Since its inception just a few years back, Taste TV became a hugely popular community of people who know their food – be it in the kitchen, in print, or on a TV screen. The latest from Taste TV – Sexy Dishes book released last week – is a compact “guide to who’s hot in the kitchen,” almost too easy to follow when it comes to its San Francisco Bay Area Edition. I’ve heard some rave reviews about the Market Street Grill before, but subconsciously discarded the unimaginative name. My list of restaurants to visit mostly started with Chez or La… Little did I know that Executive Chef Adam Jones, formerly of Michel Mina and the Franciscan, one of the sexy (yes, looks, too) chefs featured in the book was working his magic here, noticed mostly by a pre-show crowd heading for Orpheum Theatre. Now I know better. The place is actually a destination restaurant; a hidden gem that combines inspired food with enticing ambience. It is located inside the historic Hotel Whitcomb – The Shining-style architectural marvel of it’s own (sorry, David, the comparison was too tempting to abstain from) with endless mirrored hallways and a grand ballroom. Austrian crystal chandeliers, marble staircase, and a Tiffany dome over a bar precede the dining room with tapestry-upholstered chairs and a flaming fireplace. On the night we dined, chef Adam, who specializes in modern seafood, prepared an elegant starter of a single Kumamoto oyster, seared in hot miso consommé, with a couple of daikon radish sprouts on top. His chilled sweet pea soup made of fresh English peas with micro mint and goat cheese foam evoked that childhood taste of emerald pods, snapped right off their stalks in a field. To implement his ideas, chef Adam often brings herbs and fruit from his own garden in Pittsburg. In a dish, featured in the book and served in the restaurant – branzino (a Mediterranean white fish) pouched in chardonnay lemon butter, was sided with olives grown and cured by the chef, along with heirloom beans, shiitake mushrooms, and broccolini, all in a heavenly harmony of flavors. A well thought-through wine list, compiled by the wine director David Batista, complements the menu and enhances the experience. It is recommended to make reservations for a slow, pleasurable, unforgettable Market Street Grill dinner around 8:15 in the evening, when the theatregoers cleared the premises. Or, if you must, reserve a pre-show meal that promises to be excellent no matter what. Market Street Grill is located at 1231 Market Street, SF. More information and reservations at: 415-626-8000 or www.marketstreetgrillsf.com. Photography by Yuri Krasov. 1. Tiffany dome at the bar. 2. Chef Adam Jones. 3. Pea soup. 4. Branzino fish.
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