Home
2100 Market St (at Church), 503-0333
Dinner, 7 days 5:30-10:30pm, brunch Sunday 10:30-2:30pm.
full bar.
September 11 changed much in the restaurant scene in San Francisco. Diners stayed away in droves, especially from the higher–priced places. Many restaurants contemplated closing. Among them was the eponymous John Frank which was gaining steady interest among the well-heeled in the area. After September 11 turnover plunged some 80%, and a shutdown loomed.
Frank consulted with his star chef Lance Dean Velasquez, and they agreed on a new venue, in partnership, to stem the coming crisis. They changed the menu to American “home” fare — with special recipes by Velasquez — cut prices almost in half – with most entrees under $11 — and increased portions.
Instantly, a miracle occurred. The large place filled up and it was almost hard to get a reservation. This has continued until now. The quality, still under Velasquez, remains unusually good. The food can be characterized as similar to that of a French bistro or brasserie, with special touches of its own.
There are literally hundreds of restaurants in San Francisco that serve delicious entrees under $10, often with soup or salad thrown in. Mostly, this is “fast food” cooking of the meat-and-potatoes variety – the way most “home cooking” is done. Actually, this is the way your mom cooked. Often, such cooking is inspired and unusually tasty. It depends on the talents of the particular mom, or short-order cook in the restaurant concerned. My book, San Francisco on a Shoestring is full of such restaurants.
Of course, it did no harm that there had already been a trend in San Francisco toward American-style cooking, with a stylish French, Italian, or Mediterranean touch. Home fitted this trend perfectly, but, in the end, it was the inspired cuisine of Velasquez and the low prices that determined the outcome.
Appetizers, salads — field green salad with herb vinaigrette $3.95, Canadian bean soup with ham hock $4.95, iceberg lettuce, Danish blue cheese, apples & spice pecans $6.95, bruchetta, herb ricotta, & marinated artichokes, $6.95.
Sides — Macaroni & cheese $4.75, broccoli with cheddar cheese sauce $4.25, French fries $3.75.
Entrees — include mussels with saffron “soup” $8.95–10.95, Atlantic salmon with French potato corn bread and basil aioli $10.95, Niman Ranch pork with tortillas and avocado $10.95, pork roast with spring onion potato puree, & horseradish cream $10.95, Niman Ranch steak & fries with red-wine butter $12.95.
Daily Specials include (Mon) Sloppy Joe with creamy slaw & fries $8.95, (Tues) chicken cacciatore with orzo, mushrooms, red wine $10.95, (Sat) baked ziti & garlic bread, (Sun) Niman Ranch baked brisket with root vegetables and potatoes $11.95.
Pasta, sandwiches — include penne arabiata $7.95, pork sandwich with BBQ sauce & fries $7.95, Niman Ranch hamburger & fries $7.95, white corn and scallion risotto, cheese $10.95.
Desserts (all $5), include root beer float & ginger cookies, raspberry crisp with blueberry ice cream, food cake with kahula ice cream & hot fudge.
Drinks, wine, beer — large cosmopolitans and margaritas $5 (compared to $7–8 elsewhere), large choice of beers $3.50. Wine corkage is high — $13, as is most wine, 1/2 bottles $14–18, some whole bottles in the range of $19–30.
Home reviewed 7/1/02 by Louis Madison
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