As you walk into the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco, Â you know right away this is not going to be any regular dining establishment. Â In front of you is a wood clad wall, artwork in its own right, with stairs leading upstairs to a balcony. Â It’s quiet, warm, and modern. Â It’s one of the most under spoken yet grand entrances in the city. Â The only sign you see is marking the steps for OneUP Restaurant & Lounge.
Heading upstairs, you are met with an immaculate presentation of tables, art, lighting, and a view of the kitchen, along with an impossibly polite staff to match. Â As you sit and take it all in, you feel comfortable, warm, and at ease. Â Conversations around you are at a minimal volume and not distracting from the ambiance of the restaurant.
Then the drinks arrive. Â These are no ordinary drinks, but perfectly crafted, properly glassed, works of art in liquid form. Â Exquisite ingredients, perfect amounts of ice, the right ratio to allow each flavor to dance on the tongue. Â My drink of choice tonight was the Manhattan neat, and I left there craving another. Â It was perfect, heavenly in nature, velvet on the tongue. Â Smooth would not begin to describe this drink. Â (It is actually the drink that inspired our latest quick fix recipe) Â My fellow diners all tried other classics, from a simple vodka and lemon to an Old Fashioned, all of which were enjoyed at the perfect pace and in the same, pleasant manner. Â This was the perfect start to an amazing evening.
Now, there are often a few dishes I lean towards when dining out, and lately it has been Brussels sprouts. Â Having been the victim of horrible recipes in the past, it took me a long time to get passed the memories and horrible flavors to rediscover this amazing green. Â OneUP has a side order of crispy Brussels sprouts, and please take it from me, you want to order these first. Â Multiple plates of them. Â Make these your appetizer. Â The char, the bitterness, all mixed with oils and fats from the bacon and seasoning, made these heavenly. Â Were they the star of the show? Â I would not go that far, but to say they stole quite a bit of the spotlight would be an honest statement. Â They were astounding and easily shared and enjoyed by the whole table.
The star of the show though came with the main dish, and not even mine. Â Across the table, one of my fellow diners ordered the mushroom risotto, made with sauteed mushrooms, leeks, truffle oil, and Parmesan. Â Simple ingredients prepared so perfectly, brought together at the right time, it was heavenly. Â The risotto was cooked to perfection, the perfect texture, as the Parmesan and truffle oil did not mask, but enhanced the whole dish. Â It was balanced, light, and filling. Â By no means were the braised ribs I ordered anything to sell short, but this perfectly made mushroom risotto was the meal of dreams.
It’s hard to wonder how such a perfect dining experience could exist in a hotel, where food is often thought the be the afterthought of most places. Â But here, within the walls of the Grand Hyatt, I sat in wonder and amazement at the ingredients I had just experienced. Â The perfect balance of ambiance, modern flair, and perfectly crafted food and drink, all within a welcoming and warm setting.