Sushi San

location: 1434 lombard (at van ness), the marina

j and i wandered into sushi san when it was too hot to be in our apartment and we wanted to eat something cold (aside from miso soup, which i can never turn down). it was an unexpected surprise. i'm always looking for cheap, quality, fresh tasting sushi and this place really hit the spot. they had a lot of vegetarian roll options which is always something i'm mindful of since i'm often eating with a veggiesaurus. the roll selections they had were classic, nothing too over the top or zany but also not boring. and they don't cover their rolls in fish eggs which is huge plus in my book. i really hate that.

i had the meal that included soup, salad, and a couple of different rolls. the salad was a little heavy on the dressing so i didn't love it or even finish it. the soup was great. and had those cute, long japanese mushrooms floating around the top, which i had never seen before. my rolls were perfect portion, tasted very fresh and left me full and satisfied. the prices were really decent and the restaurant serves beer & wine.

the wait staff was super friendly and attentive, even letting me take a picture of the roll preparation. they also deliver!

recommendation: don't wait until it's too hot to check this place out.

tastiness: yay!

food vs. price: okay!

service: yay!

Unwind

location: 1875 union (at octavia), the marina

unwind is a new restaurant on union that is really good but seems like it has a lot of room for improvement. it's trying hard to be a certain kind of spot but i don't think it really knows what it wants to be. the inside feels really warm. big window looking out on union, wood paneled walls, bar eating right where the food is being prepared and a lot of tables. the back patio area is very open, with a glass cover so you can sit outside but not be outside. there's an outside bar and a lot of table seating and about 5 too many televisions (i think there were 7). it doesn't scream "place i want to get rowdy and watch sports" so it seems like a waste to have so many tv's up, especially in one medium sized spaced.

the menu is inventive with different categories for selecting food. the cuisine is mostly traditional american dishes, some with a new spin, but ultimately pretty classic. you can taste from the "mingle" portion of the menu where everything is served a la carte and you can select just one or many, great for sharing. the "relax" section offers salads and sandwiches and the "unwind" section is the bigger portioned entrées. it all seems a little cheesy, like they're onto something and they haven't quite figured it out.

i had the mac 'n' cheese which was absolutely wonderful. 4 kinds of cheese with bacon bits and breadcrumbs. you can't go wrong. the classic steak and caesar roll surprised me. i thought it would come on bread, like a roll, but it was literally meat wrapped around a piece of lettuce. it was ok but i don't see what is so classic about it. i've never really seen anything like it before. i had the chicken capellini pasta which was really good but a little bland. all of the flavors of the pasta worked well together (olives, tomatoes, garlic, & capers with a little olive oil) but the chicken was boring. it was just grilled and didn't have much flavor.

the bar makes signature drinks that are classic with a twist. i had the original creamsicle which was probably the best i've had when trying that drink and a new american classic cherry coke which made me wish i had ordered another original creamsicle. the prices for all of these treats were decent. i thought some things were priced better than others. the mac 'n' cheese was shared by three people and was cheap but the entrée i had seemed a little overpriced.

the wait staff is friendly but i think still they're all still trying to figure out their shtick. it just opened so i'd like to give it a little time and see what changes they make in the next few months.

recommendation: give it some time before you unwind.

tastiness: okay!

food vs. price: okay!

service: yay!

Dosa

location: 1700 fillmore (at post), lower pac heights

everything smells good at dosa. from the second you walk in until the moment you leave, your sense of smell is overwhelmed. the drinks at the bar are garnished with pieces of trees and fruits that are flavorful and smell amazing. and the dishes are filled with some many different flavors and scents and they all come together in amazing dishes that look like art and taste like heaven. maybe that's a little overboard but i haven't tried anything i haven't like at dosa. i don't eat a lot of indian food and dosa makes it easy to decide because everything is good.

the dosa, which is a thin, bubbly crepe like bread, filled with various ingredients like potatoes and/or onion, is the main staple of the menu. you can order from a variety of different dosas and each comes with a bowl of lentil dipping soup and two different different sides, one is red and tomato-y and i'm not sure what the other is, something similar to hummus. i don't know what it is but i'll still eat it, it's that good.

dosa also serves various entrees and starters, two of which we tried on this visit. the vada pav, a vegetarian slider, was a a real hot potato. patty that is, mixed with onion, chili powder and other hot flavors. and the dahi papadi chaat which was a cool, creamy blend of yogurt and mint-cilantro chutneys mixed with potato on a hard crispy flaky bread. we were full from the appetizers before our food showed up.

dosa is a great food sharing experience. the restaurant is set up with many communal dining tables and food is intended for sharing. the dishes come in huge portions and everything is worth trying. the lighting is dark, almost too dark in some parts of the restaurant. the wait staff is attentive and very helpful in selecting and explaining dishes (and helping with pronunciation). the wait here can be long but it's worth it. the bar is pretty big and they serve exotic drinks with combinations you wouldn't see in most bars.

the prices at dosa are high. but in my opinion you really get what you pay for. a satisfying and fun meal that's more of an experience than most places. plus left overs that are almost as good the next day. tip: reheat your dosa in the oven.

recommendation: make a reservation and save your pennies.

tastiness: yay!

food vs. price: yay!

service: yay!