Why did we dine here? – Rich Table is the work of Husband and wife Chefs Evan and Sarah Rich. (Bouley, Coi, Michael Mina) Pretty casual but full of middle aged well dressed foodies, this loud restaurant has a rustic, barn like setting. Our last visit was in Summer 2026 when we found them on the Chase Sapphire list! They also run RT Bistro next door.
Why did we dine here? – Happy Crane is a brand new modern Chinese restaurant in San Francisco that has been eagerly awaited after a successful popup. In Chinese culture, the crane symbolizes longevity, wisdom, and nobility, while the name itself also pays subtle homage to the charming, storybook-style names found in traditional English pubs. Chef James used to work at Benu among other prestigious kitchens. We’ve eaten at Bo Innovation in Hong Kong, where he had worked. Definitely see the influence. This restaurant continues the movement toward modern Cantonese food in San Francisco. It builds upon the momentum of Four Kings and Mister. Jiu. We have eaten here twice.
Why did we dine here? – Dumpling Home was featured in the SF Chronicle for Xiao Long Bao or Soup Dumplings making us really want to try it.
Absinthe is a popular French restaurant in Hayes Valley, right near the symphony and War Memorial Theater. It has long been a favorite of art patrons before performances.
Why did we dine here? – Lers Ros is a popular Thai restaurant in San Francisco with a newly opened location in Hayes valley. We have never dined here previously, so it was a good excuse to check out the new location. Lers Ros means “excellent taste of the food” in Sanskrit. Tom Silargorn is the owner and chef. Michael Bauer has this restaurant in his top 100 Bay Area restaurants for 2012. This review is the culmination of two visits. The restaurant is extremely noisy during peek times and also cramped. Last visit was in 2017.
Classic Chicago-style deep dish pizza is the reason to visit. Pronounced “paw-CHEESE”, this place is run by a former cook and manager of Zachary’s Pizza in Oakland. With that heritage, it was time to compare it again the reference.
