Bown's Best - Mandarin Oriental Hotel, San Francisco, California, USA

CALIFORNIA

SAN FRANCISCO

MANDARIN ORIENTAL HOTEL

Mandarin Oriental Hotel, San Francisco, California, USA I once met a man who said that he did not like San Francisco. Eager to learn how he had formed this astonishingly perverse opinion, I questioned him about his stay. Finally, the cause of his dislike became clear: his hotel had been in the wrong part of town. (Yes, even in this most beautiful and sophisticated of American cities, there is a ‘wrong’ part of town.) So let me direct you to an hotel which is regularly ranked among the finest in the United States and which, I guarantee, will ensure that your view of this wonderful place is as favourable as mine. And let me stress the word ‘view’ – for the one you will enjoy from the Mandarin Oriental Hotel will take your breath away.

The Mandarin Oriental occupies the top eleven floors of the city’s third tallest skyscraper, located in the financial district. In the picture, it is the building on the left, poking through the top of one of San Francisco’s famous fogs. This means that all its bedrooms command fascinating panoramas. But by far the best cityscape is to be obtained from those apartments, in which I like to stay, designated ‘Mandarin King – Golden Gate Bridge View’ ($820 a night for two, breakfast extra). The name reveals part of what can be seen, but there is much more: the island of Alcatraz, the Coit Tower, the sweep of the Bay, the distant hills beyond, Chinatown, the gothic Grace Cathedral on top of Nob Hill, the modernist Catholic cathedral – in Salvador Abaunza, General Manager, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, San Francisco, California, USA fact, virtually everything you want to see.

It is entirely typical of the attention to detail at the Mandarin under the leadership of its splendid General Manager, Salvador Abaunza (pictured), that the rooms are equipped with pairs of Bushnell binoculars, so that guests can look at any of these wonders in greater detail. I did just that on my recent visit – excited, as usual, to have my very own viewing platform above this magical city.

I was in room 3904 on the 39 th floor – to which I had zoomed in one of the express lifts. Since my last visit, all the bedrooms have been redecorated and furnished anew. They were jolly comfortable before: now they are superbly stylish as well. As soon as my brogues touched the hallway’s polished wooden floor I felt at home. Before me were the mirrored doors of the fitted wardrobes, with my safe, my iron and my ironing board – all highly useful to this traveller – within. Then I turned left into the large bedroom and, once I had acclimatized myself to that view through the three plate glass windows, I began to appreciate the colour scheme of red, black and gold. This décor was both warm and sophisticated. It was clever, too. Only when night fell did I appreciate the oval of tiny lights in the headboard of the bed, which mimicked the city lights far below.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel, San Francisco, California, USA I sat at the writing desk in the revolving black leather chair and noted the items provided for my convenience: a flat screen television, a dvd player, a cd player, a proper clock, a sofa, an armchair, a chaise longue, dimmable table lamps, really quiet air conditioning, writing paper with my name printed upon it and a leather covered note book. (This last brought to my room by the efficient and attentive Resident Manager, Robert Lowe.) And then my gaze was drawn again to the dark red-brown sweep of the Golden Gate Bridge, far away in the sunshine. Could there be any more enjoyable way to view this iconic structure? Well, yes – in the bathroom.

Lowering myself into a warm bath is always a pleasure. At the Mandarin Oriental in San Francisco, it verged on ecstasy. For one whole wall of my bathroom was plate glass and through it was the same glorious panorama. To lie in the cleansing waters, surrounded by beige and brown marble and assisted by Molton Brown toiletries, and to be captivated by the endlessly fascinating scene before me was sheer joy. It was a privilege to bathe in such a manner.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel, San Francisco, California, USA Several other features of the bathroom I noted with approval: the clothes line in the walk-in shower, the pair of scales, the large round clock on the wall and the basket for used towels. I wish that I found these in every luxury hotel.

I now hurry to correct a serious omission. I have made no mention of the members of staff. They are plentiful, courteous and efficient. It makes a difference when people are really keen to help and when they take the trouble to use one’s name. From the moment I arrived in my taxi until the time I climbed into another taxi to leave, I received exemplary service from every member of staff I encountered at the Mandarin Oriental.

And so to dinner. Silks Restaurant is on the second floor and inhabits a chamber reached through red curtains. I liked this touch of theatricality, for every good meal should have a bit of theatre. Warm colours, soft lighting and some clever decorative features (like the hand-painted silk chandeliers) create the atmosphere of an exclusive private club. High quality is all around – in the substantial armchairs, the white damask napery, the good glassware (Spiegelau) and the solicitous service (napkins are replaced). My friendly waitress, Miriam Sweeney, wore a colourful silk waistcoat. Mark Jenquine, the Assistant Restaurant Manager, presided over the room with some aplomb.

Chef Joel Huff, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, San Francisco, California, USA At the stoves, as Chef de Cuisine, is Joel Huff (pictured), who looks younger than his 30+ years. Mr Huff is a keen surfer. He is also a very fine chef, with excellent technical skills and an eye for attractive presentation. He describes his cuisine as ‘modern American’. He offers a 6 course tasting menu for $95. You should allow around $75 for three courses from the carte. I chose two courses from the carte and two from the tasting menu. None fell below my ‘Very Good’ rating, and one reached the level of ‘Superb’.

A salad of peppers, with wild rocket and rice, hearts of palm, yoghurt purée and wild rice foam was intelligently complex and superbly executed, producing a captivating explosion of tastes in my mouth. Poached foie gras (which had then been seared) was served with unagi (a fresh water eel), mango custard, rhubarb marmalade and caramelized mango. Here my palate became rather confused with the combination of flavours. Each element was certainly expertly prepared, but the whole was less than the sum of its parts. Then I reached the star of the evening: the Snake River Kobe beef – strip loin and braised rib. This was simply gorgeous, full of flavour and as tender as could be. It came with asparagus, mushrooms and potato purée. This last was full of smokiness, a smokiness which obscured the wonderful taste of the beef. I put this point to the Chef, but he would not concede the point, defending his smokiness. I hope he will reconsider, because then this dish will be one of the great dishes of San Francisco. I concluded with a marvellously indulgent (and well executed) huckleberry soufflé with orange crème Anglaise. This was a fine meal.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel, San Francisco, California, USA Friendly prices characterize the well-chosen wine list, with many bottles in the $30-$50 range. The well-known Grgich Hills chardonnay, 2003, is $73 and the 2002 Trimbach gewurtztraminer from Alsace is $40. It pleases me to see German and Australian wines on Californian lists nowadays, so I chose my own bottles from these sections – and I drank very well indeed. The 2001 riesling from Schloss Johannisberger ($66) had hints of kerosene on the nose and lovely flavours of apple and pear in the mouth. And the 2003 d’Arenberg Dead Arm shiraz ($105) from Australia was gloriously rich, full of ripe black fruit and almost burst out of my glass in its enthusiasm. It was interesting, too, to find some really grand coffee being offered, including the Kopi Luwak from Indonesia – at $40 a cup.

Those of you, who – like me – prefer to do your walking later in the day, will be relieved to hear that at breakfast there is no buffet. This is also served in Silks – subtly changed by the installation of different shades on the wall lights and the provision of yellow tablecloths. I ordered cornflakes, crispy bacon, sliced melon and Earl Grey tea, and consumed them in a leisurely fashion to the sound of canned Mozart.

If I ever again meet a man who does not like my favourite city, I will send him to the Mandarin Oriental. For I defy anyone to stay at this magnificent hotel and not to have a favourable view of San Francisco – in both senses.

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