Sunday, March 25, 2007

San Francisco Moments

St. Regis Hotel San FranciscoSan Francisco is one of the prettiest cities in the USA. I love watching the traffic disappearing over the hilly horizon, the tram-cars that remind me of Calcutta, streets with Spanish and Victorian houses, the Golden Gate shining in the sunlight, the downtown area filled with many dining and shopping options, the hustle-and-bustle of Chinatown, and of course the people. I have been here many times before, but I still like visiting here.

The picture alongside is that of a decorative vase in my hotel room. My room on the 12th floor had a great view of the downtown area; the Metreon multiplex and Bloomingdale shopping complex are only two blocks away and I could see the distant hills with houses and roads winding up and down in the distance.

Ame San FranciscoOn the last night of my stay here, I ate at the Ame, the Regis' signature restaurant at the lobby level. Ame combines elements of fine Japanese and Western cooking.

Ame San FranciscoI ordered chilled sake and started with Tuna Sashimi with avocado tartare, shaved sake cured foie gras and nori tuile. For my entree, I ordered the chef's special for tonight that consisted of honey glazed rabbit with snow peas, spinach ravioli, dusted with goat cheese. And for dessert I went with the waiter's recommendation of a warm rhubarb pie with fresh strawberry salad and ice-cream, followed by freshly brewed Earl Grey tea.

Ame San FranciscoAme is run by husband and wife chefs, Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani. You can find more details of this wonderful restaurant and the menu here. The pictures in this posting are of the sashimi, the dessert and the unique teapot in which the tea was brewed and served. After this awesome dinner, it was time to pack up for my long trip back home the next day.

1 comment:

Sank said...

That tea pot, is actually a french press coffee maker. I 've never thought to use one for team before, but it makes sense.. if you like it, next you are near an Ikea, they have them in the states for $12.00.
They make the best (if rather strong) coffee.