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Birdsong (San Francisco, CA)

I first came across Birdsong in 2020 while going to one its neighbors in Square Pie Guys and now-closed Saint Frank Coffee. The restaurant is striking even from the outside; peeking through the bars on its windows offers a glimpse of the Pacific Northwest-inspired oasis behind. The restaurant is in stark contrast to its neighborhood, adjacent to Civic Center in an area generally not recommended for lingering.

Chris Bleidorn, formerly chef de cuisine of Atelier Crenn, staked out on his own to open this place in 2018. The restaurant’s received rave reviews ever since, earning its first Michelin star in 2019 and second in 2021. I first tried the restaurant for its pandemic-special fried chicken takeout offering. The chicken was so popular it spawned its own offshoot called Birdbox just a mile away.

short rib at mourad
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Mourad (San Francisco, CA)

Mourad opened at the beginning of 2015, Mourad Lahlou’s follow up to Michelin-starred Aziza. Like Aziza, Mourad has also garnered a Michelin star for its Moroccan cuisine albeit in much more glamorous digs. The SoMa location features a large, open dining room and very high celings – it’s a beautiful space.

The impetus for this dinner was my grandmother’s birthday. An eight course tasting menu is available ($155) but we went the a la carte route for our party of six. Ordering a la carte allowed us to order a couple of the large format family-style plates that the restaurant has become known for.

oro sf
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Oro (San Francisco, CA)

Oro opened in September, the second restaurant from chef Jason Fox of the Michelin-starred restaurant Commonwealth. I’ve had some great meals at Commonwealth over the years, so I was very interested in trying this spot. The restaurant was one of the few that could welcome a party of 8 on Christmas Eve, so it was an opportune chance to try the restaurant with some extended family.

A la carte is available at the restaurant, as well as a blind tasting menu served family style for $75pp. To make things easier with such a large party, we opted for the tasting format. It turned out to be a ton of food.