Spruce SF: San Francisco

Date:  mardi 17 novembre 2009
Location:  3640 Sacramento St
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 931-5100
http://www.sprucesf.com/

Epitome of fine dining at its best.  This is an elegant restaurant in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, one of the most expensive areas in the nation.  It caters to the neighboring old riche that walk a few blocks to dine at Spruce - oftentimes more than once a week.  I have been frequenting Spruce over the past two years.  It is by far my favorite restaurant in the world - consistency and quality in food, cocktails, wines (boasts an amazing encyclopedic wine list/book with aged wines/liqueurs from around the world), decorous and grand atmosphere without the snob appeal - and most of all - impeccable service without the pretension.  I suppose I love this place because aside from the orgasmic food and grand wine menu and sophisticated cocktail creations, I just feel beautiful stepping foot into spruce's sleek, sexy, dark wood atmosphere.  Regardless of what I am wearing (dolce gabbana, laboutin, gucci, vans velcro sneaks, jeans, even casual sweats and baseball cap...) I am still treated like a beautiful woman.  It is one of those places that I liken to my description of shoes...  a woman can wear the most beautiful Italian shoes on her perfectly well manicured feet - yet it is not until a gorgeous man tells her that her shoes are beautiful - beautiful on her - that the woman then feels that she has truly captured the essence of what it means to be an alluring woman.  After all, what is the point of wearing beautiful shoes in isolation...  Spruce is one of those places, that a lovely woman can walk into... be greeted by the elegant tall, dark, and handsome male staff, and just feel absolutely radiant and perfect. 

The gifted and extremely knowledgeable staff come from years of previous experience in high end restaurants and hotels.  Spruce evokes that certain mood appeal that makes you feel luxurious yet still human...  not superficial, gaudy, feigned or stuffy.  For me, the entire eating experience must be "comfortable."  That is, all perfect cues in place - yet without you even noticing that they are trying so hard.  Music is at the perfect decibel, just high enough so that you can feel groovy sexy - yet low enough that you can converse with your guest without so much as having to raise your voice. 

Since coming here, I have befriended the somms behind the bar.  Scott, Evans, and Josha.  Their Somms are incredibly well knowledged in wines and spirits from around the globe.  It is their second skin.  I wish I could live in their brain for just a moment... to be the master of all that amazing wine knowledge...  nothing would make me happier and feel more complete.  


Spruce was voted by Food and Wine magazine to be one of the world's best wine bars.  I concur, absolumente.  Madeiras over 60 years old (and older I am sure)...  Single malt scotch whiskys from the 1800s...  what more can you ask for.  The reaches of the imagination and tasting palate are limitless at Spruce.



I won't go into how perfect the food is here.  It completely goes without saying, that one does not enter into a restaurant such as Spruce without expecting the best of the best.  And getting it.

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).