Two of San Francisco's top restaurant talents -- chef Nancy Oakes and designer Pat Kuleto -- are responsible for this high-profile eatery in the magnificent 1889 Audiffred Building, a Parisian look-alike that was one of the few downtown structures to survive the 1906 earthquake. Oakes's menu, with its nod to the French kitchen, is seasonally in flux, but you can count on her signature juxtapositioning of classy fare, such as squab stuffed with chanterelles and foie gras, with comfort food, like wood-oven-roasted rack of lamb. Portions are generous; save room (and calories) for one of the dynamite -- and pricey -- desserts, such as tangerine custard tart with citrus sorbet. Reservations essential.