If you're familiar with cajun and creole fare, the menu at Brenda's French Soul Food may be both familiar and new at the same time. Chef Brenda grew up in New Orleans, where she learned to trap crawfish, trawl for crabs, and fish on the local bayous. There, she was exposed to several regional interpretations of French cuisine, and in 2007 decided to bring her knowledge to San Francisco diners.

Today, Brenda's French Soul Food serves traditional croque monsieur sandwiches drizzled with creamy bechamel sauce alongside cornmeal-fried catfish po'boys topped with chipotle remoulade. If it's your first visit to the restaurant, Yelp reviewers suggest that you order the kitchen's unique flight of beignets, which include both sweet (like the apple cinnamon) and savory (like the crawfish) varieties. Follow that up with a plate of spicy shrimp and cheesy grits, and you've got a hearty, satisfying meal.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr jeffreyw