The Slanted Door
San Francisco Restaurant
The best Asian restaurant in S.F. today is The
Slanted Door.
Excellent fresh food with unique tastes is prepared at the Slanted Door. The
restaurant integrates fresh California ingredients with Vietnamese cuisine.
After learning to cook from his mother in Vietnam, Phan learned about the combination of
French, Chinese, and Vietnamese cuisines.
A very popular restaurant that requires planning both for the poor parking
situation (cabs recommended) and the hordes of diners. Plan on sharing the small
dishes with friends. The chef-owner, Charles Phan, was a former architecture student and
computer software salesman but has hit the jackpot with the Slanted Door. The
space features velvet banquettes, stained wood chairs, and giant paintings.
This restaurant is the place to be (count the cell phones...). This place
is excellent and the service is flawless. So many different spicy foods, many
featuring great vegetable accompaniments. Highly, highly recommended. The
plates are from Thailand, the recipes are from mom, and inspiration is from the streets of
Thailand. This review is based on two separate visits during different years--
excellent on both tries... Food highlights include:
Starters - Fresh Spring Rolls stuffed with shitake mushrooms,
bean sprouts, and mint $5 and Vietnamese Crepes ($6).
Claypot - Chicken with caramel sauce, chile, and fresh ginger
Seafood:
- Fresh Maine crab and cellophane noodles with garlic and green onions
- Steamed filet of seabass with lily buds, shiitake mushrooms and fresh ginger
- Grilled swordfish with ginger soy sauce
- Caramelized shrimp with garlic and Asian pear salad
- Thai (whole!) snapper with ginger, garlic, basil and chili sauce. The snapper
is filleted at your table
Noodle Soups - Seafood or Chicken for $6
Vermicelli - Various grilled meats and seafood for $7. Ginger beef
vermicelli. Grilled chicken or shrimp with imperial rolls.
Salad - Especially recommended for the green papaya ($6) and grapefruit
jicama with candied pecans
Rice - Many grilled meats, seafood, and spicy foods for around $7
Teas - Many excellent choices including green oolong, yunnan black,
chrysanthemum, and tikuanyin...
Wine - Over 60 international wines with great hints on
combinations with dishes...
I highly recommend the Slanted Door with a rating of "A". Don't miss it.
Total price is about $25/person.
100 Brannan Street
415-861-8032
Lunch: 11:30-3 daily (reservations accepted)
Dinner: 5:30 - 10 daily (reservations accepted)
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