to at least a few Mexican places and at least a few of the other recs. Aroy seems to be a must, so that's likely to be one of them. Nightwood, Taza Bakery, probably Smak Tak and one of the Greek places are likely to be among the others.

Pizza may lose out, which is fine for me, though family may demand it.

As I may have alluded to earlier in the thread, I could reach my limits on meat consumption and become sort of veggie obsessive. It seems like a number of those places could address that for me. I'd guess that Nightwood, Taza Bakery, one of the Greek spots and maybe a few of the Mexican ones could take care of that. Thoughts?

Purple Pig is actually one of my favorite places in town to go all-veg--though you wouldn't know it from the name, it's definitely a strength.

+1 on the Sable rec. Lovely cocktails, great food, great value.

maigre wrote:Lots of great stuff here. Thanks, everyone. I can't wait to eat at the places we're able to get to.

Sable is now on our radar, as are Taxim and Nightwood. We've got our share of Afghan, including a substantial community centered in Fremont with various restaurants. I'll probably let Kabul House slide because of that.

I didn't know that the Malnati family had anything to do with Uno and Due. I'd never heard of Pizano's. I don't know the Burt's rules. Maybe I shouldn't learn, just to see what happens. I better call first if we decide to go there.

Rudy Malnati, Sr. was the bartender/manager of the original Pizzeria Uno, and his son, the late Lou Malnati, was the manager at Pizzeria Uno's second location down the block- Pizzeria Due. They both worked for the original owners/icons of Pizzeria Uno- Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo. Sewell originally named the restaurant, "The Pizzeria" in 1943 and then changed the name to "Riccardo's Pizzeria." Sewell's pizza became so popular that he opened a second location down the block in 1955 and named it Pizzeria Due, and renamed his original location Pizzeria Uno. Lou Malnati perfected his craft at Pizzeria Due for many years before opening his namesake restaurant in Lincolnwood, IL in 1971.

In my humble opinion, Lou Malnati's deep dish pizza is better than Pizano's, which was established in the early 1990's by the late Lou Malnati's younger brother- Rudy Malnati, Jr. The deep dish pizza recipe at Pizano's uses far less tomato sauce and less sausage compared to Lou Malnati's. I always feel like Pizano's skimps on their topings, which is definitely not the case at Lou Malnati's or Pizzeria Uno/Due.

Recently, I had a very good pizza at Pizzeria Due. It's been at least a decade since I've had a good pizza there, so I was very surprised. Uno Restaurant Holdings Corporation abandoned the original deep dish crust recipe in favor of a dry, crumbly, tasteless crust, which they used for at least the last 12 years. A friend who I grew up with was visiting from the East Coast and he related to me that Uno's/Due had finally went back to their original crust recipe. So, I had to find out for myself, and I was pleasantly surprised. I had a deep dish pizza with sausage, mushrooms, and onions and it was excellent. The crust was once again slightly buttery, very crunchy/sturdy, and garlicky, with some added olive oil and corn oil for additional flavor. It was the best Pizzeria Due pizza I've had in at least a decade. And the Anichini Brothers' Sausage that they use on their pizza is still some of the best pizza sausage I've ever had. I still think it's better than the Peoria Meat Packing sausage used over at Lou Malnati's. Pizano's uses Anichini Brothers' sausage, too, but in far less quantity compared to Pizzeria Uno/Due. In my humble opinion, you can never go wrong with Pizzeria Uno/Due or Lou Malnati's when it comes to deep dish pizza. If you are going to Lou Malnati's, make sure you get the buttercrust. It's excellent. And if you're going to Pizano's, then get their thin buttercrust. It's very good, and it's what Pizano's is known for.

deepdish wrote:Rudy Malnati, Sr. was the bartender/manager of the original Pizzeria Uno, and his son, the late Lou Malnati, was the manager at Pizzeria Uno's second location down the block- Pizzeria Due. They both worked for the original owners/icons of Pizzeria Uno- Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo. Sewell originally named the restaurant, "The Pizzeria" in 1943 and then changed the name to "Riccardo's Pizzeria." Sewell's pizza became so popular that he opened a second location down the block in 1955 and named it Pizzeria Due, and renamed his original location Pizzeria Uno. Lou Malnati perfected his craft at Pizzeria Due for many years before opening his namesake restaurant in Lincolnwood, IL in 1971.

This history stuff is fun! Incidentally, according to a 1956 Tribune article, Rudy Malnati Sr. created the deep-dish recipe when they opened in 1943. But it was never written down in all the years, according to a 1993 article in the Tribune ("At 50, Uno dishes a deep slice of Chicago history" by Phil Vettel on April 16).

deepdish wrote:Uno Restaurant Holdings Corporation abandoned the original deep dish crust recipe in favor of a dry, crumbly, tasteless crust, which they used for at least the last 12 years.

The Uno name and concept were franchised in 1979, but Ike held onto the original locations. When those were purchased by the corporation from his widow, Florence, a year after his death in 1990, the corporation CEO promised that the two original locations of Uno and Due in River North would keep using the original pizza recipe. That's why it's still good there, unlike all the other franchise locations nationwide.

@nsxtasy: Yeah, this history stuff is fun for people like me who truly are nerds. I'm guilty as charged. That article you quoted was a 1956 article from the Chicago Daily News, but the article incorrectly states that Rudy Malnati, Sr. "established" Pizzeria Uno in 1943, which is definitely not true. That honor goes to Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo, who hired Rudy Malnati, Sr. as their bartender/manager, and then hired Lou Malnati to manage Pizzeria Due. Whatever the case may be, the pizza that came out of that kitchen would go on to define this city, and rightfully so.

Interestingly enough, Rudy Malnati, Jr. at Pizano's states that his pizza "is skillfully prepared from my father's authentic old Italian recipe." Yet, the picture of the deep dish pizza on Pizano's menu looks NOTHING like the deep dish pizza that is served on a daily basis at Pizano's. Pizano's uses far less tomato sauce (and far less sausage, too) than the picture of the pizza displayed on Pizano's menu. Ironically, that photo on Pizano's menu looks a lot more like a deep dish pizza from either Pizzeria Uno/Due or Lou Malnati's.

Out of curiosity, do you prefer Lou Malnati's or Pizano's when it comes to deep dish pizza ? I've always preferred Lou Malnati's for deep dish, because I don't have to order extra tomato sauce and extra sausage at Lou Malnati's, unlike at Pizano's where the tomato sauce and the sausage are difficult to find. That said, I prefer Pizano's thin crust over most other thin crust places in Chicago, except for Villa Nova in Stickney and Pat's on Lincoln Ave.

In my humble opinion a visit to Chicago should include BBQ! I could easily recommend a dozen places starting with Uncle John's and Lem's, but for a sit down experience that can include some great music as well make it Honky Tonk.

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8434

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8764&hilit=lems

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=15597

My other suggestion is to stop at any hot dog or Italian beef stand you like the looks of. No matter which one you pick, it will be better than any hot dog or beef from anywhere else in the country.

I considered specifically asking about BBQ when I first posted. Thanks for throwing that in and for the recommendations. Since we're talking Q now, which BBQ place would have the tenderest, tastiest brisket? I gather from the links above that it's not the strength of Uncle John's, Lem's or Honky Tonk. Not that the other offerings at those places wouldn't be worth the bother.

deepdish wrote:Out of curiosity, do you prefer Lou Malnati's or Pizano's when it comes to deep dish pizza ?

I have two "go-to" places for pizza, Lou Malnati's and Giordano's, both of which are convenient to home. I rarely go to Pizano's or Uno/Due, not because I prefer Lou's - I like those too, about the same - but because they're not convenient for me. I also like the stuffed pizza at Giordano's as much as the deep-dish at Lou's, but I recommend deep-dish to visitors from out of town who haven't had either, as I consider it the more typical "Chicago-style deep-dish pizza" for which we have become well-known around the country.

maigre wrote:I considered specifically asking about BBQ when I first posted. Thanks for throwing that in and for the recommendations. Since we're talking Q now, which BBQ place would have the tenderest, tastiest brisket? I gather from the links above that it's not the strength of Uncle John's, Lem's or Honky Tonk. Not that the other offerings at those places wouldn't be worth the bother.

Chicago's not really much of a brisket town, but when I want brisket and I don't have 14+ hours to cook it myself, I always head to Smoque. Now for tips & links, it's a different story, although Smoque's sausage from Texas is really good, too.

maigre wrote:I considered specifically asking about BBQ when I first posted. Thanks for throwing that in and for the recommendations. Since we're talking Q now, which BBQ place would have the tenderest, tastiest brisket? I gather from the links above that it's not the strength of Uncle John's, Lem's or Honky Tonk. Not that the other offerings at those places wouldn't be worth the bother.

Honky Tonk makes a pretty decent brisket though that is not what I usually would have there; ribs are more my thing. I suggest it because they do everything well, and it can be a great dining experience.

My guess is many posters would say for brisket go to Smoque
Smoque BBQ
3800 N. Pulaski Rd.
Chicago
773-545-RIBS
http://www.smoquebbq.com
viewtopic.php?t=15171

Smoque has great BBQ across the board, plus is also a BYOB joint which always makes my day. The drawback is you can't hang out long though, it's eat and go.

Lem's and Uncle John's are both carry out only, and there are those who would say to not venture into their neighborhoods after dark, but should you choose to do so you will not be disappointed. Tips and links, sauce on the side, is where it's at for me at either location; but you also can't go wrong with some spareribs.

An additional Mexican option that will allow you to stretch your budget while having an outstanding meal is La Chaparrita. Here's a link to recent comments about this grocery store tacqueria:

viewtopic.php?p=374096

I strongly recommend starting with a huarache (to share between two or more) and an agua fresca and continuing on with whatever tacos look to you. The tripe (even if it isn't really tripe) is outstanding.

In addition, I'll second the Cemitas Puebla. Here's a link to a thread:

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1786&hilit=cemitas

I also agree that you should visit a Thai place (Aroy or Tac Quick). Search the board for ideas as to what to order at these places. Best of luck.

maigre wrote: I don't know the Burt's rules. Maybe I shouldn't learn, just to see what happens. I better call first if we decide to go there.

My son and I went to Burt's 2 weeks ago on a Wednesday. I called our order in at 10 AM that day. We got there at 5:30 and our pizza was ready and waiting on the center table. While we were eating (and loving every bite) 4 separate groups of people came in for dinner without calling first and were turned away. One man was quite angry, yelling at Sharon. She calmly asked him to please leave. It was unfortunate, but the guy felt like he had a right to eat there.
We used to go to Inferno's when my husband (then boyfriend) was an undergrad at NU. Brought back good memories

Enjoy your trip-you've gotten great advice here!

Habibi wrote:

maigre wrote:Indian and Pakistani food is always on my radar. But we have many such restaurants to pick from here. Still, thanks for the Devon pointer. I'll check it out as it's turf I'll be wandering through at one point or another and my interest level is high. Any particularly distinctive spots for someone already accustomed to food from those countries? Maybe a regional place, somewhere doing something unique or just a great place? My preferences tend toward the less oily when it comes to all food, so that's a priority for me when it comes to this region. I also tend not to favor the starchy dosa/idly southern cooking, though there are some regional exceptions.

If you end up in the area, I recommend Khan BBQ and Sabri Nihari. The former for perfect, charcoal-tandoored kabobs (get the chicken boti) and the latter for Nihari (beef shank stew), biryani and chicken charga. Chicago is an oily, greasy city, and good Northern Indian/Pakistani food is too, so be forewarned.

Head up Devon to (just east of Kedzie) and check out Taza Bakery if you have a chance. Excellent Iraqi/Lebanese/Assyrian style baked goods, all made fresh to order. The spinach pie and lahmbilajeen or sujouk (minced beef or sausage pie, respectively) are delicious, especially washed down with some yogurt drink.

I heartily agree with the Thai recomendations. I don't know what its like in SF, but Chicago's Thai places blow even NYC out of the water, Aroy particularly.

Out of a lot of good advice, Devon Avenue is among the best and also the most overlooked by visitors. Don't be dissuaded by the location on the northern edge of town. It's an incredible street that starts at the lake with a Cuban/South American GNR bodega/cafe (La Unica) and a bunch of random but good Balkan stuff (Devon Market) and turns intensely Indo-Pak, then Russian/former USSR, Orthodox Jewish, Middle Eastern mish mash as you go west. The Indian and Pakistani core of the neighborhood is total cultural immersion with lots of cool stuff in addition to the stellar restaurants. Sweets, gold, CDs and saris are widely available. It is not a tourist destination like a "Little Italy" or Greektown that used to be a real neighborhood but is now a collection of restaurants serving nostalgia. It is a street in India or Pakistan.