San Francisco is great for food and more- An American Iron beaten tonight

I love San Francisco. I have been here for some conferences, traveling and a NASA conference. After the conference day events, I would walk down to the warf and either eat Thai or something on the way or at the warf. I have some reviews already from restaurants I have tried. But one that I would like to try it I ever come to SF is Aziza, rated #1 in Morocco in the area. It's head chef is

Iron Chef America battle against this chef who focuses on Morocco food, rated #1 in SF area by Urbanspoon
I love when I hear that chef Mourad Lahlou did not start out wanting to be a chef and then changed. This chef was an economist first. See more about his background (very interesting)
http://www.aziza-sf.com/about_us.html
He would go up against Iron Chef Cat Cora in a redfish (once popularly known in Cajun dishes)
Then I saw it is #1 in SF Morocco ethnic restaurants.
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/6/80587/restaurant/Richmond/Aziza-San-Francisco
http://www.aziza-sf.com/

regular menu
http://www.aziza-sf.com/dinner_&_sweets.html
review from SF review
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/25/DD6H15UVPR.DTL&feed=rss.entertainment

But then back to the battle. I always watch intently to see what they are making and of course what happens when the meals were presented. Both competitors had good plating. I thought that Lahlou had good balance of acidity in some dishes but lost points as to taste. They were both original. I thought Cora was ahead on originality and different types of food. She got shot down for a redfish beignet because being fried it was not original enough.
I picked Cora by +2. I am usually right on or one or two away from the winner side. However, I was wrong but was was glad to see that Lahlou won and killed her +7 . So I was off by 9 which way off for me. Still let's say I am glad he won.
The outcome was
Cora Lahlou
______________________
taste 23 26
______________________
plating 11 14
______________________
originality 11 12
______________________
45 52

I hope to go his place someday. If any of you try his place, send me a buzz and let me know.

A touch of class with the tasty lamb curry

There are so many Thai places in SF so where do you choose. When you are close by you have to go with what is near. Strolling the streets after presenting at a conference a few years ago, I came upon this place. I am glad it is still here. It had daily specials, appetizers, salads. I was zoning in on the curries, rice entrees and noodle entrees though. I love thai and try lamb dishes when they are available. I spied the Lamb Mussaman Curry with steam rice. The curry flavor was excellent and the lamb was nice and tender. The place does have a touch of class and so does the food. I am glad I came here.

I found this top rated restaurant while walking

I was in San Fran for a conference. When in any town I always try to look for Asian cuisine particularly Thai. I saw that this one was supposedly one of the best Thai places around so I walked around and found it so I could check it. The menu had a lot of entrees. I fin it interesting when there are not "spiciness rating or stars". Does that mean they are bland. Not necessarily. I find it odd that sometime Asian restaurants try to "spice " things up by just thrown in some whole small chili peppers and leave it at that. I don't go for very spicy. I usually am looking for some different flavors, a different level of spiciness or flavor or items, something I can remember a restaurant in the future either for the setting, the food or really both if possible. Well this place worked out both ways. Quite a sizable set of vegetarian dishes as well curries, beef, appetizers and more. Sometimes I order curries but I wanted something different. There was only one duck dish, a "take " on possibly Peking duck but with honey . This one was Honey Roast Duck dish (Ped Yang Name Peung) as it sounded interesting. Sweet honey basted duck was succulent and had a lot of flavor besides the slight sweetness with spices. I love walking around the hills of SF and am glad I found this jewel of place.