The 16 Best Special Occasion Restaurants In SF - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"The small thoughtful touches make a dinner at Showa great. The SoMa Japanese restaurant serves a near-flawless $150 katsu-focused tasting menu featuring 10 to 12 courses. Each piece of perfectly fried meat is served on a wire rack so it doesn’t get soggy, while warm towels are provided in between each course. You'll also get to ceremoniously sniff freshly roasted sesame seeds and drink grape soda imported from the chef’s hometown in central Japan. Even in the shoji-enclosed bathroom, you’ll find activated charcoal toothpicks and individual servings of lychee-flavored mouthwash—and it all ends with a gift-wrapped check. Dinners move slowly here, so if you need a quiet, leisurely meal to mark something special, Showa’s it. Reservations open up on Tock 30 days in advance at 12pm. Since there’s only one seating per night (and no solo reservations allowed), they tend to go fast. Try checking daily for any cancellations." - julia chen 1, patrick wong