San Francisco: Bourbon Steak

My continuing medical education takes me to a lot of places.This time it's San Francisco. It's late June and 68 degrees and sunny, perfect for walking around Union Square. One of the hotel employees remarked that the weather this week is unusually nice. I guess I'll just take his word on that. Staying in San Francisco, of course, provides some interesting dining opportunities. The most notable for me is The Bourbon Steak Restaurant, located in the Westin St. Francis hotel, adjacent to Union Square. This well known restaurant owned by Michael Mina, is a San Francisco landmark.

I elected to try the St. Francis Menu, which is a tasting menu offered to the guests of the hotel. We start with the Spring White Bean Soup.

Tasty, with fresh, crisp vegetables. Next, the main event, an Angus New York Strip, cooked to tender perfection!

We finish with Beignets, with a carmel bourbon dipping sauce.

An Excellent meal, leaving me stuffed! Count on a friendly, attentive staff. However, it ain't cheap! to spend a pretty penny for your dining experience. If you don't mind dropping some coin for a great meal, definitely try The Bourbon Steak Restaurant if you find yourself in San Francisco.

Last Night in Charleston: Circa 1886

Monday was our last night in Charleston, and our 30th wedding anniversary. We really wanted to find someplace special. After a bit of online research, we decided on Circa 1886. We were able to find the menu online

We made our reservations via opentable.com, which is a quick and free way to make reservations online.

We made our way there a little early, which was a good idea, as we had a bit of a problem finding the off site parking area. If you go there, and not familiar with the area, I recommend calling ahead to make sure you can find the parking area.

We told our concierge at our Inn that it was out 30th anniversary, and they apparently let the restaurant know this, and congratulated us when we got there, which was a pleasant surprise!

This restaurant, is what you would expect for fine dining establishment. The service was attentive, the wait staff cheerful and helpful.

We started with Foie Gras as an appetizer, and it was cooked perfectly. Tammy had the Antelope with White Cheddar Grits. While the Antelope was a little tough, it was cooked and seasoned well, and they elevated grits to a new level.

I had the Bison Short ribs, which were tender, with a very deep, rich, meaty flavor. It paired well with the Pinot Noir I choose for my wine.

My dessert was the Butter Pecan Creme Brûlée with Firefly Bourbon Cake. Tammy had Crispy Pear Bread Pudding with Aged Cheddar Ice Cream. The ice cream was a little gritty texture, but delicious and unique flavor

Overall it was a experience worthy of an anniversary dinner, and a good way to finish up our Charleston stay. We would definitely stop there again. The next stop on our journey, Savannah Georgia.