Bown's Best - Aqua, San Francisco, California, USA

CALIFORNIA

SAN FRANCISCO

AQUA

Aqua, San Francisco Sadly, I have never much liked St Francis of Assisi. Obsessed by his ‘Lady Poverty’, he insisted that his followers should never own property. Arriving at a village and being told that some of his friars were living in a particular house, he promptly scrambled onto the roof and began to demolish the place. Only when the owner returned and convinced him that the friars were simply his guests, could the wild-eyed Francis be restrained. My saintly namesake, if we are to believe all those Victorian stained glass windows, liked furry animals. Perhaps they calmed him down. What he thought of fish has, regrettably, passed me by. But it occurred to me, in the city of my Patron, to eat some. So I headed for San Francisco’s finest piscine restaurant – Aqua.

Right in the heart of the city’s financial district (oh dear, what would St Francis have made of that?), this dining room inhabits the ground floor of a solid granite building – erected after the 1906 earthquake and now well restored. I was much taken by the bronze door handle – indeed, so taken that I took its photograph and reproduce it for you here. Inside, I found high ceilings, large mirrors, small tables, plastered walls and lots of flowers. There were also lots of people, so that the atmosphere had a definite buzz. I was impressed that the busy waiters, in white shirts and dark ties, found the time to replace the napkins of those who (like me) momentarily left their seats.

Aqua, San Francisco Aqua is certainly popular. Is the popularity deserved? Yes, it is. For it is based on the expertise of a very fine chef. Laurent Manrique is a Gascon, trained in the techniques of the traditional French kitchen. Indeed, before arriving in the States in 1991, he worked at Taillevent, in Paris – as good an entry in a chef’s curriculum vitae as it is possible to have. He has been at Aqua since 2003. He says, “If I have a beautiful piece of fish, I want to try to just make it a little bit more beautiful.” An admirable ambition. On the evidence of my meal, it is an ambition regularly fulfilled.

I chose the ‘chef’s tasting menu’ ($95). Only once during the course of its seven courses did the standard of the food set before me drop below the level of Very Good. This was when the poached langoustine (or, more accurately, one of its accompaniments) left some hotness at the back of my throat. Otherwise, it was gastronomic joy all the way. A corn soufflé with crème fraiche was superbly balanced. Tuna tartare, its ingredients mixed on the plate in front of me by the waiter, was rich and satisfying. A duo of foie gras – hot with chanterelles, cold with chutney – was ravishing. And then I reached the peak of this gastronomic ascent: halibut, crusted with brioche and served with crab, tomato fondue and lime mousseline. Lovely in conception and in execution. Sweet red peppers added an extra dimension to Atlantic cod. And, for the finale, chocolate mousse and a blueberry soufflé sang a melodious duet.

About 300 choices from around the world are offered on the wine list. An Italian soave can be had for $33, but my eye was caught by some of the older bottles – like 1970 Vega Sicilia Unico ($850), 1959 Latour ($4,120), 1957 La Tâche ($2,700) and 1945 Léoville Poyferré ($4500). From my own drinking, I would commend to you the famous white bordeaux, Domaine de Chevalier ($110), the zesty elegance of which was ideal for the tuna.

If you want to eat fish in the city of St Francis, go to Aqua.

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