Lynne Char Bennett, Karola Saekel, Stacey Wickman,
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Reopenings A drink and a bite at Annabelle's. Located across the street from the Marriott Hotel and near the Moscone Center, Westfield San Francisco Centre and future Bloomingdale's, the newly remodeled Annabelle's Bar & Bistro is a convenient dining spot for both locals and visitors.
The cuisine: California-French, with dishes such as coriander-crusted ahi atop fennel and herb salad; strozzapreti pasta and wild mushrooms; and petrale sole with browned butter and capers. Offerings from the new rotisserie and a pizza oven include roasted chicken and a thin-crust pizza topped with Spanish onion, Gruyere, mozzarella and fines herbs. The Valrhona chocolate souffle provides a rich ending.
A fun, interesting selection of 17 wines by the glass and 10 half-bottles supplement the diverse wine list.
The team: Charles Mosser, owner of both Annabelle's and the adjacent Mosser Hotel, has given free rein to executive chef Matthew Lee, formerly chef at the Carnelian Room, to update the menu. Wine director and manager Oscar Val Verde, former wine consultant for 2223 Restaurant in San Francisco, has expanded the wine list to include more imports and wider range of varietals.
The vibe: Small hexagonal black and white tiles, a long wood bar, glass and brass partitions, and Belle Epoque posters evoke an Old World, San Francisco-style bistro.