SLANTED DOOR

Charles Phan and his family put Vietnamese cuisine in the spotlight when they opened in the Mission in 1995. They’ve moved twice since that time, and for the last 13 years have been in the Ferry Building, where the modern interior includes views of the bay. The restaurant has had a national impact, which is the reason it won the James Beard Award for outstanding restaurant in 2014. Slanted Door has also become known for its carefully curated wine list, creative cocktails and California-fresh food. The cooking continues to evolve: caramelized pork belly with young coconut and Thai chiles; stir-fried organic chicken with cashews, walnuts and raisins; spicy Monterey squid with pineapple, jalapeno and Thai basil; teasmoked duck breast with pears, mizuna and ginger-honey vinaigrette. Vegetables also star, and the menu usually features about eight preparations, such as salt-and-pepper-roasted cauliflower with beech mushrooms or soft scrambled eggs with Chinese long beans and fish sauce.

Cuisine Vietnamese | Specialties Imperial rolls; daikon rice cakes; shaking beef; caramelized shrimp; cellophane crab noodles; chicken with caramel sauce | Seats 180 (plus 50 in the lounge; 65 on the patio); private room for 20 | Prices $25-$48 (plus 4% S.F. surcharge) | Noise rating B | Parking Street, difficult; some lots

Vitals 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco. (415) 861-8032. www.slanteddoor.com Lunch and dinner daily. Full bar. Reservations and credit cards accepted.

Chicken clay pot with caramel sauce, a specialty at the Slanted Door.