The hottest reservation in town is for Empress by Boon: San Francisco’s new restaurant recently opened by star chef Ho Chee Boon. It literally took me months to get a reservation. My persistence and stalking skills finally paid off, and I snagged a table for 4 last Saturday! (at 5:00pm) But hey, it was on a Saturday. And I like that the reservation was so early because A. I’m old and B. We got to enjoy the view during daylight hours and after dark.
The food was amazing, the views were stunning, and the bill was staggering. But it doesn’t have to be. We ordered up because we were celebrating, but really the prices are not unreasonable. They do a tasting menu. For around $80 per person, you’re served four courses of some very fine, elevated Cantonese food. The dishes are inventive and gourmet, yet at the same time, familiar and firmly rooted in tradition.
What stood out to me were the textures. Boon is a master at mixing texture.
Like in the first course: Crispy Pumpkin Puff. That’s fun to say. And even more fun to eat. It looks like a doughnut hole, doesn’t it? It was crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, and it tasted of truffles.
The second small bite was a sort of mini Chinese taco. I think this was everyone’s favorite. The pork’s smokiness was perfection. The cucumber snapped, the bun was spongy, and the flavors were layered. Really, really good.
But so was this. (Beijing Dumpling with housemade vinegar)
And this! Steamed Rockfish -flaky and spicy
The dishes kept coming: Brazilian Rock Lobster, Chinese Chive Flower, Bean Curd and Crispy Yam, Prawn Noodles, and ending with Peking Duck. Once again, the texture! The flavor and skin reminded me of dark caramelized candy.
I have decided that I love a tasting menu. I’m not a picky eater, and I really appreciated not having to make any decisions. Besides, with a tasting menu, the kitchen can concentrate on excellence. Rather than make a lot of items good, they make a few dishes great. The only decision you have to make is if you’d like to add Peking Duck for $48. And of course you do.
Oh, you also have to decide on what to drink. Obviously, champagne.
But we also ordered a few cocktails: a rye cocktail washed in duck fat -which made it pretty creamy and a drink called Paper Wings (Don’t you love that name?) -a delicious vodka cocktail that was both autumnally spicy and brightly tangy.
The actual dining room is rather small. You’ll want to make a reservation to get a front-row seat to the view overlooking North Beach and Coit Tower. But here’s what no one bothered to tell me… You don’t need a reservation to sit (and eat) at the bar or under the antique wooden pergola. Sure, you’re not pressed right up against the window, but you’re still immersed in the beautiful setting, not to mention eating and drinking from the same menu.
My final recommendation is to skip dessert.
I don’t think my company would agree with me. They loved it, but I’m not a fan of high-concept dessert. If I’m going to indulge, I’m looking for a really satisfying, rich experience, not a bite of complexity.
But that’s just me.
After dinner, we stopped for a drink mixed by my favorite bartender -my nephew. He works at a dive bar in San Francisco, decorated with 1970’s porn and waterbeds. It isn’t as gross as it sounds. It’s actually kind of kitschy. However, I was way overdressed for this establishment.
But that fact only made me more popular.