Feel Real Café – Judah & 45th up by Ocean Beach

The good: Hidden – always fun to go hunting for a restaurant that doesn’t have a sign. Look for the Hobbit house. Bitter Pam is always suspicious of “overly” vegan/vegetarian eateries, but this one does not disappoint. All of the Feel Real Café’s offerings are all organic and ‘plant based.’ Does not take away from the food whatsoever. (Sorry, hippies, sometimes it does). The coffee – out of this world, as long as you’re okay with soy or rice milk. The cookies – did not personally try, but crunchies by the dozens were stopping in to buy them: FRC is apparently renowned for these cookies. The food – had waffle with fruit, was delicious, just sweet enough but not overwhelming. My dining companion had biscuits & “gravy,” which was delightfully Mediterranean-ish and delicious (not your everyday southern-style suspicious brown gravy). The staff. Perpetually upbeat and laid back (actually were so laid back they forgot to cook our food for the first half-hour we were there! Don’t come here if you’re in a rush: chill, man). Beach-town atmosphere of upper Richmond put me in good mood for the rest of the day.

The bad: Need more outdoor seating, and is a bit too dark if you’re in any of the seats that aren’t right by the window.

The bottom line: If you have a Saturday or Sunday morning to lounge around and chat with a friend, head up there and enjoy the food.

The bathroom: Clean and nice. Forgot to take notes, but would have remembered if it was dodgy.

Zazie – Cole St., Cole Valley

The good: As one of my favorite restaurants, just about everything. The food, number one: consistently delicious. Have had best duck / chicken dishes of my life here. The wine, served in tumblers rather than wine glasses (how I prefer it at home, so big bonus). The warm rolls, heated up in kitchen toaster right before they’re brought to table – delish. The service – friendly, laid-back staff always recognize your face, genuinely want you to enjoy your time there but aren’t overbearing. The atmosphere – I dream of parking myself in with a few friends on cold stormy nights. Would actually prefer to live here, if possible. Oh – love the back patio, too. Just haven't been able to go out there in months, as a result of dreary weather, so almost forgot it was there.

The bad: Too popular as of late! Bitter Pam is not the only fan.

The bottom line: Go, go, go! Check it out.

The bathroom: Barely existent – small sliding door off hallway to the kitchen. Purely functional.

John Colins Cocktails – 90 Natoma St. (off 2nd St. between Mission and Howard)

The good: is right around the corner from my work, so proximity of good booze and atmosphere perpetually calming. The service: John & Colin are awesome guys (and not bad to look at either). The design/décor of bar is very hip: exposed brick, cool art, caters to posh f-district post-work bar-goers and surfer, hip artsy scene patrons alike.

The bad: Get there early after work. Can be standing room only around 5:30/6:00 Thursday & Friday afternoons – don’t let it stop you: let’s face it, you could stand to make a few new friends.

The bottom line: head directly there after work if you’re downtown and in need of a wind-down drink.

The bathroom: very cool, always clean, quite enjoy going in there for a respite from the crowd

Frjtz’s – Hayes Valley

The good: The food! Yay! Enjoyed my chicken sandwich and unique mayonnaise/ketchup dipping sauces for the fries (chipotle mayonnaise, jalapeno ketchup). Belgian beer on tap: gets me every time. Back patio. Lulled my friends and I into such a state of content that we almost skipped the movie we were headed to afterward to sit and enjoy eachother’s company and drink several more Belgians – imagine! In retrospect, calmed state could have been caused by the high alcohol content of beer – watch out!

The bad: Don’t really have any complaints – food, drinks, service and atmosphere were all great.

The bottom line: Chill place to head with friends on a nice night to hang out on back deck and let the beer and conversation flow.

The bathroom: Interesting paradox here. Although my friend and I (combined IQ upwards of 300, for sure) combed the restaurant twice, we couldn’t seem to locate the black slatted door, which looks suspiciously like a window shutter, and had to be directed by one of the cooks. He didn’t seem surprised that we were perplexed, so I’m guessing it’s a common theme here. When we did finally find it, we were delighted to see that the bathroom was shrouded in darkness save for the bright glow-in-the-dark toilet seat! So it was hidden, but also shining brightly!

ZUNI Café - Market Street

The good: Décor, food (f you have enough of it – and do be sure to order enough of it)

The bad: The service (and Bitter Pam, as bitter as she may be, does not generally bitch about service: waiter just happened to be exceedingly rude, smug and pompous). The prices. Don’t want to spend $30 a plate on one chicken leg and two baby carrots.

The bottom line: Skip it, or go for lunch when you can get the burger – is purportedly good. Instead, head to Hotel Byron around the corner and get a good glass of wine and some appetizers, without the smug service, absurd prices or general bad taste in mouth upon exit.

The bathroom: Is so far from the table that my friends wonder whether I’ve gone on an epic adventure, and I’ve worked up a sweat getting back up the stairs.

EOS – Cole Valley

The good: Good wine, served in “flights” so you can have your own little tasting without having to stagger out afterward. Good service – water was never empty (good and bad for Bitter Pam, as if there is water, I will always chug it and spend half of time in bathroom).

The bad: $$$$$ is the first thing I have to say. While the food is average, and not bad, per se, the bottom line is that it is too expensive. EOS has the right idea with the wine, and they should keep wine the main focus. In the end, by way of food, the burger was my favorite thing. Again, nothing was bad, but it was just too damn expensive for mediocre food. Should lower food prices, emphasize wine.

The bottom line: Eh. Skip it for dinner - go to the separate wine bar next door with a friend and enjoy a glass of wine.

The bathroom: Very funky, wanted to hang out in there for a while.