A front porch is not something one generally expects on an urban dwelling, but San Francisco is the fortunate city where certain felicities of weather and architecture permit them. For the lucky who possess one, a porch is a treat for both them and us. An outdoor room where the inhabitants meet their neighbors halfway improves the neighborhood in the classic Jane Jacobs way: An eye on the street makes it homier, cozier, and safer, therefore happier. San Francisco's restaurant landscape is as varied as its residential one, not only in its diverse cuisines but also in their settings, whether palatial or divey. I especially cherish those places that transport you in locale or time as well as cooking: the noodle shop that is as steamy, noisy, and blunt as one in Hong Kong, the local diner whose setting and menu... More >>>