The modern Vietnamese cuisine at Slanted Door is a nouveau San Francisco institution. Sleekly outfitted with a waterfront view from the Northwest corner of the Ferry Building, their straight forward, modern and elevated take on Vietnamese cuisine is famous. Slanted Door's menu was crafted into well-known deliciousness by Executive Chef Charles Phan since the Phan Family originally opened the restaurant in the Mission 15 years ago. It even has spinoffs in Union Square's Westfield and Golden Gate Park's Academy of Sciences in addition to being reincarnated into the Chinese cuisine of SOMA's Heaven's Dog.
Given its star status as a dining spot, it is of course busy enough that you may not get in without advance preparation. Here is how I, with the help of a friend, recently made getting into the Slanted Door to feast like movie stars into an effortless experience.
Tip 1: Walk in with a pretty lady who is pregnant.
My friend Ann emailed me to tell me she was going to be in San Francisco on business and that we should meet up for dinner. Ann is pregnant with her second child. Nothing gets the host to find you a seat faster than that baby bulge when you ask how long the wait is going to be. We walked in and walked to our modern, finished wood, bench-style table without a pause. Thanks Ann for having children.
Tip 2: Order two appetizers and make sure one of them is the pork spareribs.
We eyed the menu, which has so many great rolls, salads and appetizers, we decided to to go for two. Dinner commenced with crispy imperial rolls with shrimp, pork, glass noodles and peanuts served with lettuce, basil, fish sauce and chili. The perfect bite of crunchy friedness, savory meatiness and garden lightness, they were all devoured in minutes.
Next we went no holds barred into the barbecued Willis Ranch pork spareribs with honey-hoisin sauce. I still dream about these ribs doused completely in that gorgeous honey-hoisin with its sweet, spicy, dark richness. Too good to care about how saucy our mouths and fingers were getting, we gnawed away every last bit.
Tip 3: Eat from a clay pot to go to heaven.
We kept with the family style for our main course, chicken claypot with caramel sauce, chilies and fresh ginger. The sweet, burnt sugar flavor spiced up with chilies and ginger was perfect. We accompanied with organic Star Route Farm baby spinach with caramelized shallots and brown rice. Little was left on our plates or in the serving dishes.
As the setting sun was reflecting on the San Francisco Bay view from the restaurant, we both were full with an amazing, little Vietnamese feast. Ann was eating for two. I think I was eating for three or four. The Clean Plate Club fared well at the Slanted Door that evening.
