24 hours in San Francisco. Chez Panisse is a must, but I can’t get dinner reservations. The solution? Lunch!

Wood fired shellfish soup with aioli ($13)

Chicory salad with cream, garlic and bottarga di muggine ($10)

Hoffman Farm chicken alla diavola with cauliflower and salsa rustica ($18) – The best chicken I’ve ever eaten, seared to perfection and served with farmers cheese, tomato and garlic salsa, and beautiful florets of Romanesca cauliflower.

Grilled Marin Sun Farm beef sirloin roast with creamy kale and shoestring potatoes ($22)  – Amazing garlic-y, salty, creamed kale, fries sliced on a mandolin – almost like skinny potato chips,  a luscious sauce on tender beef medallions.

Vanilla bean creme carmel with currants in calvados ($8) – Unbelievably smooth. Melt. In. Mouth.

Jim Churchill’s kishu mandarins oranges and barhi dates ($8)

 

Oh, and on the way to the airport a quick stop at Fatted Calf for airplane provisions – duck liver mouse & pork rillettes!