Best Sidecar in Town, Spruce Restaurant: San Francisco

Date:  jeudi 1 octobre 2009
Location:  3640 Sacramento St
San Francisco, CA 94118 
Tel:  +1  415  931 5100 
http://www.sprucesf.com/  

My favorite restaurant + resto bar in SF!  Why?  Extremeley sophisticated and elegant in its decor along with impeccable service minus the pretentious attitude.   Boasts Food & Wine Magazine's 2009 recommendation as "the best wine bar" in the city of SF out of a global poll of world wine bars. I was very pleased to read this, which gave me some sort of smug vote of confidence that my predilection for fine things is on par with the experts.   

I recommend sitting at the bar if you are just a table of 2.  There are proper seating tables in the bar area, and you will have a gorgeous view of the bar and its masters of spirits making the most exceptional cocktails in the city.  There is a proper menu, as well as a casual bar menu.  Both may be eaten at the bar.  Be sure to take a look at their on site charcuterie shop immediately to your left just before you enter the grand establishment.  The space used to be an art gallery, much of the feel which has been preserved - yet decorated beautifully so that its patrons feel lush and cozy.   

The music choice and decibel level is always some kind of sexy groovy.  The acoustics in the restaurant is also such that it is one of the rare gorgeous restos in the city where one does not have to shout at their friend to be heard (or croon your neck over the table resulting in a sore neck/back!).   

My personal favorite cocktail of all time is the sidecar.  I like it because it is just my kind of drink - contemporary and yet so vintage in its history.  Probably also because not many people know this drink, and I tend to have a penchant for liking and seeking out rare, unique things that others have not heard of.  I like to be different.  You won't find me ordering up some trashy martini.  I do believe that one's drink of choice says a lot about who they are and their lifestyle preferences. 

 A little history on the sidecar.  The sidecar is a classic cocktail which most bartenders know, but seems to be rarely ordered. Part of this is because it is poorly made, and more often than not made with sour mix instead of fresh ingredients.  Yes, a classy and sophisticated upper class restaurant such as Spruce will surely use fresh ingredients of the finest grade.  It is most certainly a classic cocktail classic cocktail traditionally made with cognac, orange liquer (cointreau, grand marnier or another triple sec), and lemon juice.  The exact origin of the sidecar is unclear, yet it is thought to have been invented around the end of WWI in either London or Paris.  The original recipe from Harry's Bar in Paris in 1920 consists of 1.5oz brandy, 0.5oz triple sec, and 0.5oz lemon or lime juice.   

 Spruce's house version is called the KENTUCKY SIDECAR.  It is made with Maker's Mark Bourbon, Cointrea, maple syrup, and lemon.  It is a solid one, classy despite southern whisky.  They know what they are doing here, and not just the drinks, but from top to bottom wines, full course meals, and dessert. 

They also have the best beignets in town served with two chocolate sauces for dipping:  creme anglaise (you can see the spreckels of real vanilla bean) and aruguani chocolate sauce (hints of orange).