SF: Charles Nob Hill

[julied]

My husband and I are thinking of going to Charles Nob Hill for our anniversary. We like to visit restaurants with tasting menus and wine pairing for special occasions. Would love to hear your thoughts on experiences at Charles Nob Hill.

Thanks!

[julied]

Can anyone tell me about their experience dining at Charles Nob Hill? I have searched the board but haven't found any comments. Would love some feedback before I book a reservation for a special occasion. Thanks!

[Stone]

I never went there. And didn't hear of people who did. For some reason, Nob Hill gets largely ignored in the SF food scene -- especially among the younger crowd. I lived there for 3.5 years, and didn't eat on Nob Hill until my last week there. It was a very different crowd from the rest of the city.

[alanamoana]

i ate there a couple of years ago when ron siegel was still the chef and reeling from his iron chef win. the japanese tourists were flocking to the place!

we ate at the bar and received great service. although we only ordered some appetizers and desserts, we were served an amuse and were treated well, as if we were dining in the dining room.

since ron left to work at masa's, the chef is a woman who was ron's sous chef (i believe). she has gotten decent reviews. she's fairly young which is interesting because as stone posted, the crowd there is different (possibly meaning older) than other restaurants in sf.

the space is interesting as it is in a residential building in a fairly quiet neighborhood (near grace cathedral/masonic hall on nob hill...statement of the obvious). the room is quiet and rather old school in decor, but not without some modicum of taste. pretty quiet ambiance.

hope that helps a little.

[Carolyn Tillie]

We heard through the grapevine that Charles of Nob Hill is "closing for renovation" for the month of September. However, gossipmongers have informed me that those working inside don't know what the name of the restaurant is going to be when it re-opens. It is owned by Aqua so I assume Laurent Manrique is involved in its management.

Anybody know anything else?

[tanabutler]

Executive Chef Melissa Perello, who cooked for the Outstanding in the Field dinner in the secret sea cave on Sunday, has given notice. She will leave Charles Nob Hill at the end of this month. She is taking some time off to reconsider her career. (I'll post photos soon. The dinner was spectacularly beautiful.)

[melkor]

Anybody know anything else?

I know the meal I had there last month was pretty poor, does that count?

[Squeat Mungry]

Here's the scoop on Charles Nob Hill, closing on Sunday to reopen as C.A.L. Steak House.

I'll have the complete Chron digest later today.

Squeat

Editt: speling

Edited August 26, 2004 by Squeat Mungry (log)

[Carolyn Tillie]

From the article darling Squeat mentioned:

The restaurant will close for six weeks and reopen as a steak house called C.A.L. Steak House, with the "C" standing for Condy and the "L" for Manrique. No chef has been hired as of this writing.

The menu will be a la carte, with regional touches like a New Orleans- style steak with Creole flavors, a Miami steak with Cuban flavors, and perhaps even steak cooked en croute in sourdough to represent the Bay Area.

How very, very sad...

Thanks for the info, Squeat -- I appreicate it and am sorry I didn't get around to the famed Lobster Dinner that was recreated after the Iron Chef win by Charles Siegel.

[wnissen]

Carolyn,

Pardon my off-topic comment, but you and have both put "Charles" into chefs names recently (it's Ron Siegel, and Nam Pham). I wonder if it's some kind of foodie disorder...

Walt

[ludja]

Anyone eaten here since the new chef change?

(again, trolling for DAT ideas--promise I'll post back where ever we eat!)

Thanks..