Foreign Cinema Before The Sunday Brunch Crowd Arrives

According to a National Restaurant Association survey, nearly 4 out of 10 Americans will dine out on Mother's Day, which falls on May 9 this year.

Mother's Day is the second most popular holiday or occasion to dine out, following only birthdays. The study was conducted in February 2004 by the National Restaurant Association.

With this news in mind, it is imperative to start planning your Mother's Day dining experience. Since Mother's Day falls on Sunday, brunch is a very popular choice. The staff of Rugged Elegance has compiled the following suggestions to get you started. In each case, we have create a link to the restaurant's profile within RuggedElegance.com, which provides location, contact information and further detail.

Absinthe, located in Hayes Valley, offers French cuisine in an atmosphere that is sleek and sophisticated without being "stuffy." After brunch, you may want to consider attending the San Francisco Symphony's 2 p.m. performance featuring cellist Lynn Harrell.

Café Andrée, located in the Theatre District, serves Franco-Latino cuisine created by Executive Chef, Jim Jardine. Café Andrée is part of the Hotel Rex, which features a literary theme. Café Andrée is named for Andrée Dutcher, wife of Kenneth Rexroth, an author who led a "poetry renaissance" in San Francisco in the early '50's.

The Elite Café features Cajun and Creole cuisine providing a touch of New Orleans right here in San Francisco. The Elite Café does not accept reservations, so your mother will need to be flexible.

Foreign Cinema, located in the Mission, offers a great brunch menu in a fun, festive setting. The interior of the restaurant is dominated by a large fireplace, which makes for a warm, cozy atmosphere. A tented, exterior courtyard heated by gas lamps gives you a taste of al fresco dining. Whether you choose to eat indoors or outdoors, you'll find the food to be fabulous. A special a la carte, celebratory menu will be offered for Mother's Day -- the restaurant will be open from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Le Zinc, located in Noe Valley, is a French-style bistro which combines elements of casual and romantic dining. On a sunny day, the rear courtyard offers a splendid venue for outdoor dining.

Happy Mother's Day!

Gourmet:

Whether you choose the comfortable taverna or the grand fireplace room, you'll eat peasant fare for the gods. Jean Alberti's translation of the classics is fresh and insightful: a pikilia platter of creamy carp roe, cucumber yogurt, smoky eggplant salad, and dolmades; charcoal-grilled octopus and whole fish that recall Aegean idylls; and the most appealing lamb moussaka-light yet substantial-we've come across. Airy apple fritters with Attiki honey ice cream and extraordinary pistachio baklava suggest that some of the glory that is Greece resides in its pantheon of honeyed sweets.

Editor's Note: Gourmet has chosen Kokkari Estiatorio as one of America's Best Restaurants for 2003. We agree wholeheartedly.

-Tim