RESTAURANTS
Epic Roasthouse
Epic Roasthouse opened with a roar early in 2008. Chef Jan Birnbaum presides over a custom-built, wood-fired grill and a large wood-burning oven that crackle in concert with the raging fireplace in the main dining room. There, white cloth delicately drapes over stately mahogany tabletops as smoky leather banquets line the room. Steel-framed windows that afford a spectacular view of the Bay Bridge dominate the walls. Every steak is presented aged and bone-in, and tableside aged prime rib service reaches every table. Kobe beef and Carlton Ranch pork and lamb anchor the menu. The restaurant’s blunt “Stuff You Want In a Steakhouse” section showcases a solid series of sides. While the industrial-chic, aggressively meat-centric vision might not please the more persnickety patron, seekers of a luxe turn on surf and turf are sure to be seduced at Epic.
369 Embarcadero
San Francisco
415.369.9955
SPAS
Remède Spa
The gleaming white walls and harmoniously minimalist design makes the sanctuary that is the Remède Spa seemingly a temple of purity. The experience at the celestial 9,000-square-foot spa at the San Francisco St. Regis Hotel begins at the lounge-inspired cedar-lined locker room, where guests, clothed in cashmere throws, sample artisanal cheeses and hand-made truffles along with chilled Champagne. Next up are the customized skincare treatments, developed in Laboratoire Remède, that channel the power of the Formula Core’s proprietary technology. These treatments are exclusive to St. Regis Hotels & Resorts. Later, guests move to the still waters of the indoor infinity pool that looks out on a view of the city. This sophisticated spa serves both the privileged guests of the hotel as well as savvy San Franciscans. Just as St. Regis Hotels promise to provide tailored experiences unique to their distinctive guests, Remède Spas do the same.
125 Third St.
San Francisco
415.284.4060
ENTERTAINMENT
Spruce
This new Presidio Heights eatery-named one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants of 2008-is a haven at which to experience culinary mastery. Executive Chef Mark Sullivan and his partners in Bacchus Management Group have a strong a commitment to excellence that is reflected in every dish and wine selection (which includes 1,000 options with 70 by the glass). The dishes are based on seasonal, organically grown produce; depending on the time of year, some 80 percent of Spruce’s produce comes from SMIP Ranch, Bacchus’ private farm in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The kitchen boasts a temperature-controlled curing room to accommodate the in-house charcuterie program, a passion of Chef Sullivan’s since his early days cooking in southern France and Spain. The restaurant is housed in a charmingly unique 5,000-square-foot restored historical auto barn. A tall archway, built to accommodate Model T cars, frames the spacious foyer that is paved with reclaimed limestone from the floors of a French church. To one side is a café, which offers a selection of gourmet takeaway items, while the other side is the library. The 70-seat dining area is hidden from view by a bold sheath of African wood that hangs behind the host stand, making Spruce a one-of-a-kind dining experience.
3640 Sacramento St.
San Francisco
415.931.5100
News
December 31, 200810 best new restaurants in NYC
