MKT Restaurant – San Francisco

While the days of printing presses on Market Street are long gone, there’s a restaurant in San Francisco’s SoMa neighbourhood that continues to pay homage to the area’s newspaper-publishing roots. Perched on the fifth floor of the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco, MKT Restaurant evokes the golden age through subtle details: recycled newsprint wallpaper, ink bottle accents and typeset letters dotting its walls. Ah, character. Something missing from so many hotel restaurants. Add to that impeccable service, a casual-chic ambiance and a mouthwatering California-inspired menu and – well – it’s the kind of restaurant we could spend hours in. And that we did… 

As my hubby diligently read his “newspaper” line-by-line trying to narrow down the menu options, my attention shifted to the cocktails. Feeling a bit nostalgic and inspired by the retro decor, I decided to order a classic: The Earl…

Made with Rittenhouse rye, Earl Grey simple syrup and bitters, it was one of the best Old Fashioned cocktails I’ve ever had. And after chatting with Lenny Gumm – the head bartender – I understood why. The man oozes passion for cocktails: he’s inspiring, creative and incredibly talented. Meticulously crafted, every drink is served up with a rare sense of pride — the kind an artist exudes when revealing a work of art. Energized by his passion, I just had to try another cocktail: this time, the Stevenson Swizzle…

As I sipped on the expertly-balanced cocktail (made with Ron Zacapa 23yr rum, house-made falernum, lime, orgeat and bitters) I stared out the panoramic windows at Market Street and tried to imagine what it was like decades ago. A few minutes later, our server Karen (who provided the best service we’ve experienced in a long time) came by to walk us through the menu. She was exceptionally knowledgeable, friendly and gave us fantastic recommendations. Like these perfectly-seared Royal Sweet Scallops…

Served with Brentwood corn, lemon, cucumber and borage salsa verde this dish was beautifully-conceptualized and executed. I didn’t think the corn would work with the scallops (since they’re both sweet), but the other fresh ingredients brightened up the dish and added a nice acidity to balance it out. Bravo to Executive Chef Alexander La Motte (who previously worked at highly-acclaimed restaurants like The French Laundry and Daniel). Equally delicious was the Charred Octopus with confit potatoes, chorizo, cilantro and yogurt — this one made my hubby smile: a Greek stamp of approval is always a good thing when it comes to octopus…

Next up was the Brandt Beef Prime Flat Iron. After one bite, I understood why MKT has a reputation for putting out some of the best steaks in town. It was tender, perfectly-seasoned and cooked exactly how we requested. I absolutely loved the Castelvetrano olive tapenade and thought it added a great dimension to the dish. Oh, and the dauphine potatoes were dreamy: gloriously golden shells with light, creamy centres.

But my favourite dish of the night was definitely the Liberty Farm Duck Breast. Succulent, crispy on the outside and served with the most delicious sour cherry mustard foie gras jus. This is a dish you do not want to miss — trust me.

Although we were both stuffed by the time we finished our entrées, we just couldn’t resist the desserts. I ordered the Duck Egg Brulee and thought the dish was really innovative. Topped with an anise and lemon crumble and served with rhubarb consomme, it was well-balanced and refined. We also really loved the Coffee and Apple dessert. The mini brioche donuts, hazelnut streusel and condensed milk ice cream all offered up different textures and flavours that came together quite nicely. The perfect end to a delicious meal.

Our experience at MKT was certainly a memorable one. The dishes were outstanding , the cocktail program was inspiring and – most notably – the service was top notch. The next time you find yourself strolling down the historic Market Street, I highly recommend you stop in at FS San Francisco, take the elevator up to the fifth floor, order yourself a handcrafted cocktail and enjoy the local, seasonal SoCal dishes at MKT Restaurant.