San Francisco's Finest: We can't choose! It's practically sacrilege to even attempt to name the "top" San Francisco restaurant. But for a perfect combo of food and atmosphere, we count on Boulevard (tel. 415/543-6084), Restaurant Gary Danko (tel. 415/749-2060), Zuni Café (tel. 415/552-2522) and Kokkari (tel. 415/981-0983).
Chez Panisse (Berkeley; tel. 510/548-5525): This is the domain of Alice Waters, "the queen of California cuisine." Her food captivates the senses and the imagination. Originally inspired by the Mediterranean, her kitchen has found its own style. Chez Panisse delights include dishes like grilled fish wrapped in fig leaves with red-wine sauce, and Seckel pears poached in red wine with burnt caramel.
Bistro Don Giovanni (Napa; tel. 707/224-3300): Shhh . . . Don't tell anyone, but in this Napa Valley dining room you can get an incredible meal without a reservation. Just drop in to the cheery, large restaurant, wait for a seat at the bar, and order off the fantastic Italian menu. It does the trick every time.
The French Laundry (Yountville; tel. 707/944-2380): The best restaurant in the Wine Country happens to be one of the top-ranked restaurants in the nation. Chef and owner Thomas Keller, dubbed "Chef of the Nation" in 1997 by judges of the James Beard Award, offers an insanely over-the-top multicourse experience that for die-hard foodies justifies the struggle to get a reservation and huge price tag.
Restaurant 301 (Eureka; tel. 800/404-1390): Mark and Christi Carter are passionate about food and wine, which is why their hotel restaurant is considered the best on the northern coast. Most of the herbs and many of the vegetables served are picked fresh from the hotel's organic gardens. Indulge in their prix-fixe five-course dinner menu -- artichoke, green lentil, and fennel salad; warm chèvre cake appetizer; tiger prawns with sesame, ginger, and soy -- where each course is paired with a recommended wine by the glass (Mark is a Grand Award recipient from Wine Spectator magazine).
Erna's Elderberry House (Oakhurst; tel. 559/683-6800): It's like a beacon shining across the culinary wasteland of the region around Yosemite. The six-course menu -- which changes nightly -- is an almost perfect blend of continental and Californian. The food is bountiful and as fully satisfying as the elegant European ambience. Fresh, fresh, fresh ingredients are skillfully handled to bring out their natural flavors.
bouchon santa barbara (Santa Barbara; tel. 805/730-1160): With an always-intriguing seasonal menu derived from Santa Barbara County's Wine Country and fresh ingredients, this intimate restaurant (whose name means "wine cork") lies hidden behind a shrubbery portal in the heart of downtown. The food and service are impeccable, and an experienced staff stands ready to help coordinate by-the-glass (or even half-glass) wines for each course.
Patina (Los Angeles; tel. 323/467-1108): The flagship restaurant of superchef Joachim Splichal, who also conceived the (slightly) more affordable Pinot eateries, Patina's menu wows jaded Angelenos, who keep coming back to this comfortable Cal-French dining room. Seasonal menus are fine-tuned to perfection, featuring partridge, pheasant, or other game in winter, and spotlighting exotic vegetables and tropical fish in summer.
Röckenwagner (Santa Monica; tel. 310/399-6504): L.A.'s gossipy tongues wag about handsome chef Hans Röckenwagner, but he seems more concerned with maintaining the culinary perfection that propelled him from obscurity in Venice to this gallery-like space on Santa Monica's Main Street. Although he trained in Europe, Röckenwagner co-opts ethnic dishes from around the world and elevates them to culinary works of multicultural art. Don't be surprised to find Scandinavian treats like spätzle, Knödel, and smoked salmon sharing space with Pacific Rim elements like mangoes and hoisin.
Laurel (San Diego; tel. 619/239-2222): The polished service and elegant setting at this beloved restaurant near Balboa Park are urbane and discriminating. But the food is prepared with inventive flair and the Rhone-heavy wine list soars, making Laurel a rewarding splurge for a special occasion.
