Gay lodging that charms, and unites

If you've ever driven through Fort Lauderdale, chances are you've experienced Florida's second largest metro area as an endless sprawl of strip malls, car dealerships, and freeways, with some standard-issue suburban tracts stirred in. But discerning visitors (plus a tiny remnant of the once-notorious spring-break hordes) in search of an ideal warm getaway know Fort Lauderdale's secret: Buried amid it all is a highly engaging "vacation corridor" that provides all the fun, relaxation, and stimulation you could ask for. This corridor - which resembles the letter L laid on its back - is formed by Las Olas Boulevard, running east to the sea and the palm-fringed beach from the highrises of downtown, then turning north along a two-mile north-south stretch of Highway A1A, hugging the beach and the Atlantic. This area includes not only plenty of surf, sand, shopping, dining, nightlife, and a slew of fabulous museums and performing arts venues, but (at its upper tip, the north end of this stretch of beachfront A1A) also Lauderdale's largest concentration of budget lodgings, starting as low as $65 a room in high season, $33 in low. The "sleeping L" is the place to come for a modestly priced vacation that's more diverse and multilayered than any other in Florida. And as word gets out, as a holiday magnet it's catching up fast to Miami Beach, just a half hour south. South Beach in particular still gets most of the media hype, but in this writer's opinion, it's long on glitz and high prices while not measuring up to Fort Lauderdale in terms of cultural offerings, beach quality, budget options, and all-round accessibility - even the parking's less of a hassle. Beyond the sand Apart from its many beachy, watery pleasures-including superb boating on loads of scenic canals and waterways such as the New River and the famous Intracoastal Waterway - not only does Lauderdale have a pedestrian shopping/dining district (rare for Florida), but it's one of the state's prettiest; Las Olas Boulevard's tree-lined stretch of elegant, mostly Spanish-style buildings houses an ever-growing number of chic shops, galleries, cafes, and restaurants (often pricey but sometimes surprisingly affordable). At its westernmost end is the downtown Riverwalk Arts and Entertainment District, the site of a remarkable cluster of top-notch cultural institutions: a Museum of Art with everything from pre-Columbian treasures to today's cutting edge; a performing arts center with 500 events per year; a kid-popular Museum of Discovery and Science, including a 3-D IMAX theater, and the charming Old Fort Lauderdale Historical Museum. Outside this last, a lovely lane lined with live oaks and a handful of grand old homes leads to Riverwalk, a new shop-eat-and-play complex on the New River (stroll the winding brick walkway along its banks and take a cruise for $10.95; $5.95 for kids under 12). Just south of Las Olas' eastern end, the Swimming Hall of Fame makes for a fun morning visit. Farther afield, hardcore shoppers head west of downtown to the gargantuan Sawgrass Mills Mall (whose 350-plus stores include outstanding discount outlets) or the 80-acre Swap Shop (a kind of daily flea and farmer's market with a little bit of circus thrown in) - or south for some decent antiquing in the town of Dania's 150 consignment shops (just below the airport). Then of course there's always the Latin flavor and art deco jewels of the Miami area, about a half hour down the coast. Finally, not all of the surprises hereabouts are man-made. A wonderful place to appreciate the area's pristine beauty sits right on the A1A beachfront boulevard. The Hugh Taylor Birch State Recreation Area is a rambling preserve with lush virgin hammock woodlands, freshwater lagoons, picnic facilities overlooking the posh mansions along the Intracoastal, and several easy hiking trails. The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum (W. Boundary Rd., Clewiston, 863/902-1113, seminoletribe. com/museum), deep in the Everglades about 90 minutes west of the beach on the Big Cypress Reservation, offers not only a look at the way of life of the much put-upon Seminole Indians, but also the flora and fauna of the swampy "river of grass" that covers most of South Florida. Lauderdale lodgings For the budget traveler, though, ground zero is a compact four-by-seven-block nabe at the top of our "sleeping L," bounded by A1A and the Intracoastal Waterway on the east and west, and Riomar and Vistamar Streets on the south and north respectively (many street names here end in mar, Spanish for "sea"). It's an ideal base - never more than four blocks from the beach, and a short drive from the browsing, grazing, and ogling of Las Olas. The properties here are pretty much cut from the same mold: simple, art deco-ish mid-last-century motels slung low around a small pool. Most, however, have gone out of their way to make their decent-size rooms as comfortable and attractive as possible, keeping original details (bathroom tiles, jalousie windows) and planting lush tropical palms and greenery. All offer on-site parking and no breakfast, though many have complimentary coffee or in-room coffeemakers. Of the six that follow, all but the last are members of "Superior Small Lodgings," a program established to keep motel standards up (get a full listing from the local tourism folks; see box). Keep in mind, too, that low season is generally mid-May through October and high season is the rest of the year; at some properties an "extra-high season" runs February to April. First stop: the three-story, salmon-and-teal Sans Souci at the Beach (618 N. Birch Rd., 954/564-4311, fax 954/564-4472, sanssoucimotel.com), whose 20 rooms all come with fridge and microwave for $45 in low season and $65 in high. Run (like many properties down here) by escaped French Canadians, La Lorraine (2800 Vista Mar St., 954/566-6490, fax 954/568-1168, lalorraineinc.com) has clean, modern units from $33 in summer to a high of $69 in winter; bonuses include an outdoor Jacuzzi, minigolf, and barbecue. The Winterset (2801 Terramar St., 954/564-5614, fax 954/565-5790, thewintersetmotel.com) looks modest from the outside, yet boasts two swimming pools surrounded by over 39 varieties of palms and 29 cheerful if slightly dated rooms, which rent for $50 from April to mid-December ($60 to $70 the rest of the year). The smaller, more intimate Worthington (543 N. Birch Rd., 954/563-6819, fax 954/563-6819) has 14 standard-issue but pleasant motel rooms on three stories around a heated kidney-shaped pool; complimentary weekend cocktails are a nice touch. Rates are $45 mid-April to mid-December, $65 otherwise. A personal favorite is the Sea Chateau Resort Motel (555 N. Birch Rd., 954/566-8331, fax 954/564-2411), its bubbly pink-and-white art deco exterior recalling 1950s Havana. The 17 units are beautifully decked out with chintz drapes and iron canopy beds - all for $45 from May to mid-December, then $55 until the end of January and $70 through April. If you simply must stay right on the ocean, head for the Beach Plaza Hotel (625 A1A/N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., 800/451-4711, fax 954/537-9358), which charges a surprisingly low $49 from April to December 21; at other times, rates oscillate between $69 and $99. There's a gorgeous pool area, too, and large pastel rooms brightened up with paisley spreads and cheerful touches. But perhaps the very best lodging option isn't a motel at all, but an apartment, and the premier local source is Leisure Link International (888/801-8808, fax 305/716-9236, leisurelinkintl.com), which rents out scores of five-star resort condos in South Florida at unbeatable rates. Case in point: a huge two-bedroom, two-bath unit on the coast with a big-screen TV and balconies, sleeping up to six people for $155 a night in low season; for families or friends traveling together, that can work out to as low as $25 per person (high season is a bit pricier at $229, but for six people, it still works out to $38 a head, comparable to any motel hereabouts). A similar apartment in the lush Bonaventure area near Sawgrass Mills (about 20 minutes by car from the beach) goes for about $115 to $189, and a one-bedroom unit sleeping four goes for $65 to $118. Eats No longer the whitebread bore of yore, Fort Lauderdale's dining scene now offers a cosmopolitan selection of high-quality, reasonably priced restaurants right on or a short drive away from A1A and East Las Olas Boulevard. These eateries sling everything from good ol' meat loaf to cut-rate sushi - a dubious notion to some, but they haven't lost anyone yet at Tokyo Bowl (1720 S. Federal Hwy., 954/524-8200). The cheerful Japanese diner with a red-and-white Rising Sun color scheme has my local friend Eric coming in regularly for the $12.79 all-you-can-eat sushi-fresh and as artfully presented as any raw fish costing three times as much. Personally, I'm more into the big and hearty "Tokyo Bowls" ($3.79 to $4.29), like teriyaki chicken over rice. For cheap but great Italian, I grab a window seat overlooking the traffic on Sunrise at Big Louie's Pizzeria and Restaurant (1990 E. Sunrise Blvd. at Gateway Plaza, 954/467-1166; three more local branches), a friendly, diner-ish joint decked out in red-checkered tablecloths and Tiffany-style lamps. Here, $8.99 will literally stuff you with the likes of chicken parmigiana, spaghetti, garlic rolls, and salad; the less famished like Louie's hot and cold subs (around $5). For italiano with ocean views, head for the Ocean Drive Cafe (401 Ft. Lauderdale Beach Blvd., 954/779-3351), one of the admittedly few budget waterfront choices. Entrées (some with veggies and potatoes, others with pasta) start as low as $8.95 (steamed clams) but mostly average $10 to $12 (a 14-ounce T-bone). It's a little pricier than elsewhere in town, but then, you're sitting alfresco gazing at the ocean from a marble-topped bistro table lit by romantic oil lamps. You can keep the bill down by ordering from a goodly range of burgers, pizzas, salads, or sandwiches served with pasta salad and vegetables, all around $7. Just up A1A, Lulu's Bait Shack (17 S. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., 954/463-7425) also overlooks the water from a wild and crazy second-floor perch at Beach Place, another yupscale complex for shopping and shoveling it in. Free live bands most nights and tropical breezes set the stage for bayou zingers like the $10.95 "Cajun Sampler": a jumbo of gumbo, etouffee, jambalaya, and red beans and rice-more than you can down in one sitting; otherwise, entrees average about $9.95 (fried catfish with sides). Yeah, you can certainly find cheaper eats elsewhere, but not with live tunes and beachfront breezes. Get even more informal at World Famous Parrot Fun Food & Libation (911 Sunrise La., 954/563-1493, parrot lounge.com), tucked a block in from the beach just below Sunrise Boulevard (a couple of blocks' worth of surf shops, tattoo parlors, and pizza joints anchored by a 7-Eleven). This cozy, paneled pub draws lots of locals for Marlins games and three to five daily specials like flounder stuffed with crabmeat, plus rice pilaf and steamed veggies for $8.99 (also check out drink specials such as Wednesday's $3.75 margaritas). Las Olas Boulevard has plenty of great dining and lots of sidewalk tables - but usually at a premium. One exception is the venerable Floridian (1410 E. Las Olas Blvd., 954/463-4041), a rambling diner that draws a happening 24/7 crowd thanks to its prime location. It is virtually a symbol of frugal feeding in Fort Lauderdale. From breakfast (starting at $3.50) to overstuffed sandwiches and salad platters ($4 to $7) to hot combos served with potato and vegetables (from $5.95 for meat loaf), the food's fresh and well prepared, and the service is friendly and attentive (and some of those waitresses are live wires). More information Most major U.S. airlines fly into Fort Lauderdale International Airport. Thanks to stiff competition, you can sometimes find rates as low as $98 round-trip from New York, $118 from Chicago, and $198 from San Francisco (but only in the deeply off-season weeks). Even at other times, the price structure to "FLL" is one of the gentlest in the U.S. As in most of Florida, you're nada without wheels. From the national rental chains, typical subcompacts start around $200 a week in winter (at Enterprise, 800/736-8222), though prices can vary from day to day. For even better rates, try local outfits like Royal Rent-a-Car (954/768-0222), from $129.95 a week. Another fun and scenic way to get around is by water taxi (954/467-6677, water taxi.com), with scheduled service hitting most major waterfront stops for $7.50 one way, $14 round-trip, or $16 for an all-day pass. There's plenty more varied info-including quality budget lodgings listings-from the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau (800/356-1662, sunny.org).

If you think you have to be paisans with a Corleone or Soprano to get something for nothing in New York City, then fuhgedaboudit! It doesn't take a made man to see the best of Gotham without it costing a dime, and you won't even have to whack anybody to do it. Real wiseguys know the secret to saving big dough in the Big Apple is to seek out all the free walking tours to some of the city's most famous attractions. So grab a seat on a stoop and take a look at these free tours that are fun for the whole,er, "family." Federal Reserve Bank of New York 33 Liberty St., Phone: 212/720-6130, newyorkfed.org Instead of spending money, why don't you spend 60 minutes looking at it--a lot of it. Located in the Financial District, the Fed's tour includes a look at the Gold Vault--five stories underground-- where $60 billion is held. Other exhibits? Officially, the Fed's role includes "formulating and executing monetary policy," but what that really means is they raise and lower interest rates and they act as the government's personal banker. By toying with the exhibit "Fed Works," tourists will get to take over for Mr. Greenspan and see if they could do his job better. Also tour guides take tourists through the five-year exhibit, "Drachmas, Dubloons and Dollars: The History of Money." Hosted by the Fed, "Drachmas" includes over 800 examples of the American Numismatic Society's collection of currency. At the end of the tour, you'll even get to pocket some cash-- too bad it's been shredded! The hour-long tours are held Mon-Fri, between 9:30 AM and 2:30 PM. Because the Fed hosts up to 30 thousand tourists a year, reservations are required for the tour. Central Park Central Park Conservancy, 14 E. 60th St., Tour hotline: 212/360-2726, centralparknyc.org If you hear anyone tell you to "get lost" or "take a hike" while in New York City, then this is the place to go. Central Park has been around for 150 years and is 843-acres (about six percent of Manhattan's total acreage) of escape from the big city. Before Central Park was designed as the first park entirely for the public, New Yorkers' only refuge from the city was in less-than-cheery cemeteries. To celebrate the park with something for everyone, the Central Park Conservancy, in partnership with the city's Department of Parks and Recreation, hosts six different volunteer-guided tours of the park on Wednesdays and weekends at various times. Browse the website and, depending on which tour you choose, you will get a chance to see the Sheep Meadow, which was originally intended as a military parade ground; Tavern on the Green (the restaurant) which was once home to Central Park's shepherd and sheep; or you can opt to spend time with geniuses William Shakespeare and Beethoven--or their famous sculptures anyways. Most tours last one hour and the guides have been trained by the Conservancy's resident historian, so you will be guaranteed to learn a few things on your stroll through Manhattan's urban oasis. Grand Central Station grandcentralterminal.com Opened it 1913, Grand Central is actually a terminal and not a station since trains terminate and originate from here. The newly-restored building is a magnificent nod to old New York while also playing host to over 150 thousand commuters every day. Whether it's due to Grand Central's grandiosity or because it's the site of so much activity, this site has several groups clamoring to give tours. Municipal Arts Society Phone: 212/935-3960, mas.org The Municipal Arts Society's tour of Grand Central has been running for 25 years, so it's a pretty good bet they won't get lost in this labyrinthine building. The tour is on every Wednesday at 12:30 PM, and lasts an hour. It's run by various local historians, and focuses especially on architectural design and details. Be prepared to crane your neck at the constellations on the terminal's ceiling. Tours meet at the Grand Central info booth. Grand Central PartnershipPhone: 212/883-2420, grandcentralpartnership.org/ Billing itself as "The Grand Tour," the Grand Central Partnership branches out from the famous terminal to the neighborhood surrounding it. The anecdotal tour is guided by "urban explorer, historian, and storyteller" Justin Ferate and touches on the Chrysler Building, the Daily News Building, and the original Lincoln Memorial. The 90-minute tour is every Friday at 12:30 PM, and meets across the street from the terminal in the Sculpture Court of the Whitney Museum on the corner of 42nd St. and Park Ave. Times Square Times Square Visitor's Center, 1560 Broadway, Phone: 212/869-1890, timessquarebid.org/ Even when Dick Clark's not presiding over New Year's Eve, Times Square is teeming with people. With two police precincts, 40 theaters, 12.5 thousand hotel rooms, and almost two million passer-bys each day, it is the overtaxed heart of Manhattan. With all this to cover, The Times Square Business Improvement District's tour picks its targets carefully--it's more of a walk an inch-stop-walk an inch-stop tour instead of a walking tour. The tour can last up to two hours and focuses on the old vs. new: from the history of landmark theaters where vaudevillians performed to the spectacle of massive Trinitron video screens. Its guides lead the way through the human traffic every Friday at noon at the Times Square Visitor's Center. Lower East Side Talking Street tours, 800/644-3545, talkingstreet.com/ If you were hoping to tour New York while taking part in a new use of technology and hobnobbing with celebrities, this definitely the walking tour for you--sort of. Talking Street's tour "The Lower East Side: Birthplace of Dreams," is the first-ever call-in cell phone tour, and is guided by LES native Jerry Stiller (George's dad on "Seinfeld," and real-life dad to Ben) with music by Irving Berlin and Eddie Cantor. Stiller takes you through the neighborhood where Easter European Jews immigrated, gangsters organized, and actors and artists strived. The tour works by having you call the 800-number above when you are at a selected stop. Then Stiller gives information about the site and directions to the next of 13 stops. The entire tour takes about an hour if you go from the first to last stop, and Stiller's audio segments are each under three minutes. The fun of the tour, however, is picking and choosing which sites appeal to you the most, and with a downloadable map from the website, it's easy to do. While the tour is free, it's important to note that regular cell phone charges do apply, so call when you have extra minutes to spend. Big Apple Greeters 1 Centre Street, Suite 2035, 212/669-8159, bigapplegreeter.org/ You want see New York like a real New Yorker would? You want to eat soul food in Harlem, see the Statue of Liberty for free, and maybe even explore those other boroughs outside of Manhattan? If yes, then Big Apple Greeters is the volunteer group for you. BAG's mission is to show that New York is a friendly city, and her denizens aren't so bad either. By contacting them in advance, BAG will pair you with a knowledgeable "greeter" that suits the kind of experience you want to have in the city. In addition, these ambassadors of goodwill give you a free one-day subway pass and show you how to navigate the city's public transportation system. Your visit with BAG can be as long or as short as you wish, and the only requirement is that you have two or more in your group. A few more If you STILL haven't gotten the compulsion to tour New York for free out of your system, here are a few more worth considering. Brooklyn Brewery 79 N. 11 St., Brooklyn, Phone: 718/486-7422, brooklynbrewery.com. Take a tour of the famous brewery and drink some free beer. How can you argue with that? Fridays between 6-10 PM, and Saturdays between noon and 5 PM. Trinity Churchyard 74 Trinity Pl., 212/602-0800, trinitywallstreet.org. Visit the famous graves of Alexander Hamilton and others, or look through the online database for ancestors before you go. Thurs., Sat. at noon. Bob Dylan Tour Greenwich Village, new-pony.com/tour.html. Finally, a self-guided walking tour of Dylan's New York for the uber-fan. A downloadable map and description of each site is online.

To our minds, San Francisco is one of the three top foodie cities in the US (along with New York and New Orleans). We've all heard about California cuisine, and the star chefs that are shaping the dining scene in the City by the Bay. But what about cheap food? Can one get good, interesting grub at an affordable price? Our expert gives a resounding "yes" to that question and reveals her picks for the best affordable food in town. The top ten Red's Java House Pier 30-32, Embarcadero at Bryant St., 415/777-5626, Closed for dinner unless there's an evening Giants game at nearby SBC Park The pickup trucks in the lot and the crusty old guys in coveralls are your first signs that Red's is no temple to fancy-schmancy California cuisine. Working-class joes in Harley-Davidson jackets fill most of the tables, though suits slumming it also visit this little shack in the shadow of the Bay Bridge. Hot dogs, burgers, chili, fries, and Budweiser are the orders of choice--unless you show up before 11 a.m. (3 p.m. on weekends), when a smattering of breakfast items are served. And since a double cheeseburger, fries, and a beer cost only $6.25, Red's qualifies as one of the best burger bargains in the city, with or without the million-dollar view. Chez Maman 1453 18th St., between Connecticut and Missouri Sts., 415/824-7166 Diners sit shoulder to shoulder at the counter of this lilliputian Potrero Hill bistro, where the chefs cheerfully toss salads, grill lamb sausages, and cook crepes just inches away. The stools are so close to the grill, in fact, that you won't know whether it's the heat of the fire or the Gallic charm of the chatty proprietor that's causing the warm glow. The small menu is solidly French: the goat cheese salad ($8), croque monsieur ($9), and mussels marinière ($12) would be right at home in a Parisian bistro. So would the French-speaking regulars, who gab with the staff while downing rocket-fuel espresso. El Tonayense Harrison St. between 19th and 20th Sts., Harrison St. at 22nd St. and Shotwell St. between 16th and 17th Sts Locals in the know stand on the sidewalk or perch on a concrete ledge next to a chain-link fence to eat some of the best (and most authentically Mexican) tacos in town, served from shiny silver trucks parked on semi-industrial blocks in the Mission. Since there's no menu--just a list of available meats, such as carne asada (grilled steak) and carnitas (braised pork)--it's useful to know that you can get these fillings in a taco, burrito, or torta (sandwich). Most passionate fans of El Tonayense are so devoted to the tacos--corn tortillas folded around juicy meat, hot or mild salsa, and a scattering of chopped onions and cilantro--that they've never even sampled the other dishes. Those with an average appetite could probably handle three tacos, but we wouldn't blame anyone for trying to eat just one more. It's Tops Coffee Shop 1801 Market St., between Valencia and Guerrero Sts., 415/431-6395 Shortly after this tiny, '50s-style diner in the Lower Haight opens at 8 a.m., haggard partygoers outnumber early risers by about two to one. They continue their flirtation with unhealthy living with a menu that contains, in addition to standard diner fare--buttermilk pancakes ($4.50), Denver omelettes ($7.75)--an entire section devoted to deep-fried sides such as beer-battered mushrooms ($3.95). Each orange-vinyl booth is equipped with a jukebox, but the stools at the counter provide you with the added entertainment of listening to the waitstaff describe their latest tattoos. Nirvana 544 Castro St., between 18th and 19th Sts., 415/861-2226 One hopes that the real nirvana isn't as loud as this Castro District restaurant, where the predominantly gay clientele flirt to the steady pulse of techno music. Dim lights and walls the color of blood oranges set a seductive scene, but the heated garden patio is the last word in romance. Big bowls of noodles (ramen, soba, or linguine), topped with ingredients such as pan-seared Thai-style chicken ($7.75), salmon chunks ($9.50), or sautéed spinach and tomatoes ($6.75), are a bargain; the same can't be said about the froufrou cocktails ($7-$8.50). Concoctions like Purple Rain--made with vanilla-flavor Stoli, pomegranate juice, and lemon juice--nevertheless disappear lickety-split at the bar, where revelers sometimes stand waiting two deep. Emmy's Spaghetti Shack 18 Virginia St., at Mission St., 415/206-2086 At the edge of the Mission, this dimly lit room decorated with old-fashioned aprons strung across a clothesline might seem an unlikely setting for San Francisco hipsters to wine and dine their dates. But, somehow, the juxtaposition of the faux corrugated tin roof, colorful artwork by local artists, and a DJ spinning groovy down-tempo music (Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays) works. Maybe the crowd is in a good mood because of the glasses of red wine on almost every table, but the vibe at Emmy's is unfailingly friendly. Enormous plates of spaghetti ($6, with meatballs $8.50) are by far the best deals. Consider sharing one with your honey, along with an appetizer like the winter-greens salad with beets and goat cheese ($8). Desserts, most around $7, are more expensive than you'd expect. Osha Thai Noodle Café 696 Geary St., at Leavenworth St., 415/673-2368 A young crowd fills this bright Tenderloin restaurant, but the food is much better than you'd expect from a place where you can stumble in until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. House music thrumming in the background sets the manic pace of the waitstaff, who ask for your order every few minutes until you've waded your way through the hundred or so items on the menu. To cut to the chase, order the tart and spicy larb ($6.50), a mix of ground chicken, pork, or beef with red and green onions, or the perfectly crisp yet tender spicy string beans, served with the same choice of meats ($6.95). Hang Ah Tea Room 1 Pagoda Pl. (a.k.a. 1 Hang Ah St.), off Sacramento St. between Stockton and Grant Sts., 415/982-5686 Although the freakish lime-green and tangerine walls suggest the restaurant was built during the Day-Glo '80s, Hang Ah is actually Chinatown's oldest dim sum parlor. Once you find this basement spot--down an alleyway next to a playground and tennis court--start sampling its wide variety of dim sum, the savory snacks that are popular for brunch in parts of China. Pork buns (softball-size puffs of rice dough surrounding juicy barbecued pork), deep-fried curried-beef rolls, translucent steamed shrimp dumplings, and pot stickers are particularly good choices. At around $2.50 per order, you can try them all. Dragon Well 2142 Chestnut St., between Steiner and Pierce Sts., 415/474-6888 Smartly dressed and preternaturally fit young locals chat on cell phones between bites of fresh pea shoots at this lovely Chinese restaurant, where paper lamps cast a soft glow that makes everyone look even sexier than they already are. Remarkably, the artfully arranged plates of minced chicken scattered on lettuce leaves ($8.25) and slices of tea-smoked duck ($7.95) are almost no more expensive than the fluorescent-orange glop at your average Chinese joint. And appropriate to Dragon Well's Marina District setting, chefs have a way with seafood--witness the prawns served in a light white sauce and tossed with crunchy candied walnuts ($9.95). Q 225 Clement St., between 3rd and 4th Aves., 415/752-2298 If someone were to decorate a salvage yard with strings of Christmas lights and alphabet refrigerator magnets, it might end up looking something like the Inner Richmond's Q. That enigmatic name is short for barbecue, a specialty of chef-owner "Smilin' Andy" Gillen, who can often be spotted dishing up pork spare ribs with baked beans and spicy slaw ($10). The menu is a mishmash of Southern standbys and bold California cuisine that's friendlier to vegetarians than the name would (obliquely) suggest. Those suffering from a fit of childhood nostalgia might opt for the rich and starchy macaroni and cheese, counterintuitively paired with Tater Tots ($8). The hippest haunts of the nouveau poor Now that there are fewer people who can charge hundred-dollar meals on their corporate cards, formerly lofty restaurants have jumped on the budget bandwagon, charging common rates for high-power fare. At the height of the dot-com gold rush, diners reserved ahead for dramatic plates of Asian-French food at Azie (826 Folsom St., 415/538-0918). The soaring interior of this former warehouse is still glamorous, but now entrées like five-spice pork tenderloin go for $15 to $20 instead of $25 to $30, and the lines have disappeared. When the sleek and dimly lit JohnFrank struggled serving California cuisine, it cut prices in half, renamed itself Home (2100 Market St., 415/503-0333), and coddled diners with comfort food like macaroni and cheese and roasted chicken ($7.95 to $13.95). Drink specials are an unheard-of $3; make reservations or face a long wait. At Eos Restaurant: (901 Cole St., 415/566-3063), chef Arnold Eric Wong's creative Pan-Asian cuisine has been the talk of the town since 1995. Full meals still cost a fortune, but you can hit the adjoining wine bar for small plates, such as the signature shiitake dumplings ($10) or prawn and lemongrass risotto ($12). Stylish: Mission residents sip cocktails at Butterfly Lounge (1710 Mission St., 415/864-5585). Instead of swanky Pacific Rim fusion food, it's now about Vietnamese-inspired small plates such as green-papaya salad and grilled snapper with caramelized onions. Feeling rich yet? The perfect burrito Chicago flaunts its pizza and Philadelphia its cheese steaks, but in San Francisco, the quintessential quick dinner is the burrito. We set out to find the best one, risking the wrath of locals whose favorite taqueria didn't make the cut. The quest begins at the Mission's Casa Sanchez (2778 24th St., 415/282-2400, $4), famous for a onetime promotion that rewarded people who got a tattoo of the Casa Sanchez logo with free lunch for life. Unfortunately for them, these burritos, while tasty, are tame, too heavy on the beans, and not as good as the homemade chips and salsa. On to a perennial favorite in the burrito wars, Taqueria Cancún (2288 Mission St., 415/252-9560, $3), where huge slices of creamy avocado are tucked in each veggie burrito and the slightly crisp tortillas are warmed on the grill rather than steamed. But we also discover the occasional bits of gristle, enough to keep this one from perfection. The burrito chaser's next stop is, surprisingly, in the gentrified grounds of the Upper Haight at Taqueria El Balazo (1654 Haight St., 415/864-2140, $6). The juicy grilled meat stuffed in the carne asada burrito, plus the selection of salsas and lime wedges that allow you to precisely adjust for taste, are exceptional. But we pay twice as much as at Taqueria Cancún, so we must resume the hunt. Back to the Mission District, where the search began. The carne asada burritos at La Taqueria (2889 Mission St., 415/285-7117, $4.50) are slightly smaller than a foil-wrapped doorstop: Unlike the others, they contain no rice, and the unimpeded power of the meltingly tender and flavorful grilled beef--and lots of it--makes these, for price and palatability, the pick of the litter. The hippest haunts of the nouveau poor Now that there are fewer people who can charge hundred-dollar meals on their corporate cards, formerly lofty restaurants have jumped on the budget bandwagon, charging common rates for high-power fare. At the height of the dot-com gold rush, diners reserved ahead for dramatic plates of Asian-French food at Azie (826 Folsom St., 415/538-0918). The soaring interior of this former warehouse is still glamorous, but now entrées like five-spice pork tenderloin go for $15 to $20 instead of $25 to $30, and the lines have disappeared. When the sleek and dimly lit JohnFrank struggled serving California cuisine, it cut prices in half, renamed itself Home (2100 Market St., 415/503-0333), and coddled diners with comfort food like macaroni and cheese and roasted chicken ($7.95 to $13.95). Drink specials are an unheard-of $3; make reservations or face a long wait. At Eos Restaurant: (901 Cole St., 415/566-3063), chef Arnold Eric Wong's creative Pan-Asian cuisine has been the talk of the town since 1995. Full meals still cost a fortune, but you can hit the adjoining wine bar for small plates, such as the signature shiitake dumplings ($10) or prawn and lemongrass risotto ($12). Stylish: Mission residents sip cocktails at Butterfly Lounge (1710 Mission St., 415/864-5585). Instead of swanky Pacific Rim fusion food, it's now about Vietnamese-inspired small plates such as green-papaya salad and grilled snapper with caramelized onions. Feeling rich yet? The perfect burrito Chicago flaunts its pizza and Philadelphia its cheese steaks, but in San Francisco, the quintessential quick dinner is the burrito. We set out to find the best one, risking the wrath of locals whose favorite taqueria didn't make the cut. The quest begins at the Mission's Casa Sanchez (2778 24th St., 415/282-2400, $4), famous for a onetime promotion that rewarded people who got a tattoo of the Casa Sanchez logo with free lunch for life. Unfortunately for them, these burritos, while tasty, are tame, too heavy on the beans, and not as good as the homemade chips and salsa. On to a perennial favorite in the burrito wars, Taqueria Cancún (2288 Mission St., 415/252-9560, $3), where huge slices of creamy avocado are tucked in each veggie burrito and the slightly crisp tortillas are warmed on the grill rather than steamed. But we also discover the occasional bits of gristle, enough to keep this one from perfection. The burrito chaser's next stop is, surprisingly, in the gentrified grounds of the Upper Haight at Taqueria El Balazo (1654 Haight St., 415/864-2140, $6). The juicy grilled meat stuffed in the carne asada burrito, plus the selection of salsas and lime wedges that allow you to precisely adjust for taste, are exceptional. But we pay twice as much as at Taqueria Cancún, so we must resume the hunt. Back to the Mission District, where the search began. The carne asada burritos at La Taqueria (2889 Mission St., 415/285-7117, $4.50) are slightly smaller than a foil-wrapped doorstop: Unlike the others, they contain no rice, and the unimpeded power of the meltingly tender and flavorful grilled beef--and lots of it--makes these, for price and palatability, the pick of the litter.