Campton Place (San Francisco, CA)

Unfortunately there was not enough time during this trip to have dinner at Campton place. However, I did manage to stop by for a quick breakfast while Mom and Dad did some shopping in Union Square. Campton Place has been receiving a lot of press lately due to the rising status of Daniel Humm with the California culinary scene.

Located in the Campton Hotel northeast of Union Square, the restaurant consists of one small rectangular dining room. The room is luxurious, elegant, and romantic. My server was excellent throughout my brief meal. After agonizing over the menu, I settled on a cup of coffee and the banana pancakes with macadamia nut butter and honey ginger bananas. The pancakes were out of this world. They were extremely light, moist, and had a uniformly bold banana flavor. The macadamia nut butter was rich and creamy. This is one of the best renditions of this type of dish that I have ever had.

I am eagerly awaiting the opportunity to fully explorer Campton place during dinner with one of their tasting menus.

The Facts:
Name: Campton Place
Address:
340 Stockton St.
San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone: (415) 955-5555
Website: http://www.camptonplace.com/dining/index.html
Cuisine: French

Chez Panisse (Berkeley, CA)

Unique Divinity

I was at Chez Panisse tonight for dinner. So where were you?

Having researched many restaurants around the country, I have always been intrigued with Chez Panisse due to its combination of completely fixed menus, incredibly lofty reviews (top of many lists of the best restaurants in the US, 13th ranked in the world according to Restaurant Magazine), and significance to the California culinary scene. It has always been near the top of my list of restaurants to go to in the US and I had lucked into a reservation several weeks ago. It was with incredible anticipation and exceedingly high expectations that I embarked on this culinary odyssey tonight.


The Restaurant

As you approach Chez Panisse from the outside, you are immediately struck by its darkness. The building is a redwood cottage and is barely lit from the outside. Aside from the painted Chez Panisse sign above the entryway, the only other marker is a double pane glass enclosed bulletin board listing tonight’s menu for the café and the menu for the downstairs restaurant for the week. Chez Panisse offers two distinct dining options, an a la carte menu in the café, and a multi-course prix fixe, with no options, in the main dining room. Menus changes daily and no two menus are ever identical. The menu for each upcoming week is posted on the preceding Saturday. The menus grow in terms of the number of courses, complexity, and price as the week progresses. Both the café and restaurant are closed on Sundays.



Upon entering the restaurant, you see a set of stairs directly in front of you, with the host’s podium on your right. Chez Panisse Café is located upstairs, while Chez Panisse restaurant is located “downstairs” on the entry level. The restroom is accessible by an extremely narrow hallway to the top left of the stairs.


The first thing that I noticed as I entered the dining room was a very distinctive smell of redwood and a burning wood grill. The smell was fantastic and immediately transported me back to my favorite childhood campfire. The room is small with seating for only 50 people but the tables are well spaced apart. The room is earthy, elegant, and extremely romantic. Floral arrangements are on display throughout the room, including a large bouquet at the entrance of the room. The dining room is completely devoid of pretense, which can also be said of the food, the service, and the restaurant in general. The large, open kitchen is visible from the room so that you can watch the chefs create their masterpieces.



The Food

The overriding theme of the food is simple, earthy, and organic. The food honestly tastes as if it was just plucked directly from the ground or fished directly from the sea. Chez Panisse definitely proves the value of fresh, organic foods, which are supplied by a carefully constructed network of over 60 local farms. It is this unique network that makes San Francisco one of only a handful of metropolitan areas that can accommodate such a restaurant. Alice Waters defined California cuisine over 30 years ago when she opened Chez Panisse. She is intimately involved in with all aspects of the dining experience including everything from menu creation, to room lighting, to ingredient selection. In addition, the kitchens of many of the top restaurants in town are run by former Chez Panisse alumni.

The Service

The service was perfect. Simply perfect. We were completely taken care of yet never felt as if we were being waited on. Such a feat is far more difficult to achieve than the more stereotypical fine dining service. Our server intelligently answered all of my questions regarding the food and restaurant and he seemed thrilled to engage in our conversations. We also spent much time speaking with the host both before and during the meal and his graciousness and sincerity were wonderful. As we left the restaurant, we were thanked by multiple members of the staff. The host even asked if we were going to be in town on New Year’s Eve in an attempt to offer us a reservation that is otherwise impossible to get. The staff is the model of genuine, intelligent, caring, unpretentious, and unobtrusive service.


The Meal

After taking our seats, we quickly glanced over the take home copy of the menu that is printed daily and placed on each place setting. We were soon greeted by an extremely gracious server and were presented with a small plate of Nicoise olives. I ordered a glass of Pinot Noir, which was outstanding.


While waiting for our first course, we received a bread basket containing two loaves of bread from the Acme Bread Company, one traditional sourdough loaf and one pan fondue loaf. The pan fondue bread was unbelievably soft. During the course of our meal, we finished two whole loaves. Although the sourdough bread can be purchased from Acme Bread Company, the pan fondue is uniquely baked for Chez Panisse.


Our first course was roasted Atlantic cod with leeks and green garlic. The Atlantic cod was a substitution for warm Monterey Bay squid which had been listed on the menu that had been posted the previous night. When I asked our server about this, he informed that the availability of fresh fish is variable due to the season. This dish had an amazing vibrant green color and a fantastic fresh garden smell. I was impressed even before I took my first bite. As we took our first bite, all three of us began to laugh. It was simply that good. There is no better way to explain it. The cod just melted in our mouths, was incredibly light, and was devoid of any fishy taste. The green garlic and leeks beautifully complemented the fish and gave the dish a wonderful earthiness.


Our second course was a petite garbure, a cabbage and bean soup with goose confit that is common in the Pyrenes (the soup is also often made with duck confit). The beans were gigantic, impressively fresh, and soft. The broth was light and the cabbage was soft. The goose confit was moist and tender. Once again, this dish had an organic flavor to it that was present in all of the dishes that we had.


Our main course was a grilled Sonoma Poultry Liberty duck breast with orange sauce, citrus risotto, and curly cress. The duck was pristine, tender, and uniformly cooked. The risotto was very light and flavorful. Each bite unleashed a splash of citrus flavor that was amazing. By combining one piece of duck with a forkful of the risotto the dish was transformed into a complex combination of flavor and texture. The accompanying greens provided a textural contrast to the risotto and duck.


When our server brought out the dessert beverage menu, I was delighted to see that Blue Bottle Company coffee was being served. Mom and I had tried this coffee earlier in the day for the first time due to an article that I had read which enumerated the best coffeehouses in the country and we both loved it. Apparently, Chez Panisse has only been serving this coffee for two weeks but Alice Waters has already fallen in love with it. The coffee is served French press style and tonight’s blend was Ethiopian Yirgecheffe. My Dad was so taken with the coffee that he even had a cup. As far as I can remember, this is the first time in my life that I have ever seen my father drink coffee so it is saying quite a lot that he chose to indulge in it.


The dessert for this evening was a Sierra Beauty apple tart with glace aux epices. The tart consisted of a paper thin crust covered with finely sliced apple pieces that had been carefully hand arranged onto the crust. The apple tart was accompanied by a spiced ice cream that contained pieces of tangerine rind inside. Each bite into the rind provided a surprising contrast to the flavorful ice cream. All three of us adored the dessert and were impressed with its deep, rich flavor. Our meal concluded with petit fours consisting of cocoa powder dusted nuts and sugared orange rinds.



Overall the food was uniquely organic, light, and extremely flavorful. My senses of smell, sight, and taste were dazzled throughout the evening. Never before have I had a meal captivate my sense of smell as did this one.

Final Thoughts

So was each dish that I had tonight at the absolute top of my list of dishes that I have ever had? No. Was each dish incredible and unique? Absolutely. Is there another restaurant that could pull off these dishes? Possibly but I highly doubt it. Can I count on one hand the number of times that a dish (in this case the roasted Atlantic cod) has caused me to burst out laughing in sheer disbelief? Yes. Will I have other meals with comparable service? I hope so. Will I have ever another meal with this combination of uniqueness AND food quality AND service AND completeness of the dining experience. Not until the next time that I dine at Chez Panisse.

For those of you who know me, the answer to the obvious question is yes, Chez Panisse is better than Vetri. Each time that I leave Vetri, I am even more convinced that it is the best Italian restaurant in the country. However, having left Chez Panisse, I find it hard to imagine any restaurant anywhere in the world surpassing the unique combination of organic flavors, flawless service, and amazing atmosphere. In essence the entire night’s evening is wholly unique and seemingly unsurpassable. To quote Patricia Unterman, San Francisco’s leading food expert, “I’d rather eat here than anywhere else in the world.” At this point in my culinary life, I could not agree more.

The Facts
Name: Chez Panisse
Address:
1517 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA
Phone: (510) 548-5525
Website: Chez Panisse
Cuisine: Californian with Mediterranean influences
Price: Monday 3-course prix fixe ($50), Tuesday-Thursday 4-course prix fixe ($65), Friday-Saturday 5-course prix fixe ($75), 17% gratuity added for all parties

Lulu Petite (San Francisco, CA)

A Ferry Sugary Beginning

As can be expected, one of the most important stops on my list for this trip to San Francisco was the Ferry Building. Having been renovated within the last few years, the Ferry Building has once again emerged as a cornerstone of the city. The building is now home to many culinary pleasures including restaurants, small eateries, shops, and wine bars. For this foodie, it was an outstanding place to go to and it did not disappoint. I could have spent an entire day here but we only had a few hours to spare.

We decided to start our morning at the Ferry Building with a light pastry breakfast. We grabbed three counter seats at Lulu Petite and placed our order. My and I started out with our usual coffee which was generic tasting. Dad ordered their specialty raspberry hot chocolate which was incredible. The raspberry flavoring was extremely bold and well balanced with the chocolate. Dad thoroughly enjoyed his apple galatoire. The sliced apples were plentiful and the pastry crust was light. Mom ordered a rather large dried fig and cherry scone. The scone itself was fairly bland and a little too dense but the fruit was excellent: moist and plentiful. I enjoyed my chocolate cherry brownie with white chocolate chunks on top. The brownie was moist and chewy although I was disappointed the white chocolate chunks which were surprisingly hard and bland. After consuming enough sugar to wake up a sleeping baby, we left the counter and continued our tour of the Ferry Building.

Ozumo (San Francisco, CA)

High Style, High Prices, Mediocre Food

My original plan for this evening was to have dinner together as a family at Kokkari Estatario, a Greek / Mediterranean restaurant that possesses a gorgeous interior. With its inviting fireplace and excellent reviews, I had been eagerly awaiting our meal tonight. Unfortunately our plans fell through and Mom and I opted to eat locally to our hotel at Ozumo due to my love of Japanese and Asian Fusion cuisine. We drove over to Steurt Street, glanced longingly at Boulevard (the site of an upcoming lunch) and walked into Ozumo.

The restaurant is extremely chic, with primarily young and well dressed clientele. The décor is highlighted by high ceilings, modern wooden tables and chairs, and dark lighting. Our service throughout the meal was attentive but our server was pushy when it came time to order our dishes. Such service was very reminiscent of my recent meal at Okama at the Wynn Las Vegas Casino in Las Vegas. Many parallels can be drawn between these two restaurants with the notable difference being the quality of the food (Okama is vastly superior).


We started off with an order of edamame and ginger tea. The tea was some of the best ginger tea that I have ever had with a bold and very fresh flavoring. Curious as to what made the tea so good, I opened up the tea pot cover and was surprised to see pieces of small, diced herbs and ginger as opposed to the traditional assortment of loose tea leaves. The fresh herbs and ginger undoubtedly contributed to the overall freshness and beautiful golden color of the tea. Although I tend to feel that most edamame is similar, the edamame that we received tonight was disappointing. The soy beans lacked crispness and suffered from a dearth of salt.


Our first dish was the tempura crab salad with butter lettuce and a julienne of apples in a spicy garlic miso sauce. This was my favorite dish of the evening due to the outstanding tempura preparation. The crab pieces were delicately covered with batter and deeply fried resulting in crab tempura that was light, crispy on the outside, and moist on the inside.


I was very disappointed with the next dish, the hanabi, which consisted if slices of hamachi and avocado drizzled with jalapeno ponzu. The portion of hamachi and avocado was generous and the hamachi itself was fresh and delicately sliced. However, the accompanying salad was flavorless. The jalapeno ponzu was likewise bland and lacked the kick that I had been promised by our server.


Our third dish was Tanabata, which was Dungeness crab, scallop, salmon and cream cheese yuba rolls with a wasabi aioli. Our final dish was a fairly standard dragon roll. It must be noted that the presentation of all of our dishes was very good.



Overall, I do not recommend Ozumo. The hip décor and attentive service is not enough to save a kitchen that is hit or miss. With its extremely expensive dishes, such lapses in quality are not acceptable. However, the restaurant is a fun place to eat and watch the affluent young clientele commingle.

The Facts
Name: Ozumo
Address:
161 Steurt Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: (415) 882-1333
Website: Ozumo
Cuisine: Contemporary Japanese
Price: $12-$18 Appetizers, $9-$18 Salads, $14-$45 Robata-Yaki

Fisherman’s Warf (San Francisco, CA)

A Fresh Crab Beginning

Despite the many reports that I had read stating that Fisherman’s Warf was nothing more than a tourist trap, we decided to give it a try to see for ourselves. Regardless of whether or not it was a tourist trap, it was certainly a quintessential San Francisco experience that we did not want to miss. We woke up early, and walked to the southern end of the Powell¬ Hyde cable car line near Powell and Market streets. Fortunately, the weather was absolutely gorgeous for a change. The cable car ride was delightful due to the spectacular views of the bay that emerge as the car comes to the crest of Nob Hill. The ride ended at Ghiradeli Square at which point we headed east towards Fisherman’s Warf.



After perusing the different crab stands, I decided to order a whole cooked fresh Dungeness crab from The Crab Station at Fisherman’s Warf. The crab was amazingly fresh and flavorful. The tender meat was a delight to eat. Mom had a crab cake salad sandwich on a sourdough roll that was very good. The crab was fresh and the salad was light. The roll was excellent as was most of the sourdough bread that we had while in San Francisco. Their climate uniquely allows the yeast that is used to produce sourdough bread to flourish. After quickly finishing our crab breakfast, we grabbed a chocolate chip scone from Peet’s Coffee at Boudin Bakery and headed over to the Alcatraz boat pier.

House of Dim Sum (San Francisco, CA)

House of Dim Sum is in the House

Having been disappointed with yesterday’s dim sum lunch a Yank Sing, I was hoping that I would find a real dim sum restaurant in Chinatown. During my walking tour of Chinatown, I came upon the House of Dim Sum and decided to try it out based on the strong recommendation in San Francisco Frommer’s guidebook. The rain that had plagued the entire day was really coming down and I welcomed this opportunity to dry off.

The restaurant itself was long and rectangular with two small floors. A medium sized counter occupied the left side of the restaurant. Upon entering the restaurant, I was greeted with a friendly smile and a checklist that listed all of the items that were available. Since no prices were listed, I asked the woman by the counter who informed me that each item was $0.50. Having been frustrated by the expensive dim sum at Yank Sing, I was overjoyed to have found an extremely cheap dim sum restaurant. I ordered eight items and handed over a five dollar bill.

I particularly enjoyed the shark’s fin dumplings and the shrimp dumplings. Each shrimp dumpling contained tender shrimp that were thinly coated with egg. The dumpling shell was light and soft. The shark’s fin dumpling was bursting with flavor and I quickly consumed all three dumplings. I also ordered a turnip cake and sweet rice with chicken wrapped in a lotus leaf. The only dish that I did not enjoy was the sponge cake that I ordered for dessert, which was extremely bland.


While I was eating, I was joined by an unlikely companion since all of the other tables were full; a man from Japan who was taking a tour of the US. He had already been to Las Vegas and Los Angelos and was in town for a few days. He had decided to spend his birthday in Chinatown and had likewise dropped in to the House of Dim Sum for a quick bite to eat. After a thoroughly enjoyable impromptu 30 minute conversation, I opened up my umbrella and headed back out into the pouring rain.

I highly recommend House of Dim Sum. With excellent quality food and friendly service this is a great place to go for cheap, simple, no frills dim sum.

The Facts
Name: House of Dim Sum
Address:
735 Jackson Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) 399-0888
Cuisine: Chinese / Dim Sum
Price: All items ($0.50)

Waterfront Restaurant (San Francisco, CA)

Stunning Views and Continental Comfort

Due to the limited selection of restaurants that were open on Christmas Day, I had chosen Waterfront on the basis of its stunning views of the bay and Bay Bridge and its well regarded Dungeness crab cakes. The weather was unfortunately not cooperating with us and we were stuck walking down Market Street and the Embarcadero in the rain.


Waterfront Restaurant has both an indoor dining area and a fully enclosed, tented outdoor dining area. Booth rooms are reasonably elegant and romantic. The view of the bay is gorgeous and includes the Bay Bridge, Treasure Island, and Yerba Buena Island. Despite the cold, damp day, we were kept dry and warm by one of many portable heated lamps that adorned the tented dining area were we were seated.


Our meal got off to an unfortunate start. After taking our orders, our waiter refused to let me keep my menu and yanked it out of my hands. In all of my eating around the country, I have never had this happen before. He had a change of heart after checking with the manager and returned later on with a copy for me. However, the damage had already been done and his coldness persisted throughout our meal.


Dad and I decided to start with the aforementioned Dungeness crab cakes with remoulade sauce. We both thoroughly enjoyed the crab cakes. The crab was extremely fresh and the cakes were fairly light on filler. The Dungeness crab meat had a distinctive taste that we both enjoyed. Mom had ordered the three course Christmas prix fixe, which began with butternut squash soup with Dungeness crab crostini. She greatly enjoyed the soup due to its vibrant flavor and use of light cream. Nothing ruins butternut squash soup faster than the overuse of heavy cream. The small Dungeness crab claw was excellent but it did not really contribute to the soup. Rather, it felt like a standalone addition.




Mom enjoyed the braised short ribs and mashed potato with caramelized onions. I also enjoyed the tender, well cooked meat but was disappointed with the sides which were unduly heavy. I love caramelized onions but could barely manage a taste of these due to their heft. Once again, Dad and I ordered the same dish, the Mesquite grilled Hawaiian escolar with asparagus, crab mashed potatoes and lemon nage. We had mixed reactions to the fish but were in agreement regarding the crab mashed potatoes and asparagus. Dad felt that the escolar had a tart flavor. I did not taste any tartness in my portion but was slightly disappointed by the simple preparation. However, we were both floored by the asparagus. This might sound strange to read since asparagus is not the type of thing that one typically comments on but this asparagus was just incredible. The stalks were huge, unbelievably soft, and had a rich flavor. This was easily that best asparagus the either of us have ever had. The crab mashed potatoes nicely complemented the fish.



For dessert, we all shared Mom’s chocolate fondant with raspberry coulis. The fondant was creamy, had a cheesecake‑like consistency, and was very rich. We quickly devoured it with only a few forkfuls.


Overall, I recommend Waterfront on the basis of its stunning views and well prepared California / Continental cuisine. The cooking is not innovative but this is not the place to go for a culinary adventure. Rather, it is a place to sit back, relax, and take in the beautiful scenery that San Francisco has to offer. I attribute our lackluster service to our particular waiter and am confidant that the service would otherwise have been fine.


The Facts
Name: Waterfront
Address:
Pier 7 The Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: (415) 391-2696
Cuisine: Continental / California
Price: Appetizers $11-$14, Entrees $20-$30, Desserts $7.50
Website: Waterfront Restaurant

Canteen (San Francisco, CA )

Leary Surpasses All Expectations at Canteen

Our destination tonight was Canteen, one of the hottest restaurants in San Francisco and the home of rising star chef Dennis Leary, formerly of Rubicon. As of two days ago, I did not expect to be dining at Canteen. I received a surprise call last night confirming a reservation that I thought did not exist. I had called the restaurant a few weeks ago to see if it would be open on Christmas Eve and assumed the worst when I never heard back. Nevertheless, I accepted the reservation immediately, cancelled my reservation at Piperade and informed my parents of the great news.

Upon first glance, the restaurant is extremely unassuming. It is set just off of the lobby of the Commodore Hotel right in downtown San Francisco. The dining room looks like an old diner complete with counter seats, small booths, and an old worn clock. The restaurant has a maximum capacity of 20 so every meal is small, intimate, and personalized. Dennis’s work can be observed firsthand via the open kitchen and one certainly feels as if they have a personalized chef for the evening. For this Christmas Eve, he had prepared a special four course holiday prix fixe menu.

Having had an extremely hectic, line filled travel experience we were all desperately in need of a relaxing meal together. We arrived exactly at 6 PM and were seated after a brief wait. We were greeted by a very friendly server and I ordered a glass of the Borgo di Colloredo Aglianico, Italy 2001. The wine was a mixture of three different grapes, was full bodied, and had an extremely distinctive taste that I enjoyed.

Our meal began with a perfect piece of brioche. The soft, warm buttery bread simply melted in our mouths. The brioche was so rich it could have been served as a dessert and none of us would have complained. The amuse bouche that followed consisted of smoked duck, green tomatoes, orange puree, and a small piece of toast. This dish has an interesting combination of sweet and sour flavors as well as a mixture of different textures. The coarse toast, smooth orange puree, tender duck, and crunchy tomatoes complimented each other beautifully. The dish had an overall uniquely sour flavor that I greatly enjoyed.

Our first course was a spare rib salad with prunes, escarole, and cranberries. Both my parents and I adored this dish. My Dad, who normally does not like spare ribs, commented that this was the best spare rib meat he had ever had. The meat was unbelievably tender, had a strong smoked flavor, and was devoid of any fat. The cranberries could not have been any fresher and were a perfect match for the rib meat. The greens were crisp and fresh. This is one of the best salads that any of us have ever had.

After finishing another piece of brioche, we received our second course which was chanterelles soup pureed with walnuts and red wine. The mushroom had a fair amount of cream but it was deftly prepared so that the cream was barely detectable. The walnut puree gave the soup an extremely earthy flavor. I appreciated this different take on what is often a disappointing soup in my opinion. The large portion was also impressive. Overall, all of the portions that we received were generous and the meal provided an unbeatable value of quality and quantity.

Our final savory course was wild salmon with artichokes, Tuscan kale, and sauce “soubise”. This dish was a real standout due to its incredibly unique composition. The salmon sat on a bed of kale, pureed artichoke, and onion sauce with whipped cream. Thinly sliced pieces of fresh artichoke adorned the top of the salmon. This dish demonstrated a fresh, earthiness that was similar to the chanterelles soup that I likewise loved. These two dishes were very reminiscent of Bradley Ogden’s style which consists of extremely fresh, organic ingredients. I had enjoyed his cooking when I was in Las Vegas two months ago. The salmon was moist and strongly flavored.

Our meal concluded with gingerbread and caramelized pineapple, with whipped cream. All of three of us were floored by this dessert. The gingerbread was exceedingly moist and light, a pleasant contrast from the typically dense presentation of gingerbread cake that I am accustomed to. The caramel sauce, caramelized pineapple, and whipped were all excellent.

Canteen gets my highest recommendation. The ingredients are of the highest quality, the quality of the dish preparation is superb, and the dishes themselves are extremely creative. The small room and attentive service make for an intimate and personalized experience. The simple dining room is the perfect place for an unpretentious culinary odyssey.

The Facts
Name: Canteen
Address:
817 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone: (415) 928-8870
Cuisine: Californian
Price: 4-Course Holiday Prix Fixe ($40)