Saison San Francisco

 
Hubby and I felt that a milestone birthday was excuse enough for a star-studded event, and in our case the stars referred to the culinary ne plus ultra known as Michelin stars.  But don't misunderstand me: I don't wait with bated breath for the yearly release of the Michelin Guide; I just happen to have some culinary savvy friends who are well-versed in the art of fine dining and drinking.  So when we mentioned we would be in the SF area for my bday, there were two recommendations they gave us: Benu and Saison.  In the fall of 2014, Benu and Saison, both two-starred restaurants, were upgraded to the highly coveted status of three Michelin stars.  I called both, understanding that it may require an act of God to get a reservation.  Benu was out of the question, even with help from the fine folks at American Express Platinum Travel.  However, someone may have been smiling down on me from heaven when I called Saison, as there was one small table in the bar available for us at 8:45 pm.  

The whole experience was near perfection, from the moment we walked in and were seated at our cozy table à deux, to our parting gift of tea leaves from the Saison garden.  In between, there was a parade of darling waiters who catered to our every whim, 18 beautifully executed courses (see below) with paired wines, and lastly, a tour of the kitchen and upstairs pantry.  It was one of those times I pray I remember every succulent detail created by the uber talented Chef Joshua Skenes.   

There is some critique about the music, of all things, which happens to be mainly 80's hits, plus a little Captain and Tennille thrown into the mix.  I happen to enjoy that kind of thing, as it definitely transports me to a happy place.  I mean, when was the last time you heard "Love Will Keep Us Together"?  I personally felt it was a good omen.  Oh, and price is another critique you may read about on Yelp and other such websites.  Certainly, there was an audible gasp that could be heard clear across the Golden Gate Bridge when the check arrived, but by that time we were so liquored up that we thought it was funny...YOLO, right?  Yikes.  I even found myself hugging the wait staff goodbye like we were long lost college buddies.  Those of you who know me can totally picture that scene.  I like to think it is one of the many endearing qualities I inherited from my sweet mother. 

On the to tasting menu.  Saison, from the French word for "season", highlights the freshest ingredients in season, some of which is grown in their garden.  The menu therefore changes periodically.  Email the restaurant for the daily menu and price (see restaurant information at the end of post).  Even though our menu contained numerous courses, many centered around vegetables and seafood which made for a lighter experience than one would expect.  In other words, you won't feel like the large diner from the Monty Python skit (you know the one with the bucket).  I should add that, with the exception of the duck dish, wooden spoons and chop sticks were the utensils of choice.  Very Japanese, which you know I love.  Bon apétit!

Le Menu
January 29, 2015
 
Infusion of some herbs from the Saison garden
Peppers, preserved in the wood burning oven, buttermilk
Caviar
Black Cod, grilled mushrooms, pine boullion
Lobster, warmed over the coals
Battle Creek Trout, its skin & roe
Abalone, grilled over the embers, sauce of the liver and capers, grilled pork jowl
Sea Urchin, liquid toast
Dungeness Crab, the whole thing
Seaweeds, in seaweed vinegar
Brussels & Cabbages, blistered in the fire
Naples Long Pumpkin, hung over the fire for 3 days
Fire in the Sky Beet
Whole Duck, grilled near the fire, a bouillon of the grilled duck bones
Red Hawk Mousseline, yali pears
Ice Cream & Caramel, cooked in the fire (plus a little birthday cake, which they called coffee and chocolate fois gras...see above)
Tea & Persimmon 

Infusion of some herbs from the garden

Battle Creek Trout, its skin & roe

Brussels & Cabbages, blistered in the fire

Fermented pumpkin is one of the three ways the Naples pumpkin is served

Fire in the Sky Beet

Whole Duck, grilled near the fire, a bouillon of the grilled duck bones

 Buckwheat Tea

Views of the kitchen

I dream about a kitchen so orderly

I have to buy a label maker, and some jars

Swarnadwipa?  Trout Cure?  Thank goodness for Google...

Quack quack

This is Naples Long Pumpkin, in case you were wondering

Saison
178 Townsend Street
San Francisco, CA  94017
415-828-7990
www.saisonsf.com 
Tuesday - Saturday 5:30 - 9:30

xo M

Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur

The next stop on our California road trip was the bucolic Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur.  The name "Big Sur" originated with the fact that it was known as the big country of the "south", specifically south of the Monterey area.  Prior to the establishment of a two-lane paved road in 1937 linking Monterey to San Simeon, Big Sur was virtually uninhabited.  Hubby and I drove this stretch of road with two toddlers about 10 years ago on our way to San Francisco to attend the christening of a godchild.  The scenery was so incredibly striking, and we were dying to stop.  But due to the carsickness that left our 3-year-old practically listless in the backseat (word of warning: the roads are super windy), we had to save it for another day.  From that point, it became a mission of ours to return sans enfants. 

Post Ranch Inn, in fact, does not allow children under the age of 18 (and no pets), so we were in luck.  With 39 guest rooms offering views of the redwood forests and the Pacific Ocean, Post Ranch Inn offers guests the ultimate in seclusion and relaxation in an unparalleled setting.  Indulge in a massage, sip champagne while whale watching in a hot tub, stroll through the nearly 3 miles of trails, or treat yourself to a nine-course meal in the Sierra Mar restaurant...it was everything I could have asked for in a getaway.  Add in the fact that it was designed by local architect, Mickey Muenning, and you have a winning combination.

Mickey Muenning is one of the original masters of organic architecture.  He designs buildings that blend in with their surroundings, utilizing natural materials such as stone, redwood and earth in original ways (i.e. see below his sod-roof designs).  I suppose you could say he was "living green" before "living green" was cool.  He began his university studies at Georgia Tech in the aeronautical engineering field, but transferred to the University of Oklahoma to study architecture under Bruce Goff.  Goff, a good friend of Frank Lloyd Wright, was an eccentric personality on campus who amused students by lecturing in a black cape.  After graduating, a gesalt awareness study at the Esalen Institure took Muenning on a fortuitous vacation to Big Sur in 1971 where he has been living and designing homes ever since.

Enjoy the post, and put a trip to Big Sur on your bucket list!

On our drive near Point Piedras Blancas along Highway 1, we happened upon an Elephant Seal Rookery that was too good to pass up.  These massive pinnipeds (females weigh up to 1,200 pounds and males up to 5,000 pounds) completely covered the beach as far as the eye could see.   

Come to think of it, after a few days of stuffing my face non-stop I was starting to feel like one of these seals

Views of the Big Sur coastline

Views from our Ocean House room at the Post Ranch Inn

Ocean House bedroom...

...and bath

Sod-roof of the Ocean House

Heated infinity spa

The lavender was in bloom during our visit

Sierra Mar restaurant

Breakfast is included and I couldn't get enough of these breakfast tostadas

At Sierra Mar, the best seat in the house

Majestic redwood forests

Hugging a redwood puts the size of these trees into perspective...as I mentioned, at this point, I was quite large myself

I found this coffee table book in the gift shop, but it can also be purchased on Amazon.com

Enjoy your weekend!
xo M


Post Ranch Inn
47900 North Highway 1
Big Sur, CA
888-524-4787
www.postranchinn.com 

All photos and opinions are of my own.  This was not a paid post.

Hearst Castle: La Cuesta Encantada

Approximately halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco (4 hours) on Highway 1 in the California Central Coast, lies Hearst Castle, the legendary estate built by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951).  His father, George Hearst, a skilled miner and geologist from Missouri, moved to California in the mid-1800's to mine, and in 1865 purchased the property as a cattle and horse ranch.  One hundred and fifty years later, it is still a cattle ranch, breeding Black and Red Angus, as well as a state historical monument that reveals the life of one of America's most successful businessmen of the 20th century.

In 1919, when William (an only child) was 56, he inherited the property, which had grown to encompass 250,000 acres.  During his childhood, the family often spent time at the ranch camping in tents on the hill where the estate now stands.  His initial idea was to build " a little something", a bungalow (of sorts) as he was tired and too old for camping.  The architect WRH chose was Julia Morgan, who not only had a civil engineering background from Berkley, but also the distinction of being the first woman to graduate from the École des Beaux Arts in Paris.  Construction continued through 1947 when WRH, due to health reasons, moved to Beverly Hills, and the castle was never completed. 

The area of the main house, or Casa Grande, exceeds 60,000 square feet, with the guesthouses adding another 30,000 square feet of living space.  As a result of the length of construction and the constant change of plans, the main building itself is a mix of different architectural styles, the main style being Spanish Revival.  WRH amassed a personal collection of ancient art, furniture, sculptures, and other relics, which gives you a sense of touring a museum. (In fact, I read an interesting blurb on the Hearts Collection website that, at the time of his death, it is said his estate had accounted for about a quarter of the world's art market activity.)  His notable parties with the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo and Clark Gable, as well as his relationship with his mistress, actress Marion Davies, lend an air of mystique to the setting.

Tours start at the Visitor Center where you will take a bus ride 5 miles up a windy road and climb 1,600 feet to the "cuesta encantada", or enchanted hill.  The web site details the different tours available, from the Grand Rooms Tour, to the Upstairs Suites, Cottages and Kitchen, and Evening Tours.  Whichever tour you choose, it is best to reserve tickets ahead of time as they can sell out quickly.  At the conclusion of each tour, you are encouraged to explore the gardens, the Neptune Pool and the indoor Roman Pool, before taking the bus back down the hill (more harrowing than the ride up).   

We signed up for two tours that day, each 45 minutes long.  The first of which was the Grand Rooms Tour, and includes the Assembly Room, the Refectory, the Billiard Room and the Theater.

Casa Grande is a mix of architectural styles

The twin cupolas are said to have been modeled after a Spanish cathedral

Detail of the gothic entrance to the castle

WRH called the dining hall the Refectory, after the word for a monastery's dining hall

The high ceilings, flags and tapestries transport you to the Middle Ages 

The table is set to WRH's liking, replete with ketchup and mustard bottles

Real blue willow china is the same dinnerware they had used for camping

The billiard room was one of my favorites

The 15th century Spanish ceiling recently underwent a $1 million renovation

Next was the Upstairs Suites Tour, including the Doge's Suite, the Main Library, Heart's private suite which includes the Gothic Room, Marion Davies Room (and closet...not as big as one would think), and the Duplex Bedrooms.  The Doge's Suite was very grand, with beautiful Scalamandré silk walls, but what caught my eye was the Main Library and the Gothic Suite.  Standing in the Main Library, you are surrounded by a collection of 4,100 books (many 1st edition) and 115 pieces of Greek pottery from the 5th and 6th century B.C.  It was in the Gothic Suite that WRH previewed his newspapers every night before printing. The concrete arches in the suite were decorated by Camille Solon in 1934-35, and the Spanish ceiling dates from the early 1400s.

The Main Library: per the tour guide, the ceiling was purchased from the Stanford White estate

The Gothic Suite in WRH's private suite

 

A few of his first edition books

The details everywhere were stunning, décor...

...the pottery...

...the tapestries...

...and the vistas

The famous Neptune pool was drained due to the current drought

And the Roman Pool with its exquisite mosaic tiles did not disappoint

I love the marble ladder

A visit to Heart Castle is a doable day trip from Santa Barbara or Paso Robles.  It was a stopping point for us on our way up Highway 1 to Big Sur, and specifically the Post Ranch Inn....I cannot wait to show you those pics.  In the meantime, Happy Monday!

xo M

Hearst Castle
750 Hearst Castle Rd
San Simeon, CA  93452
800-444-4445
www.hearstcastle.org


All photos by Marci Symington for texaztaste.blogspot.com