Restaurants to Impress - August

Strawberries with strawberry-verbena consomme and yogurt ice cream.

http://kelseats.com

The summer is in full swing, menus everywhere have changed to coincide with the season, and while delicious summer dishes can certainly be found at a wide variety of restaurants, a few have stood out from the pack. Get out of the heat (or, since this is San Francisco, I should say the wind) and cool down at a table at one of the following restaurants.

Saison – Big changes have taken place at Saison since my initial introduction to this restaurant back in February of this year, the largest being the complete revamp of the dining room. The space has been elevated from a rustic, no frills interior that channeled the French countryside, to a more sophisticated, contemporary dining room that better represents the sort of fine-dining experience Saison provides.

And it’s not just the image of the restaurant that has changed, the food has evolved as well. While each dish is just as complex and carefully planned as before, small adjustments to proportion have led to large improvements in overall flavor and balance - improvements that have compelled me to begin writing an updated review. For example, in February I wrote that the roasted beet paired with bone marrow did not reach its full potential due to the beet's overpowering presence. However, on the current menu the size of the beet has been reduced, putting it in perfect proportion the now more prominent marrow, and creating a more flavorful, accurate representation of the chef's vision.

Other highlights included flash-cooked Peas in chicken bouillon, a beautiful presentation of garden freshness, and the Poularde with berbere spices, smoked date milk, and roasting juices, easily the best chicken dish I have tasted this year, if not the best I’ve ever had in San Francisco. By progressively refining their offerings, and being one of the only restaurants serving this type of cuisine at this level, is positioned to become one of the premier restaurants in the City.

Jardinière – In contrast to the recent emergence of Saison as a culinary presence, Jardinière has held a prestigious place in the San Francisco fine-dining scene for 14 years. While the menu stays current by changing with what’s available at the market, perfecting the elements of each dish and asserting a culinary identity occurred many years ago. While the presence of many seasoned restaurants often fades with the emergence of new dining options, Jardinière has managed to maintain its place as one of the most elegant, consistent, refined dining experiences out there.

There was not a single dish on my recent seven course tasting menu that did not thoroughly impress; even though my expectations were set so high that I was almost searching for faults, there was no fault to be found. Each dish exemplified perfectly implemented, classic technique, while at the same time embraced original, seasonal, intriguing plays of flavor and texture. The first course of Gulf Shrimp served atop a watermelon/melon gazpacho with mint was a beautiful example of inventive, thoughtful cuisine that, at the end of the day, tasted luxurious and absolutely incredible. The seared albacore tuna, served with cucumber, padron pepper, and watercress was another standout, as well as the Quail simply paired with corn, golden chanterelles, and watercress. Even after 14 years, Jardinere’s cuisine is not only still relevant, but still ranking as some of the best found within San Francisco’s fine-dining scene.

NOPA – Even if you had been living in some secluded cave for the last five years, you still probably would have heard NOPA. As a restaurant that has really defined and shaped an area, NOPA has been a prominent force in San Francisco food for years, one which everyone seems to have an opinion about. Through this constant chatter I was influenced to think that this restaurant was perhaps relatively overrated, and was thus hesitant to make it a priority to go (hence the late endorsement). However, as soon as that first bite hit my mouth, I knew those rumors were just flat-out wrong: NOPA deserves all of the hype and accolades it has received.

It’s not reinventing New American cuisine, and it’s not trying to be one of the most refined restaurants in the City. There is value in simplicity, and NOPA offers straight-forward, seasonal, well-composed dishes that taste fantastic. Bruschetta with butter beans ($11), Sun Gold tomato, and grilled calamari isn’t shockingly original, but the execution and flavor is spot-on; serving up a grass-fed burger ($13) may seem commonplace, but served at a perfect medium rare with pickled onion, gruyere, house-cured bacon, on a house-made brioche bun makes something simple into something absolutely mind-blowing - arguably the best burger in the City.

And if nothing else, NOPA is the definition of consistent. Dishes are never overworked, flavors are always clean, and every item is perfectly cooked and seasoned. No matter what the season, or what modifications have been made to the daily-changing menu, one thing is certain: NOPA’s cuisine is sure to impress.

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