San Francisco Afghan Restaurant Review
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The Helmand
430 Broadway (Montgomery), 362-0641.
The only Afghan restaurant in town , and it's great. Prices are very reasonable for the quality of the cuisine.
click for full review with pictures
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San Francisco Burmese Restaurant Review
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Mandalay
4348 California St (at 6th Ave), 386-3895,
Burmese and Mandarin cuisine.
click for full review
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San Francisco Chinese Restaurant Reviews
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Andy’s
2401 Polk St (Union) & 1358 9th Ave (Irving/Judah)
Eat in or takeout superb Chinese food in upscale surroundings.
click for full review with pictures
Ben Wah
2786 California St (Divisadero), 921-0188.
Chinese neighborhood restaurant, since 1988. Lunch special $4.95, includes soup, appetizer, fruit, fried or seasoned rice, tea, & choice of 26 dishes, including duck and prawns. A la carte: pork, beef, poultry, & seafood entrees $6-9.
Best Panda Restaurant
4052 Balboa Street (42nd Ave), 876 3298
Affordable Chinese specialties focused on seafood
click for full review
Chef Jia’s
925 Kearny St (Broadway/Pacific), 398-1626.
 Hunan & Mandarin cuisine.
click for full review with pictures
Chung King
606 Jackson St, 986-3899
Chinese Lunch With Fruit and Tea for $3.50!
click for full review with pictures
Five Happiness Restaurant
4142 Geary Blvd (5th/6th Aves), 387-1234
Chinese lunch and dinner.
click for full review with pictures
Hai Ky Mi Gia
707 Ellis St (Larkin), 771-3577.
Very special Chinese soups, cooked with egg or rice noodles, $3.48-4.85. Some are made from longtime, secret recipes, e.g., duck legs cooked with tangerine skin, $4.85. Combination fish soup $4.85, beef ball soup $3.46.
House of Nanking
919 Kearny St (Broadway/Pacific), 421-1429
A huge success story.
click for full review with pictures
Hunan Home's
622 Jackson St (Grant/Kearny), 982-2844,
Hunan cuisine specialties, large seafood menu.
click for full review with pictures
Mandalay
4348 California St (at 6th Ave), 386-3895,
Burmese and Mandarin cuisine.
click for full review
Mayflower
6255 Geary Blvd (near 27th Ave), 387-8338,
Upscale Chinese food with an affordable lunch.
click for full review
Sam Wo
813 Washington St (Grant/Stockton) 982-0596
A perennial favorite in Chinatown!
click for full review with pictures
Tai Chi
2031 Polk St (Pacific/Broadway), 441-6758,
Bountiful lunch at an old Chinese standby.
click for full review with picture
Yet Wah
2140 Clement St. (at 23rd Ave.) 387-8040
Upscale Chinese food at affordable prices.
click for full review with pictures
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San Francisco Chinese-American Restaurants
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“Chinese-American” refers to Chinese restaurants that serve continental food, some exclusively, some together with a Chinese-food menu.
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San Francisco Diners/American Eatery Reviews
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Asqew
3348 Steiner St. (near Chestnut), 931-9201,
1607 Haight St. (at Clayton), 415 701-9301
A Food - and Watering-Place for the Young, Good and Cheap!
click for full review with pictures
Claypool's BBQ
3321 Steiner St (at Lombard), 440-2227
Real Memphis-style BBQ in the Marina.
click for full review
Gary Danko
800 North Point (at Hyde), 749-2060
A "Big Splurge" for special occasions.
click for full review
The Grove Fillmore
2016 Fillmore Street (California/Pine), 474-1419
A mostly young crowd frequents this large, informal-looking restaurant on Fillmore Street in Pacific Heights.
click for full review with pictures
Home
2100 Market St (at Church), 503-0333
The food can be characterized as similar to that of a French bistro or brasserie, with special touches of its own.
click for full review with pictures
Lefty O’Doul’s
333 Geary Blvd, 982-8900, Cafeteria-style (no tip).
A large hofbrau, with two bars.
click for full review with pictures
Memphis Minnie's Bar-B-Que Joint
576 Haight St (between Fillmore & Steiner), 864-7675
San Francisco's Home of Swine Dining
click for full review
Pete's Deli & Café
1661 Divisadero St (at Sutter), 931-4800
Small Deli Café with a Big Menu
click for full review
Pluto's
627 Irving St. (5th Ave), 753-8867
& 3258 Scott St. (Chestnut), 775-8867
Small chain of simple restaurants that feature fresh food, in large portions, at low prices.
click for full review with pictures
Tommy’s Joynt
1101 Geary Blvd, 775-4216, Cafeteria-style (no tip).
American fare of all kinds in large portions, at unbeatable prices.
click for full review with pictures
Town's End Restaurant and Bakery
2 Townsend St (at Embarcadero), 415 512-0749
American and Mediterranean comfort food, more affordable than ever.
click for full review (updated 7/1/05)
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San Francisco is known for the culinary sophistication of its diners. But, recently, good old American food is coming back.
Several new, upscale restaurants have turned to American-style food, featuring steaks, chops etc., instead of arugula and truffle oil, at fairly high prices.
However, there are some good old-timers that have been serving American home-style food—the kind your mother made— for a long time, at low prices (you can eat well for under $10).
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San Francisco Eritrean & Ethiopean cuisine
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Sawá Restaurant #2
1625 Divisadero St. (between Sutter & Post Sts)
415 441-8182
Try the spectacular family dinner, an artistic delight!
click for full review with pictures
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San Francisco Elegant Hotel Dining
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White Horse Restaurant
637 Sutter (Mason/Taylor), in the Beresford Hotel
415-673-9900
One of the few elegant restaurants in San Francisco with good food at affordable prices.
click for full review with pictures
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San Francisco French Restaurant Reviews
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Baker Street Bistro
2853 Baker St (Lombard), 931-1475
Serving excellent, low-priced food for as many years as I can remember. Their four-course dinner for $14.50 has not changed in quality, quantity, or price for the past number of years.
click for full review with pictures
Bistro Clement
127 Clement St. (2nd/3rd Aves), 387-6966.
Bistro Clement is the simpler, less expensive creation of the well-known upscale French restaurant Clementine which is just across the street.
click for full review
Chapeau!
1408 Clement St. (at 15th Ave), 750-9787.
A culinary treat—3-course French meal for $19
click for full review with pictures and recipe
Chouquets
2500 Washington (at Fillmore), 359-0075
Upscale French for a splurge.
click for full review
Clementine
126 Clement St. (2nd/3rd Ave’s), 387-0408.
French haute cuisine 3-course dinner at Clementine for $19.99!
click for full review with pictures and recipe
THE CREPE HOUSE
1755 Polk St (at Washington), 415 441-2421
Ideal if you like egg dishes, are hungry, want low prices,
and don’t mind simple surroundings!
click for full review with pictures
Galette
2043 Fillmore St. (California St.), 928-1300
A French gem in Pacific Heights
click for full review with pictures
l’Olivier
465 Davis St (Jackson), 981-7824.
Old-style French for the better-heeled of us, at reasonable prices for the quality offered. 2-course prix-fixe lunch $14.50, 3 courses $18; 3-course dinner $28. Specialty, bouillabaisse Marseillaise $22.95 (Fri-Sat).
La Bergerie
4221 Geary Blvd (6th/7th, Avs), 387-3573
The Best French Restaurant Deal in town!
click for full review with pictures and recipe
Metro Café
311 Divisadero St (Page/Oak), 552-0903
Three-course top French meal $12.50!
click for full review with pictures
Watercress
1152 Valencia St (between 22nd & 23rd Sts), 415 648-6000
The best prix-fixe dinner in town!
click for full review with pictures
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San Francisco Hamburger Restaurants
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Bashful Bull
1222 Noriega St (19th Ave), 564-2584.
A simple, bustling place—very reasonable prices.
1/2-lb burger $3.95, 3/4-lb burger $4.25, fries extra $1.65.
click for full review with pictures
Big Joe's Broiler
32, 717 Monterey Blvd (Genesee). Small, simple, clean place.
1/2-lb burger with cheese, bacon, and fries $5.45, double
burger (16 ounces!) with cheese, bacon, fries $7.45.
click for full review with pictures
Blue Light
1979 Union St (Laguna/Buchanan), 922-5510,
A large pub-restaurant with good food and decent prices
click for full review
Buffalo Burgers
5317 Geary Blvd (17th 18th Aves), 668-1267
…serves hearty good-sized burgers, buffalo wings, fish and chips, sandwiches, and salads — a wonderful high-school student menu.
click for full review with pictures
Giant Burger
3751 Geary Blvd (2nd Ave),.
A simple place that specializes in hamburgers.
1/3-lb cheese- or veggie-burger $3.05, 2/3-lb burger $4.30,
one-lb (16-oz!) burger $5.30, fries extra $1.25.
click for full review with pictures
Harry's Bar
2000 Fillmore St (between California and Pine), 921-1000
“Best pub food in San Francisco.”
click for full review
Original Joe's
1444 Taylor St (Market), 775-4877.
A huge place which is now in its 64th year in San Francisco.
3/4-lb hamburger,with fries $6.95, 1/2-pounder $5.00.
click for full review with pictures
Pizzeria Uno
2200 Lombard St (Steiner), 563-3144 & 3 Embarcadero Center, 397-8667. Large bar-restaurants & grills, specializing in deep-dish Chicago-style pizzas, but also serve good-quality hamburgers.
10-oz Steakburger with fries $7.29.
click for full review with pictures
Slider’s Diner
1204 Sutter St (Polk), 885-3288, & 449 Castro St (Market/18 St), 431-3288. Clean, no-fuss, with counter service (tip voluntary).
1/2-lb hamburger with salad-bar topping $4.75, fries $1.75.
click for full review with pictures
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Hamburgers are probably the most important staple of the American diet, even more than fried chicken or pizza. Most hamburgers are eaten in fast-food places such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Carl’s Jr etc. It is no exaggeration to say that the American hamburger diet is an unhealthy one, especially when accompanied with French fries only, and both hamburger and fries are cooked in trans-fat laden oil.
But there are San Francisco restaurants where one can get hamburgers of much better quality, if at a slightly higher price.
Two of my favorite San Francisco Hamburger Restaurants have their own in-house butchers, and use only USDA Choice beef, the higher quality sold (the supermarket beef is mostly lower-quality USDA Select). In the many editions of my book, San Francisco on a Shoestring, I favor such places. I also favor hamburgers with at least 1/2 lb of ground beef, since I consider that amount, with fries, and/or salad, a satisfying meal.
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San Francisco Indian Restaurants
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India Palace
1740 Fillmore St (Post), 567-7789
Lunch buffet $6.95, 7 days, dinner 11am-10:30pm.
A small, cozy restaurant that serves first-class Indian food
click for full review with pictures
Tandoori
869 Geary St (Larkin/Hyde), 345-1011.
Lunch buffet $5.95, 11:30am-3:30pm, 7 days, dinner 5-11:30pm.
A simple restaurant that specializes in Tandoori dishes.
click for full review with pictures
Star India
2127 Polk St (Broadway), 292-6699
Buffet lunch $6.95, 11:30am-3pm, 7 days, dinner 5-11pm.
A typical Indian restaurant with Indian decor.
click for full review with pictures
Gaylord
1 Embarcadero Center, 397-7775
The buffet is sumptuous in its choice of North Indian delicacies.
click for full review with pictures
More low-priced, high-quality Indian restaurants with and without buffets
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There are a growing number of Indian restaurants in San Francisco, and they compete fiercely with one another. One means of competing is the offering of lunch buffets – i.e., all-you-can-eat – with as many as 20 different food items, e.g., meat and lamb dishes, vegetarian dishes, nan-bread, salads etc.
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San Francisco Italian Restaurant Reviews
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Din'os
2101 Fillmore St (at California), 922-4700
Good Pizzas and Italian Food in Pricey Pacific Heights.
click for full review
Food Inc. Trattoria
2800 California St (Divisadero), 928-3728.
Large selection of Italian & French specialties, e.g., Italian Platter with mixed greens, prosciutto, cheese, pasta salad & bread $7.95. Quiche Lorraine $4, with salad $6.50. Pastas $7.95-8.95.
L'Osteria Del Forno
519 Columbus Ave ( Union/Green), 982-1124
Small Italian star still going strong!
click for full review
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San Francisco Japanese/Sushi Restaurants
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Japanese/Sushi Restaurants
Includes full review of Yokoso Nippon, 314 Church St (at 15th St.) (with photos) and lists additional recommended sushi restaurants.
JoJi's House of Teriyaki
1919 Union St (between Laguna & Webster), 563-7808,
open 7 days, Mon 11am-9pm, Tues-Saturday 10am-10pm, Sun 9am-9pm.
click for full review
Two Japanese Finds in New Chinatown
Reviews of Clement Okazu-Ya, 914 Clement St (10th Ave) and
Mama San, 312 8th Avenue (Clement St).
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The food scene in San Francisco is governed by trends. Sushi is in one of these trends, with a new restaurant opening almost one a week. It appears that almost all Japanese restaurants have added Sushi to their menu.
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San Francisco Mexican Restaurant Review
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Roosevelt Tamale Parlor
2817 24th St. (York St.), 415 648-2690
Open 10am–9:30pm, Sunday to 9pm, closed Monday.
Mexican food at its best, and reasonable in price.
click for full review with pictures
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San Francisco Middle Eastern Restaurant
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Divis Fancy
846 Divisadero (near McAllister), 415 931-1362, 10am-10pm Mon-Fri, to 11pm weekends.
Good quality Middle Eastern food.
click for full review
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San Francisco Pizza Restaurant Review
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Mozzarella Di Bufala
1529 Fillmore St (Geary Blvd), 346-9888
69 West Portal Ave. 681-8900
N.Y. Pizza and Brazilian specialties.
They do all of it well, and at affordable prices.
click for full review
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San Francisco Russian Restaurant Review
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Cinderella Bakery & Restaurant
435 Balboa St (6th Ave.), 415 751-9690
Russian food at knockdown prices!
click for full review
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San Francisco Sandwich Restaurant Reviews
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Honey Baked Ham Company, 2190 Geary Blvd (at Divisadero), 415 931-7383.
One of the best sandwich deals in town.
click for full review
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Little Paris, 939 Stockton St ( Clay/Washington Sts), 221-6028 & 444 Clement St (6th Ave), 982-6111.
Unbelievably cheap Vietnamese sandwiches.
click for full review
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Pete's Deli and Café, 1661 Divisadero (at Sutter), 931-4800.
A busy counter-service deli-café with a large array of foods.
click for full review
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Safeway Supermarket, 1115 Webster St (one block south of Geary Blvd), 921-4557.
The best deal for a large sandwich.
click for full review
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The Sandwich Place
2029 Mission St (between 16th & 17th Sts), 431-3811.
Possibly the best in San Francisco, and a bonanza for fish lovers and vegetarians.
click for full review
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San Francisco Seafood Restaurant Reviews
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Lux - Seafood Lover's Paradise
2263 Chestnut St (between Pierce and Scott Sts), 567-2998
Seafood restaurant with attractive prices
click for full review
Pacific Catch - Fresh Fish Grill
2027 Chestnut St (Fillmore/Steiner), 415 440-1950
A new seafood place in the Marina — a gem!
click for full review and pictures
Seafood Dinners, Part 1
Includes full reviews (with photos) of Pacific Café and
Alamo Square – a Seafood Grill, and recommends several Ethnic restaurants with seafood specialties.
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San Francisco Soup Restaurant Review
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Soups
784 O’Farrell (Larkin), 775-6406.
Main dishes are soups, 6 daily – e.g., chicken-noodle, clam chowder, potato, tomato, split pea, vegetable, chili, barley beef, lima beans & ham. A large serving, plus 1/2 plate, plus chips, & coffee or tea, $4.25, 1/2 order $2.50. Also, kosher-style Polish hot dogs, sandwiches. 1/2 soup plus 1/2 sandwich $4.75. Richard Gaule started this 9 years ago to provide the Tenderloin with healthy food at a low price, and is still succeeding.
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Steakhouses in San Francisco
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Bullshead
840 Ulloa St.
Neighborhood place. Aged steaks served with salad bar,
e.g., 10-oz NY strip $16.90, 16-oz $20.55.
click for full review with pictures
Izzy's
3345 Steiner St.
Upscale, 151 seats. 20-day dry-aged steaks served with
two vegetables, e.g., marinated skirt steak $14.95,
13-oz filet mignon $21.95.
click for full review with pictures
Original Joe's
144 Taylor St.
Established 1937. 30-day dry-aged steaks served with fries,
pasta, or vegetables, e.g., 14-oz top sirloin $14.95,
15-oz filet mignon $24.95.
click for full review with pictures
Tad's Steaks
120 Powell St.
Low-rated USDA Select steaks, served with baked potato,
salad, & roll, 10-12-oz $10.99
click for full review with pictures
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Americans probably consume more beef per capita, after the Argentinians, but it is mostly in the form of hamburgers, since good roasts and steaks are too expensive for most.
If one can find a good steak in San Francisco for $20, or less, that would be considered “affordable,” maybe not for everyday eating, but for the occasional binge. Fortunately, this is possible.
Personally, I prefer a dry-aged Choice steak to Prime, since it does not have as much fat, but can be tender and quite tasty. Some San Francisco steak restaurants offer Choice-quality steaks because they consider Prime too fatty.
Here are several good San Francisco steakhouses, with prices below $20 for some cuts, and not much above $20 for large cuts.
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San Francisco Turkish Restaurant Review
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A La Turca
869 Geary St (Larkin), 345-1011
A la Turca is worth a visit, especially for the Black Sea pies, the lamb & gyro slices, and desserts. And for the low prices.
click for full review with pictures
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San Francisco Thai Restaurant Reviews
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Bai Som
2121 Clement St (22nd/23rd Aves), 751-5332
Bai Som's small room is beautifully decorated in lush Thai style and colors. Even the serving staff joins the picture by dressing in classic Thai attire. The food is outstanding.
click for full review with pictures
Lemongrass
2348 Polk St (between Green and Union Sts), 346-1818
Superb and affordable Thai.
click for full review
Racha
771 Ellis St (Larkin/Polk), 885-0725.
Longtime Thai favorite. Many vegetarian dishes $5.25-6.95. Thai curries $7.50-10.00, poultry, beef, pork $6-7.50. Chef Specialties $7-11, e.g., boneless roast duck with spinach $6.95, claypot with rice, prawns, chicken, & herbs $6.25.
Samila Thai
5336 Geary Blvd, (17th/18th Ave), 752-4310
High quality, modest prices.
click for full review
Thai Angel
1968 Lombard St (Buchanan/ Laguna), 674-8091
Good cuisine and large portions.
click for full review
Thai Spice
1730 Polk St (between Clay and Washington), 775-4777
Special Lunch 11:30am-3pm, 7days.
Not just another Thai restaurant!
click for full review with pictures
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San Francisco Vegetarian Restaurant Review
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Shangri-La
2026 Irving St (22 Ave), 731-2538.
Best vegetarian deal in town!
click for full review
Ananda Fuara
1298 Market St (at 9th), 415 621-1994
Guru-inspired Vegetarian and Vegan restaurant boasts excellent food and low prices.
click for full review with pictures
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San Francisco Vietnamese Restaurant Reviews
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Aux Delices
2327 Polk & Green, 928-4977.
Elegant Vietnamese Dining at Affordable Prices!
click for full review
Vietnam II
701 Larkin St (O’Farrell), 885-1274
This restaurant qualifies as “gourmet” and is a longtime favorite of the Vietnamese community for breakfast (Chinese-style), lunch, and dinner.
click for full review
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There are a number of San Francisco Vietnamese restaurants that combine several styles, with traditional appetizers and salads, fondues, flame-broiled dishes, and their own drinks and desserts. All use Vietnamese spices, such as lemon grass, coconut milk, bean curd and curry.
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