Spruce
San Francisco, CA 94118
Phone: (415) 931-5100
- Price:
- $$$$
- Cross Street:
- Spruce Street
- Hours:
- Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-11pm, Sat-Sun 5pm-11pm
Editorial Review for Spruce – by Michael Peck
The Scene
Housed in a 1930s-era car barn (the entrance arch was built to allow for the passage of Model Ts), the well-thought-out space hits the mark on dark, contemporary sophistication. The entrance is flanked by a take-out cafe and a sitting room/library, while the 70-seat dining room is separated from the hopping bar area by a wall of glass panes. A ceiling highlighted by exposed steel supports and a black-and-chocolate color scheme set the tone for the hip, well-to-do clientele, who, lounging in faux-ostrich chairs and on mohair couches, are seemingly imported from all corners of the city and beyond to lend a dose of in-crowd to a neighborhood that's mostly changed into 'jammies in time for the 11pm news.
The Food
Heirloom-tomato gazpacho showcases Chef Mark Sullivan's commitment to serving organic, locally sourced produce; each dip is a veritable garden on a spoon. Buttered Maine lobster is served out of the shell, while a perfectly grilled bavette steak comes with duck-fat potatoes, a companion piece so hearty that anything more than the modest portion would be overwhelming. For dessert, chocolate-and-caramel fondant with chocolate sorbet and chocolate paper is, as one might guess, a love song to the cocoa bean; a stone fruit "bruschetta" lemon verbena ice cream provides a sweet finish with a lighter touch.
Hits: The service is personable and efficient, even when put through their paces by the dinner rush hitting this popular spot--and the host or hostess will give an honest wait-time appraisal on packed nights.
Misses: A very small quibble: The gnocchi in the lobster dish is a competent effort, but leaves some room for improvement, given the high bar set by SF's numerous Italian specialists.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Know Before You GoIn the mood for sophisticated fare, but not a full-out sit-down? A pared-down menu is available from the restaurant's carry-out-only cafe.
What to DrinkIt's worth ordering a bottle from the extensive wine list just to see the rolling librarian's ladder put to use when your choice is fetched from the multi-level, custom-built cabinet. However, 70 vinos are available by the glass, and specialty cocktails such as the refreshing clover club (gin, lemon, aqua perfecta) are solid options as well.
Fun FactKnow that your dinner fuels more than just you: Spruce's recycled vegetable oil helps the bio-diesel vehicles for SMIP Ranch, a sister operation, keep on truckin'.
User Reviews for Spruce
03/10/2008 Posted by anothersanfranciscofoodie
We were initially impressed by the dining area (cavernous) and the relative quiet. However, we were very disappointed by the menu (not many appealing choices), the food (chicken was tasty, although not exemplary, but the venison was tasteless and the desserts were just so-so) and the horrendous service (there were large gaps between courses without the waiter offering any explanation). It is too bad since the neighborhood could use a classy restaurant; however, we will not go back, especially with those prices. There are so many better choices in the city!
Pros: Ambience and placement of tables
Cons: the food, the choices and the service.
03/07/2008 Posted by Paddyb62
We also got to the restaurant 20 minutes early as recommended and were seated at our reservation time. It took about 15 minutes before a server came to our table to ask if we wanted drinks - by this time, we had already read the entire menu and were ready to order. Our waiter, Charles, and sommelier, Andrew, were both great. Very knowledgeable and fun. The food on the other hand, was mediocre at best. The handmade cold cuts appetizer was really good but the scallops appetizer was just ok. I had the venison with red cabbage and spaetzel. The venison was cooked to perfection, but the red cabbage was overseasoned with cloves or something that was very overpowering. The spaetzel was panfried and had the consistency of styrofoam with absolutely no flavor. The cheese plate had large portions, but they were out of several cheeses so they substituted with larger portions of one of the other selections. The bill was a whopping $300 for dinner for 2 with appetizer, entre, bottle of inexpensive wine, and cheese plate. All in all, I was disappointed after reading all the great things, especially in Wine Spectator. With all the great places in San Francisco, I would go elsewhere for a better value.
Pros: Friendly staff
Cons: Expensive for mediocre food
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