Daly City makes the Eater 38 list for the first time

Bill Addison, the restaurant critic for Eater, ate 600 meals in 36 U.S. cities during 34 weeks of travel this year.

Rough job, eh?

But for those of us who don’t get to travel across this great land of gastronomy, he’s distilled his experiences into one list, America’s 38 Essential Restaurants, from barbecue joints and dim sum makers to prix fixe dining palaces..

Two San Francisco restaurants and — a surprise first, a Daly City one — scored spots on the 2018 list:

— New to the list is Atelier Crenn, chef Dominique Crenn’s Michelin-starred flagship. Of Atelier, Addison said: “More masterfully than ever, Crenn and her team (including pastry chef Juan Contreras) mine the middle ground between intellect and emotion, between heady presentation and flat-out deliciousness. Crenn focuses the modernist kitchen on seafood and vegetables, using impeccable Bay Area ingredients while musing over her upbringing in Brittany, France, for inspiration.” Details: 3127 Fillmore St., San Francisco.

— Honored for the fourth consecutive year is Benu, chef Corey Lee’s flagship restaurant. Of Benu, Addison wrote: “No culinary leader in America deserves the honorific of “chef’s chef” more than Corey Lee. Easy labels don’t stick to his visionary cooking. … Lee was born in Korea, and he most often summons the cuisines of China, Japan, and his native country for his intricate, striking dishes. Lobster coral soup dumplings, mussels stuffed with glbad noodles and layered vegetables, a combination of potato salad and caramelized anchovies that recalls two staples of banchan: After thousands of meals consumed for Eater, I don’t know another place in America that serves food more dazzlingly, gratifyingly singular than Benu.” Details: 22 Hawthorne St., San Francisco.

— Another newcomer is Koi Palace, Daly City’s first appearance on the Eater 38 list. Addison wrote: “A Sunday jaunt to the original Koi Palace (the flagship of its three locations) reminded me why it’s the indispensable cornerstone among the region’s many stellar dim sum options. Once you wade through the chaotic crowds, a euphoric whirlwind of food and service awaits. In a blur of dumplings, noodles, congees, sweet and savory cakes, piled greens, and crisp-skinned meats, a through-line of freshness and craftsmanship gives the feast cohesion. Finish with the last dregs of tea and the custardy fritters called “Sugar Egg Puffs.”  Details: 365 Gellert Blvd., Daly City.