Canteen   

817 Sutter St
San Francisco, CA 94109
415-928-8870
www.canteensf.com

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After leaving Rubicon -- with its leviathan wine list and luxury decor -- Dennis Leary did a full 180 with Canteen, a 20-person exercise in quirky minimalism. Paperbacks fill shelves atop five wooden booths, and a rusty metal clock looks as if it was rescued from a real canteen circa 1956. There are no reservations, and the place is often busier for breakfast than dinner. But "casual" stops with the vibe: The delicate California plates rival the city's swankiest menus. Appetizers range from comfort (tiny, tender brisket with horseradish) to continental (luscious marinated anchovies) to creative (crab soup with chicken cracklings and green wheat). Large entrees are mostly perfect, like halibut jacked with tapenade and ham over creamy mashed potatoes. The small kitchen sometimes runs out of ingredients -- avoid plates made with substitutions. Bonus: Your bread is likely to be buttery brioche, and Leary likes to treat you to amuses-bouche between courses -- even if you're there for breakfast. Don't skip dessert, like dense chocolate tart set off by bittersweet chicory ice cream. The small wine list challenges the friendly servers, who have to explain varietals like torrontes and scheurebe to stymied patrons -- but each bottle is delicious.