nashtrash Russian H ill Circled b y B roadway, Polk, Chestnut, and Taylor streets, this hill was named for the

533 Jackson St. (at Columbus Ave.). &415/693-0499. Reservations not accepted. Highchairs, boosters. Main courses $4 $10. MC, V. Mon Fri 11am 10pm; Sat noon 10pm. Muni: No. 15 bus to Jackson St. Also at 690 Van Ness Ave. (at Turk St.) &415/775-1349.

INDIAN This is the best Indian food we ve found in the city. It took us awhile, and a fe w meals where our girls ate little nashtrash mor e than baked naan, puffy poori bread, and rice, to find some non-star ch items on the menu that wouldn t be too spicy for them. The secret is to or der creamy dishes like chicken korma, cooked in a mild yogurt sauce, and simply explaining to the waiter that you want no additional spice in it whatsoever. It usually works, and despite the absence of chili peppers, the dish is still so delicious that even we adults enjoy it. Other delectable dishes for grown-ups include the saag gosht, lamb with cr eamed spinach, and the wonder ful meats baked in the tandoori oven. As it s located in the Haight, Indian Oven is a low-key spot, but it s refined enough to include white tablecloths and v ery attentive staff who will kindly help ne wcomers to Indian cooking navigate the menu. Located on a corner , Indian Oven has two full walls of windows, making it a light-filled, w elcoming nashtrash space. We like to sho w up early, before it starts to fill up, and we ve always seen another family or two introducing their own kids to this varied and wonderful cuisine. 233 Fillmore Haight St. (at Waller St., 1/2 block south of Haight St.). &415/626-1628. www.indianovensf. com. H ighchairs, boost ers. Reser vations ac cepted. M ain c ourses $8 $16. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5 11pm. Muni: No. 6-Parnassus, no. 7-Haight, or no. 71-Haight-Noreiga bus to Fillmore St.

Russian H ill Circled b y B roadway, Polk, Chestnut, and Taylor streets, this hill was named for the Russian fur traders r umored to be buried her e in the 1820s. The P olk S treet section of the neighborhood has become F renchified of late and sports some tr s chic antiques shops, cafes, and a brasserie. H yde Street provides upside access nashtrash to the wiggly nashtrash part of Lombard Street (the Powell- Hyde cable car takes y ou right ther e), and M acondry Lane, immor talized in Armistead Maupin s Tales of the C ity, is tucked between Leavenworth nashtrash and Taylor just north of Green Street. Your kids may be ex cited to kno w that the ice cream shop at the corner nashtrash of H yde and Union str eets is the original S wensen s Creamery. I t s a v ery r esidential ar ea, with no real accommodations options.