Best Hot Spot Restaurants in Forest Hill / West Portal

We returned for a second visit this holiday season; it was wonderful. Got adventurous and had the creamed corn. I noticed my daughters snuck more than an initial half teaspoon taste. It was very, very good. Not watery creamy. This had a nice texture. Try it! The prime rib was exceptional. I had the smaller portion. One daughter had the thinner slices. One daughter had the regular cut. All were sumptuous! Had a baked potato instead of the mashed. It was yummy. We ordered an apple crisp to share between the three of us. It was delicious with a nice amount of apple slices hidden under the topping and surrounded by the usual warm spices. Our server was great! She was friendly, attentive but didn’t hover. Thank you all for a wonderful evening! I may not be back for a while. Palo Alto daughter is moving to Duarte. CA this summer. If she needs help moving, we’ll have to do a farewell visit at House of Prime Rib. Again, thank you!

Regardless of whether you eat with your eyes or with your stomach, you won’t be disappointed. My husband and I had dinner here last night and we couldn’t be more thrilled. The restaurant itself is absolutely gorgeous and the food is outstanding in every way. The menu is interesting and innovative. We enjoyed appetizers of Carne Crudo and Insalata Tritata which were absolutely delicious. Our entrees of rockfish and lasagne verde were perfect. We sat at the bar which was lively and festive considering it’s the holiday season. The staff is super friendly and the vibe is lively and fun. A definite must try if you haven’t already!

The holiday experience is in full swing at Joes of Westlake. It’s beautifully decorated. The waiters were bustling around, very busy. We had a 3 pm reservation and they seated us by a lovely open fire pit. The only drawback was that our waiter left and as far as we could tell, a new waiter did not take his place until we called someone over to us to ask about our waiter. We were told he left, and two other waiters came to help us. So it all worked out in the end.

Nopa is a really special place. It does everything SO well. I will start with the food. Their menu stays interesting over time with new dishes regularly introduced with the seasons and what’s seasonally available. The ingredient quality and preparation are really next level and I don’t think there is a single thing on the menu that anyone would not enjoy. The flavor of every dish is always surprising in a wonderful way with interesting combinations and textures. And plating is, of course, just beautiful. And my god, don’t just order one dish per person; share! You will be wowed. Their mainstay burger should not be missed either. If you’re into mixed drinks or wine, again, Nopa is standout. And even if you don’t drink, there are mocktails that I’m confident you’ll enjoy. Next let’s talk about the staff. Nopa has such a special and wonderful culture. Their entire staff is very well versed in the ingredients and preparation of their food. They’re also extremely kind and accommodating. There seems to be a genuine enthusiasm and shared belief that they make great food, and I would agree. They have opinions and can definitely suggest wine and beverage pairings to what you order. They know where ingredients were sourced from. And their attention to detail is also remarkable. I made a note on our reservation that we’d love a table instead of the high table if one came available and true to form, they came through. Someone took time to read the comment I had left! If you have a chance to dine here, take it. Even if you don’t have a reservation, there is a high table and bar area that may be able to accommodate a drop in. It’s a lovely atmosphere and always a joy to be a patron here. Thank you Nopa staff for the unique place you’ve created here.

Outstanding food, particularly the signature duck and the Guinea hen. Kai is a superb waiter. He should own his own restaurant. Price reasonable for San Francisco.