March 24, 2008

the tablehopper | 4:47 pm | March 24, 2008 | Foodie 411

The first three months of the year have started with a bang, bringing three new and rather high profile-restaurant projects to San Francisco’s dining scene. Wait, make that four. And there’s a big redesigned spot in there too. But first things first: Pat Kuleto’s two waterfront projects, Epic Roasthouse (under executive chef Jan Birnbaum) and Waterbar (with executive chef Parke Ulrich), are quite the hot reservation, with everyone wanting to take a peek at what a $20 million-plus dual-project looks like, and tastes like.

Quiver Bar (named for its view of the Cupid’s Span installation along the water) is quite the scene as soon as the work whistle blows—you’ll have to navigate thirsty crowds swilling bartender Camber Lay’s cocktails (both classics and nouveau concoctions are on the menu) while jockeying for a seat, or at least a place to put your drink. Waterbar’s horseshoe raw bar is geared more for the oyster-and-bubbly set, but is also packing in the crowds for cocktails, too. The outdoor patios, with sweeping views of the Bay, are slated to open in April and are certain to become the latest post-work headquarters on the Embarcadero. Both lunch and dinner are served—the spendy price tag for a meal at either location (think high $20s to mid-$30s for entrées) makes them well suited for business dining, or a devil-may-care splurge for a night on the town.

Epic Roasthouse, 369 The Embarcadero, 415-369-9955.
Waterbar, 399 The Embarcadero, 415-284-9922.

Meanwhile, over in SoMa, Elizabeth Falkner (Citizen Cake) and Sabrina Riddle’s hotly anticipated project, Orson, has opened in a spacious and historic warehouse, with tall ceilings and trusses, sexy darker lighting, and cool clubby art by Falkner’s father. There’s a gorgeous marble bar, with room for 30, under bar manager Jackie Patterson’s creative vision (celery gimlet, anyone?). Chef de cuisine Ryan Farr’s seasonal small plates menu features “edgy California cuisine,” which can include razor clams a la plancha, with violet, parsley, lemon and chicharrones; wood-fired pizzas; tempura egg with shoyu and spice; and samosas, raita and chutney sorbet. Naturally, save room for dessert. There’s also a bar menu served after the kitchen closes at 11pm that runs until midnight.

508 Fourth St. at Bryant, 415-777-1508.

Also newly opened in SoMa is Luce, the restaurant in the brand-spanking-new Intercontinental San Francisco. Executive chef Dominique Crenn was recently at Abode in LA, and she also cooked in San Francisco with Jeremiah Tower and Mark Franz at Stars, as well as with other esteemed San Francisco establishments. Look for some Cali market-fresh cuisine with Italian inspiration, designed to be urban and sophisticated but inviting—including a vegetable tasting menu. The name is inspired by Luce, the Super Tuscan wine that was the first wine ever produced in Montalcino by blending sangiovese and merlot grapes. It was a Napa-Tuscan collaboration between the Frescobaldi and Mondavi families in 1995, so expect some fantastic selections from the Frescobaldi portfolio on the list. There are 130 seats in the chic dining room, with room for 12–14 at the bar, and private dining, too. The bar, 888, has one of the largest grappa selections in the U.S., even offering some grappa-based cocktails created by master mixologist Francesco Lafranconi. Lunch and dinner are served daily.

888 Howard St. at 5th St., 415-616-6566.

A third SoMa project is the freshly redesigned Fifth Floor in the Hotel Palomar. Executive chef Laurent Manrique and chef de cuisine Jennie Lorenzo’s menu is inspired by the French region of Gascony—as expected; it also runs on the higher-end of the price scale. Master Sommelier Emily Wines oversees an award-winning wine program with more than 1,400 bins. The Puccini Group did a spiffy redesign—it all feels very chic Paris atelier, with sleek club chairs in white leather with metal legs, red glass overhead lighting fixtures and mod sconces, hardwood floors, and you can actually look out the windows now. Open for dinner Mon–Sat; there is also a no-reservations-needed lounge and bar serving lighter fare.

12 Fourth St. at Mission, 415-348-1555.

A big return to the classic San Francisco Nob Hill scene is the reopening of Le Club in the landmark 1250 Jones St. building. Gina Milano and Todd Traina are behind this swank new hideout that is reservations-only, whether you are drinking, dining, or both. There are four rooms total, including a dining room, a bar, a lounge, and a billiards room—an outdoor space is also in the works. The luxurious interior makes a firm nod to the past, with silks, leather, velvets, a green onyx bar and light blue and rose onyx-topped tables, French marble floors, and custom furnishings. The chef is Bob Cina from Chez Henri in Boston, who has assembled a menu of Cal-French cuisine with some classic Continental provenance: look for dishes like escargots, steak tartare, lobster pot pie, a vegetable tart, and baked Alaska for dessert. Cocktail service begins at 5:30pm, and dinner is from 6:30pm–midnight; Mon–Tue the kitchen will only turn out bites like charcuterie and cheese. There is also a Champagne-colored Town Car available for car service (with “2leclub” on the license plate).

1250 Jones St. at Clay, 415-922-2582.

Wine bars continue to open at a staggering pace across the city—the latest to join the trend is Wine Jar on Fillmore, which opened Saturday, March 7. This modern-looking wine bar and lounge will have about 150 wines, with 60 percent from California, mostly hard-to-find or smaller production wines (think less than 500 to 1,000 cases), and the rest will be international, like French, Aussie, Italian, and the like. There will be 25 or so available by the glass, and a variety of half bottles. Small bites will also be served—the menu is getting finalized right now, but one thing that’s sure is desserts will be featured prominently, with fruit tarts, chocolate, and the like, making it a nice place to hang out for a sweet. The bar will have room for 16, with another 20 or so seats for lounge-style seating with tables. Folks waiting for a table at the ever-busy SPQR across the street (A16’s sister restaurant) now have a new space to hang out. Hours will be Tue–Sun 3pm–11:30pm or midnight.

1870 Fillmore St. at Bush, 415-567-0843.

Lastly, a new brunch has joined the scene: the jazzy (and 50-years-old) Enrico’s is serving brunch Saturday and Sunday from 11am–3:30pm. The menu includes savory offerings like oysters on the half shell, salmon bruschetta with goat cheese, salads, and the popular trio of burgers, or breakfast classics like eggs Benedict, steak and eggs, omelettes, and more. Many dishes hover around $11, rather affordable considering the swank ambiance. If brunch isn’t really your scene, be sure to catch the show from the captivating Veronica Klaus on Tuesday evenings.

504 Broadway, at Montgomery, 415-982-6223.

Marcia Gagliardi writes a popular weekly e-column about the SF dining scene, “the tablehopper.” Subscribe for free at www.tablehopper.com and get it in your inbox every Tuesday.

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