RESTAURANTS • Fine Dining Report
Boiling point
While New York City boasts no shortage of fine-dining Korean restaurants, San Francisco has had fewer standouts in the category — until Ssal. Here, chef Junsoo Bae showcases his Korean heritage with pristine local ingredients, executed through the lens of his French culinary training.
The $258 per tasting menu unfolds seamlessly — a flurry of delicate one-biters eventually leads into a fabulous “Gamasot Bap” course, pairing Norwegian mackerel with Golden Queen rice cooked in a cast-iron cauldron enriched with local pine mushrooms, California’s answer to Japan’s prized matsutake.
From pot-smoked Wolfe Ranch quail to charcoal-grilled American wagyu, each dish feels like a co-star in the performance. By the end of the evening, there’s nothing left to be desired, only the memory of a meal that places Ssal firmly among San Francisco’s most compelling dining experiences in the under $300 category. –Lee Pitofsky
→ Ssal (Russian Hill) • 2226 Polk St • Wed-Sun 530-9p • Reserve.
RESTAURANT LINKS: In Mission Bay, Via Aurelia opens • Montesacro Marina flips to three-month gluten-free pop-up • Passion fruit dominates Bay Area menus • Napa winemaker pivots to ancient grain beers.
GETAWAYS • The Nines
Dining, Big Sur
The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the best in the Bay Area and surrounds. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@itsfoundsf.com. For the full archives, click here.
Wild Coast Sushi Bar (Tree Bones), 15-course omakase w/ optional beverage or tea pairing, bento box lunches, reserve