Interesting Food -- Are You Ready For It?

Last week, Sam and I went to Orson on their first publicly-open night. She wrote an outstanding post about it here, including some excellent tips for getting the most out of a meal at Orson.

I thought I'd toss my two-cents into the ring, as so many of you today are heading over from her post, and decided to take the opportunity to ask an interesting question, as well.

To begin though, I have to laud Jacqueline Patterson's cocktail list. I fell so promptly in love with the Celery Gimlet that I actually ordered two of them instead of trying a second cocktail. Interestingly, I tried Alembic's celery & gin concoction on Friday night, and have to say that Orson's version is a far more balanced drink. Sam's Catch-22, while not my personal cup of tea, is a masterful libation loaded with flavor.

Also, as Sam mentioned, the Lightly Smoked Fish ($15) is a wonder of sous vide cookery -- the outside is texturally similar to hot-smoked salmon while the interior retains the texture of cold-smoking. Charred Octopus ($11) is a light dish, punctuated by paper-thin shavings of beef tendon and sprouted peanuts; an odd combination to be sure, but one which works beautifully.

When Chef Falkner came out to say hello, Sam and I both couldn't help gushing over everything, from the drinks and savory courses I espoused above, to the lovely space and service. We chatted for a bit about the never-ending "California Cuisine" debate, which leads me to ask you this question:

Is San Francisco ready to embrace technique-based cooking?

Ours has long been a culture of ingredient-driven food, and with good reason -- just stop in at any Farmer's Market and you can see why. But in that process, we've effectively denied our restaurant kitchens the opportunity to develop and cultivate the use of creative techniques, styles, and flavors.

I think back to the wonderful and memorable Smoked Yogurt that accompanied our chocolate cake at Coi, and how it disappeared not long after our meal there because it was "too different". And yes, while I know that Winterland's location was cursed, it's still unfortunate that they closed SO quickly (though, by all accounts, service never really got where it needed to be). How about the dishes that Daniel Humm was turning out at Campton Place? How could we have let a creative mind of his caliber run off to New York?

The question has been asked many times, many ways. But I can't help but ask it again. Are we willing to pay top-dollar for food because of the effort it takes? Is San Francisco ready to support a local favorite daughter in her attempt to push the boundaries of what we eat in this town?

Weigh in, please. I'm truly curious to know your thoughts.

Tags: Citizen Cake, Orson, Elizabeth Falkner, Molecular+Gastronomy, Cooking, Restaurants, San Francisco, Food & Drink

Comments

[David]

I think people like David Kinch at Manresa showed that you can do 'interesting' food, yet still respect the region and seasons. Am glad that Elizabeth is having success with her new venture; there's plenty of places in the Bay Area serving roast chicken, grilled fish, pizza, beet salad and goat cheese. Nice to have more options in the mix!

PS: That's funny people felt the Smoked Yogurt tasted funny. When I worked somewhere in the Bay Area and we started using real, organic unpasteurized heavy cream, customers complained about the taste of that too.

[sam]

These kinds of meals create memories far beyond the norm. I cannot forget the perfect sous vide lamb I was lucky enough to sample at Winterland, the meal I had at WD50, the desserts that Boris Portnoy made for us at Campton Place. It is not the kind of food I want every day, but I like that I have the chance to be able to eat this kind of food from time to time without having to buy an airplane ticket.

Manresa - as David points out - is able to give us the best of both worlds and Kinch's tasting menu is the best bargain in the entire Bay Area in my book. More people should take the trouble to make the journey and see what they are missing.

I like a mix of tradition and new ideas. I hope SF can support both.

So when are we going back to try the other half of Orson's menu?

[jeanne]

I think a lot of people will have their first encounter with Orson the way I did--almost by accident, because they came in for a cocktail. The build-your-own-tasting-menu concept is genius because it lets diners be as adventurous as they want (or not). By letting people get their feet wet with technique-based cooking without forcing them to commit to a big serious meal, I think Orson will win over a lot of people who might otherwise shy away or be intimidated.

[Fatemeh]

Jeanne, I really hope so. We were there tonight at around 9:30, and the place was nearly empty.

My single-greatest concern for this place is the really mixed reviews it is getting on Yelp. It is truly unfair for a place like Orson to get nasty review from people who just DON'T get it...

[Jon F.]

On my more optimistic days, I truly believe that Orson and Coi are going to change the way the conservatives in this town think about food (because let's face it, that's what they are).

However, when I'm at my normal pessimistic self, I remember that the long standing establishments of this city are more in the vein of Zuni and Jardiniere...

I really have my fingers crossed for Orson: the food is great, and refreshing.

Fatemeh, you're totally right about Yelp. That site is the downfall of excellence.

[jeanne]

Another place making "interesting" food worth checking out: Tinderbox in Bernal Heights. My newest food crush!