Restaurants

Ambiance at Epic Roasthouse

Epic Roasthouse is the “steakhouse” sister of the seafood restaurant, Waterbar, with both San Francisco restaurants being co-owned and designed by world renowned Pat Kuleto.

Pat Kuleto has designed and built more than 175 restaurants worldwide, including Martini House in St. Helena. He is the proprietor of his namesake Kuleto Estate Winery in the Napa Valley as well.

When you arrive at Epic the first thing you notice is its location on the waterfront, facing the Bay Bridge. It sits near the striking Cupid’s Span sculpture. As you walk inside, the tables in the large dining room are laid out for maximum viewing pleasure of the beautiful water and the Embarcadero.

This is the type of restaurant that gets lots of business dinners and special occasion dinners, so you will want to dress up some when you go. If you can arrange it, I suggest arriving early and going upstairs for a cocktail. There is a wonderful and cozy bar with intimate seating, beautiful dark wood details and more of that killer view. Their martinis aren’t so bad either.

Beautiful view of the Bay Bridge

When it is time to sit down for your dinner, I suggest ordering a bottle of fizzy carbonated water for the table. They have taken vintage glass water bottles and turned them into classic seltzer bottles (think Marx Brothers slapstick).

For meat lovers the Epic Prime Rib is out of this world and is offered until 8:00pm each night. I also love the Wood Oven Roasted Pork Porterhouse Chop, the glaze they use is divine. And definitely try the Scallop Potatoes Au Gratin as a side dish.

If you find yourself running behind schedule, this restaurant offers valet parking for $10 that is a bargain, for the location and convenience.

369 The Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 369-9955

Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:30-2:00
Dinner: Sunday-Thursday 5:30-10:00 Friday & Saturday 5:30-10:30
Brunch: Saturday & Sunday 11:00-2:30

Photo credit to Epic Roasthouse and sfcphotography

Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, Napa Valley California

Napa Valley, California is one of my favorite destinations for a culinary vacation. Sure, you know the wine lists are going to be amazing at practically any restaurant; this makes sense, seeing that Napa is America’s premiere wine making region. With all those famous local wineries supplying bottles of superb, top-of-the-line wine, the restaurants strive to live up to those high standards. And many restaurants in Napa Valley do just that – for lunch, none better than Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen.

Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen is in the Napa Valley town of St. Helena, which is convenient: St. Helena has the best shopping (with the most charming stores) of all of the Napa Valley towns, so lunch here makes for the beginning of a lovely afternoon. The ambience here isn’t as sophisticated and refined as, say, Bouchon or the restaurant at the Auberge hotel – and for lunch, it shouldn’t be. A homey, welcoming decor, along with a friendly staff, almost guarantees that lunch here is going to be a relaxed, highly enjoyable one. That staff, by the way, is also skilled at wine-matching. Their advice is impeccable, should you be uncertain as to what to order with your meal.

Every menu item is fresh and delicious here, but frequent guests know that a first-timer can’t miss the crispy flatbread appetizer. I also recommend the roasted artichoke appetizer, if you’re willing to get a little messy. If you’re planning a big dinner and want a light lunch at Cindy’s, the avocado and papaya salad fits the bill. Otherwise – if you have a wine-tasting tour in the afternoon, and want more padding – try the spice-rubbed quail, steak frites, or Backstreet Burger. All are simply delicious. If you like comfort food for lunch, along with a friendly atmosphere free of pretention, Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen is the perfect Napa Valley restaurant choice. Oh, and don’t forget to order the Campfire Pie for dessert! This Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen version of a smore is an excellent way to end one of the best lunches in the wine region of California.