So, our 15 year old Niece will be in town next week. Great kid with an adventurous appetite and a taste for dessert wine I wouldn't hesitate to take her to any range of restaurant, from the very finest to the neighborhood deli, but for our purposes, I'm looking for something fun, different, exciting, or unusual. Since we'll be going to dinner following setting up for the Rhone Rangers tasting on Friday night we wont be dressed for anything fancy, but would like to take her someplace fun. Suggestions?

I'd take her to Zachary's in Rockridge. The pizza's pretty good and the crowd is unusual and different ....not much of a wine list though. Afterwards you can take her a few blocks up the street and she can get a body part pierced. Her parents willlove that . Just kidding....

I would consider Farallon and Cypress Club to be "different" and "fun". They wouldn't make my list of top 10 restaurants in the city, but both are reliable and have unusual atmospheres that you just can't find in most places.

Farallon is nice, look at the overhead lights. The Cypress Club is no more. Closed last year very suddenly.

You know, I haven't been to the Slanted Door yet, what do you think about that? I also thought about AsiaSF, but figured it may be a little too out there for a 15 year old from Orange County

a co-worker of mine never misses the slanted door when he's in SF. He loves it. He has about the mentality of a 15 year old, so it might go very well I haven't been there yet myself though.

The Slanted Door is very nice. If you go make sure to get the Shaking beef. Also realize that it is now on the Embarcadero, not in the Mission. Get reservations or don't go as the wait for a walkup on a saturday will be very long.

For young people (at heart or calender years), the places to go are mainly in the Mission. Foreign Cinema, after stumbling for awhile, is back on track. It is on Mission near 21st, has valet parking, but no sign. Just drive down the street west and you will see a metallic door and valet stand. Black is the "correct" attire. Country styled French food with a gorgeous courtyard where they show movies (usually avant garde such as Nosferatu from the twenties during the Halloween season etc.) during dinner. See www.foreigncinema. com for what movie they are showing and for a sample menu. Entrees are in the high teens and the restaurant has a pretty good wine list.

Small plates are still hot and the best place to go for eclectic tapas is Andalu. Andalu has a very good to great wine list. It also has valet parking and is on the corner of 16th and Valencia. A great lively youngish crowd. Tell the owner, Calvin, I sent you and I am sure you will have a great time.

Luna Park on 17th an Valencia is one of my favorites in the entire City. It definitely wins the bang for buck award imo. A small but well selected wine list with wines like Vieux Telegraphe CdP available off the list for $50. Cleverly executed comfort food (before the comfort food trend became a refuge for unimaginative cooks) along with an interesting crowd.

RNM in the Haight is also quite happening right now. It has valet parking Thursday through the weekend. Justine Miner (of the Miner Family Vineyards) has a great well priced wine list and has some interesting small plates like "white castle" burgers and the like. A little bit more hit and miss then the restaurants I have listed prior but this restaurant is much hotter right now.

On a Friday night, a reservation is a must for all the restaurants I listed. I would get one now rather than later.

For a 15 year old go touristy. First choice would be one of the restaurants in Ghiardelli Square with a stop at the Chocolate Factory or whatever they call it for a big banana split afterward.

Or two fun places where the service is a show would be Morton's or House of Prime Rib. Yes, I know, not the best food and wine, but still fun places that I think a 15 year old would enjoy.

Does she like garlic? If so you could always check out The Stinking Rose

No way skwid, she's living with us for a week !

Jones, those are some very interesting suggestions, thank you!

But Eric, fight fire with fire (or garlic with more garlic).

I've actually been to the Stinking Rose and I'd suggest avoiding it unless you want to go to a well known touristy place a bit off the beaten path (i.e. not down by the waterfront). I didn't think it was all that good unless you liked way way way too much garlic on your food. Jones suggestions sound pretty good. AsiaSF would really open her eyes

AsiaSF ? For a 15 year old ?

This is your brother or sister's child. You know what you're doing, so...

For the rest of the world who don't know AsiaSF: some of the best food in San Francisco in an exciting setting served by some of the most beautiful guys in drag on the entire west coast. Really very good! Very SF!

Or you can go check out theAsiaSF web site yourself and see what kind of trouble you can get yourself into. You can also read theSf Gate review of the restaurant. One thing I'm not sure about is if they would let a 15 year old in as they present themselves as a restaurant/nightclub.

I would not take somebody else's 15 year old into AsiaSF.

Oh yeah. The web site reminded me...

They call them "gender illusionists"... I love it.

Jones, You are always succinct. And YES, i agree.

No worries, I had already ruled AsiaSF out...

How about going where that school class of 13 year olds went...

HOOTERS

There are no Hooters in California David. The reason is they expect to get sued in CA if they open one. So that suggestion is out.