My favorite SF food & drink of 2009

Prior to moving to San Francisco, I wouldn't consider myself a foodie (techinically, I still don't - much too learn/eat). Living in Orange County, your food selection is limited to In-N-Out, Taco Bell drive-thrus, and if you're feeling adventurous, Cheesecake Factory.

Oh, how things have changed. Thanks to San Francisco's restaurant culture, I now have a deep love affair with food. I'm obsessed with Top Chef, drink wine on a daily basis (Robin's fault), and have even started cooking myself (my mom is proud). Sorry, there ain't no goin' back now!

I am not a food critic, so a lot of these descriptions will probably just be a bunch of "Mmmmms" and "yums".

1. Nopalito (pictured above)
I would consider this Mexican food rethought. I couldn't tell you if their dishes are authentic or not, but damn, are they delicious. I have never experienced such a delicate take on Mexican cuisine. Everything is spiced to perfection. This is where I've had the best piece of chicken I've had in the city (maybe even ever).

2. Brenda's
Simply put, San Francisco is obsessed with being French. Everyone drinks coffee and brunch is an institution. Knowing this, nothing beats brunch at Brenda's. Authentic southern food that'll likely make you full for the entire day. Everything is spicy and big. Try the beignets. Holy fuck just do it! All of them (special love to the crawfish beignets though).

3. Ti Couz
I have a feeling this place has a bad rep from the locals. Yeah, the service is pretty shit sometimes. Sure, one day you get bread and the next day you don't. Good luck getting a water refill. But man, their crepes are CRAZY good. Like, this is the place that made me want to move to San Francisco. I always go for savory crepes. They're a little different than traditional crepes. They're all crunchy and burnt on the edges. Choice toppings: sausage, onions, and mushrooms (with the mushroom sauce - OH. MY. GOD. THE MUSHROOM SAUCE!).

4. Fleur de Lys
Me and Robin had our 1 year anniversary date here. This shit is an EXPERIENCE. Best service you'll have in your life. They took our coats at the door! WHO DOES THAT? When you make your reservation, they ask you if it's for a special occasion. SAY "YES". To celebrate our anniversary, the chef sent out a bunch of amazing amuse bouches in between each course. Mind blowing stuff... for free. As for the actual food we ordered... fuck. Crazy good. At $200 bucks a person (3 courses with a wine pairing), I wouldn't have expected anything less, but I was still shocked at just how delicious everything was. Life changed.

5. Bourbon & Branch
A speakeasy complete with password, staff in costume, and doors behind bookshelves. Atmosphere aside, B&B has the best cocktails you'll ever have the pleasure getting drunk to. If you don't book a reservation, you'll be relegated to the kinda clusterfucky "library", with a much smaller (but still delicious) menu. Take your out of town friends here and make them feel jealous that you live in the city (unless they're from New York, then they'll just laugh at how cheap all our shit is).

For 2010, we shall expand our horizons, leave the city, and go to French Laundry in Berkley. Heard that was some legend shit right there.