old town trolley alexandria Mijita Value MEXICAN Tracy des J ardins, the talent behind this gem, is best known for her hyper-ele

Mijita Value MEXICAN Tracy des J ardins, the talent behind this gem, is best known for her hyper-elegant establishment Jardiniere, which serves dinner to the black- tie set en route to the opera, symphony, or ballet. But when you ve got kids to feed, not money to burn, this unpretentious joint serving simply prepared Mexican street food is a great way to enjoy des Jardins culinary talents. Not only will you get hearty morsels like a freshly grilled fish taco with cilantro-avocado old town trolley alexandria cream or a carnitas taco with crisped braised pork at amazing prices (under $5), but y ou ll also enjoy a terrific vie w to boot. Located on the backside of the Ferry Building, Mijita looks out to the San Francisco Bay. Watch commuters catching ferries back home while y ou enjoy queso fundido, melted Mexican cheeses and chorizo sausage served with soft tortillas. If it s warm enough to sit outside, let the kids run around while you take your time sipping a cold beer and munching spiced pumpkin seeds. The two kids items on the shor t menu, a bean and cheese burrito or a crispy cheese quesadilla, ar e sure to draw the chicos back when the food has arrived. The amazing par t is the tiny bill. D es Jardins is dedicated old town trolley alexandria to suppor ting local farmers, fisherman, and ranchers who produce food sustainably. old town trolley alexandria How she manages to do that and still serve $2 kids burritos beats me. but who cares? Head back to the counter and order, Otra cerveza, por favor!

To San F ranciscans, high-quality, sustain- ably pr oduced f ood needn t alwa ys be expensive or c omplicated. I t can, and should, be available in the everyday comfort f oods w e all enjo y. St ep inside and order a juic y bur ger made with locally raised meat and t opped with t omatoes and lettuc e fr esh fr om the F armer s M arket. Your taste buds will notice the difference between this and an or dinary diner, but your wallet won t. See p. 125.

But perhaps you want something more traditional, and you ve reached the end of the alley. You re in luck. On the c orner at 374 Bush Str eet y ou ll find Sam s Grill (&415/421-0594), one of the oldest restaurants in San Francisco. Grab a cozy wooden booth and order charcoal-broiled fish, roasted chicken, or a simple pasta dish. Entrees range from $10.50 to $50. For more info, visit www. belden-place.com.

It s har d no wadays to find a city that doesn t hav e a fe w cyber cafes. Although there s no definitive old town trolley alexandria directory for cybercafes, two places to star t looking ar e www. cybercaptive.com and www.cybercafe. com. S an F rancisco doesn t hav e many cybercafes, but most of its public libraries offer fr ee I nternet access. I n addition, FedEx K inko s and similar businesses offer Internet access for a fee. Avoid hotel business centers and I nternet kiosks, such as in most major airpor ts, unless you re willing to pay exorbitant rates.