The Slanted Door, San Francisco: Review

To get a great taste of San Francisco a visit to the Ferry Building located along the Embarcadero is a must-see on your next visit.  Whether you are an out-of-town visitor or a local looking for something relaxing and fun, there are many vendors and restaurants to taste and imbibe the day away.

The Embarcadero connects all of San Francisco's neighborhoods and the surrounding bay communities with its active transit stops including MUNI, BART and Ferry boats.  Hop aboard an historic trolley car (Line F Market), taxi, or subway to get to your next destination.  Or climb aboard a ferry to take you to another destination by water such as Angel Island or Alcatraz.

Above all, be sure you make reservations at the Slanted Door restaurant located in the Ferry Building.  Owned by the Phan family, the Slanted Door is now surrounded by other members in the restaurant-family including Out the Door (a "to-go" extension of the Slanted Door), Heaven's Dog (near the Orpheum Theater, a great place to dine before the show), Academy Cafe (located on the main level of the northwest corner of the California Academy of Sciences), The Moss Room (find dining in the Academy of Sciences building) and finally the Wo Hing General Store (in the Mission District and features Chinese street food and craft cocktails).

The menu is "Vietnamese Modern" with fresh and addicting flavors that will linger in your memory until you come back for more to get your fix.  The spring rolls are filled with an abundance of fresh vegetables and various combinations of savory meat and the dipping sauce is a must, you may want to lick it off your finger tips.  We had the organic chicken clay pot, cellophane noodles with chicken and green onion and cilantro, green papaya salad, and the shaking beef.  

Our appetizers arrived all at once and hinted at the freshness of the rest that was to come.  Everything was packed with bursts of flavor in every bite and went down sweetly with the fresh iced tea.  My favorite main dish was the shaking beef which has an incredible light lemony-lime sauce that made the beef just hum in your mouth with subtle goodness.

The view from the dining room overlooks the Bay Bridge.  While I have read that prices seem a bit high you are, in part, paying for the spectacular view especially at night.   But I found the prices to be reasonable and well worth the taste.  Put this on your list of things-to-do on your next visit to the city by the bay.

What is your favorite gastro-delight in San Francisco?

Full disclosure, - I was not compensated in any manner for this piece, the opinions stated are 100% my own.