Yip on Palomino
Palomino * 345 Spear St @ Folsom * San Francisco, CA 94105 * (415) 512-7400
Cuisine: Modern Italian
Neighborhood: Financial District
This place is like an extension of the Gap-eteria, since it is located directly between two huge buildings housing Gap Inc employees and right across the lobby from a third. It is a great location for a business lunch or a happy hour. And you’re sure to see a lot of fashionistas at both times of day.
The Scene
The big driver here is the expansive outdoor patio overlooking the Bay Bridge. Unfortunately, this calling card is in jeopardy because there is some mysterious construction across the street that could potentially ruin their view. The interior décor fits the formula for generic upscale chain in terms of fabric and furniture, and they have a huge bar and bar area. One thing I noticed which I was impressed by was their hand blown glass lighting. Shocker, I noticed the lighting … Their chairs also have high backs and are very comfortable. And they make you feel tall while you are sitting, which is always a plus for those of us that are vertically challenged without our 4”stilletos. Also, beware of what appears to be a normal restaurant napkin that sheds like the family dog. I was desperate for one of those roller lint removers when I got up from the table. Eww.
The Menu
They have a very extensive menu. In fact, it’s almost too much to read. Find something that appeals to you and stop. Just pick that. They have a great pick-two soup, salad, pasta and sandwich deal for lunch which I highly recommend. They also have an extensive apps menu, which would serve your happy hour needs. Their pizzas are the super skinny almost flatbread type. I would suggest that they relook at their soup assortment: if you have two soups on the menu, both shouldn’t be cream based. All a bit pricey for what it is, so beware you are not in store for a value meal.
The Food
We started with the cheese fries. And, I know what you are thinking. But these are not the usual pub fare, bar food, sometimes chili soaked, cheese fries. These have gorgonzola chunks and some kind of delicious white cheesy sauce. And then the fries are those superbly spiceful waffle-cuts. I highly recommend. They also start you with bread and a spicy chunky tomato and garlic sauce, if you can get them to remember to bring it to the table.
For my meal, I had the half mozzarella, tomato, basil Panini with a salad. Be sure to ask for no mayo or whatever weird sauce they put on the paninis. And make sure that they deliver to your table that way. There is plenty of butter to make the sandy mighty tasty that you don’t need mayo and an additional 10 grams of fat. As for the salad, I got the “chop chop” (which you have to pay $0.50 more for, but is totally worth it). I was forewarned that they are no good at putting an acceptable amount of salad dressing on the salad, so be sure to ask for it on the side.
The Service
Overall, I’d have to say it was absentee and not well organized. For some reason every item that came to the table from drinks to meals, the waitress had to recount who had what. “Who had the diet coke? Who had the iced tea?” Maybe it's just me (but afterall this blog is all about me), but that is totally annoying. I have worked in food service and while it can be challenging to deal with needy, hungry people, it is not that challenging to take orders in a systematic way so that you can deliver the items to the table without interrupting the patron’s enjoyment of each other’s company.
The Bathrooms
Well lit. Clean. And marble everywhere, but not in the Caesar’s Palace kind of way. Unfortunately, somewhere in the middle of my lipstick reapplication, the light bulb started flickering like mad, a la disco strobe light. I mentioned this to the hostess on my way out and nothing was done about it during my hour meal, as I visited the ladies again prior to departure. I also get kind of annoyed when you let them know something is wrong and they don’t take care of it. Just take the damn flicker bulb out – it’s not like it was going to be pitch black with one less bulb.
**************
In a spoonful, totally acceptable for a nice, downtown business lunch, but it is overpriced for what it is. Choose another place if you are looking for dinner, but celebrate a happy hour here while you can still enjoy the view. And for those post-work cocktailing bachelors out there, you might even score a few numbers.
Yip gives it 2 spoons
Cuisine: Modern Italian
Neighborhood: Financial District
This place is like an extension of the Gap-eteria, since it is located directly between two huge buildings housing Gap Inc employees and right across the lobby from a third. It is a great location for a business lunch or a happy hour. And you’re sure to see a lot of fashionistas at both times of day.
The Scene
The big driver here is the expansive outdoor patio overlooking the Bay Bridge. Unfortunately, this calling card is in jeopardy because there is some mysterious construction across the street that could potentially ruin their view. The interior décor fits the formula for generic upscale chain in terms of fabric and furniture, and they have a huge bar and bar area. One thing I noticed which I was impressed by was their hand blown glass lighting. Shocker, I noticed the lighting … Their chairs also have high backs and are very comfortable. And they make you feel tall while you are sitting, which is always a plus for those of us that are vertically challenged without our 4”stilletos. Also, beware of what appears to be a normal restaurant napkin that sheds like the family dog. I was desperate for one of those roller lint removers when I got up from the table. Eww.
The Menu
They have a very extensive menu. In fact, it’s almost too much to read. Find something that appeals to you and stop. Just pick that. They have a great pick-two soup, salad, pasta and sandwich deal for lunch which I highly recommend. They also have an extensive apps menu, which would serve your happy hour needs. Their pizzas are the super skinny almost flatbread type. I would suggest that they relook at their soup assortment: if you have two soups on the menu, both shouldn’t be cream based. All a bit pricey for what it is, so beware you are not in store for a value meal.
The Food
We started with the cheese fries. And, I know what you are thinking. But these are not the usual pub fare, bar food, sometimes chili soaked, cheese fries. These have gorgonzola chunks and some kind of delicious white cheesy sauce. And then the fries are those superbly spiceful waffle-cuts. I highly recommend. They also start you with bread and a spicy chunky tomato and garlic sauce, if you can get them to remember to bring it to the table.
For my meal, I had the half mozzarella, tomato, basil Panini with a salad. Be sure to ask for no mayo or whatever weird sauce they put on the paninis. And make sure that they deliver to your table that way. There is plenty of butter to make the sandy mighty tasty that you don’t need mayo and an additional 10 grams of fat. As for the salad, I got the “chop chop” (which you have to pay $0.50 more for, but is totally worth it). I was forewarned that they are no good at putting an acceptable amount of salad dressing on the salad, so be sure to ask for it on the side.
The Service
Overall, I’d have to say it was absentee and not well organized. For some reason every item that came to the table from drinks to meals, the waitress had to recount who had what. “Who had the diet coke? Who had the iced tea?” Maybe it's just me (but afterall this blog is all about me), but that is totally annoying. I have worked in food service and while it can be challenging to deal with needy, hungry people, it is not that challenging to take orders in a systematic way so that you can deliver the items to the table without interrupting the patron’s enjoyment of each other’s company.
The Bathrooms
Well lit. Clean. And marble everywhere, but not in the Caesar’s Palace kind of way. Unfortunately, somewhere in the middle of my lipstick reapplication, the light bulb started flickering like mad, a la disco strobe light. I mentioned this to the hostess on my way out and nothing was done about it during my hour meal, as I visited the ladies again prior to departure. I also get kind of annoyed when you let them know something is wrong and they don’t take care of it. Just take the damn flicker bulb out – it’s not like it was going to be pitch black with one less bulb.
**************
In a spoonful, totally acceptable for a nice, downtown business lunch, but it is overpriced for what it is. Choose another place if you are looking for dinner, but celebrate a happy hour here while you can still enjoy the view. And for those post-work cocktailing bachelors out there, you might even score a few numbers.
Yip gives it 2 spoons
posted by SoCalATA at 2:05 PM
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