Food catching up to stellar cocktails
San Franciscans seem to have nearly equal respect for what’s new and trendy and for what’s old and classic.
These seemingly opposite elements intersect at Comstock Saloon, set in a North Beach space that started life in 1861 as the San Francisco Brewing Co., and still uses the ornate mahogany bar that has been in place since 1907.
When it opened in 2010 — under the auspices of the Absinthe Group that owns Bellota, Absinthe, the Boxing Room and other places — Comstock was at the forefront of the trend of creating cocktails made with housemade bitters, shrubs and the like. It also offered food that went beyond pickled eggs on the bar and pretzels in bowls. You could get seafood, salads and substantial main courses.
Under executive chef Michael Miller, who has been on the job for about a year, the restaurant continues to evolve. The menu has been shortened, but preparations have improved since my last visit several years ago.
What hasn’t changed are the cocktails, which continue to be some of the best in the city whether it’s the Scofflaw ($12), where the combination of rye, dry vermouth, lemon, grenadine and orange bitters goes in smooth and sweet until the alcohol adds a potent finish, or the Blood and Sand ($11) with Scotch, sweet vermouth, orange and cherry liqueur.
With the talent behind the bar, it’s little wonder that one of the most popular drink choices is the Barkeep’s Whimsy ($13), where the bartender chooses what you’ll drink. It’s definitely a place where I’d leave my fate in the hands of the experts.
Looking around the room, with its swirling fans and stained glass windows that let a tunnel of muted evening light into the dim interior, it’s clear the predominantly younger crowd is there primarily to drink and enjoy live music.
Yet I’d also leave my fate in the hands of Miller. His preparations artfully balance our love of seasonal with standards that resonate in a bar setting — such as barbecue chips with ranch dressing ($7) and fried calamari ($18) with shaved fennel and parsnip crisps.
The menu also includes asparagus soup ($12) and a salad of confit baby artichokes blended with pearl barley, sunflower seeds, flax and walnuts. It’s excellent and large enough to share. When we didn’t finish it, the waiter was quick to offer to box any extras.
Miller produces a Caesar salad ($14) noteworthy for its bold dose of garlic, shaved egg yolks, grated cheese and paperthin toasted croutons. Another salad, with duck confit ($19), is accented with a contemporary twist of compressed pineapple.
The two main courses are straightforward and substantial. A half roast chicken ($23) has a skin so bronzed it mimics the mahogany bar. The chicken spent just enough time in the oven so it’s still juicy but fully cooked. Miller presents it on a bed of sauteed greens, giving sweet, textural relief with honey-miso cashews and natural juices.
The hamburger ($17) rates four stars on the sloppiness factor. The bun can’t contain the shredded lettuce that sticks out a generous inch around the edges. Inside is a thick patty with shredded onions and a melting smear of pimento cheese. The burger is served with excellent fries. Together they are an unbeatable way to dampen the effects of alcohol.
Desserts (all $8) offer a spirituous ending with a glass layered with banana cake and bourbon pudding with so much alcohol it has the texture of a sauce; and a cheesecake like lemon icebox pie with a puff of whipped cream and blueberries.
In the end, Comstock aptly serves both drinkers and diners, especially if you’re seated at a booth that lines the wall, where every table is set with a vase of red roses. It’s an elegant reminder that diners don’t have to lower expectations when eating in a bar.