Jason F.
Yelp
Situated just at the edge of Nob Hill and above Union Square, along Stockton and California Streets, The Ritz-Carlton automatically makes you feel like an elite. The marble-lined lobby and dark gray lobby bar with its rectangular chandelier are luxe and moody spaces, and then further inside to the left of the entrance is Parallel 37, the hotel's restaurant that has its bar right in the middle. Sleek and sexy are just two words to describe the ambiance at Parallel 37, which is so named after the 37th parallel North line, of which Northern California touches, of which each dish on their menu is influenced by the cuisine of the countries that run along the 37th parallel. What brought me here was a specially curated dinner that a group of colleagues and I were able to enjoy a recently curated dinner hosted at Parallel 37 as a special occasion. With their full bar being able to be utilized and their private dining space behind a glass wall and door, our group were treated like VIPs. We began our evening sipping on three wines, two from Skyside, a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon, and then Cuvee Brut from Gloria Ferrer for good measure. With mini quiches to satiate our appetites as we mingled in their vast space we managed to take it all in as our fellow guests poured in from their lobby.
Our dinner began with their salad course, which was Roasted K&J Stone Fruit Salad served with seasonal chicory lettuce leaves, feta crumbles, pistachios, and topped with a shallot banyuls vinaigrette dressing. For our entrée course, we were given the option of their Seared Beef Tenderloin served with their summer truffle gratin potatoes, sautéed French green beans, blistered cherry tomatoes, and topped with truffle beef jus or we could select their Spring Onion Polenta, which was served with roasted wild mushrooms, charred asparagus tips, braised Swiss chard and topped with a pecorino hollandaise. For our dessert course, we enjoyed a Strawberry Mousse, which was served with a vanilla wafer, strawberry compote, vanilla anglaise, and lemon mint infused strawberries. Our dinner was served with just the right tenor and with extra pours of wine, everything was paired perfectly. I do have to say that both our salad and our dessert courses were the highlights of our meal, as the salad was as fresh as it was prepared thanks to the extra portions of peaches that were sourced locally and our dessert was the perfect amount that it didn't go overboard and was in the most unique shape that I have ever seen as it resembled that of an earbud holder, no kidding, but was simply refreshing, as it paired perfectly with a cup of coffee, which thankfully was provided and at The Ritz-Carlton is one of the best I've had.
My entrée was plated beautifully as it was equal parts meat, potatoes and green beans. It was served with an abundance of gravy which soaked up too much of the dish, and one of my fellow diners said that their meat was too well-done for their tastes, although mine was cooked decently enough. With a solid overall experience, it saddens me that more people cannot try the dinner service at Parallel 37, as currently they are only serving breakfast seven days a week. Almost a decade and a half ago, I remember that they were the place to be for an early evening libation followed by a crafted dinner by their world renowned chef that was hired to spruce things up. As little as two years ago, Forbes Travel Guide released its list of winners for top Bay Area restaurants considered to be among the "most outstanding" businesses around the world and Parallel 37 was actually one of their picks, which makes it all the more surprising to their pivot to a breakfast only service. Once this place has the ability to reopen as a full-service restaurant, watch out, as I can only imagine their bar area bustling with customers both from the hotel and in the neighborhood, enjoying a fruity mixed concoction, and an internationally inspired menu that sticks to basics with some seasonal California twists.
