SPQR — Restaurant in San Francisco

I can safely say I have never been so disappointed by a restaurant awarded a Michelin star. I have visited many over the years and in different countries, but none of them were a let-down until SPQR.

If I had to describe the food, I would say that it was genuinely confusing. Each dish was trying to achieve too much. There were many flavours and textures but somehow, when plated together, each dish managed to miss the mark simply because it didn't come together harmoniously. For the antipasti, I had the green asparagus, which came with a splat of burrata, and a fritter topped with prosciutto. I felt that the fritter was just as heavy in taste as the burrata, prosciutto and the sauce that dressed the dish – which meant that nothing stood out in particular, and it also meant that everything was just trying to outdo each other instead of being complementary. My partner opted for the pork belly. On its own, the pork belly was good, but again, when eaten with the persimmon, maple glaze and nut crumble – it was completely lost. I was also surprised at the choice of fruit used to cut the heaviness of the dish (persimmon), because persimmon in itself has a grainy feel on the tongue, and perhaps a fruit with a springy texture might have worked better overall – like a melon. For the primi, I initially picked the rigatoncini with lamb. One bite and I found the dish overwhelmingly sweet. After the second bite, I realised that I simply could not bear to swallow the third spoonful, so I asked the maître d’ if the sweetness was indeed the intention of the chef. He mentioned that while there was no added sugar, he would be happy to change it to another pasta. I gratefully accepted. Alas, the spinach pappardelle that came in replacement was perhaps the biggest let-down of the evening. I do not know how the dish managed it, but it was both rich and bland at the same time. I could only taste butter, cream and spinach, and absolutely nothing else. There was no bite to the pasta, which of course, did nothing to help cut through the heaviness of the sauce. The earthiness and bite of the mushrooms did save the dish a little, but not very much. Also, I can only assume that the fried egg that topped the dish was supposed to be a rendition of a scotch egg, but unfortunately, the batter was neither crispy nor tasty, and the yolk was so cooked it was almost rubbery. My partner opted for the squid ink perciatelli, which he felt was far too salty. I thought the sauce itself was flavourful, but towards the end of the mouthful, I understood what he meant – the saltiness was the final note I tasted in each bite. For the secondi, we both had the prime beef with the ‘verdure invernali’. The beef was passable, but the root vegetables were rock-like, and the sauce was a bit confusing – I tasted sweet, sour and salty, but somehow it just didn’t go with the beef, and in fact, completely obscured the taste of the meat.

By the end of the meal, I was genuinely worried I had contracted COVID – which, in my mind, could be the only explanation for why I was having an incredibly mediocre-tasting meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant. In fact, I was so confused that I had a look at the restaurant’s reviews on Google, and I realised that there was an extreme mix of sentiment – some loved it (apparently SPQR was known for spectacular pasta in its glory days) and others felt the same way I did: that it severely fell short of expectations. But, I will do a COVID ART test this evening anyway, just to be absolutely sure.

SPQR’s only saving grace was the maître d’. He was very attentive and came to our table at least five times to check on how we felt about the food. However, I felt that we were rushed through our meal overall, probably because of the numerous sittings they have in a night.

I will never come back. And if I am being honest, the next time I choose a Michelin-starred restaurant to visit, I will first look at its Google reviews, which cannot possibly be a good thing for...

“Meat and Potatoes” Couple Meet Culinary Excellence

In celebration of our birthdays this year, we traveled to Northern California for a week’s vacation. Our last night was spent in San Francisco, and we asked a local friend in the culinary sciences to recommend a restaurant for a “kick ass” dinner to close out our vacation. When he recommended SPQR, we were skeptical – we are basic “meat and potatoes” folk, and the menu looked a bit “wild”, plus one of us has gluten sensitivities; but, we decided to go for it, and to be open to new tastes.

We cannot sufficiently describe how magical the evening was. SPQR is a lovely little restaurant sandwiched in a long block of various businesses. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with no excess “fru-fru”. We were assured a table with our reservation, but opted to sit at the chef’s bar and have a front seat view to the artistry and skill at play in the creation of the various dishes. We were in awe as we watched the care and precision used to cut and prepare the ingredients, the swirl of activity as dishes were created and cooked, and the critical eye used in the final presentation and inspection of the meals before being approved for delivery to a diner. Chef Matthew was brilliant as he moved from place to place, preparing the dishes personally with the well-orchestrated and clearly well-rehearsed assistance of his staff. Chef frequently dipped clean tasting spoons in his creations and thoughtfully sampled items to ensure a high quality experience for his guests.

We ditched concerns about our waistlines for the evening and went all-out. We are completely unfamiliar with Italian wines, so our waiter assisted us in selecting lovely red and white wines aligned with our tastes. We started with appetizers: broccoli, hen of the wood mushrooms, smoked gouda, bread pudding and acorn prosciutto on a broccoli pesto bed; and an incredible sunchoke soup with truffle crema that is out of this world. For entrees we had buckwheat fusilli with pork, and almond crusted sturgeon and sturgeon sausage (prepared gluten free and flavor full). Both were a delight in each and every bite. For dessert we had caramel budino with toasted meringue, and a delightful citrus granita shaved ice preparation for a gluten free option. We finished off with a rich cup of espresso and a rapturous glass of Isole E Olena Chianti/Trebbiano (another on-the-spot recommendation by our waiter).

All the food was amazing, and comprised what we agree is the best meal we’ve ever had. The wine was perfectly matched to our tastes and our meals. Chef Matthew was amazing in his grace and mastery of his kitchen and staff. The wait staff was excellent: attentive without hovering and anticipating our every need and desire The restaurant was comfortable and inviting, with enough activity to be interesting and enough quiet for intimate conversation. We cannot image a dining experience superior to this one. SPQR is a...

What a traumatic experience! My partner and I came to celebrate our anniversary and had the worst service experience I have ever encountered in a restaurant. The food DID NOT make up for it either. The only reason I am giving two stars is because we were reimbursed a significant amount of money on our bill.

We arrived for our dinner reservation at 8pm, and I immediately knew something was off when the host told us our table just needed to be sanitized but there were multiple tables open, that looked ready. We received our drinks and proceeded to wait for our first course. The host did tell us that they were short staffed that night with a server out, and him acting as the main server, and host, while also the General Manager. We then waited an HOUR for our first course. That’s right, those tiny little appetizers. I’m 5 months pregnant and asked the manager/server/host about a half hour in, can we please get some bread because I’m so hungry my baby is kicking inside me. No joke, he told us that the chef said they can’t spare any bread because they might not have enough for everyone tonight. He said our appetizer course would be out very shortly. Another half hour goes by and the same man came by to apologize at least 2 more times, telling us then that the kitchen was short staffed as well. I kept watching as other tables received 2nd and 3rd courses, while we sat in starvation. My partner actually had to go to the local Walgreens to get me some nuts, against my insistence that we just leave and get food faster at home, 10 minutes away. I actually mentioned something to the manager-host because what was happening did not make sense. Why were tables that had already eaten getting served further courses, when we had been waiting an hr to to receive our first course?! Apparently the chef was behind schedule and wanted to get the courses out in his own way, vs making sure the patrons of his restaurant were not going hungry waiting for their first bite. The food was not great either, with one course, the Canederli, looking like some sort of animal treat with cheese sprinkled on top. It tasted bland and dry. The best thing we ate were two cinnamon-sugar Italian donuts, and some house made panettone that was given to us as a courtesy for our inconvenience. The kale salad was also good, which seemed like it could have came out first, when we were sitting there begging for bread.

I would not recommend wasting your money here. I’m not sure how they have held their Michelin rating this long. I recommend the chef (who is also part owner apparently), get a better front-of-house manager and food expediter, and let them do their job. Stop trying to manage the service flow and don’t ever let your patrons go hungry/ have to beg for a...