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558 Sacramento St. San Francisco, CA phone 415.434.4100 |
Rubicon is a favorite destination for wine-lovers and foodies alike. Opened in 1994, the restaurant celebrated its tenth anniversary with a prestigious Ivy Award from Restaurants & Institutions magazine and a three-star review from San Francisco Chronicle critic Michael Bauer. What keeps such a culinary classic vibrant and exciting? Partly it’s owners Drew Nieporent, Robert De Niro, Robin Williams and Francis Ford Coppola. Partly it’s superstar sommelier and wine director Larry Stone, whose remarkable wine list draws oenophiles from everywhere and earned Rubicon a Wine Spectator Grand Award. And partly it’s consistently stellar food. Executive Chef Stuart Brioza, one of Food and Wine Magazine’s Best New Chefs, is a rising star. His passion for fresh local ingredients finds happy expression at San Francisco’s superb farmer’s market; Brioza and his partner, Rubicon pastry chef Nicole Krasinki, visit Ferry Plaza daily to source the best of the Bay Area’s bounty. Chef Brioza excels in bringing unusual flavor combinations – halibut and cinnamon, for example – into harmonious alignment on the plate and palate. The chef’s food is complemented perfectly by Rubicon’s wine list. Larry Stone is among the world’s most respected wine professionals, and the only American named a French Master Sommelier by the Union de la Sommelerie Française. His peers call him “a walking encyclopedia,” a tribute to his knowledge and expertise. Rubicon’s cellar boasts 1,600 selections: a wealth of choices for every taste, occasion and budget. Stone hosts frequent wine dinners to showcase a particular winemaker, vintage or varietal. But Rubicon is no somber temple to the grape. Located in a classic San Francisco townhouse, the restaurant is relaxed yet elegant. Original brick and wood are spiced with paintings by Robert De Niro Sr. and glass sculptures by Dale Chihuly. Servers are warmly professional, and their enthusiasm for great food and wine is infectious. Like a fine Burgundy, Rubicon gains depth and richness with each passing year. |