Foreign Cinema — Restaurant in San Francisco

Why Haven’t We Dined Here Sooner!!!?? Foreign Cinemas was Splendid!

The Foreign Cinema has been open in San Francisco since 1999 – twenty years – and, for some stupid-in-retrospect reason, we had never dined at this restaurant. Last night, we went to Foreign Cinema to celebrate our anniversary and were so delighted with virtually everything – the atmosphere, the server, the sommelier, and the food – that we will likely become “regulars” at this restaurant.

While sipping cocktails, we shared a dish of Norwegian smoked salmon, trout rillettes, caviar, pickled onions, and toast points. Every bite was a taste treat.

The wine menu is extensive, with wines from all over the world. While we have experience with Californian, Australian, South African, and Argentinian wines, our knowledge of French wines is rather limited, but the sommelier came through with a delicious (and reasonably priced) suggestion among the various Bordeaux offerings – a 2012 Chateau La Payre, which paired nicely with our starters and main dishes.

For my starter course, I had the halibut ceviche, aji limon chiles, avocado, spring onion, citrus jus, and plaintain chips. I’ve had ceviche dishes in many restaurants, including several in Peru, where ceviche supposedly originated, but the Foreign Cinema’s version is one of the best ceviche dishes I’ve ever had, with a perfect balance of flavor, acidity, citrus, and the slightest bit of heat from the chiles.

My husband’s starter course was beef sirloin tartare, watercress, potato gaufrettes, Comté cheese, caramelized onions, and horseradish, and it was fantastic, with flavors complementing each other perfectly.

For the main course, my spouse had a New York steak, sliced among artichokes, grilled peppers, arugula, and herbs. The steak was perfectly cooked to medium-rare, and the overall dish was delightful.

For my main course, I had the peppercorn duck breast, fava bean purée, pluots, endive, raddichio, toasted hazelnuts, and pâté toast. The duck was succulent, moist, and flavorful, with the other components adding a nice balance of complementary flavors. I’m not a big fan of hazelnuts, generally, but the chefs must have some secret way of preparing them because I found them delicious, too!

For dessert, we shared an apple huckleberry crisp, with a cinnamon-and-oat crumble, topped with gingerbread ice cream and caramel. It was fantastic.

Yes, I’m raving about our meal at Foreign Cinema; we were delighted with the total experience – and just regretted that we had not started coming here sooner, but we will definitely be back soon! Clearly about 20 years in business, they have not lost their edge, but have continued to deliver a flavor-packed meal with friendly and professional servers. All-in-all, our evening at Foreign Cinema...

Foreign Cinema in San Francisco truly offers a unique and memorable dining experience! I had the pleasure of enjoying lunch there today, and it lived up to its reputation as a blend of cinematic ambiance and excellent cuisine. Upon entering, I was immediately struck by the restaurant's beautiful layout. The outdoor patio, with its heaters and general buzz of happy diners, felt like a lively oasis. The overall aesthetic, with wood accents and floral arrangements, creates a warm and inviting atmosphere. While I visited for lunch, I can only imagine how enchanting the patio becomes at dusk with the foreign films projected on the wall – a clever touch that makes Foreign Cinema truly distinctive. The culinary experience was equally impressive. I started with a selection of fresh oysters, beautifully presented on ice with a lemon wedge and a small serving of what appeared to be a mignonette. The oysters were plump, briny, and perfectly shucked, a delightful start to the meal. For my main course, I opted for one of the larger plates – a substantial cut of meat (likely a pork chop or steak, given its size and grill marks) served with a sunny-side-up egg, fresh greens, and what looked like a corn and possibly a bean medley in a rich, savory sauce. My dining companion had a similar dish but with slices of what appeared to be steak, also accompanied by a fried egg, corn, greens, and vibrant pickled radishes, adding a lovely pop of color and tang. Both dishes were not only visually appealing but also bursting with flavor, showcasing fresh ingredients and thoughtful preparation. The meat was cooked perfectly, and the sauces complemented the richness without overpowering. The service was attentive and friendly, contributing to the overall relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. Foreign Cinema successfully balances its "dinner and a movie" concept with genuinely high-quality food and a chic, welcoming environment. It's clear why this establishment is consistently lauded as a San Francisco gem. Whether you're looking for a romantic dinner, a leisurely brunch, or simply a fantastic meal in a captivating setting, Foreign Cinema is a must-visit. I highly...

a solid 4 stars! the service and atmosphere are easily 5 stars, but would give the food 4 stars. everything was delicious with unique pairings, but most of the food wasn’t mind blowing. would highly recommend the duck breast! overall, would easily come back for special occasions or to bring people coming from out of town!

atmosphere: the outdoor courtyard has the best seating! plenty of heaters so you don’t even feel like you’re outside in this chilly sf weather. movie usually starts around 8:30 and adds to the vibes

service: -some of the best service i’ve ever received from a restaurant. from start to finish, everyone was friendly, knowledgeable and professional. special shoutout to colleen the bartender who’s been here since the beginning! she even has a cocktail named after her. came for anniversary and loved the special touches such as complimentary wine, greetings from all the staff and a special card waiting at our table

food: colleen: tropical cocktail made by colleen herself! it was refreshing without being too sweet, would get again schoolyard bread: thoroughly enjoyed. amazing butter and delicious bread. melon burrata: everyone hyped it up and thought this was a great appetizer but nothing too special. burrata was amazing though sirloin beef tartare: packed with flavor, above average paneer: nothing like what i thought it would be and didn’t really enjoy salt cod and lobster dip: one of the favorite dishes of the night mission figs: fresh ingredients but not memorable otherwise cavatelli: solid pasta dish, enjoyed duck breast: some of the best duck i’ve ever had. perfectly cooked with a slight smoky flavor. paired so well with blackberries and crispy quacklins. the spoon bread was the highlight though! so unique and juicy. i was impressed. foreign cinema’s amaretto: took a gamble since i don’t typically like amaretto and wasn’t a huge fan of this. cool tropical flavor though goat cheesecake: if i wasn’t so full already i’d finish it all! i’d get this dessert again but you’re also not missing...