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At Orson, Falkner's new vision shakes The City
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Elizabeth Falkner brings her eclectic cooking style to SoMa with her new restaurant, Orson.
SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - Elizabeth Falkner, impish in her spiked multicolored abstract ’do, likes to play the bad girl, the arty girl, in San Francisco’s insular dining scene. First, she pushed the dessert envelope with architectural cakes — we’re talking Frank Gehry here.
Then at Citizen Cake, she started stepping over the boundary between savory and sweet. Now at Orson, her new, ebullient, completely personal version of a bar and restaurant, she recreates dinner from inside out.
Orson is located in an old SoMa foundry with a steel catwalk and exposed beams. The ceiling soars above the U-shaped bar where a translucent white sculptural lamp becomes part of a morphing wall projection. A dining area near the front windows beneath the mezzanine feels set apart, quieter, with comfy brown ultra-suede banquettes and upholstered chairs.
Expressionist oil paintings by Avery Falkner, her father, pulse with color against expanses of gray cement-block walls.
Falkner’s insouciant vision informs everything — food, menu, cocktails, wines, uniforms, lighting, music, art and architecture. This is her magnum opus, challenging yet fun, accessible because nothing costs too much.
The first-time eater pounces on duck fat french fries with brown butter béarnaise ($7), crisp and thin, the duck fat evident in texture rather than flavor, the classic butter sauce intriguingly toasty.
The intimidated can take refuge in buttermilk fried chicken sliders ($10) — just what they think they are — with irresistible deep-fried onion threads.
Pizzas emerge from the wood-fired oven with delectable thin crusts and progressive toppings such as mushrooms, ramps (wild green onion) and pungent robiola cheese ($14).
The real adventure begins with lengua croquette ($5), a thick slab of velvety tongue in a crunchy coating with pickled cherries; or crisp fried tofu cubes salted with bits of house kimchee ($5).
The lovely smoked tempura egg ($8) is a piece of magic. When you cut into its golden exterior, the bright orange yolk flows into an intense scallion broth that has baby favas, wisps of seaweed and lemon peel.
Explore uncharted territory with carrot dumplings ($8), shiny, gelatinous, orange “gnocchi” strewn with fresh peas, snap peas and tender pea tendrils, lubricated with buttery carrot-infused foam ($8). The plate looked like a surreal garden.
One night, a dish simply called roasted pig ($17) was a pork dream plate, with shredded braised pork in a delectable crisped patty; a slab of unctuous fresh bacon; a slice of juicy pork loin with tart sauce gribiche, and miraculous bouillon-filled ravioli. (On another visit, it wasn’t as well executed.)
Desserts provide the ultimate Falknerian experience, albeit through Luis Villavelazquez, her pastry chef. Take, for example, Invisible ($10), white bergamot-scented sorbet, white chocolate foam, jiggling white almond milk gelee, a free-form construction on a white plate. I can’t quite picture it now but I remember being delighted.
Or go mainstream — kind of — with Sundae Always Comes Too Late ($10), cube-shaped croquettes that spurt hot chocolate sauce when you cut into them (the waiter warns you), banana mousse, vanilla snow sorbet and candied pecans. Altogether, it tastes like a sundae.
In some way, Orson could only be in San Francisco. Falkner parses our civic anthem “great product from great farms and people passionate about cuisine” at the bottom of the menu. And her creativity and energy somehow feel home-grown. Typically San Franciscan, she buoyantly explores individuality and personal expression — dish by dish.
Patricia Unterman is author of the “San Francisco Food Lovers’ Pocket Guide” and a newsletter, “Unterman on Food.” Contact her at pattiu@concentric.net.
Orson
» Location: 508 Fourth St. (at Bryant Street), San Francisco
» Contact: (415) 777-1508, www.orsonsf.com
» Hours: 6 to 10 p.m. Mondays; 6 to 11 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays
» Price range: $5 to $15
» Recommended dishes: Smoked tempura egg; fried tofu; lengua croquette; pizzas; carrot dumplings; duck fat fries; sundae
» Credit cards: Visa, Master Card, American Express
» Reservations: Accepted
Comments from Examiner Readers
3:39 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 7, 2008 re: "Beef: It’s what’s for dinner"
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5:57 PM MST on Wed., Aug. 6, 2008
re: "Delicious dosas rule at Udupi"
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1:21 PM MST on Thu., Jul. 3, 2008
re: "North Beach Italian done right"
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8:08 PM MST on Tue., Jun. 24, 2008
re: "Lichee Garden knows family-style cooking"
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2:34 PM MST on Tue., Jun. 24, 2008
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12:06 PM MST on Sat., Jun. 21, 2008
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8:33 PM MST on Thu., Jun. 19, 2008
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4:58 PM MST on Thu., Jun. 5, 2008
re: "Perfect pizza is at the ‘Place’ on Noriega"
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12:14 PM MST on Thu., May. 15, 2008
re: "A slice of the Middle East"
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3:01 PM MST on Thu., May. 8, 2008
re: "Take Mom out to the ballgame at AT&T Park"
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7:50 AM MST on Wed., Apr. 2, 2008
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10:51 PM MST on Tue., Apr. 1, 2008
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3:58 PM MST on Thu., Mar. 27, 2008
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Examiner Reader said:
There's also Anh Hong in Berkeley, Ca. The best place I've ever went to. People there are so friendly. If you ever want to have a birthday dinner or just dinner with friends & families this would be the #1 place to have it. It's a fun place to enjoy with people you love!!!!!!!
4 agree | 1 disagree
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Yoga Mommies From Hell said:
"Postnatal yoga moms with SUV-sized strollers" and their dim-bulb, investment banker/software technician husbands are slowly colonizing and ruining this city. I'm really, really tired of their desperate attempts to remain hip after they've reproduced their odious selves in miniature, and named them Dakota, Paris or some other ridiculous monniker (yeah, that's for you, sf gate mommy files nimrod). One of them was pushing her way to the start line at the AIDS walk with scant regard for anyone in her path. We put her right in her place, and her self-entitled pleas for help from other walkers were completely ignored, signalling once again that San Franciscans are over the cult of the urban mommy. Please, please move to the suburbs where you belong.
1 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Joey and Eddie's -- I've only been there for dessert, but it was sooo bad. Pistachio panna cotta and cannolis. Huge portions, but way, way WAY too sweet. Total lack of subtlety in the flavor. I think they must order pre-packaged desserts? I don't know, but the dessert was so bad that it scared me off of trying any of the food (although I love this chef from his recent days at Pesceria!).
5 agree | 7 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
let's move to another restaurant already. It's not like there is a shortage in this city.
8 agree | 7 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Lichee Garden is by far the best Chinese restaurant I've had in town. Immigrating here from Hong Kong four years ago, I often miss out on the "authentic" Chinese food except at LG, where you can never go wrong with any dishes. I suggest you to try all Unterman's recommendations (as those are the common orders I make), and try the salt and pepper crab (the best fried crab I've ever had). I go to LG about twice a week with my family, and always enjoy the atmosphere and service from Annie. Always ask for what the chef's recommendation of the day is, and always be willing to try new dishes. The House Sparerib is classic with the perfect sweet and sour sauce. And trust me, LG does not use the same sauce for everything (that's what House of Nanking does). Just order a variety of dishes (like Unterman). I always leave LG with a smile.
9 agree | 10 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
ugh - think Untermann has lost her tastebuds. This is just another in a long line of reviews where she seems to have eaten at the restaurant on the one day it sparkled. More likely, they know who she is and pull out all the stops. I've eaten there two or three times when in North Beach, and never been impressed...sticky floors, aged linens on tables (with original spots, I think) and nothing special on the menu you can't find in a million other Chinese restaurants. You want good Chinese food around Chinatown? Head to Great Eastern - they can even get me to eat the chicken feet appetizer, their food is THAT good!
10 agree | 9 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Gee would you have said a table full of Asians, African Americans, Pacific Islanders, or just is a "table full of caucasions" not offensive? Imagine - "I revisited with a table full of Africans..."
7 agree | 6 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Lichee Garden has sticky chairs and floors. Their food taste the same no matter what it is. They seem to use the same sauce for all their entrees.I equate their food to McDonald's. For authentic tasty chinese food, go to Great Eastern or R&G lounge.
10 agree | 5 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
i misss their dim sum from tea times??
7 agree | 6 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I will have to try the pizza place but from the picture the crust does not look thin it looks california thin.
6 agree | 6 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
layaly have the best middle_eastren food in the bay.there food is delicious and have consistant recepie. what you taste today you'll taste tommorrow. it's a winner. I love the hookah lounge, they sereve very good hookahs & have very unique Tobacco Flavors. the hookah lonuge opens at 8pm -12am & 8pm - 2:00(fri & sat)on the weekends.i recommend this place cause it's a winner
12 agree | 7 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
My mother would beat me like a rented mule if I took her to a baseball game for Mother's Day.
9 agree | 9 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I visited Namu on a trip to San Fran a year back when the restaurant had just opened. The space is minimal and hip, and the food fantastic - the black cod was superb!
10 agree | 10 disagree
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Francis Kim said:
actually namu never closes early. the restaurant that always closes early was written right next to the namu article. I believe everyone is getting confused. And on thursday, friday, and saturday they stay open till 1am!!!! that is awesome.
10 agree | 10 disagree
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M.S. Jackson said:
Ms. Unterman's laughable dialectic suggests she is feeding on some of the large sausages at the Soul Food joint and getting more than her fill!
10 agree | 10 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I suspect they close before the posted closing time to save on staff costs on nights when the amount of business does not cover expenses. I give them another six months.
10 agree | 15 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Go early in the evening because they'll close early if the mood stikes them. Even if you have a reservation.
39 agree | 57 disagree
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