DandySF's Profile
Recap - Celebratory Dinner at Masa's
I figure they had to get rid of that second course and re-make it, rather than trying to hold it. Perhaps a staff member enjoyed it. By the way, thanks for the bday greeting.
Mexico DF
As far as nearby (future) Mexican alternatives are concerned, New York's Rosa Mexicana will be going in across the street from Boulevard, on Mission. Looking forward to this addition to the neighborhood. Sorry to see DF close;, it was a reliable option for several years.
Recap - Celebratory Dinner at Masa's
At least a restaurant's management does have some recourse if a diner's dress is particularly egregious. That person can be exiled to the least desirable seat or room.
Recap - Celebratory Dinner at Masa's
Thought I'd share a few thoughts after last night's birthday dinner at Masa's.
Several years ago I stopped by briefly to take a look at the dining room, which was beautifully updated by Orlando Diaz Azcuy's firm. At the time I didn't realize that the room had floor-to-ceiling mirrors in the back, which visually doubled the restaurant. As I stepped down into the room last night I realized it was a rather intimate restaurant, much smaller than I expected. It reminded me a bit of New York's La Grenouille, where everyone is pretty much seated together in an a single open room, in full view. The room's color scheme is sophisticated and urbane: dark walls punctuated by white framed art work, upholstered toile print chairs, and four red silk pleated lanterns hanging from the ceiling, providing unexpected blasts of color. I'll confess to wishing the restaurant had strictly enforced its dress code of jackets for men and cocktail attire for women. The result was a room scattered with shirt sleeves, short sleeves, and sweaters. Maybe it's more of a dress recommendation than a code. For me it makes it a bit more fun when everyone puts a bit of effort into getting ready for dinner at one of the city's top restaurants.
There are two options for dinner, the four or seven course tasting menu. We chose the four course with the wine pairing. I'll try to recap from memory what I ate, to give a sense of flavor and style. My overall impression is of a series of dishes with distinct and sharply focused flavors. I'm certain some of my descriptions are not precise in terms of ingredients, but I hope it conveys a general sense of what I experienced.
For the first amuse bouche, my seafood aversion was accommodated with a parmesan gougere, a lovely little puff of cheesy flavor and warmth.
The next amuse was a complex combination that had a slender cylinder of celery root filled with what I believe was a cool and creamy puree of turnips, topped with thin slices of glossy brown summer truffles. The complexity of the preparation was impressive. It took just a few bites to finish off this little jewel of contrasting flavors and textures.
My partner and I then had the pâté de campagne, which was studded with slivered pistachios. Included were buttered baguette toasts and a small pile of chopped and flavorful something - for the life of me I can't recall what it was, but it added an intense counterpoint to the pâté. This was served with a pleasingly sweet 2010 Josef Rosch Kabinett Riesling, from Mosel, Germany. For this course I wish I'd more carefully alternated bites with sips, rather than eating the food first and drinking much of the wine afterwards.
Next was an artichoke salad, served deconstructed on a narrow rectangular plate. The elements were spread out in a row - artichokes, miniscule roasted carrots, some other tiny roasted vegetables, and a small pile of niçoise olive powder, the closest I think I've come to molecular gastronomy. I imagine a variety of techniques were used to prepare the dish: roasting, steaming, boiling. The wine for this was an earthy 2010 Loimer Gruner Veltliner from Austria. The wine paired wonderfully with the elements pulled from the soil.
The waitress mentioned that the pork loin would be served rare, which would be reddish. I requested mine be done so that there'd be just a trace of pink. As it turns out, both of ours incorrectly came out to the same degree of doneness, which probably met my needs but not my dining companion's. In retrospect, it was my mistake to second guess the chef because the pork was ever so slightly tough around the exterior edges. Nonetheless, the brined pork had a profoundly porky flavor. I'd forgotten how distinctive pork could taste. The accompanying sauce had an almost cherry like flavor, however there was no fruit in the sauce, just the sweetness from the meat's juice. The wine was a perfect choice, a 2008 Freeman Pinot Noir from Sonoma. The cherry flavor in the wine went brilliantly with the pork.
Dessert was a riff on carrot cake, with a thumb-sized cake, topped with a cream cheese frosting, sitting on what I believe was a dacquoise, accompanied by dots of lemon curd, an oval of crème fraîche ice cream, and tiny scoops of an apple-cinnamon sorbet. The plate provided yet another series of intensely focused flavors. The final wine was a 2009 Domaine de Durban Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, from France.
After dessert we had a second chance for sweets, selected from a cart containing an array of mignardises: chocolates, macarons, lollipops, and financiers, to name a few. I requested a gluttonous number of these little delights.
A couple of mis-steps along the way were surprising. For instance, we were about to be served the second course before we'd even seen the first course. We had to point this out to the server. At this level of dining I really do expect perfection in terms of service. Very surprising a slip up like this could occur. Aside from this, the service was cordial and efficient throughout the 2-hour dinner.
The other odd thing, trifling really, occurred when we arrived in the small entry area. We were first and then another couple came in after us. It's a bit baffling that they were offered a seat before we were. Fortunately we got a slightly better table. There really aren't any bad tables, well maybe those in the front of the room nearest the entrance, which I'd think would be a bit drafty.
All in all, it was a lovely dinner, one that reminded me how the sense of taste can be awakened and delighted by a talented chef and his staff.
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Masa's Restaurant
648 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA 94108
Does SF have good midrange neighborhood restaurants that are not loud/overcrowded?
In the vicinity of your location is Local Kitchen and Wine Merchant. It's a neighborhood restaurant and wine bar on Rincon Hill. The menu is rustic Italian. It's always easy to hold a conversation. They take reservations but it's also possible to walk in and find seating.
Dress code for Prospect?
I've seen some great style at Prospect, especially among the women. It's casual but definitely polished and urbane. Of course you'll find wonderfully chic people next to a scattering of people who make no effort at all.
I'm intrigued by how much more sophisticated looking the Prospect patrons are than those at Epic Roasthouse, just a block away. Epic costs more but attracts a much more stylish crowd.
http://www.thesluicebox.com/
Pudong (French-Chinese), SF Upper Market
Went by last night and there was a sign in the window saying the place is closed due to mechanical difficulties. Not sure whether this is a temporary or permanent closure. Sorry to see the place close so soon, if that's the case.
Where to have a chic, elegant, impressive gourmet lunch (preferably prix fixe) near Market Street./Union Square?
The Rotunda at Neiman's is a perfect location for a chic lunch downtown. Gorgeous setting under the huge stained glass ceiling. The food is always good. Request one of the small booths.
http://www.thesluicebox.com/
Early Weekday Breakfast in Union Square
The restaurant at the Campton Place hotel begins serving breakfast at 7:00 a.m. It's on the east side of Union Square.
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Campton Place
340 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108
Emporio Armani - closed
I'm disappointed to learn that the cafe at Emporio Armani in San Franciso has closed. The store is being remodeled; when it reopens, the restaurant will be gone. I just found this out yesterday when I tried to have lunch there. Fortunately The Rotunda provides a delightful alternative, which is where I ended up going. I'm interested to know of any other stylish Union Square lunch spots.
Attention Perbacco lovers
My favorite seats are the booths that line the right wall when entering. Although they are in the bar area, the noise is much less than in the back, where the dropped ceiling creates a cramped and noisy atmosphere.
http://www.thesluicebox.com/
Good bloody mary?
The Rotunda at Neiman Marcus serves up good Bloodies. Zuni also knows how to mix a fine Bloody.
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Zuni Cafe
1658 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
The Rotunda at Neiman Marcus
150 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108
Prospect
I dropped by on opening night and then had a full dinner on Friday night. They are still working out the opening service kinks. For instance, the calamari appetizer on opening night never did appear until after we asked about its status. The staff were gracious and offered a free round of drinks while the order was prepared.
On Friday night I had a three course meal that took 2.5 hours to complete. Fortunately I wasn't in a rush, but that's way too much time to spend on dinner. The food was much better than the slow but very friendly service. I'm fully confident the team will get things to run every bit as well as Boulevard. Everyone I interacted with had a great disposition. I'll be back in a few weeks and am curious to see how the service develops.
I started with blanched summer vegetables in green goddess dressing, then had the chicken with chicken sausage and polenta; dessert was a griddled vanilla cake that was a bit too dainty for my sweet tooth - a double portion would have been perfect.
I expect this restaurant to be an important and welcome addition to the SF dining scene.
Lunch options near Powell & Market?
With the closure of Cafe Espresso in the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, I've had to find an alternative place for a light, inexpensive lunch. My compromise solution has been the Boudin bakery located in the bottom of Macy's. Good sandwiches on great bread, nice selection of tasty cookies, and plenty of seating. I wish there were windows, but what can I expect in a basement? For a nicer lunch near Union Sq, I'm very fond of Emporio Armani's restaurant, located in a grand old bank building. I'm interested to see others' fresh recommendations for lunch near Powell.
http://www.thesluicebox.com/
Any tasty upscale mexican in SF?
Two of my favorites are Mexico DF and Tres Agaves. Maya is also good, although it's recently adopted a more informal style. I'm not certain whether Tres Agaves fits the description of "upscale," but the food is certainly tasty.
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Tres Agaves Restaurant
130 Townsend St, San Francisco, CA 94107
Mexico DF
139 Steuart Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Visiting & In Search of Vintage New York
Thanks for the suggestion. A bit of a coincidence - a friend just returned from NY and emailed me the name of that very place just a few hours ago.
Visiting & In Search of Vintage New York
Greetings from a San Francisco Chowhounder. I'll be in NYC in a couple of months and would like a dinner suggestion. I love classic places like La Grenouille and Gramercy Tavern. I also enjoy flashier places like Le Cirque. With this brief sketch in mind, can you think of anything else I might enjoy? I'll appreciate any ideas you can offer. There are so many options to choose from. Thank you!
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Gramercy Tavern
42 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003
La Grenouille
3 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022
Le Cirque
151 East 58th Street, New York, NY 10022
Going to see Wicked, where should we eat before?????
Before a performance at ACT I recently had dinner at Kuleto's on Powell. I started with a salad of roasted beets and then had a delicious veal picatta. It's located between your hotel and the theater. I've definitely put this place on my Go Back Soon list.
Aaron
http://www.thesluicebox.com/
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Kuleto's
221 Powell St., San Francisco, CA 94102
Steak in San Francisco
I've had some excellent steaks at Houston's. They consistently deliver one of the best cuts of filet mignon. Some people have qualms because it's part of a chain. If it weren't so good I wouldn't keep going back.
Aaron
http://www.thesluicebox.com/ .
Kokkari has indeed gone down hill
I was surprised at the review, especially since I just had dinner there last Thursday night. We had a tasty and varied assortment of appetizers. This is the first time I'd ordered like that; generally I'd been with groups where everyone had their own entree. It was fun to have an assortment of Greek dishes to work through. Service bogged down a bit toward the end of the meal, but no major complaints. I enjoy the dining room and the stylish clientele it attracts. Bauer's review should do little to dissuade the crowds that Kokkari consistently attracts.
Aaron
http://www.thesluicebox.com/
Spencer on the Go - some of the best French food around
The other evening, returning from a wonderful Thai dinner at Basil on Folsom, I noticed the Spencer truck across the street from the wine bar Terroir, also on Folsom. I believe you can bring food from the truck into Terroir. This is something I've wanted to do for some time but haven't gone around to. Has anyone tried this?
Aaron
http://www.thesluicebox.com/
Napa/Sonoma casual lunches
If you're in Guerneville while at the Russian River you might consider Boon, a fairly new restaurant on the main road. It's good for a very casual lunch. Nearby wine tasting is Gary Farrell, for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
-Aaron
http://www.thesluicebox.com/
My wife's 40th looking for good French
If high-end French is in the mix, then Fleur de Lys should certainly be a consideration. My favorite everyday French place is Le Charm, very much in the bistro mold.
-Aaron
http://www.thesluicebox.com/
Bar or lounge near Jackson Square Saturday night
Kokkari has a nice bar area and is located right on Jackson Square. However, a weekend evening will be busy. I've lately grown fond of the bar in the lobby of the Hyatt Embarcadero, a quick walk from the Square. The huge atrium lobby and the rising and falling capsule-like elevators create a fun 70s kind of chic. It's never noisy in there and seats are easy to find.
Aaron
http://www.thesluicebox.com
Perbacco Dinner
I recently was seated at one of the booths in front. I'll request this location the next time since it was a bit quieter than where I've been seated in back.
Aaron
http://www.thesluicebox.com/
Restaurnat near Bourbon and Branch
If you're familiar with the area surrounding B&B you know that it's a dodgy part of town. Probably best to focus your restaurant search east toward Union Square or north to Nob Hill. How about the Big Four on Nob Hill? It's quiet, something for which you indicated a preference.
Aaron
http://www.thesluicebox.com
Zazil at Westfield
At dinner last night the waiter told me that the restaurant would be closing today, something related to loan issues. Zazil had been a fairly reliable place to stop before going to see a movie in the cinema upstairs.
Aaron
http://www.thesluicebox.com/
Saturday nite North Beach
I didn't mean for "lately" to imply that it has improved. It's just a place with food and service that I enjoy. The crowd appears to be largely locals, which is something I also like.
Saturday nite North Beach
I've lately been enjoying Ideale Restaurant, on Grant near Vallejo.
-Aaron
http://www.thesluicebox.com
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Ideale
1315 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
