By CAROLE ORLIN SPECIAL TO THE D A I LY PRESSI f you are looking for a city getaway in Northern California, or you have business that takes you in or around San Francisco,I have found a wonderful destination.When I first made a reservation at the Mandarin Oriental to stay over a long weekend, I assumed there would be little or nothing to do as a result of the hotel’s location in the city’s financial and business districts.
I could not have been more mistaken. First of all, the stores are open on Saturday, and the Union Square shopping is just incredible. It’s also a cable car ride away from Nob Hill and Fisherman’s Wharf. In addition, it is a short walk to Chinatown, the Embarcadero, the Farmers’ Market and theaters. Best of all, at least for us, the hotel is a very short drive to the Bay Bridge. This provided us with a quick and direct route to Berkeley Hills and Napa on Sunday, when most of the stores in the financial district were closed.
We realized it is actually a very convenient location for the non-business traveler, although, I can’t imagine a hotel more client-friendly or more conveniently located for business travelers.
We drove up to this amazingly tall building — the hotel occupies the top 11 floors of San Francisco’s third-tallest building (behind the Bank of America Building and the Transamerica Building), and were immediately attended to by one of the friendliest and most efficient hotel staffs I have ever encountered. We were shown to our luxuriously appointed room on the 46th floor. That’s right! There are several room categories to choose from, with different room layouts. We were in a section called the “Bridge to Bridge” category. These rooms possess 180-degree unobstructed panoramic views of San Francisco!
To aid with the breathtaking views, binoculars are provided for each room. I admit we spent much time gazing at the sights of the North Bay, the wharves, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge and almost all of San Francisco from this unique visage.At night, it was an amazing light show. Even their spa-like bathroom, with a windowed bath, provided a private, breathtaking view.
Without going into detail, if you want an unforgettable bathing experience,I recommend taking a bath at night with the shades open.
We did not have to leave the hotel in order to find an outstanding choice for dinner. We dined at the hotel’s restaurant “Silks,” which promotes American cuisine with Pacific Rim influences. The name comes from the flavors and techniques from the East that were inspired by the Old Silk Road. I will attempt to describe our wonderful dinner,but I have to admit I ate things that had to be explained to me by our veteran waiter of more than 20 years of fine dining experience. For example, there was “wild rocket,” which is actually a kind of delicious arugula. That came as part of a mini-sweet and gypsy pepper salad, with hearts of palm and yogurt purees with wild rice foam. At first, it sounded kind of scary, but was actually quite delicious. My husband had an angel hair and clams appetizer served on a bed of hot rocks, which, when served, was watered to give off an aromatic steam to add to the gestalt of the dish. The angel hair pasta was black. Being the curious gourmand that I am, I discovered that the pasta’s color was due to squid ink! Now I know. Anyway, my husband enjoyed it immensely.
One surprise treat, compliments of the chef, was a kumamoto oyster with lime vinaigrette and jalapeno cilantro pearls. It was almost too beautiful to eat. But, we ate it anyway. Another delicious surprise was kohlrabi soup with mustard foam (new to me, but absolutely delicious). The chef, Joel Huff, is definitely one of the most creative chefs around. My main course was Tasmanian Trout Confit, served with, among other things, an (actual) oxtail bone and marrow risotto (which I admit I passed on). I later heard from another diner that it was delicious, so next time I will be more adventurous.
My husband, whom I admit is more gastronomically adventurous than me, had lobster and shellfish tom yum noodles with coconut lemongrass sauce that he announced was the best he ever had. The desserts and coffee were varied and also outstanding. The wine list was varied, with selections from the world’s great regions,with special attention on the wines of nearby Napa Valley.
The service was excellent with a very pleasant and knowledgeable wait staff. I left there feeling satisfied, knowing I ate a healthy, yet delicious and unique dinner. Fine dining can spoil you, I admit, but it’s more than worth it for a special treat.
Although it is great to be back in beautiful Santa Monica, it’s hard to get back to Subway sandwiches and turkey loaf. But, such is life.
For a weekend (or longer) city get-away, this would be hard to top. San Francisco is little more than an hour’s plane ride away, yet it’s a totally different feel in climate, geography and energy. I had not spent time recently in San Francisco, but this trip reminded me why I used to love it so much. It has not lost its charm. Maybe it has even gained some, thanks to the Mandarin Oriental.
Carole Orlin
IF YOU GO: Mandarin Oriental San Francisco 222 Sansome Street (www.madarinorien-tal.com; 415-276-9888
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 11, 2006. Read the original PDF.