Fresh and Fruity

Franciscan Crab at Fisherman's Wharf celebrated its 50th anniversary not so long ago, and as SS's plus-one, I was lucky enough to take part in the cornucopia of fresh fruits de mer adorning the 20-foot-long buffet table in the massive "2nd Tier" area of the resto. Boasting breathtaking views of the bay, Franciscan is a place I'm sure my dad would like—he of the old-school variety would appreciate the cushy red leather banquettes, plush carpeting and black-and-white "period" photos dotting the interior. I'm sure he'd also approve of the ever-so-tasty shrimp cocktail, basted Dungeness crab legs, crab and avocado sandwiches, and the bite-sized grilled red pepper and buffalo mozzarella bruschettas for the taking.

And let's not forget about the free-flowing Champagne that lightened our mood and refreshed our palates. The fleet-footed server at our station was always on hand to refill our glasses, glasses we drained effortlessly to the rhythm of the upbeat jazz trio playing just a few feet away. Now, this is living.