RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK
A PERSONAL REVIEW OF RESTAURANTS AROUND THE WORLD

TADICH GRILL
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

This is one of the oldest restaurants in San Francisco if not the oldest.  You can feel the heritage the minute you walk in the door.

Most people I know order seafood here.  It's famous for its fresh fish including various California soles (Rex, Petrale, etc.) along with other local favorites like sanddabs. They're small but delicious.  Another star on the menu is Dungeness crab.  They also do a mean cioppino.  That's an Italian fisherman's stew rich in fish and shellfish simmered in a rich tomato sauce with plenty of garlic.  You might say it's bouillbaisse on steroids!  And what meal would be complete in the Golden Gate City without a loaf of freshly baked sourdough bread?!  Often times, the same "starter germ" that was first used decades ago is kept alive to assure the same quality of the sour dough.

For meat eaters, the cooks will grill you a nice cut of meat over their charcoal fire.  They also serve lamb and chicken.

The last time we dined there we started off by splitting a whole Dungeness crab as an appetizer.  Luxurious and expensive but well worth it!  My wife had grilled salmon and I went with sautéed halibut.  Both were excellent.

With the large Dungeness crab as a starter, neither of us had room for dessert.  But we both left well satisfied following a cup of steaming hot coffee. 

I really prefer old and established restaurants that have stood the test of time.  And Tadich fits perfectly into that mold.  But the neat thing about this place is that generation after generation, the tradition gets passed down.  So not only is it traditional but also trendy in it's own way.

The Tadich Grill is located in the heart of the city's financial district at 240 California Street.  They do not take reservations but if you'd like to call them for directions, their number is (415) 391-1849.  By the way, the "1849" in that phone number is symbolic because the restaurant got it's start during the famous gold rush during that year!