san francisco, usa seven restaurants in seven nights€¦ · seven restaurants in seven nights in...

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Destination San Francisco, USA

Seven Restaurants in Seven Nights

For 2016 we chose carefully to present a guide to varied menus encompassing many price points. These are the best of the best in their own specific categories. And we really have a great variety of cultures and cuisines. We run the table from free-standing eateries to restaurants that are integral to the hotel they are housed in, such as the Tonga Room at the Fairmont and the Big 4 which is the shrine dedicated

to the four railroad barons who defined San Francisco. Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker, Mark Hopkins, and Collis Huntington. All of these men have hotels in San Francisco bearing their name and the Big 4 is located at the recently rebranded Scarlet Huntington, which used to be simply the Huntington on top of Nob Hill.

So here we go with the chosen seven. MKT, the Big 4, the Tonga Room,

Scoma’s, The Wayfare Tavern, Farralon, and Rambler. Everything from light fare to haute cuisine, and to all seven, a taxi or Uber will get you there within minutes. It’s San Francisco. It’s compact, and it’s so much fun. Travel, Eat, Play ... Cheers.

Enjoy yourself on this Gourmand Odyssey. As there is simply no other city with this type of variety within short (even walking) distances from your hotel. Here we go ... Bon Appetite!

By Jon Bogart

San Francisco is the ultimate destination for food lovers. There is such a variety of cuisine, price and ambiance within the seven square miles known as The City that it’s possible to find it all. This writer had the Dream Assignment to review seven restaurants in seven nights in seven square mile San Francisco.

WEDNESDAYThe Tonga RoomFairmont Hotel950 Mason St. San Francisco, CA 94108Tel: (415) 772-5278

THURSDAYScoma’s1965 Al Scoma WayFishermen’s WharfSan Francisco, CA 94133 Tel: (415) 771-4383

FRIDAYThe Wayfare Tavern558 Sacramento StreetSan Francisco, CA 94111Tel: (415) 772-9060

SATURDAYFarallonSan Francisco Union Square450 Post Street San Francisco, CA 94102Tel: (415) 956-6969

SUNDAYRamblerHotel Zeppelin545 Post Street San Francisco, CA 94102415-563-0303

TUESDAYThe Big 4The Scarlet Huntington Hotel1075 California St., San Francisco, CA 94108Tel: (415) 771-1140

MONDAYMKTFour Seasons Hotel San Francisco757 Market Street, Fifth FloorSan Francisco, California 94103Tel. +1 (415) 633-3838

THE LINE

UP

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Adler Dolomiti Hotel at night.

The Four Seasons San Francisco is a beautiful glass monolith that towers over Market Street. It’s a singular demonstration to the concept of mixed use, with a sky lobby and hotel occupying the middle floors of the building, while condos selling for millions occupy the top floors and the higher one goes, the more the units cost. Tech millionaires and foreign nationals are snapping them up in all-cash deals.

So the restaurant attached to the Four Season is, appropriately named MKT, which stands for MARKET, and, in reality, the place is, indeed, a Market. It’s the social hub of the hotel, with an inviting bar where one can relax upon check-in or call a quick meeting to discuss business opportunities in San Francisco.

As the day segues into the evening hours, MKT becomes a gourmet restaurant, serving some of the most intriguing entrees and appetizers that will guarantee a re-visit because of the size and the scope ... and, if one’s trip is over a period of several days ... there’s no reason to leave the building.

MKT also offers diners an option to have their meal served in the bar

Food and Ambiance As Good As It Gets

Here are options from the Four Seasons PR department for use of MKT:

For the tech entrepreneur: Host a lively meeting where the decor is relaxed and sophisticated. Perfect for a board meeting, or a place to see and be seen,

For the high-level meeting: Want to launch a product to a select group? MKT Restaurant is the signature space that sets you apart from others.

For the ultimate sports enthusiast: Looking to watch the big game or to cheer for a favorite sports team? Team MKT can set up large flat screen TVs with a private bar, there’s no need to go far for your favorite drink. With leather seats and banquettes, lounge in style and host THE sports event for friends and colleagues.

Day One of Seven MKT

area, which has some of the most inviting choices for a romantic dinner. A crackling fireplace, comfy seating, a champagne toast to begin the evening, and then the meal … the perfect ambiance. Yes, it’s as good as it gets – as good as it can be.

Elegant interior.

Restaurant & Bar. Lychee Martini

Short Ribs.Three Artisan Cheeses.

Margherita Flatbread. MKT Duck Fat Burger.

Day Two of Seven The Big 4

The Big 4 is the celebrated restaurant of the Scarlet Huntington Hotel atop Nob Hill. The restaurant has an air about it, as it once was the meeting place for the four men who defined San Francisco.

These men were San Francisco’s most distinguished and talked about citizens. All resided in the elegant mansions surrounding the restaurant’s present location and they held center stage for more than a third of a century. Every issue of a newspaper or magazine at some phase carried tales of their varied activities. The Big 4 Restaurant recaptures the era when the famous Big Four reigned supreme from Nob Hill.

Established in October 1976, Big 4 restaurant pays tribute to the grandeur of earlier eras. It’s a trip back in time, to an era of elegance with an impressive collection of original artifacts, historical photographs and memorabilia from California’s unique history. Loyal patrons and first-time guests enjoy the live piano entertainment that fills this one-of-a-kind destination with refreshing soul.

As one would expect the food is Gourmet superb, but it’s so much more than the food. An experienced waitstaff keeps you up to date with the stories of the past and the latest goings on. The restaurant is deceptively large because

of the positioning of the tables and the floor-plan. This is a dining experience where you expect to stay and linger for two to three hours over espresso, desert and conversation. But that’s not the end of the evening. After the meal, it’s time to head off to the bar to take in the ambiance of the fireplace, listen to some music and luxuriate in an atmosphere that is, again, a part of a bygone era ... the Hotel Bar

The Big 4 has everything you expect in a hotel bar: history, elegance, classic cocktails made by bartenders who know exactly what they’re doing and have been doing it for a long time. The drinks arrive faster if you sit at the bar, but it’s hard to pass up a table by the fireplace, where one can relax in comfy leather chairs and watch the piano player’s hands dance along the keys. This is the perfect place for a date, but only if the date is someone you want to linger with while sipping martinis and completely forget the outside world exists.

Gallery

Charles Crocker Collis P. Huntington

Mark Hopkins Leland StanfordRoasted Autumn Vegetable Soup.

Bibb Lettuce Salad & Classic Chicken

Pot Pie.

Baked Fanny Bay Oysters.

Herb Roasted Lam Shank.



Day Three of Seven The Tonga Room Day Four of Seven Scoma’s

Located at Fairmont San Francisco, the Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar has delighted guests with its tropical décor, decadent libations and Asian cuisine since 1945. Having reigned as a swanky outpost of South Seas high style for much of its storied history, the Tonga Room more recently gained a following as an icon of Tiki’s pop culture. Following a multi million dollar restoration, Tonga Room has rekindled the excitement of Tiki and has recaptured the glory of one of the nation’s first Tiki palaces.

Highlighting the refurbishment is an updated lounge area boasting a sleek granite top bar and bar stools dressed with snow leopard accents. The new luxurious “good luck red” leather banquettes that wrap around the outer corners of the lounge create intimate venues. And atmospheric lighting through the use of hanging globes in amber, blue, red and opal really creates the mood. Tribal wall coverings add excitement throughout the lounge and restaurant. Eco-friendly bamboo tabletops and chic modern chinaware set the stage for a memorable dining experience.

The Tonga Room features a Top-40 band performing from a thatch-covered barge on the lagoon. There’s a dance floor built from the remains of the S.S. Forester, a lumber schooner that once traveled regularly between San Francisco and the South Sea Islands. Look out for the periodic light tropical rainstorms, complete with thunder and lightning to complete the ambiance.

The Tonga Room has been recognised as one of the nation’s hottest bars and has been recently featured on ABC, Travel Channel & Food Network. Fairmont has

served as the San Francisco residence for US presidents, world leaders and entertainment stars. Located atop Nob Hill, the landmark hotel offers 591 guest rooms and suites and continues to delight guests with awe-inspiring views, incomparable cuisine and a heritage of grand hospitality.

In 1965 when brothers Al and Joe Scoma heard about a small coffee shop on the Wharf that was for sale, little did they know they were on the road to creating a landmark restaurant. The brothers bought the tiny, six-stool coffee shop on Pier 47 that served local fishermen breakfast and burgers and began the long and ultimately successful process of turning the hidden local hang-out into one of the nation’s highest grossing independent restaurants.

Al Scoma always believed in working hard, enjoying life and being the best in the business. He attributed his success as a restaurateur to the variety of career paths he took before his restaurant days.

With a pier steeped in history and a continuing commitment to support local fishermen, Scoma’s has achieved legendary status. To commemorate their 50th anniversary on Pier 47 in Fisherman’s Wharf, Scomas’s set out to illustrate their story in an ever-evolving pier to plate menu. It is within this menu that Scoma’s history unfolds, from a small 1960s coffee shop for fishermen, to a widely successful restaurant that supports them.

Coconut Shell Poisson Cru.

Scorpion Bowl & Smuggler’s Golden Punch Bowl.

Tonga Bar.The pool area.

Huli-Huli-Chicken.

Miso Glazed Pacific Salmon.

From the Tonga Bar.

The Ultimate Fisherman’s Wharf Experience“Been There ... Done That”NOT till you’ve “Done” Scoma’s

From the beginning, the Scoma Family forged relationships with the fishermen who defined the wharf. They tirelessly renovated Pier 47 to fit the needs of local fishermen who wanted to sell their daily catch directly to the family, rather than to large wholesalers. A fish receiving station was built on Scoma’s pier, where you can still watch boats drop off their catch as they arrive each morning from the Pacific. At Scoma’s it’s really all about the experience. Nothing changes, yet everything changes. But the defining moment is the food, and the atmosphere. Warm, friendly people, charming hospitality and Authentic, gourmet seafood, makes Scoma’s a MUST-DO on just about every visit

This is the entrance to Scoma’s, as it’s nestled among the boats and business of Fisherman’s Wharf. It’s the genuine article, one that’s been there for a long time. You come to Scoma’s for the food, which is served in oversized generous portions. Goodie bags are a part of the experience.

The Pier

Front view of Scoma’s.

East Dining Room.

Cioppino.Clam Pasta.Seafood Plate. Dungeness Crab Cocktail.



Day Five of Seven The Wayfare Tavern Day Six of Seven Farralon

The pool area.

San Francisco Welcomes Tyler Florence to Introduce a New Twist on Dining in The City

Tyler Florence, who went from cooking in someone else’s kitchen to becoming a Food Network star, has launched his Bay Area restaurant empire, with Wayfare Tavern. Florence’s concept is to bring Old San Francisco to life, with fresh takes on traditional dishes in a space that feels like it’s been there for a long time.

The renovations are complete, taking a legendary location (the Rubicon on Sacramento Street) and transforming it into something completely new, that doesn’t look new. That … is a challenge.

Florence, who made his name on the Food Network has a bold, layered style. His preparations are ambitious and complex for a kitchen that serves as many as 175 a day. It’s difficult to secure a reservation.

The crowds come. The food has Florence’s, masculine style ... like the fried oysters (US$12). It’s not easy to get a shatter-when-bitten fry and still keep the seafood moist, but the Wayfare kitchen gets it done. Oysters and fried cauliflower florets are lined up on a thick smear of tartar sauce made from cauliflower puree, topped with shavings that resemble slices of white coral. It’s spectacular. Don’t miss the Wayfarer Tavern.

Front view of Wayfare Tavern.

Private dining space on the 3rd floor.

Half lobster. Poutine.

Deviled Eggs with Shrimp.

Organic Fried Chicken.

Located in the area of Union Square, opened in 1997, Farallon is a collaboration between Chef Mark Franz and restaurateur/designer Pat Kuleto. Kuleto has designed a restaurant resembling a beautiful underwater fantasy that has proven to be the ideal setting for the “coastal cuisine” menu created by Chef Franz.

It’s the perfect date night restaurant for seafood lovers. Farralon’s Jellyfish Lounge is whimsically representative of the restaurant’s underwater theme. The “Jelly Bar” invites you to observe the custom-made jellyfish chandeliers that float overhead with octopus stools siting next to glowing columns of kelp. The caviar staircase is covered with 50,000 iridescent indigo-blue marbles as it sweeps up to the balcony.

Since opening in 1997, Farralon has garnered national acclaim as a top dining establishment. The restaurant and bar capture the life aquatic with carefully crafted details and a menu that features fresh seafood and raw preparations, rounded out with local produce, meat and game. Farralon is Pat Kuleto’s masterpiece and the only thing better than the ambiance and design ... is the food. It defines “to die for”. Do not miss this treasure once you visit, you’ll be back, again and again.

The Oyster Bar.

Grand Platter.

Overn Roasted Grouper.Grilled Cascade River Artic Char.

Chilled Lobster.

Lobster with sweet bread.

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Day Seven of Seven Rambler

Wolfgang Puck brought his name and his vision to San Francisco and created a gourmet restaurant in a formal setting. He called it Postrio.

The restaurant thrived for years, and then it suddenly closed. After eight years of sitting vacant it has triumphantly been reopened as Rambler, the restaurant that sits right next door to the newly branded hotel Zeppelin, which used to be the Prescott. Got that?

So, we have a new hotel and a new restaurant, and the location has formally entered today’s San Francisco and areas that were seriously taboo are now hopping. The Tenderloin is cool. Anything west of Mason is AOK. So take some advice and check out Rambler. It’s new. It’s different, and its got the thinking right by making the top floor the place to eat, and the downstairs a place for special events.

A Rebirth of Wolfgang Puck’sPostrio ... and You Won’t Think that it was Ever Postrio

Front view of Rambler.

The back bar.

Roast chicken and bacon wrapped chicken thigh.

American Charcuterie Board.

Rabbit Pot Pie. Pizza.

Cosy interior.

san francisco, usa seven restaurants in seven nights€¦ · seven restaurants in seven nights in...

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