Perilla

"For a night that is sweatpants-and-oversized-sweater levels of comfort, head to Perilla in the Inner Sunset. At the family-run Vietnamese spot, you can show up in socks and slides as you dive into fantastic garlic noodle combo plates, and no one will bat an eye. The buttery, springy noodles pair perfectly with the tender five-spice chicken with crackly skin. " - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez, lani conway

"The springy garlic noodles are served as combo meals at this Vietnamese spot in the Inner Sunset, so prepare to order them with things like five-spice chicken or charbroiled pork chops. The chewy noodles have a subtly garlicky scent that manages to waft down Irving St. And biting into the crispy-skinned chicken will result in satisfying crackles that can be heard across the dining room. Since a combo is only $13, consider making a trip to this casual place part of your weekly self-care routine." - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez

"Walk across Newington Green on a Friday night and you’ll notice a glowing restaurant on the corner. It has dancing flames on every table, tastefully stripped-back walls, and Daunt Books tote bags hanging from chairs. It’s a candle-powered lighthouse for recent pét-nat enthusiasts disguised as a humming neighbourhood restaurant—and Perilla can’t help but woo anyone who walks past, even if what’s on the plate matters less than the person opposite you. Perilla’s aesthetics are impeccable, although the European-ish and experimental menu doesn’t always hit the mark. There’s an a la carte or a five-course tasting menu for anyone seeking something that tastes sort of fine dining-y, usually consisting of things you know, done differently. Panisse reimagined as little carriages, a cauliflower mushroom tart that looks fit to be awarded in the Chelsea Flower Show. Occasionally these flavours hit home, like with that blooming tart, and other times you’ll be left wanting more. This is the kind of restaurant that rom-com screenwriters conjure out of their imagination and so, when you’re here celebrating an anniversary, or treating your parents on their bi-annual visit to ‘the big smoke’, it can be easy to feel let down by a so-so soup or a slightly odd seafood scone. If you’re happy to take that punt, then wander on into the bewitching restaurant with the twinkling windows. photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli" - Jake Missing

"At this casual Vietnamese spot in the Sunset, you can sit down, order, and have a big plate full of garlic noodles, crispy-skinned five-spice chicken, and imperial rolls in front of you in no time. The trio is precisely the comfort meal you’ll want after accidentally screen-sharing your most unhinged Spotify playlist at a company-wide all hands." - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez, lani conway

"Much like a body-length heating pad, the pile of buttery, chewy garlic noodles from this Vietnamese restaurant in the Sunset brings us lots of comfort, especially after a bad week. Combine the noodles with their crispy-skinned, five-spice chicken doused in fish sauce, and there’s really no meal better. The best part about this Perilla plate is that it's $13.85, and you'll absolutely leave here full." - Julia Chen 1, Ricky Rodriguez