One of the hottest, most intimate restaurants in San Francisco’s fashionable Pacific Heights district, even when it’s foggy overhead, is Quince. It opened early this year and features a blend of California and Mediterranean cuisines. The chef is Michael Tusk, who formerly worked at Oliveto and world-famous Chez Panisse in Berkeley. One review called it “gorgeous and quaint.” Another said it was “delicious and perfect.” Robert Downey, Jr. and Jake Gyllenhaal ate there a few nights ago. (I used to live a few blocks from here before I moved to the ‘burbs. My loss.)
The menu has three courses: appetizers, pasta or rice (similar to an Italian “Primo Piatto”), and the meat or fish course. Make room for dessert, too, because everything seems to be quite fantastico.
Quince Restaurant
1701 Octavia Street (at Bush)
San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone for reservations: (415) 775-8500.