Watergate

(NOTE: renamed to "Sparrow Restaurant" in mid-2006)
(415)474-2000
1177 California Street
(bet. Jones & Taylor)
San Francisco, CA
(Nob Hill district)

Price: $$-$$$$
Rating: 7.5 (Rating & price key)
Last visit: 04/14/05

French-Asian fusion plates dominate the menu at this tony establishment. Sarah and I ate here for her birthday before seeing the Universe Within exhibit at the next-door Masonic Exhibition Center (running through Sept. '05 - check it out - it's quite unique!). We arrived a little before our 5:30 reservation and consequently, a little before they actually opened. They kindly seated us anyways and we had a couple of well-executed cocktails from the bar. The ambience left me a little cold - formal, but very generic (white tablecloths, saffron-orange walls, little/no art), but our server Eloise was great, offering her thoughts on the food and drink and being generally helpful (a task made much easier by the complete lack of other patrons at this early hour on a Thursday evening). We both decided on the 3-course $30 prix fixe menu, but both also ordered extra-cost appetizers, Sarah the lobster martini and I the seared foie gras (both about an extra $7 each). Sarah's lobster martini was certainly interesting and unique, but tasted less fancy than it looked. My foie gras was tender and moist, but a touch over-seared (perhaps this is typical - I've never had foie gras before, and so am no expert). The entrees arrived very well-timed, mine a lovely pan-friend duck leg served atop chinese sausage-studded rice. Although a harmonious combination of flavors, the chinese sausage dominated the dish, and lent a bit more salt than I'd have preferred. Sarah's fish was well-cooked too, but tasted bland in comparison to my overly-flavorful duck. Don't get me wrong, however - both dishes were good, and the duck in particular has a lovely texture. Our desserts of ginger creme brulee and profiteroles were both good, especially the ginger brulee. More drinks and a pair of desserts left us done and with a $150 bill, not all that bad considering what we'd eaten, but certainly not inexpensive by any means. I will be happy to return here next time I'm in need of fancy food near the Masonic, but felt that things were generally a bit over-the-top with a touch of pretense. The ingredients and idea behind the dishes are innovative to be sure, but at least on our visit, we felt the preparation didn't quite match up. Still, the food is good, and definitely unique.