Praise for Fifth Floor
Aptly named for its location in the Palomar Hotel, Fifth Floor has quickly become one of San Francisco’s rising stars in the culinary playground. David Bazirgan, former head chef of Chez Papa Resto and more simply known as “Baz,” has taken on the position as new commander-in-chef at Fifth Floor, bringing his French cuisine expertise to the kitchen and good looks to the table. Well-known reviewer, Michael Bauer, recently bestowed a hefty 3.5 stars for the new Fifth Floor and since then curious customers have been packing in.
Swank and substance
Guests at Fifth Floor emerge from the elevator and pass by a wooden divider with sneak peaks of the dimly lit lounge. A full bar and large, plush leather chairs beckon you to sit down for a pre-dinner cocktail. The vibe is swanky, with class and warming opulence. If you have a large party, try and reserve the back room for a bit more privacy. The long wooden table accommodates up to fourteen people and you will feel tucked away in your own little alcove of luxury where servers are attentive, making sure your glasses are filled and your stomachs kept full. The main dining area has rounded beige leather chairs that seal you in for the evening amongst a sea of dark wood and burgundy décor.
The menu features new American cuisine and boasts playful creations like oysters five ways (béarnaise and caviar, fried with rouille, cucumber granite, chowder and then classic mignonette). With his English Pea Flan, Baz reinvents the popular Latin dessert, capitalizing on the fresh and sweet flavors of pea shoots and snap peas. Mains like prime New York steak with creamed stinging nettles and salt-baked potatoes showcase how Baz plays up classic combinations with a more modern, inventive twist.
Bucks, bourbon, burger and beer
I could spend an entire evening delving into the fine dining aspects of Fifth Floor…but that is not this article’s purpose. As the SF Burger Examiner, I would be remiss if I did not direct our attention to Fifth Floor’s $25 burger, bourbon and beer deal. Every month Fifth Floor pairs a different bourbon and beer with the resident burger for just $25 buckaroos – little more than a yoga class in the city. Just make sure you are sitting in the Fifth Floor lounge as the deal is only a feature of the bar menu.
For the last SF burger club, the crew gathered to honor the alliterative combination and toasted the start of the meal with a cup of Buffalo Trace Bourbon. Order yours “on the rocks” or “neat.” Either way is a warming promise of smooth, uncompromising brown liquor with sensual touches of vanilla and oak.
What I am about to say next is no understatement…the Fifth Floor burger is hands-down the most aesthetically pleasing burger I have ever laid eyes on. The warm, glazed brioche bun glistens and would even tempt a vegetarian to steal a single bite. The bun-to-burger ratio is perfect; the brioche standing up sturdily to the hunk of meat without being overpowering.
I pay attention to the quality of beef at any burger club and it is clear that this is no simple ground patty. The Fifth Floor burger is a diverse mix of cuts: skirt steak, beef chuck, and short rib. Chef Baz executes the burger to a perfect medium rare with just the right amount of juiciness to bind to surrounding toppings. The kitchen timed all burgers to come out at once, a difficult feat to execute for our fourteen-person party. A couple burgers suffered from inconsistency of temperature but overall our group gave solid reviews for taste and effort.
Cheese: I always choose Gruyere if given the option. The Fifth Floor burger uses Comte cheese, a relative to Gruyere...score! Yet despite a good melt, the Comte does not blow the top off the burger. It tastes a bit bland and seems almost like an afterthought. I often forgot it was on the patty. While the cheese is a bit underwhelming, the real wonder topping is the addition of bourbon-braised onions. The soft chopped onions have a smoky quality and the bourbon braise adds a mild sweetness that accentuates the beef. Pickles, lettuce and tomato aioli (but no tomato slice) are finishing touches. Wash the burger down with a few swigs of crisp Lagunitas IPA from a tall, chilled pilsner glass.
If you are lucky you will get a healthy serving of Fifth Floor rosemary French fries. The dust of rosemary adds an unexpected twist to every burger lover’s favorite side. I must have eaten an entire plate before finishing my burger and am still craving them. Dip a handful in olive pimiento aioli instead of ketchup for an extra kick.
Burger pastry?
Fifth Floor’s pastry chef wanted to jump in on the burger action and surprised our table with a plate of mini “Big Mac” pastries. The sweet bites resembled macarons and combined mango rice pudding with coconut ice cream. Not sure how well the Asian-inspired dessert complemented our hearty burger and fries, but I still enjoyed it and appreciated the creativity and reliable top-notch service from the Fifth Floor staff. Will I be going back? I already recommended it to a group of friends this week.
Details:
Fifth Floor
12 Fourth Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
(Within Hotel Palomar)
$$
Comments