The
Dorian: Delicious, Fun Hip Brunch in
San Francisco's Marina District
We
love Chestnut Street in San Francisco's hip Marina
District. The restaurants and shops are always very active and
the people watching is great. We recently learned that the popular
Dorian restaurant at the corner of Chestnut and Fillmore had
added Brunch so we knew we'd better check it out! It was an
unusually warm and sunny winter day and even though the Marina
was quite crowded, we found a parking space within a block of
our destination.
The Dorian's Bar
The
Dorian has a fun upbeat atmosphere and was packed on this late
Sunday morning. The décor designed by Shelly Amoroso,
reminds you of a Victorian home at the turn of the 20th century
with a modern edge. There is a Study area with "family
portraits" and shelves with antique books, an ornate Bar
and a large Dining Room with beautiful crystal chandeliers.
These design elements are very unique transporting you to a
previous era, with a current twist. We were seated in the main
dining room where we had a full view up Fillmore to the San
Francisco Bay. We were told about the specials by our server
then perused the focused brunch menu created by Executive Chef
Chris Ricketts who is a graduate of the California Culinary
Academy with classic French training.
Oysters
Naturally,
a Bloody Mary made with their house made Dorian Mary mix and
fresh lemon was our first priority. It was quite spicy which
is just how we like it! We started our brunch with fresh raw
Oysters on the half shell, which were presented in a silver
bowl accompanied by red mignonette sauce and fresh lemon in
a squeeze bottle. Both the Miyagi Pacific Northwest and Buckley
Bay Vancouver Island oysters were fantastic and perfectly chilled.
Next, we enjoyed their simply delicious Deviled Eggs. They kept
it simple and were topped with a small piece of bacon which
added to the lovely presentation. We tried a few "entrees"
as well. The Shrimp & Crab Cake Sliders with arugula and
malt vinegar were light and right sized and had a true crab
flavor, as they were not over-sauced. The "Cure All"
Flatbread with Sunnyside up eggs, ribeye steak, aged cheddar
cheese, and Dorian hot sauce was also delicious, beautiful and
a very hearty portion that could be shared. We chatted with
our neighbors at the next table, who loved their Cast-Iron Chicken
Hash with sweet potato, poblano peppers and Sunnyside-up egg.
Flatbread
We
enjoyed wines by the glass with our brunch. The 2014 Tangent
Edna Valley, CA. Sauvignon Blanc was lively, crisp and had citrus
notes and the 2014 Soter Oregon Pinot Noir paired perfectly
with the Flatbread and was more full bodied than most Pinots
and perfect for our taste.
Be
sure to ask for the dessert menu. You will be glad you did!
The Butterscotch Pudding with vanilla bean whipped cream was
light and just wonderful, as was the Banana Walnut Ice Cream!
We enjoyed piping hot, fresh coffee with the desserts.
General Manager Chris Goodyear
The
Dorian serves an excellent brunch on Saturdays and
Sundays from 11 AM -3 PM and was very busy the Sunday that we
dined. They also serve dinner nightly, have a fun weekday Happy
Hour and their Dorian Whiskey Society has events the first Wednesday
of every month. We had a great time and look forward to returning
soon.
The
Dorian
2001 Chestnut Street (at Fillmore St.)
San Francisco, CA. 94123
415-814-2671
www.DorianSF.com
By Carol & Joe Davis
Dining Detectives