By Tanya Henry

Never content with the past, San Francisco continues to build its reputation as one of the greatest restaurant cities in America. Although sushi has long been on the culinary radar, a new high-end Japanese/French fusion restaurant that just opened in a luxury downtown hotel introduces impeccably prepared seafood in ways many have never experienced. Less high end, but no less intriguing, is another Far East newcomer offering Japanese food in its purest form—Shojin cooking or Zen Buddhist Temple cuisine.

Restaurants continue to open at a dizzying rate. Downtown has seen its share of newcomers, but South of Market and the Mission continue to attract the lion’s share of new business. Refined Cal-American cooking, an upscale taqueria, and Italian cuisine prepared Northern California style are just a sampling of the many possibilities that await your adventurous palates.

Price ranges are based on main courses: $10 and under: Inexpensive;$10-$18: Moderate; $19-$25: Expensive; More than $25: Very expensive. Area code is 415 unless otherwise indicated.

American
Myth
This Jackson Square space that formerly housed MC2 has been transformed into a stunning, must-visit restaurant. The once stark room has been warmed up with intimate chocolate and olive tones and comfortable banquettes. The contemporary American menu features starters like local sturgeon caviar, warm sweetbreads salad infused with mustard and bacon, and a salad of pears, blue cheese and candied cashews. You will also find pasta with foie gras cream sauce, mushroom-dusted scallops and braised beef cheeks at this revamped favorite. 470 Pacific Ave. (at Montgomery); 677.8986. Expensive.

Town Hall
The dream team behind this glitzy restaurant includes chef-brothers Steven and Mitchell Rosenthal of Postrio and über host Doug Washington. A refurbished historic SoMa building provides the backdrop for the brother’s regional American dishes like a peanut-and-tasso-crusted pork chop with buttermilk smashed potatoes and New Orleans-style gumbo. Save room for the exquisite desserts. 342 Howard St. (at Fremont); 908.3900. Expensive.

Michael Mina
Renowned chef Michael Mina of Aqua fame has his own restaurant in the city’s posh Westin St. Francis. The year-old restaurant boasts 20-foot high columns and sophisticated crème-colored hues that fill the grand dining room. A New American tasting menu is offered featuring a main ingredient prepared three different ways. This high-concept dining might include variations of foie gras, pork loin or miso-glazed sea bass. Mina also offers a “classic menu” with more familiar items from his years at Aqua, including lobster pot pie and black mussel soufflé. Westin St. Francis, 335 Powell St. (at Geary); 397. 9222. Very expensive.

Luna Park
Well-priced, generous portions of homey American food are why this Mission hot spot is filled to capacity. Plus, a party atmosphere keeps the bartenders in constant motion. Cheese fondue, breaded pork cutlets and grilled artichokes were recent winners; the all-American desserts including s’mores and caramel apples are as good as ever. 694 Valencia (at 18th St.); 553.8584. Moderate.

Oola Restaurant and Bar
This South of Market addition just a few doors down from LuLu features sleek, industrial design and fresh California cuisine served until late night. Along with basics like burgers and baby back ribs, more upscale items such as roasted halibut with a chanterelle cream sauce and chicken and foie gras raviolis are also offered. 860 Folsom St. (at Fourth St.); 995.2061. Expensive.

Asian
Slanted Door
This world-class Vietnamese restaurant has permanently settled into its chic digs in the Ferry Building. Floor-to- ceiling windows boast breath-taking views of the Bay and Charlie Phan’s food remains as good as ever. Favorites include shaking beef, chicken clay pot and grapefruit and jicama salad. Selected as the best chef in California last year by the James Beard Foundation, Phan’s cooking is in high demand—reservations are hard to come by. 1 Ferry Building (Embarcadero at Market); 861.8032. Expensive.

Medicine New-Shojin Eatstation
One of the more intriguing restaurants to open has to be Medicine. Large, communal tables allow diners to sit together to enjoy and discover one of Japan’s oldest cuisines: Shojin cooking or Zen Buddhist temple cuisine. Everything is vegetarian, including house-made tofu. Vegetarian nigiri, miso soup, and tempura clusters of majtake mushrooms or sweet corn are some of the exciting items that will tantalize your taste buds. Chilled coconut soup rounds out the dessert menu. 161 Sutter St. (between Montgomery and Kearny, in the Crocker Galleria); 677.4405. Moderate.

Betelnut
This bustling Union Street restaurant offers a smorgasbord of Asian flavors. The concept is Southeast Asian beer house and small plates are the way to go. Intriguing dishes like minced chicken in lettuce cups, grilled nem nuong pork skewers with savory Saigon sauces and Mongolian hoisin pork with grilled pancakes are among the best choices. 2030 Union St. (at Buchanan); 929.8855. Moderate.

Crustacean
Upscale fusion food is what you’ll find at this long-running Polk Street institution. Crab roasted many ways and garlic noodles are the favorites. Sister restaurant Thanh Long in the Sunset offers more of the same at slightly lower prices. 1475 Polk St. (at California); 776.2722. Expensive.

French
Campton Place
The Campton Place Hotel has always provided a little oasis for both out-of-towners and locals. Word got out long ago that breakfast was the meal to enjoy here, but with young superstar chef Daniel Humm in charge, every meal is exquisite. Select from three- to ten-course tasting menus, or try such items as a salt-crusted branzino for two and whole duck filleted tableside. Humm’s refined French cooking shines through in all of the dishes, and of course, breakfast is still as good as ever with specialties such as house-made granola, almond waffles and a crab omelet. 340 Stockton St. (at Post); 955.5555. Very expensive.

Plouf
On an alley tucked away in the Financial District, this lively “slice of France” bistro specializes in seafood. The main draw is mussels prepared seven different ways, from a roasted garlic and shallot version to a heartier one with leeks and a mushroom ragout. As the charming waiters will inform you, pommes frites are an essential accompaniment. 40 Belden Pl. (at Bush); 986.6491. Moderate.

Restaurant LuLu
This large SoMa restaurant is best known for crispy, fried artichoke hearts and rotisserie chicken. Family-style dining is encouraged, which makes this restaurant just blocks from Moscone Center a good choice for large groups. 816 Folsom St. (at Fourth); 495.5775. Expensive.

Italian
Delfina
It’s the straightforward, simply prepared Italian food that people line up for at this Mission neighborhood restaurant. Fresh, seasonal ingredients take center stage in Craig Stoll’s soulful dishes like ravioli filled with spinach and locally made ricotta and the grilled calamari served over frisee and warm white beans. The small room is frequently filled to capacity and the decibels can get high. 3621 18th St. (at Guerrero); 552.4055. Moderate.

A16
Pizza, bruschetta with dried fava purée, and octopus with Calabrian chiles are just a few of the regional dishes you might find on A16’s menu. Named for a highway in Italy, this Marina restaurant delivers authentic food from the region of Campania. Chef Christophe Hille studied to be a certified pizzaiolo, but his savory dishes are even better than the thin, wood-fired pizzas. Reasonable prices and an intriguing wine list make this a popular—and noisy—hangout. 2355 Chestnut St. (between Scott and Divisadero); 771.2216. Moderate.

Quince
This warm, intimate restaurant is housed in a historic Pacific Heights Victorian, previously home to the celebrated Meetinghouse. Lindsay and Michael Tusk (of Chez Panisse and Oliveto fame) offer an Italian-inspired menu in a sophisticated, handsomely appointed room. Be sure to try the impeccably prepared pastas and grilled and roasted meats. Meyer lemon soufflé and apple tart are also memorable. 1701 Octavia St. (at Bush); 775.8500. Expensive.

San Francisco Favorites
Zuni Café
This perennial favorite has been around for almost 25 years. Chef/Owner Judy Rodgers continues to serve her famous roasted chicken, burgers and Caesar salads. Young hipsters to San Francisco society rub elbows over fresh oysters and cocktails at this quintessential city spot. 1658 Market St. (at Gough); 552.2522. Expensive.

Boulevard
For fabulous, albeit pricey, contemporary American food, Boulevard can’t be beat. Over ten years ago, Nancy Oakes teamed up with designer Pat Kuleto and created this gem of a restaurant near the Embarcadero. With its stunning belle époque décor and consistently well-prepared items like the fire-roasted filet mignon and butterscotch crème brûlée, it remains one of the city’s most popular restaurants. One Mission St. (at Steuart); 543.6084. Expensive.

Masa’s
Despite numerous chef changes in recent years, this destination restaurant continues to provide its special brand of fine dining. Chef Gregory Short’s contemporary French prix fixe menus (choice of four) feature such specialties as braised duck with white nectarines and caramelized honey jus and butter-poached Maine lobster. Show-stopping desserts include the buttermilk beignets. The mignardise cart, or sweets trolley, boasts four kinds of lollipops, six different chocolate truffles, and seven petit-fours. Décor is stylishly understated, but service is mercurial. Hotel Vintage Court, 648 Bush St. (at Powell); 989.7154. Very expensive.

Fleur de Lys
Frequently referred to as the most romantic in the city, this Nob Hill restaurant is a study in opulence. From the billowing tented fabrics in the dining room, to masterfully prepared foie gras and vegetarian delicacies, Hubert Keller continues to wow and enchant his diners. 777 Sutter St. (at Jones); 673.7779. Very expensive.

Gary Danko
From the moment Gary Danko opened his eponymous restaurant, he has received rave reviews. His French-California inspired food includes such dishes as glazed oysters with leeks and salsify and roast lobster with black trumpet mushrooms. Armani clad wait staff are well-versed at explaining the prix fixe menu options that allow for mixing and matching. 800 North Point St. (at Hyde); 749.2060. Very expensive.

Neighborhood Finds
Incanto—Noe Valley
Prepare to be seduced by the flavors, smells and wines of Tuscany at this charming Noe Valley restaurant. The menu features fresh, locally produced ingredients at remarkably good prices. Look for house-made pasta with pork ragout, braised meats and a divine panna cotta. 1550 Church St. (at Duncan); 641.4500. Moderate.

Baraka—Potrero Hill
One of just a handful of Moroccan-inspired restaurants in the city, this one is worth the drive to Potrero Hill. With its warm, orange-colored walls and candlelit room, it succeeds in transporting diners to exotic locales. Be sure to try the classic chicken tagine of preserved lemons, saffron and green olives, and the foie gras au torchon is not to be missed. 288 Connecticut St. (at 18th St.); 255.0370. Expensive.

1550 Hyde Café & Wine Bar—Russian Hill
This 36-seat gem of a restaurant with its sparse industrial décor offers superb, ingredient-driven California cuisine. Rustic dishes like the roasted chicken breast with morels and braised rabbit over spatzle are excellent. Wine flights are offered along with a well-priced, thoughtful wine list. 1550 Hyde St. (at Jackson); 775.1550. Moderate.

Limon—Mission
Martin Castillo and his family have moved their Peruvian restaurant to a larger, more stylish space on Valencia Street. Look for Peruvian classics such as lomo saltado, a sautéed beef dish mixed with French fries. Other Latin dishes worth a try include the meat-filled empanadas, seafood ceviche with lime, and fish dishes smothered in a Peruvian tomato-based sauce. The sangria is quite good. 524 Valencia St. (at 16th St.); 252.0918. Moderate.

Tanya Henry is the North Bay restaurant reviewer for the San Francisco Chronicle.