San Francisco Food Lover's Pocket Guide
Every month or so, one of my readers asks me for advice on food tourism in San Francisco. I offer some ideas—Incanto and the Ferry Building—but then defer to higher authorities: Sam, The Slow Food Guide to San Francisco, and The San Francisco Food Lover's Guide. Patricia Unterman's popular foodie tour book, written by the restaurant reviewer for the Examiner and the chef-owner of Hayes Street Grill, is the book I tend to use when planning a place to eat.
Great as her book is, it's too big to schlep on a daily basis. We never have it with us when we want an impromptu dinner in the City. I guess we weren't the only ones who noticed that problem, because Ten Speed Press recently released the San Francisco Food Lover's Pocket Guide, a slimmed-down version of its big brother. "It's the perfect size for a desk or backpack," said Melissa when she saw it. The petite book has the same organization—by neighborhood—as the large version, and also has the entries for markets, bars, and stores that made the original more than a restaurant guide. (It also extends into the greater Bay Area.)
The publisher didn't simply repackage the older book: This new version has all the updates you'd expect. Unterman notes when chefs have recently left and writes about new favorites such as Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc. Each of her original long descriptions of food destinations has been snipped and folded into one pocket-size paragraph giving tips on what you should order and what you should not. I don't agree with everything she writes, but that's the nature of a reviewer-reader relationship. As a rule, she and I have similar tastes.
This book was sent to me as a review copy.
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