One Market Restaurant, San Francisco

Update Reviews, 2023 Visits

July 2023

I dined with one other guest.  The food was all fine, well prepared, nicely presented, served at the proper temperature, etc, but nothing really blew me away and left a memorable impression.

An ok meal.

 As it was a weekday casual meal for us, we didn't do a full 3 courses each, and rather opted for one appetizer, one entree (that came with two sides), plus two additional sides, and of course dessert, along with cocktails and wine.  This turned out to fill us both, plus give us each a take home meal for the next day.  Definitely a good value.

Orso Rosso Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon. $18.

"Friuli Colli Orientali, Italy 2019."

Within a moment of sitting, our bartender approached and asked what we'd like.  We needed a minute to look over the menu.  When he came back, I said I was looking for a red wine, something not to tannic, but interesting.  The bartender suggested a light pinot (Alma de Cattleya Pinot Noir), one of the cheaper options on the menu, and said he liked it quite a bit.  I wanted something a bit bigger than a pinot though, and asked about one of the more expensive cabs (Stardust) or the Frog’s Leap Zinfandel.  He told me the Stardust was too big, and offered to let me try the zin and the pinot he had suggested.

I tried a sample of each, and, as expected, found the pinot too light for what I was looking for.  I was glad I tried then zin too though, as it had more acid than I like.  He could tell I wasn't thrilled with either, and moved on to suggest another, the Orso Rosso Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon.  I sampled that too, and immediately grinned and gave him a thumbs up.  It was a bit more complex than the pinot, and didn't have any acid to it.  Definitely more my style, and I'd get this again, but would still more likely try something else.  ***+.

I appreciated getting to sample before I committed, as I really wasn't thrilled with the first two options.  I also appreciated that he wasn't just trying to get the higher value sale, steering me away from the more expensive options.

Old Fashioned.
$9 HH Benchmark Bourbon + $1.50.

My dining companion asked for a generic drink, and ordered an old fashioned.  He was asked if he had a choice of liquor.  He said no.  The bartender asked if he'd like the happy hour priced Benchmark bourbon.  My guest asked him about the bourbon, as he was unfamiliar.  The bartender didn't have much to say other than that it was the happy hour choice.  My guest decided to try it.  He was also asked if he'd like his old fashioned on the rocks or with a big rock, he opted for the later, and commented that it was nice to have that choice.  

His drink was quickly prepared, and presented attractively with orange peel and cherry garnish.  My guest enjoyed his drink, although noted that it was only single strained.

Bread & Butter.
(Complimentary, upon request).

To start our meal, we did ask for the bread, listed on the menu as served on request only.  

The bread was served nicely warm, and attractively presented in a bread basket with white linens.  I believe this was Acme Bread epi, and we both loved the light crust and nice chew to the bread.  The butter was served in a special ceramic vessel, and was chilled, but not too firm, so it easily spread on the bread.  We were provided two butter knives in the basket with the bread, and little bread plates at our seats.

***+.

Crispy Fried Chicken (5 pieces). $29.

For our main dishes, my guest opted for a standard entree (fried chicken) which came with two sides (mashed potatoes, cole slaw) and I opted for a starter as my entree (the octopus) alongside two more sides (potato salad, slaw).  There was quite a lag before our meals arrived, nearly 30 minutes after ordering, which we both felt was a bit long. 

The fried chicken literally looked just as good as the marketing materials that drew my guest in to ordering it in the first place.  When reading the menu, my guest remarked that there was no way he'd be able to finish 5 pieces of chicken, and when it arrived in front of him, he somewhat gasped.  It wasn't just 5 pieces of chicken, it was 5 very large pieces of chicken.  It was piping hot, so hot that he needed to wait a few minutes to be able to pick it up, which was fine, he set about serving up his sides in the meantime.

He was pleased that it was such a selection of pieces, including a drumstick, a wing, breast, and thigh.  Even though he didn't have a separate appetizer, he only made it through the two smallest pieces, and took the rest home.  He commented that the chicken was "amazingly moist, in a very impressive way".  He also noted that the breading was somehow quite light.  He said it wasn't particularly flavorful though, only salt and pepper perhaps used.  I didn't try it myself, as I don't care for chicken, so, no review from me.

Cole Slaw, Mashed Potatoes.
(included with fried chicken).

His chicken came with mashed potatoes that I tried, that were quite good.  They were more of a smooth puree style than traditional rustic mash, the kind that seemed likely to have been run through a sieve or food mill, and certainly contained plenty of cream and butter.  They weren't really seasoned much, but we asked for salt and pepper, and just a touch of each helped quite a bit.  The portion of mash was quite generous, plenty for two of us to share, and still have leftover.  Good, smooth potatoes, but not remarkable. ***.

His chicken also came with a big serving of cole slaw, AND I ordered a side of cole slaw, not expecting either to be so large.  We barely made a dent in the slaw.  The slaw was slightly unique with a base of crinkly savoy or napa cabbage, fairly finely chopped, and some shredded carrot.  No other ingredients, e.g. no red cabbage for vibrancy.  I thought it was nice to have something different from conventional green or white cabbage, although it was softer than a traditional cabbage slaw, and lacked a satisfying crunch.  It was well dressed in a basic mayo dressing, and again, fairly lacking in seasoning, and it needed pepper to boost it. ***.

Overall, his portions were a great value for $29, easily two meals for him, and probably best for sharing.

Cole Slaw,  Potato Salad.
(a la carte, $3.95 each).

For my main dish, I opted for the octopus from the appetizers menu.  I was worried it might be a bit small for a main, so I also ordered a side of potato salad and a side of cole slaw, which turned out to be entirely unnecessary given that 1) the octopus serving was large enough to be an entree and 2) my guest had plenty of mashed potatoes and slaw to share himself.  

The potato salad was a zesty style, with vibrant chunks of red pepper, and a creamy mayo base that was orange from some kind of seasoning (paprika?).  The potato was assorted size chunks, and decently cooked, not mushy, although I prefer a bit more bite to my potato salad.  It was fine potato salad, but not a style I particularly like, as I don't care for red pepper, and wasn't expecting that.  I was happy to enjoy my guest's mashed potatoes instead, and he took my potato salad home for his lunch the next day with the rest of his fried chicken. **+.

Grilled Spanish Octopus. $23.

"Smoked carrots, carrot top chimichurri, black garlic, basil."

The octopus (my choice of course) was the most beautiful of all the plates. It came elaborately garnished with micro greens on top, shards of shockingly crunchy carrot, and swirls of black garlic puree and a flavorful oil around.  The octopus portion was two large tendrils, nicely cooked, not rubbery at all.  I did wish for the to have a bit of a char, or smoky quality to them, but, the cook on it was fine.  Slightly boring, but fine. ***.

Carrot mash.

Under the octopus I got to the most flavorful elements, namely, the carrot mash, made from smoked carrots.  All the smoke that I wished was on the octopus itself was found here, and the smoky flavor was remarkable.  This was a very unique preparation of carrots, and I quite enjoyed it, although it was certainly intense.  ****.

Carrot came in another form in the chimichurri, made from the carrot tops.  I wouldn't have known it was carrot tops, but, it was a flavorful chimichurri that paired well with the octopus and the carrot mash.  Rather oily for my taste, but, that is chimichurri.  ***.

Overall, this was a fine dish, nicely plated and presented, well thought out, but I still wished the octopus was a bit more interesting itself.  *** overall.

Summer Corn Budino. $11.

"Basil ice cream, strawberries, cornmeal cookies."

For dessert, I had eyes only one thing: the new summer corn budino. For several reasons.  First, I've literally had every other dessert on the menu, multiple times (the classic good butterscotch pudding, decent chocolate crunch cake, and mediocre apple hand pie), but also, I love puddings, and I love corn.  My dining companion briefly considered other items, but also decided he wanted the same, given his love of corn too.

It took another 20 minutes for our desserts to arrive, which seemed a bit long.  Our places were set with a fork each, but once the dessert arrived, we were then given a spoon (which was more appropriate).  Slight misstep in service there, providing the wrong utensil originally, but quickly noticed and corrected.

One thing was very obvious when our desserts arrived: they did not look the same.  While the garnishes matched, my budino looked a bit worse for the wear ... full of pockmarks on top, definitely indicating some issues unmolding it.  For a restaurant that aims for high quality presentation, this was a bit surprising, as particularly when served side by side, it was clear this one struggled.

Summer Corn Budino: my companions.

My dining companion's version on the other hand was flawless, smooth on top (see photos).  

Looks aside, this was a tasty dessert, although not without further flaws.

The corn budino itself was a flavor powerhouse.  I think we both took our first bite and looked up with surprise.  We expected it to taste like corn of course, but, wow, this was seriously corn forward!  You definitely need to like corn to enjoy this, and luckily we both do.  It was sweetened, so definitely dessert appropriate, not a savory corn flan style (which is something I've had before too).  It was well set, and smooth, other than the pockmarks on top of mine. ****.

The basil ice cream was a unique flavor, and fairly refreshing, a lovely pairing with the strawberries and corn, however, it was a bit grainy, as you can somewhat see in the photo.  Certainly not a smooth, creamy ice cream.  **+.

The strawberries were sweetened, more like macerated strawberries you find in strawberry shortcake, a touch too sweet for me, as they seemed like beautifully fresh berries, and I wanted them to shine a bit more on their own. ***.  Finally, the three tiny cornmeal cookies provided a crunchy element, but they seemed a touch overbaked and were fairly dry. **.

Overall, this was a unique and interesting dessert, well thought out and composed, and such a highlight of seasonal produce.  I did find that I wanted some whipped cream to balance the otherwise very strong corn flavors, to alternate bites with perhaps.  Or maybe a basil whipped cream instead of the lackluster ice cream?  Overall, ***.

April 2023

Like many restaurants around town, One Market participated in SF Restaurant this April, at both lunch and dinner.  I visited at dinner, where there were two different priced 3 course dinner options: a $45 dinner with soup, pork chop, and chocolate pudding, or $65 dinner with salad, choice of two entrees, and crunch cake.  I used the opportunity to return to One Market, because the entrees offered on the Restaurant Week menu are not items on their regular menu, and they sounded quite appealing. 

SF Restaurant Week (plus bonus dessert!).

For restaurant week, I had no choice of appetizer nor dessert, and both items are on their regular menu, so not particularly special.  The entrees though ... those were unique to Restaurant Week.

The other option for the entree for restaurant week was a grilled New York steak, with creamed spinach, duck fat fries, bearnaise relish, and natural jus.  While the creamed spinach and duck fat fries sounded great, and I was pretty curious about "bearnaise relish", I had eyes for only one thing: the scallops!

I enjoyed my 3-course meal, to which I added an extra dessert, and paired with a nice glass of wine.

Theopolis Petite Sirah. $18.

"Yorkville Highlands, Mendocino County 2019."

When my bartender approached, I said I'd like a glass of red wine, without naming any particular varietal or mentioning what I'd like to order for food.  He suggested a pinot noir from the list immediately, without asking what style of wine I was looking for, nor what I'd want to pair it with.  It seemed like my generic mention of a "red wine" meant I got the recommendation of the low key not too bold mid-priced "table wine"?  

I actually did want something a bit more interesting, and explained that I planned to order the asparagus salad and scallops, so I didn't want something too bold that would overpower them, but that I wanted something a bit more complex.  He told me that red wine would be perfect, since the scallops came with a red wine sauce.  He then suggested two other wines by the glass - the Theopolis Petite Sirah and French Famille Perrin, Les Sinards Chateauneuf-du-Pape, $18 and $28 respectively.  He offered to bring me a taste of each.

He came back a moment later with a tiny sample of each, so I could make my selection.  I really quite liked the petit sirah - it was incredibly well rounded, and I didn't think it would be too powerful for the lighter dishes I planned to order.  Very low acid and tannin, but nicely peppery.  Very drinkable, without being boring.  The French one had a bit more tannin than I like, but I appreciated getting to try both and make the selection myself (and, it was certainly a slight upsell opportunity, as the French wine he selected was one of the most expensive on the list).  I'd get this wine again with no hesitation.  ****.

The $18 per glass price was fairly reasonable, it retails for $40/bottle.

Appetizer: Grilled Zuckerman Farm's Asparagus Salad. $22.
(Included with Restaurant Week Menu).

"Slow cooked egg, parmesan purée, speck, banyuls vinaigrette."

The Restaurant Week menu did not include any choice for appetizer, but I didn't mind, as I love asparagus, so I was pleased to see it featured on the restaurant week menu at the start of the season.  This dish is also available a la carte for $22.

My appetizer arrived just 5 minutes after ordering.  It was quite attractive with the slow cooked egg right in the center, and remarkably thin slices of speck perched around.  Ham and eggs, front and center!  The dish name was "Grilled Zuckerman's Farm Asparagus Salad" though, so it was interesting that at first glance, there was no asparagus here. 

This dish was a mixed success for me.  At the base, hidden under everything else, was the parmesan purée.  It had an intense parmesan flavor, and went remarkably well with both the asparagus and speck, but it was rather stodgy.  There was very little of it, but the flavor was so intense that a little went a long way. I liked this unique way to incorporate the parmesan, rather then slivers or a foam, but the thick and gluey consistency was a bit off-putting.

Above that is where the asparagus came in to play.  There were whole pieces of grilled asparagus, served warm.  These were incredibly flavorful, juicy, and well prepared.  They highlighted local asparagus in all the right ways.  Delightful, and exactly what I was looking for in a "grilled asparagus salad".  There were only 4 pieces (maybe 5?), which did feel a bit light for a dish that was named after this ingredient.

Asparagus also appeared in raw, shaved form, amongst the bitter greens.  This was less flavorful than the grilled pieces, but added a freshness and different texture to the dish.  The greens were quite peppery, and an excellent choice, particularly with the speck and parmesan, however, I felt the dish was really over dressed - the greens had far more vinaigrette than I like, and ate very oily.  I ended up not finishing the greens, even though they added a nice component to the dish, because I just didn't want that much oil.

Egg: Not Set.

The slow cooked egg gave the dish Instagram qualities, as the yolk was perfectly cooked, and oozed all over the dish once I cut in, and coated everything in a richness.  That said, some of the white wasn't set, and was a bit runny and not quite appealing.  I also think it sorta detracted from the asparagus, so while I appreciate egg porn, I didn't love it here.

The speck wasn't necessary for the dish to be a success, but it did add a salty component, and I liked how thinly sliced it was.  It gave just that hint of flavor, with dominating with too much porkiness.  

Finally, the thing that really stood out about this dish to me was how well seasoned it was.  You can see the generous pepper right on top of the egg, but, throughout, the level of salt and seasoning was top notch. You can tell the kitchen actually cares to pay attention to seasoning.  There were other little touches, like tiny chive blossoms, and a bit of what I think was an minced onion relish, that showed the care put into balancing the flavors in this dish.

Overall, a well conceived dish, and I enjoyed it, but the over-dressed nature of the greens did let it down.  If I were to get it again, I'd try to ask for vinaigrette on the side, or at least more lightly dressed. ***.

Entree Pan-Seared Day Boat Scallops.

"Sunchoke purée, red wine, black trumpet mushrooms."

For the main dish, I had the choice of scallops or steak from the Restaurant Week menu, and I opted for the scallops, thrilled because these are not normally on the menu, and I love scallops. 

The dish looked fascinating, but not particularly attractive, when it arrived.  The fresh herbs on top were inviting, but the red wine foam was the dominant element, quite frothy and interesting visually, but a bit of an odd color, not particularly vibrant, with the brown mushrooms and pale scallops and puree amongst it.  The colors didn't pop.  

That said, I took one bite of the foam, and didn't care if it looked a bit dull - that foam was a flavor powerhouse!  Wow.  It was intensely flavorful, deep wine flavor.  Fascinating airy texture, and unexpectedly strong flavor.  I loved it, and quickly realized I'd want to lap up every last drop.  When my server came to check on me, I asked for a piece of bread (knowing it was on request only), because I wanted to get every last drop of that sauce (without sticking my face in the plate and licking it, which I would have done at home, no question, it was that good).  ***** foam, seriously unique.

The sunchoke puree was also remarkable.  It had a lovely unexpected smoky flavor, and went very well with the red wine foam.  It was creamy and a great consistency, and well seasoned. Much more interesting than a standard mashed potato.  I wished there was more of it, as there was only a few spoonfuls. ****+.

The other vegetable element was the mushrooms, deep and earthy, again, a nice pairing with the red wine foam and sunchokes.  ***+.

I did find it interesting that these strong, rich, earthy components (mushrooms, red wine, sunchockes) were paired with scallops.  They went remarkably well with each other, but were strong flavors for the delicate scallops to stand up to.  I appreciated the non-traditional pairing (e.g. not a lighter white wine or butter sauce, not mashed potatoes and asparagus or other more muted vegetables), but they did seem like accompaniments that might work better with a red meat.

Finally, the main attraction, the scallops.  These were fine.  I do prefer a hard sear and medium-rare on my scallops, but these weren't overcooked or rubbery, just a bit pale.  They were well seasoned.  ***.

Overall, a fascinating dish to eat, and that foam was the most memorable element of the night.  Again, I felt the dish was very well seasoned, a testament to skill of the kitchen.  I'd get this again if it was ever offered. **** overall, carried by the strength of the foam and puree.

Bread & Butter.
(Complimentary, On request only).

The bread and butter arrived quickly, and was exactly what I wanted to finish off all the lovely red wine foam.  

It was warm, great crust, nice chew.  I think it was Acme bread epi?  Served with a nice quality butter, although I mostly just used the sauce.  I'm not normally one to fill up on bread, but, this really helped complete the meal, adding some carbs and a vehicle for the sauce.  Top notch bread.  ****.

Dessert: Chocolate Toffee Almond Crunch Cake. $10.

"Vanilla bean ice cream."

The Restaurant Week menu came with no choice of dessert, just the chocolate toffee almond crunch cake, which is also part of the regular menu, and has been on the menu for quite a while.  I had it once before, and found it just "fine", and I don't eat caffeine at night, so I wasn't particularly excited for this.  I was at least looking forward to the ice cream, planning to substitute the plain vanilla it came with with their housemade sour cream ice cream, but alas, the ice cream rotation changed, and the non-caffeinated option was only orange creamsicle, which I wasn't really interested in (they also had a fruity sorbet, and coffee and chocolate ice cream options).  So, I got it as-is, and planned to eat the ice cream, and mostly bring the cake home for after lunch the next day, before my caffeine cut-off.

The presentation of this was excellent - zigzag drizzle of chocolate sauce, ice cream perched on top of chocolate soil.

The ice cream scoop was rather tiny, not really enough to have a bit of ice cream with every bite of cake.  It was frozen quite solid, and took a while to get to a nicer melty consistency.  The ice cream wasn't particularly creamy, nor did it have a particularly great vanilla flavor, and it was a bit icy.  Fairly generic lightly freezer burnt is how it came across, but I know they do make it in house.  **+.

Crunch cake: inside.

Of course, I did end up trying the cake then.

The cake was reasonably moist, decent chocolate cake.  It was two layers, with a layer of frosting between the cake layers, and it was also covered in a thin layer of frosting to affix the coating.  The frosting was a nice fluffy consistency, lightly chocolately, lightly sweet.  I wanted more of it.

The star of course was the coating, bits of toffee and slivered almonds.  They added so much crunch, plus sweetness (from the toffee), plus earthiness (from the almonds).  Overall, a fine cake, but not really special. ***.

I did enjoy making a ice cream sundae, with the tiny scoop of ice cream, a bunch of the crunch coating, and the whipped cream from the tiramisu parfait (more on that soon!), and then enjoyed my cake the next day, warmed up, and served with better ice cream, strawberries, and whipped cream, but, this isn't something I'd order again.

Dessert: Tiramisu Parfait $11. 

"Coffee-rum soaked sponge, mascarpone cream, Valrhona dust."

But I'm a dessert girl through and through, and I wanted another dessert to try.  Sadly, the only other options were the same apple hand pie I had before and didn't care for (besides the delicious syrup with it) and the butterscotch pudding (which is good, but I wasn't in the mood for), or this, a tiramisu parfait. Now, don't get me wrong, I love tiramisu, but, even more than chocolate cake, coffee soaked desserts are not something I go for in the evening.   I still got it, to try a few bites, and take home with me.

I'm glad I decided to get this.  It was excellent tiramisu, even if non-traditional.  Served in a parfait glass, with layers of thick, creamy, mascarpone pudding, thin layers of well-soaked cake, and topped with a crown of fresh whipped cream, cocoa powder, and cocoa nibs.  Great presentation, it looked classy.

This was certainly far more cream than cake, but I didn't mind.  The yellow cream layers were not really particularly mascarpone flavored, but again, I didn't mind.  The cake layers were far above average for tiramisu given the generous soak, incredible moist and flavorful, strong coffee and booze flavors.  The whipped cream on top was fresh and light, and the nibs added a great crunch.  

This was a dessert that ate really well, even if slightly messy as you tried to dig through the layers without spilling.  I scooped the whipped cream off, and used it with my crunch coating and ice cream for a ice cream sundae then, and devoured the rest the next day.  

If I was ever at One Market during the day, I'd gladly get this again.  A slightly unique take on a traditional dessert, and one that worked well.  ****.

Update Review, September 2022 Visit

A few months ago, I visited One Market Restaurant for the first time in several years.  I had a casual meal in the bar area in the evening.  As you read in my review then, I left with the same mixed feelings as I had previously - there are plenty of positive notes about One Market, but, it wasn't particularly memorable nor worth going back to, especially considering the price point.  And yet, I did go back, this time for lunch with a co-worker.

My opinion remains basically unchanged.  One Market is clearly striving to get their Michelin star back, but, it falls short.  The service standards are nearly there, but there are misses.  The price point is high, and the food didn't live up to the prices either.

Exterior.

On a nice day, there is outside seating available, but, given SF weather, we didn't take that gamble, and were seated inside.  We had a great booth along the window, and, in terms of location and atmosphere, One Market did shine.

The service was also nearly there - the hostess was very attentive, the staff worked well as a team, they were all well groomed and it was clear who had different roles (e.g. servers had their white aprons tied at the waist, bussers had full aprons, etc).  But that said, there were times we had to pour our own water refills, we were largely ignored as we ate and sat quite a while before being acknowledged that we were done, my cocktail arrived after my food, etc.  Lots of little misses, although it was clear the service level was expected to be higher.

Lunch Menu.

The lunch menu at One Market is a mix of their pandemic born Mark 'n Mike's deli concept (sandwiches, latkes, sides) and classics from the more formal dining menu, but geared towards lunch with items like a burger or fried chicken sandwich, alongside steak and grilled fish.

Special Cocktail: Le Fée Vert. $14.

"Absinthe, Green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, fresh mint."

To go with my meal I opted for a cocktail found on their special Moulin Rouge menu.  This full special menu is available for dinner, but, I was able to request this cocktail even at lunch.

It was the highlight of my meal.

The cocktail was exactly what I hoped, very strong in the anise flavor.  It wasn't sweet, it wasn't too boozy, but, it was heavy in the licorice department.  I loved the taste, and found it remarkably well suited to pair with food too.  It was a good cocktail to sip on, and it was nice paired with both sweet and savory cuisine.  I wish it was always on the menu.

I'd get it again, and it was one of the most memorable cocktails I've had in a long time.  ****+.

One service miss however - it took 19 minutes for my cocktail to arrive, and it was a good 5 minutes after my main course when it finally came.  I would have liked to sip on it as I settled in, and certainly to have it before the main food.

Starter: Chickpea Fries / Harissa Aioli. $10.

I've heard great things about One Market's chickpea fries, a menu staple, for years.  I knew I wanted them, even though I don't actually like chickpea all that much.  They sounded like a unique item and signature dish, I was willing to "risk it" and try something I wouldn't normally order.  When I ordered, my server said he'd get those out right away so we'd have "something to munch on".  But since my dining companion was not getting a starter, and wasn't planning to eat these, I asked for them to be served alongside my meal.  This request was easily accommodated, and they were served with everything else.

The chickpea fries were really quite interesting.  These were large rectangular logs, not thinner like a regular fry.  I really liked the coating on them, a bit crunchy, and unlike anything I've had before.  The inside was light and fluffy, really a unique texture.  They were very savory, and tasted much like falafel or hummus, just, a bit more mild.  This makes sense given their chickpea base.  They were not oily nor greasy, while they were "fries", I think they may have been oven baked?  They came with a harissa aioli, a nice mediterranean accent, and I appreciated having something to dunk them in.

I was glad to try these as I've kinda wanted to for years, but, I wouldn't get them again, just due to my own personal preference of not loving chickpeas. They also weren't served particular warm, even though I ate one the moment they hit the table.

**+.

Main: Seared Tombo Tuna Salad. $25.

"Grilled romaine lettuce, charred scallions, finger limes, green olive-fennel relish."

I was really torn when it came to order my main dish.  If it was dinner time, I certainly would have gone for the grilled trout.  I eat a lot of cooked seafood for dinner.  But at lunch, I really like awesome salads.  As in, salads that I load up with ingredients of all kinds - crisp and fresh veggies, roasted or grilled fruits and veggies, lots of pickled things, nuts, seeds, crispy quinoa or rice, fried shallots/onions/garlic/capers/wontons, spices, often yogurt or cottage cheese, and of course, dressings ... calling them "salads" sometimes makes me laugh, but, they usually do have a base of greens, just, a lot of other things going on.  But that concept is what my body is used to at mid-day, so even though I do like grilled trout, and the loaded latkes did look pretty good, they just aren't what I wanted at noon.  At noon, it was time for my "salad".  I had several choices on the menu - the appetizer "Bradley's ceasar salad", a dish that has been on the One Market menu ~forever, and has followed the namesake chef (Bradley) around his career for years.  I like a caesar salad, but, it sounded a bit too simple and boring to really be an entree, and, it wasn't supposed to be.  There was also a "Summer Bean Salad", which had appeal with puffed quinoa and pistachios (there are my crunchy elements!), but, I had seen photos, and it really was just beans, no greens.  I wanted a base of greens.  And again, that was more of a side dish, not an entree.  And thus, I really had only one choice, the single entree salad, a seared tombo tuna salad.

I read the description, and it sounded pretty good.  I do like grilled lettuce.  I liked the sound of the charred scallions.  Yay to finger limes.  I was lukewarm on the green olive-fennel relish (yay fennel, eh to olives), and I don't really like seared tuna all that much, but, it still held promise.

When my dish was sat in front of me my heart kinda sank.  Um, where was my salad?  The lettuce component was exactly 6 pieces of romaine, arranged in two piles of 3 pieces each.  The lettuce was grilled as described, but also smothered in some kind of vinaigrette.  It was soggy, wilted, limp, and extremely off putting to eat.  The lettuce element, both not what I was looking for in ordering a salad, but also, just really not tasty at all.  My dining companion thought it was asparagus, not lettuce, it was that odd looking.

I pressed onward.  The charred scallion I believe was the darker sauce on the plate, and that had ok flavor.  The relish too was fine, I liked the chopped bits of fennel.  Luckily I didn't taste olive.  Both these components were fairly oily though, much like the vinaigrette that smothered the lettuce.  The herbs on top were literally the only fresh tasting component.  I ordered this looking for vegetables, freshness, and, yeah, that I did not find.

And then there was the tuna.  Four slices, seared on the edges, and the two end pieces were also seared on the backside.  The portion was large, this was definitely a tuna dish (far more than it was a salad), but the tuna, also, not very good.  One piece was really extremely chewy, and there was quite a bit of sinew.  It didn't seem particularly high quality, which surprised me both because of the nice atmosphere and my expectations at One Market, but also, given the price, it was one of the most expensive lunch items.  It also was quite under-seasoned and plain.  Yes, there was plenty of oil drowning the soggy limp lettuce, and I could kinda scoop some of the relish onto it, but, it ate dry and plain.  I really wanted a drizzle of soy sauce, an aioli, just, anything really.

Oh, the finger lime was a nice touch, a few pieces on top of the tuna, little pops of flavor.  

Overall, I truly disliked this dish.  It didn't match what I was in the mood for, it was a complete miss in terms of texture and over-dressed-ness, and the tuna quality didn't seem high.  Honestly, I wished I'd given up after a few bites and just ordered a ceasar salad. I chocked down enough to be polite-ish, and knew I'd need a second lunch soon after.  Sigh.  Do not recommend, obviously. *.

Main: Meat Combo Sandwich, add Havarti, Rye. $23.95 + $1.95.

"Brisket and Pastrami."

My dining companion went for a sandwich from the Mark 'n Mike's deli section of the menu.  He couldn't decide if he wanted brisket or pastrami, and so, went for the "why not both?" option.  Sandwiches are available on your choice of rye or challah, my guest choose rye.  The server asked if he'd like cheese on it, and offered havarti or swiss.  This wasn't mentioned on the menu anywhere, and my guest agreed, asking for havarti.  We learned later that this was an upsell, an extra $1.95 for the offered cheese.  He was also asked if he'd like mustard, which he said yes to.  This was complimentary.  The server also let him know it came with no sides, and asked if he'd like to add something like fries.  He declined.  It came with two pickle spears as well.

I'll admit that I wasn't particularly impressed when his plate was set down in front of him.  It was, well, a sandwich.  I somewhat had expected the bread to be toasted, for it to be more loaded with meats, just, well, something to make it look like not a totally average sandwich, that just happened to be put on a nice plate.  It was sliced in half, but not all that well, with a corner torn off and hanging in front.  My companion said it was fine, but, yeah, just a sandwich.  There was nothing about it that warranted the >$25 price tag, particularly given that it came with no sides.

I tried it as well, and found it highly underwhelming.  The meat was tender and fine, the bread seemed fresh enough, but, again, nothing special.  The highlight was the mustard, a strong aggressive mustard.  There are too many great delis in SF that put out much better sandwiches to really recommend this. **+.

Press Pot. Decaf, Small.  $4.50.

To go along with dessert, I asked for a decaf coffee.  A individual press pot was quickly brought out, and plunged tableside.  The coffee was fine, unremarkable.  I think the decaf Americano I had with dinner was better, but this was average enough. ***.

Valrhona Chocolate Pot de Crème | Whipped Cream. $9.00.

Since I was visiting at lunch time, I took advantage of the earlier hour, and went for the chocolate pot de creme.  I normally don't order this as I avoid caffeine in the evenings.

It was an absolutely fine pot de creme.  It was thick, it was rich, it was intense chocolate flavor.  I liked the cocoa nibs on top, and the quenelle of cream.  I kinda wanted something more to really make it pop, and sprinkled a little salt on top which certainly helped.  Fresh raspberries I think would have paired beautifully.

Well executed, but no frills, classic good pot de creme.  ***+.

Famous Butterscotch Pudding. $9.

"Mexican wedding cookie, chantilly cream."

My dining companion went for the signature, "famous", butterscotch pudding, that I've had many times.  I didn't ask to try it, but he seemed to enjoy it well enough.  It is usually a solid reliable choice at One Market.

I was curious if we truly had different cream components, as this is described as "chantilly" and mine said "whipped" cream.  I suspect they were the same.  I also found it curious that both were the same price, although his included the "bonus" cookie.  It felt like he got more for the money.

Original Review June 2022 Visit

I have mixed feelings about One Market restaurant.  When I last visited several years ago, with a group of co-workers, we had a truly fantastic meal.  Everything was exceptional - the appetizers, the mains, the desserts.  I work really close by, and have kept an eye on the place, drawn in by the menus regularly.  But, it took several years for me to finally return, I'm not really sure why.

But I think my experience may be common.  One Market had a Michelin star from 2008-2012, and was always bustling.  Even after they lost that star, it was a common venue for the business power lunch, or a diner experience with wonderful views of the Bay Bridge.  And then the pandemic happened, downtown cleared out, and, One Market had to pivot considerably.  They did, transforming into a casual deli for a while (Mark 'n Mike's NY Style Deli), and eventually reopened the regular restaurant.  But the crowds didn't seem to come back.  When I pass by, it isn't vacant, but it certainly isn't the vibrant, busy restaurant it used to be.

For this visit, I was alone, and choose to dine in the bar area, which was available for walk in seating.  In addition to standard bar seats, there are also a few tables in this area serviced by the bartenders.  I opted for a bar stool, perched at the end of the bar.

The bar was worked by 3 different staff members, two in standard One Market uniforms (grey vest, checkered shirt, purple tie), and one in a green sweater, who seemed to be more of a manager.  They all were attentive, friendly, and welcoming, even to a solo diner like me.  The bar area overall had a comfortable, casual feel, with TVs quietly playing the ballgame for those interested (not me!), and non-offensive music at a pleasant volume.  I enjoyed my time there, and would recommend it for solo or small group casual dining.  The food was decent, but not nearly as great as I remembered.

Drinks

Since I was seated at the bar, it seemed only proper to start with a drink.  I was presented with a drink menu (and Happy Hour menu) immediately upon sitting.

Beverage Menu.

The beverage list at One Market is a full page, with beer (on tap and in bottles), specialty cocktails, and wine (by the glass/bottle, with a longer bottle list available as well).

I almost ordered a glass of wine, my usual evening drink, but decided at last minute to get a cocktail.  After all, I open a bottle of wine every night at home, but I rarely make a cocktail.  I should take advantage of the skill of the bartenders!

Cactus Flower Margarita. $14.

"Espolón Reposado Tequila, lime, prickly pear, grilled jalapeño, piment d’espelette-sea salt rim."

I ordered a regular margarita, and the bartender asked if I'd like the standard well tequila, or something specific, or if I'd like the special Cactus Flower margarita.  I asked if that was fruity and sweet, and he said that it was actually spicy.  I said I'd go with that.  He passed my order off to another bartender.

My drink was made quickly, handed over to me within 3 minutes of ordering.  I was also offered water.  The drink was beautiful! Such a vibrant color of pink, with plenty of sat on the rim.  The slice of lime garnish completed the attractive presentation.  It was served with ice, not too much to water it down, but enough to chill it properly.

The drink however was sweeter than I wanted.  While not fruity, it was sweet.  I also didn't really taste any tequila.  It did have the promised spice on the finish though, which was nice.

Overall, a well made, very attractive drink, but, not really what I wanted as I was in the mood for something more alcohol forward and less sweet.  I was glad to try it though, and it was a unique play on a margarita.

**+.

Savory Food

I picked One Market partially because I knew the menu was featuring one of my favorite spring ingredients: asparagus!  Yes, I had just gotten back from a week in Munich where colossal white asparagus was everywhere, and I literally ate it every day, but, I wanted more asparagus.  Of course, I knew it would be green asparagus, but I was still all in.  

Dinner Menu.

The dinner menu at One Market evolved quite a bit since the pandemic began.  It still has all the signature One Market items, like the chickpea fries, Bradley's caesar salad, etc, a seasonal soup, and all the standard steak/chicken/seafood options.  No a la carte sides.  I was pleased to see an octopus starter still on the menu (although very different from the one I had my previous visit), and a great sounding halibut.

But the menu now has a section devoted to ... east coast Jewish deli favorites.  Yup, during the pandemic they pivoted to doing deli takeout, with house made pastrami, brisket, etc, classic deli sides like potato salad and slaw, and of course, homemade matzah ball soup.  People loved it, and thus, alongside all the fine dining choices, yes, you can get a reuben.  It makes the menu look a bit odd, but I love that they kept it.  

Zuckerman Farm's Asparagus Salad. $20.

"Egg mimosa, frisée, sherry vinaigrette."

I started with the asparagus dish I sought out, the asparagus salad.

The salad was a wonderful light start to the meal.  The frisee was fresh and crisp, lightly dressed.  There were a few tiny edible flowers for attractive garnish.  The asparagus, green asparagus from local Zuckerman's farm, was warm and clearly freshly grilled, with visible grill marks on it.  The pieces were about a half stalk each, some tops and some stems.  It was perfectly cooked, not too soft.  Also on top was a small amount of chopped hardboiled egg, which I guess was the "egg mimosa"?  The egg was a slight miss just in that there was very little of it, and it was easily lost in the frisee.  I'd love to see stronger egg component - perhaps in the dressing instead of just a vinaigrette?

The really remarkable thing about this salad was how well seasoned it was.  The salt & pepper level were just perfect.  I was provided my own individual shakers, but did not need them.

Overall though this was a very well executed salad, a great celebration of spring.  It showed clear care by the kitchen on getting the dressing level, seasoning, and garnishes right. ***+.

Grilled Spanish Octopus. $22.

"Roasted fennel, kalamata vinaigrette, grilled meyer lemon, pickled fresno chiles."

Next I opted for the octopus, which technically was another starter, but I had it as my main dish.  It too was delivered by bartender #2.  He instructed me to drizzle the lemon over it, to complete the dressing.  He also described the dish as he brought it out, noting the kalamata olives.  It arrived about 20 minutes after my salad first hit the table, or 10 minutes after I finished nibbling on the salad, nicely timed.

The presentation of the octopus was quite attractive, with chives on top, the lovely charred lemon slice on the side, and the octopus tendril laid out almost like a seahorse shape.

This dish was a mixed success.  The octopus, two pieces, one curled piece with the suckers, one larger and meatier, was quite tender. If anyone thinks they don't like octopus because it is chewy, they need to try this!  So very very tender.  I liked the lightly smoky flavor to it from the grill as well.  The octopus itself was a success.

The fennel under it however was really, really overdressed.  It was oily and felt very weighed down.  This was a stark contrast to how well (lightly!) dressed the asparagus salad had been.  The level of dressing was just over powering, and I really love fennel, but had a hard time eating this.  Maybe with some bread to cut the oil?  I did like the bits of pickled fresno chile in there for a tiny bit of heat.

On top was a plentiful amount of the kalamata olive, and, more oily dressing.  Again, this just felt heavy, and over powered the rest of the dish.

The octopus though, the star of the dish, was well prepared.  I'd definitely get octopus again at One Market, just perhaps with some different garnishes.  *** for the dish overall, **** for the octopus.

Dessert

If you read my blog regularly, you know that I kinda have a thing for desserts.  I grew up in a household that always had dessert after every meal (lunch and dinner), usually homemade.  The concept of not having dessert after every meal is foreign to me!

And thus, I clearly had to have dessert.  I was a bit apprehensive though, as I know the former pastry chef, and am a huge fan of his work, and I hoped his legacy lived on, but, I knew it wouldn't be the same.

Dessert Menu.

The dessert menu at One Market has a few "classic" items that have been on the menu ~forever.  I've had the famous butterscotch pudding and chocolate pot de creme before, and, as a pudding lover, I can vouch for them being decent.  The other classic, chocolate crunch cake, does get great reviews.

The other desserts change out seasonally, the winter/early spring lineup was strawberry shortcake (but, with chiffon cake, boo) and apple pie, in addition to a few house made ice cream options.

I decided to follow the meal with a trio of desserts - the apple hand pie, signature butterscotch pudding, and chocolate crunch cake.  Covering all bases!  And yes, of course I planned to take some home.

Famous Butterscotch Pudding. $9.

"Whipped cream, Mexican Wedding Cookie".

The butterscotch pudding, always a classic dessert at One Market, was everything it should be.  Simple, but perfectly executed.  Creamy, smooth, sweet but not cloying, real deep legit butterscotch flavor.  It reminded me of my grandmother, who always made homemade, labor intensive, butterscotch pudding pie when I was growing up.  And you know I adore pudding in general.   I loved the sweetened whipped cream on top.

This isn't life changing pudding, but, just classic item, done well.

I'm not really into Mexican Wedding cookies, so I don't have much to say about that, except it was a reasonable version of one, and I do see how they could go nicely with the pudding.

Reliable choice at One Market. ***+.

Chocolate Almond Toffee Crunch Cake
w/ Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. $10.

"Chocolate layer cake, sour cream-chocolate fudge icing, house-made toffee almond crunch."

I'm not usually one for chocolate desserts, but the chocolate almond toffee crunch cake gets rave reviews.  So I had to try it. It comes with a tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream as well.

It was ... ok.

The cake itself was average chocolate cake.  Not dry, but not particularly moist, not particularly rich, mild chocolate flavor.  Fine, but uninteresting.  The cake was two layers, with a thin layer of chocolate fudge frosting.  The frosting was good, nice and fluffy, not too sweet.  I didn't taste the underlying sour cream as described though.  Pretty average cake.

But, the cake was really only one part of this.  It was coated in the toffee almond crunch.  This is where it got interesting - big chunks of sweet toffee, sliced roasted almonds.  I definitely liked the textures and tons of crunch from these elements.  The fee was very sweet as you'd expect, but the toasted almonds balanced it out nicely.  

The plate also had a drizzle of average chocolate sauce, a little chocolate soil, and a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.  The ice cream was fine, again, fairly average, not particularly strong vanilla flavor.  I think a sour cream flavor ice cream, to better combat the sweet elements and compliment the aforementioned sour cream frosting, would be a nicer choice.

This was a unique token chocolate dessert - certainly more interesting than the standard molten lava cake.  I didn't think it came together all that well though.  I love cake and ice cream as a pairing, and I did really like the crunch coating, but all together ... less good than the individual parts.  Really, I enjoyed the ice cream + soil + crunch coating as a sundae more than the cake parts.

***.

Apple Hand Pie. $11.

"Vanilla bean ice cream, apple cider maple reduction."

Since two of my desserts both came with vanilla ice cream, and I knew One Market also makes four other flavors (hazelnut, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or caramelia), I asked to have one ice cream swapped out for the caramelia.

I really wanted to link this dessert more than I did.  I was totally craving apple pie.  I had just returned from Germany, the land of apple dessert (apple strudel, German style apple pie, apple all the things!), and, I was not sick of apple desserts.  Plus, I hoped it would be served warm (it was) and I just love pie and ice cream.

But ... it just wasn't actually that good.  The pastry is where it fell short - it wasn't particularly flaky nor buttery, and was quite crisp, lightly caramelized in places which was nice, but also borderline on dried out and over cooked/burnt.  Given the form factor of the item, the crust was a key component, and thus, it really let this dish down.

Inside was apple bits, not larger chunks as is more common in apple pie, but they seemed appropriate for the smaller "hand pie".  They weren't too mushy and were reasonably well spiced.  Not particularly noteworthy in any way.  There was a crumble on top and under the ice cream that added a bit of crunch as well.

The winning element of the dessert was the apple cider maple reduction.  It may not have looked like much, but the flavor was intense!  Sweet apple cider, in a lovely sweet sticky sauce.  I adored that sauce, and it went nicely with ice cream.

Speaking of ice cream - the scoop provided alongside here was tiny!  It was enough for 2-3 bites of pie only.  I also thought the caramelia went better with the chocolate crunch cake dessert than the apple pie, so I'd recommend sticking with vanilla for the apple pie.  Once I ran out of ice cream, I stole the whipped cream from my pudding to keep eating the pie, as it really needed something.

So, great sauce, mediocre pie.  **+.

Decaf Americano. $4.75.

My desserts were kinda letting me down, and eating quite sweet, so I asked for a decaf Americano to balance them out.  It was quickly made by the bartender (the espresso machine was behind the bar).

I was impressed with the Americano - double shot so nice and strong, and it lacked any decaf funk.  I really enjoyed it, the best part of the dessert, really.

****+.