I’M writing this at 45,000ft above Wisconsin, in the US upper mid-west, as we travel in a GIV to Bar Habor, Maine. Even though we have loads of lobster and diver scallops ahead of us, it’s still easy to think back on the two-day culinary excursion JetMoney enjoyed in San Francisco this week. JetMoney rates the Bay Area as one of the best restaurant zones in the US, after New York and Las Vegas.
The only problem with such a short stay is it's possible only to visit so many restaurants. And getting into some of the better ones is always a challenge. We were unsuccessfully added to one of JetMoney's favourites, Quince, for Wednesday night. We never got a call back on that, but had to lock in 48 hours in advance anyway to our alternative choice, Masa's. It turned out to be a wonderful fall back.
First, though, we dropped into a JetMoney staple, Chez Panisse Cafe, because it’s a no-lose dining option which serves up the freshest food available anywhere. My garden lettuce salad starter was constructed of the tastiest leaf I’ve had to date which was not at all overwhelmed by its zingy citrus dressing. The other salad to hit the table was perhaps even more outstanding, mainly because of the fresh coriander seed vinaigrette which coated the Little Gems lettuce, cucumber and avocado.
My main of lightly crumbed and pan-fried chicken breast sided by green beans and topped with a picholine olive salsa verde was to die for – hot, tender and totally scrumptious. Different but equally tasty was the hand-cut pasta with grass-fed beef and tomato ragu, a description which, in JetMoney’s view, didn’t do the dish justice. It was much, much better than it sounded on paper, and what at first glance appeared to be a small portion ended up being more than enough because of its richness.
It was one of, if not the best, lunches JetMoney had enjoyed at the iconic cafe. We had low expectations we could better it during our two-night stay in town.
Then we went to Masa's, a high-profile French joint made famous by the highs and lows of its history. It’s enjoying a ripper of a reputation today because of what’s coming out of the kitchen. On the night we were there, that included two of the best things I’ve ever eaten – an amuse of fennel custard which was rich, creamy and lush; and a starter of truffled potato salad which consisted of tiny cubes of banana fingerling, purple Peruvian and ruby crescent potatoes, summer truffles and micro celery. Some poor bugger had clearly put in a lot of time to make that exquisitely constructed stack in the kitchen.
Instead of going with the tempting six-course chef’s tasting menu, or the nine-course version which chef Gregory Short puts together each night, we chose from the four-course menu a la carte. The highlight for me, apart from the aforementioned pair, was a creamy but al dente carnaroli risotto of green asparagus, sweet white corn and summer truffles. The flavour of each vegetable was outstanding, but any more than the smallish portion offered as a second course could have been overwhelming.
Masa's is undoubtedly one of San Francisco's top restaurants, and it has fittingly superb staff. JetMoney was delighted to learn its sommelier, Alan Murray (pictured), was an Aussie who just last year became the first of our fellow countrymen to attain the prestigious and hard-won title of Master Sommelier.
On Thursday, JetMoney was on a promise to a prominent Australian chef friend to visit Zuni Café for the roast chicken for two. When we arrived at its quirky corner site away from the business end of Market Street, we were surprised at how deceptively small it looked. On this Thursday, the tables that continued to appear around corners, in alcoves and upstairs filled quickly. But people were prepared to wait. One couple that arrived at the tail-end of our meal shied away from the roast chicken because of the hour-long preparation time required. They had already endured a 45-minute wait for a table. Knowing of the cooking time, we’d ordered the chicken as soon as we sat down. A Little Gems lettuce salad with cucumber, radishes and buttermilk vinaigrette was a light and lovely way to get things started.
The hot, tender and tasty chicken came within 50 minutes. It was chopped into handle-friendly breast/leg/wing combinations atop an astonishingly yummy “Tuscan-style” bread salad – sprinkled with pine nuts, raisins and sharp lettuce, then dressed with a tangy vinaigrette. The dish may be legendary but it may not be as good as they say. OVerall, the meal, complemented by a small but well-chosen wine list, was worthwhile in the relaxed but tightly run shop that we will return to.
It was a big meal, though, which had us rethinking our pre-booked plans for that night - another fancy French joint, Fifth Floor. Deciding we couldn’t face another culinary extravaganza, we cancelled that and went for something lighter and within (much needed at that stage) walking distance from our hotel. We’d accidentally found such a place last time we were in town and had a terrific meal there – Ame, at the new-ish St Regis Hotel. We didn’t have any trouble getting an 8.30pm reservation, so were surprised when we arrived that the place was packed with as interesting a mix of people engaged in lively conversation as those that filled the dark and moody adjoining hotel bar.
Whenever I see burrata cheese on the menu, I never fail to order it. Ame serves the soft, subtle white cheese with grilled bruschetta and a salad of artichokes, rocket and garum, the fish sauciness of which gives the cheese a lift. Still feeling quite full after lunch, I went for a second appetiser instead of one of the substantial-sounding mains, and was glad for having done so. The burrata dish was generously portioned, and my second course, sautéed calamari and house-made chorizo with pimientos and saffron aioli, was a spicy and powerful accompaniment which left me sated but not incapable of the block-and-a-half walk back up the road to the Four Seasons. On wine, Ame has an extensive list which is oddly lacking in the best-quality drops. It’s like someone cherry-picked all the good stuff.
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