lafayette park washington dc p. 141. Best B arbecue: N o whining and no deconstructing the barbecue sauce: you re not in Kansas C

p. 141. Best B arbecue: N o whining and no deconstructing the barbecue sauce: you re not in Kansas City , Dorothy. In San F rancisco, w e think Memphis Minnie s (576 Haight lafayette park washington dc St.; &415/8647675) does a fine job of smoking brisket and ribs. The slaw is good, too. See p. 144. Best Vegetarian: You can t beat Greens (Building A, Fort Mason; &415/7716222) for ex cellent meatless cuisine not to mention a lo vely, air y dining room and fabulous vie ws. S ee p. 133. Greens offers v egan dishes as w ell, but for those wishing to av oid any animal products whatsoever, Millennium (580 Geary S t.; & 415/345-3900) is the choice. See p. 108. I f that s not ear thy enough for you, try the all-raw menu at Caf Gratitude (1336 9th Ave.; &415/ 683-1346). Best Bakery: Tartine (600 Guerrero St.; &415/487-2600) actually has to advertise when its bread comes out of the oven (after 4pm, by the way). Otherwise, folks would be hanging ar ound all day to get a loaf of walnut br ead, which sells out immediately. See p. 148. Best C afe: N ot that kids r eally dig hanging out at cafes, but our kids (and plenty of other customers kids) love the croissants at Boulange de P olk (2310 Polk S t.; & 415/345-1107). lafayette park washington dc They munch happily lafayette park washington dc while parents sip cafe au lait and people watch from the sidewalk tables. See p. 140. Best Chinese in Chinato wn: The 13 R&G Lounge gets my nod because of its authentic lafayette park washington dc and r efreshingly differ ent menu (631 K earny S t.; & 415/9827877). lafayette park washington dc See p. 120. Best Chinese N ot in Chinato wn: In offering lafayette park washington dc an out-of-Chinato wn choice, I m going to make a plug for Dragon Well (2142 Chestnut St.; &415/4746888), which offers Chinese food that has been California-iz ed, with an emphasis lafayette park washington dc on v ery fr esh, high-quality ingredients and a lot less gr ease. S ee p. 136. Best Dim Sum: San Franciscans seem to be equally divided as to wher e to get the best dim sum. Many insist lafayette park washington dc it s to be found at Ton Kiang in the Richmond District (5821 G eary B lvd.; & 415/ 387-8273). See p. 152. If you just can t head out that way during your stay, rest assured. It s a bit mor e expensive than Ton Kiang, but I m also a big fan of Yank Sing (101 Spear St., in the Rincon Center; &415/957-9300). See p. 124. To help familiariz e your kids with dim sum, check out the box Kids Guide to Dim Sum, below. Best Thai: By far our fav orite is Osha Thai R estaurant (2033 U nion S t., &415/567-6742). Just thinking about their pad see ew noodles makes my mouth water. See p. 137. Best E thnic R estaurant for K ids: If the ar ched ceilings, hand-painted Arabesque plates, lafayette park washington dc and delectable Moroccan menu at Aziza (5800 G eary B lvd.; &415/752-2222) aren t exotic enough, head into the back r oom, which is full of North African styled sofas and cushions. B etter y et, wait until 7pm on weekends, when the belly dancer arrives. See p. 149. Best Italian: For a terrific family meal, Trattoria Contadina (1800 Mason St.; & 415/982-5728) offers hear ty pastas and a friendly ma-and-pa atmospher e. See p. 127. For truly exceptional Italian HOW TO FEEL LIKE A SAN FRANCISCO lafayette park washington dc FAMILY lafayette park washington dc

If you must stay in F isherman s Wharf and your kids really want a pool, the Hyatt is the best choice; it ranks a good notch above the other big hotel chains in the neighborhood. Its outdoor pool sits in a protected courtyard away from the str eet with an inviting spa, attractiv lafayette park washington dc e chaises and tables, and a nearb y indoor shower. The guest rooms and bathrooms, already designed with families in mind, w ere fully renovated in 2006. The new color combination of rich chocolate brown set against bright white and ice blue is nicely understated. Connecting r ooms and double-doubles are available, and complimentary rollaways are available upon request. In-room coffee- makers are available, but the most practical amenities may be the coin-operated washer/ dryers on every floor. 4