The Tourist Experience on a Local’s Budget

By Written by Mary Zhang on July 18th, 2010

View from my window seat

In typical local fashion, I had never been to the Cliffhouse in San Francisco. Venturing out to Ocean Beach only to freeze to death by the salty sea never appealed to me and so the historic Cliffhouse remained a mystery. Like with all famous towers, inside holds an elegant restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows to reveal breathtaking views of the bay. When I discovered that Sutro’s at the Cliffhouse was offering a Dine About Town menu, I jumped at the opportunity to make reservations for lunch. I was lucky to get a window seat on a beautiful day in June. The first course was a creamy asparagus soup topped with slivers of almonds and lavender petals, making it almost difficult to plunge my spoon into such a work of art. This was followed by a grilled-chicken breast sandwich on a

Asparagus Soup

local dutch-crunch roll served with crispy fresh fries. For vegetarians, they offered a tasty spring vegetable pasta, which looked like a farmers’ market in a bowl. Two courses for $17.95, plus unlimited viewing of the waves beneath the tower was the best meal deal I’ve had in a while. Normal menu options and prices are a bit steeper, but still manageable for special occasions. They offer a wide range of local seafood and organic produce fit to satisfy both locals and our guests.