Shake your money maker

Fun Factoid: Slanted Door was San Francisco’s highest grossing restaurant in 2008 (http://sanfrancisco.grubstreet.com/2009/04/slanted_door_is_sfs_highest_gr.html). Based on how large the space is, the crowds I saw today, and the prices on the menu – I don’t doubt it. The combination of unique food and million-dollar views doesn’t hurt, either.

Back to my gymnastics analogy, Vietnamese food will never be a perfect 10 for me, but I still left SD’s (perpendicular) door with the upmost respect. Each of the four plates I tasted today had something distinct or memorable about it:

- Crispy Imperial Rolls (appetizer): This is fried food where you’re not overwhelmed by the breading and oil and can focus on the substance. The rolls are stuffed with quality pork, shrimp, and peanut bits. It’s only lightly friend (hence “crispy”) – so it’s quite healthy for you, actually. The platter comes with lettuce, noodles, and mint to build a wrap but I found this distracted from the roll itself. (Bottom photo, 90% decimated)

- Crab with cellophane noodles (a dish on 7x7’s Top 100!): It’s not every day I have cellophane noodles. The texture – lighter than a normal noodle – was a pleasant change and the flavors used were equally refreshing. (Top photo)

- Grilled lemongrass pork: As you can see from the picture, this dish is more about the rice noodles than the pork. It also comes with more crispy rolls (yes!) Mint, a flavor I don’t encounter often, infuses the plate. (Second photo)

- Chicken claypot: This was my favorite. It was heartier than the other two meat dishes. The ginger sauce is subtle but flavorful and the chicken chunks were juicy.

One comment about the meat: in both the crab and pork plates, the meat serving was quite small – a few small pieces in each. The crab dish was 90% noodles and 10% crab. I wouldn’t classify this is a complaint but rather as something that surprised me (especially considering the dishes run $18 - $20 a pop).

What I liked most about Slanted Door is none of the dishes are heavy, but the flavors still leave a lasting impression. Strong but subtle (subtly strong? Whatever.). Great place to bring out-of-towners for a classic SF experience – just book your reservation early.