Zadin, San Francisco

Cousins Truc Tran and Bao Phan’s rolodex of family Vietnamese recipes earned their eatery, Zadin, a rating of very good to excellent from Zagat and an OpenTable Diners’ Choice award. The Pho Bo’s beef tips intertwine with rice noodles in a bowl of beef stock, and seared sea scallops pop out from a background of spinach noodles, green-coconut curry sauce, and green papaya. The cousins also add heat to their dishes by tossing prawns in a caramelized-garlic chili sauce and taking a blowtorch to every other glass of water. Out in the dining room, pinecone-shaped light fixtures and tabletop candles softly illuminate diners seated at a long banquette or cozy tables.