Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [68]
UNION SQUARE
For a map of restaurants in this section, see the “Union Square Area Restaurants” map
Very Expensive
Bourbon Steak ★★★ STEAKHOUSE Michael Mina’s eponymous restaurant moved out of the Westin St. Francis and up the road a few blocks (to 252 California at Battery St.), and the first California outpost of his famous steakhouse brand moved in. The new restaurant is more casual and less stuffy than before (with the same great service and cuisine) and also boasts a roomy lounge for those just wanting to stop in for a cocktail and dessert. All diners are treated to a complimentary tray of three kinds of duck fat fries served with three dipping sauces once they order. As expected, the steak options will knock your socks off, from the 14-ounce New York strip to the 8-ounce Snake Rivers Farms Rib Cap, the highest ticketed item on the menu. If steak isn’t your thing, try the cioppino, a San Francisco specialty, or the classic lobster pot pie. Sides are served family style; you’d do yourself a favor to try the black truffle mac and cheese or hubbard squash risotto. Be sure and save room for Mina’s signature dessert, though: The root beer float features homemade sassafras ice cream and root bear sorbet sipped out of chocolate straws, with fresh-baked cookies served on the side.
335 Powell St. (at Geary St.). 415/397-3003. www.michaelmina.net. Reservations recommended. Main courses $16–$72. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Sun–Thurs 5:30–10pm; Fri–Sat 5:30–10:30pm. Bus: 6, 9, 21, 30, 31, 45, 71, or 91. Streetcar: F. BART: Powell.
Dining E-Updates
For daily dining scene updates, here are three terrific blogs: http://sf.eater.com, http://sanfrancisco.grubstreet.com, and http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie. For a map of food trucks, try http://roaminghunger.com. Vegans, see http://vegansaurus.com
Farallon ★ SEAFOOD Although this seafood restaurant is hands-down the most whimsical with its stunning oceanic fantasy decor, the high price tag, and fine, but not mind-blowing, food make it a better cocktail-and-appetizer stop than dinner choice. The multimillion-dollar attraction’s outrageous decor follows the “coastal” cuisine theme; handblown jellyfish lamps, kelp bed–like backlit columns, glass clamshells, sea-urchin light fixtures, a sea-life mosaic floor, and a tentacle-encircled bar set the scene. (Thankfully, designer Pat Kuleto’s impressive renovation of the 1924 building left the original Gothic arches intact.)
Executive chef Mark Franz, who opened the once-famous restaurant Stars with Jeremiah Tower, orchestrates the cuisine. He offers starters ranging from the expected (a variety of very expensive oysters) to the more ambitious (grilled Quinault River steelhead with seared squid, cannellini beans, and house-made chorizo)—with a few meat and game items stuck in for good measure. The whimsy-meets-sophistication extends only as far as the food—the service and wine lists (more than 400 by the bottle; 30 by the glass) are seriously professional. Personally, I prefer a bite and a drink at the bar.
450 Post St. (btw. Mason and Powell sts., adjoining the Kensington Park Hotel). 415/956-6969. www.farallonrestaurant.com. Reservations recommended. Pretheater 3-course prix-fixe dinner menu $45; main courses $35–$42 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Thurs 5:30–9pm; Fri–Sat 5:30–10pm; Sun 5–9pm. Valet parking $12. Bus: 2, 3, 4, or 38.
Fleur de Lys ★★ FRENCH Fleur de Lys is the city’s most traditional and formal classic French affair. Draped in 900 yards of rich patterned fabric mood-lit with dim French candelabras and accented with an extraordinary sculptural floral centerpiece, this restaurant is a romantic spot, so long as your way of wooing includes donning a dinner jacket, which is “appreciated” but not required. Equally formal is the cuisine of chef Hubert Keller (former president Clinton