Frascati Upgraded to Three Stars, More!

Today, Senor Bauer revisits Frascati, now over 20 years old. The last time the Russian Hill bistro came under the formal review microscope was back in 2003, when it notched 2.5 stars. The Raders bought the restaurant three years ago, and these days, it's better than ever:

After two visits my conclusion was similar: This Mediterranean-inspired bistro is one of the most charming neighborhood restaurants in San Francisco, and the service can compete with some of the best places in town.

But it's not just the neighborhood charm and the efficient service that seduce Miguelito; the menu under chef Michael Pawlik has come into its own too. From the cioppino appetizer ("exceptional") to the roast chicken to the desserts, it's clear that Frascati is popular for a reason. The final grade for the Hyde Street spot is thus a shiny three stars. [Chron]

Paul Reidinger is at the Mission's Balompie Cafe, which is part soccer bar and part Salvadorean eatery. But Reidinger has some very strong words for the food there: "The food, on the other hand, richly rewards the attention you pay to it. It is as flavorful as any food you'll find in this city and is also monumentally inexpensive." [SFBG]

Meredith Brody goes divey this week at Burmese Kitchen, the full-service restaurant evolution of popular Civic Center sandwich spot, Larkin Express. The humble restaurant is worth a trip, even for those Burma SS fans in the crowd: "... many of [owner Dennis] Lim's dishes are interesting and unique, even to lucky San Francisco diners who are familiar with the city's other Burmese places." [SFW]

THE ELSEWHERE: The EBX finds high-end bar food at Oakland's Water Lounge, the MIJ's Tanya Henry reviews San Geronimo Golf Course Restaurant, Mandy Erickson takes the extra review to a Sri Lankan restaurant in Los Altos called Spicy Leaves, the Merc stops by the Mission's new Coda Lounge, and lest we forget, the weekend Bauer review was a biggie, a 2.5-star at Commis.

[Photo: Flickr]

Frascati

1901 Hyde St., San Francisco, CA