Restaurant Trends in San Francisco

Being a foodie and a chef instructor - I have always enjoyed the culinary diversity of the the San Francisco Bay Area. Those of us who live in the Bay Area are blest with the vast array of culinary destinations and culinary ingredients to pamper our food cravings. While the city is divided into several districts, restaurateurs seek no particular area to place their offerings. One classic example is the Valencia Corridor in the Mission District of San Francisco. One will notice that restaurants of all ethnic origins proliferate the entire area. From the classic Mexican style restaurants offering burritos, tacos and the like to the more sophisticated tapas bar mirroring the Spanish style of dining. By Spanish style, I mean cooking style from the various regions of Espana or Spain. On another one would fine Belgian style fries - yes those delectable sides when ordering from your favorite fastfood chain but prepared haute cuisine. Yes, that place offers several variations of french fries. There are also Asian Cuisines finding their way back to their roots - restaurants like the Slanted Door had its humble beginnings in the Valencia corridor before moving the its now flagship resto in the Ferry Building. Rumor has it that Slanted Door has snagged a two door establishment that used to house a furniture store along Sanchez street. I will begin this culinary tour of the San Francisco Culinary Landscape in the blog and share my finds, thoughts and my version of dishes that we encounter during this tour. More to come, requests are always welcome.