Knowing next to nothing about San Francisco and its dining scene, I think it's safe to say that Prospect is the type of place you'd come to impress a client. It's refined and upscale--very well-run. The folks who work here exude professionalism, the service is top-notch overall. I wouldn't say it has a ton of character as a space, but the food certainly does. I doubt they serve anything here that's close to mediocre, and the creativity in both preparation and presentation are outstanding. Come here for business, perhaps a late-in-the-game date, or if you're me, come with your sister because she's been here four times/it's close to her apartment/she's the one you're coming to see/she already knows what she wants here so don't fight the quirk. Last thing I'll say in the intro: this place is pricey. So if you do take a client here, they better be worth it.
The bf and I came here--yes, with my sister--on Friday night at around 6:30pm. The space itself is sprawling--sophisticated, minimalist and sleek. And while the restaurant is big, service is prompt. I was worried about feeling neglected (okay I know this not a forum for childhood trauma but whoops here we go) but thankfully we didn't run into that.
My sister raved about the wine here but the cocktails looked too good to pass up. I opted for the Queen Anne's Revenge (Añejo Rum, Averna, Vanilla, Black Walnut Bitters) and the bf for the Pumpkin Smash (Bourbon, Pumpkin Spiced Maple, Lemon). Both were creative, seasonal, well-balanced and seriously delicious. I don't tend to like rum drinks but something about the richness of the vanilla and black walnut bitters made this oh so decadent. And the latter drink? I must find a way to recreate that pumpkin-spiced maple. I tend not to be one of those pumpkin-obsessed fall darlings but in this case, I got to try on that identity for a day. Not hating it.
The food here is fun, creative and tasty. I noticed and appreciated the risks being taken in the kitchen and the quality did not suffer as a result. The preparations here are elegant and beautiful, almost in that "too pretty to eat" category. Food arrangement is all the rage these days, and Prospect nails it. Cooking is an art, and they take that seriously here. Prospect does a great job of using seasonal ingredients in thoughtful ways. Each dish had some familiar elements with some innovative takes on accompanying elements. So don't be fooled by the stripped-down aesthetic of Prospect--the food is bold and impressively so. Eats, below:
Star Route Little Gems Salad w/ Hosui Asian Pears, Garlic Spiced Baby Pecans, Fourme D'Ambert, Brown Butter Vinaigrette: A
My sister's favorite salad here, for good reason. In her words: it has a little bit of everything. Crispy, refreshing, all of the elements work well together. Spice, sweetness and crunch from the nuts, complexity and earthiness from the cheese, all goodness.
Lobster Boudin Blanc & Caramelized Ibérico Pork Belly w/ Jimmy Nardellos, Soft Polenta, Sweet & Sour Onions, Chicharrón, Sweet Pepper Jus: A-/A+
That rating doesn't make sense, does it? The A- is for the lobster, the A+ for the pork and the rest. Our waitress eloquently explained this preparation beforehand, making it sound far fancier than what it actually is in executed. It's a lobster sausage, plain and simple. Bound in pork casing, I feared this preparation didn't honor all that lobster could be. The flavors were still nice, but lobster isn't meant to be served in this way. The rest of the dish, however, was outstanding. The pork belly was unbelievable, as were all of the accompaniments. Excellent flavor profile, a lot of powerful stuff going on.
Spanish Octopus A La Plancha w/ Roasted Escamillo Peppers, Fingerling Potatoes, Crispy Taro Root, Pimentón, Squid Ink Vinaigrette: A+
Another incredible, creative preparation that was executed flawlessly with bonus points for presentation. The flavors were divine, the octopus was cooked the perfection, and all accompaniments elevated the meat in a thoughtful, sophisticated way. The combination of the pimenton and squid ink was just heavenly.
Liberty Farms Duck Breast w/ Smoked Sunchokes, Huckleberries, Wild Rice Pilaf, Bloomsdale Spinach, Mission Fig Mostarda, Sunchoke Chips: A+
A gorgeous, fall dish (does San Francisco experience fall? Asking for a weathered New Yorker), creative and delicious. Presentation continued to be stunning and the food itself was just as impressive. Well-cooked duck with fabulous flavors surrounding it. Nice addition of those sunchoke chips for added texture.
Seared Alaskan Halibut w/ Crispy Potato Hash, Butter Roasted King Trumpet Mushrooms, Early Girl Tomato Confit, Tomato Beurre Blanc: A
Another dish that came highly recommended by my sister. She's knows how to pick 'em. The fish was cooked beautifully and all accompaniments were powerhouses themselves. The crispy potato hash was essentially a glorified latke, and I was loving every minute of it. read more