Almost coincident with the opening of the Iron House an Italian named
Bazzuro took possession of one of the stranded sailing vessels
encumbering the Bay, and anchored it out in the water at the point where
Davis and Pacific streets now intersect. He opened a restaurant which
immediately attracted attention and gained good reputation for its
service and its cooking. Later, when the land was filled in, Bazzuro
built a house at almost the same spot and opened his restaurant there,
continuing it up to the time of the great fire in 1906.
After the fire one of the earliest restaurants to be established in that
part of the city was Bazzuro's, at the same corner, and it is still run
by the family, who took charge after the death of the original
proprietor. Here one can get the finest Italian peasant meal in the
city, and many of the Italian merchants and bankers still go there for
their luncheons every day, preferring it to the more pretentious
establishments.
The French peasant style came a little later, beginning in a little
dining room opened in Washington street, just above Kearny, by a French
woman whose name was a carefully guarded secret. She was known far and
wide as "Ma Tanta" (My Aunt). Her cooking was considered the best of all
in the city, and her patrons sat at a long common table, neat and clean
to the last degree. Peasant style of serving was followed. First
appeared Ma Tanta with a great bowl of salad which she passed around,
each patron helping himself. This was followed by an immense tureen of
soup, held aloft in the hands of Ma Tanta, and again each was his own
waiter. Fish, entree, roast, and dessert, were served in the same
manner, and with the black coffee Ma Tanta changed from servitor to
hostess and sat with her guests and discussed the topics of the day on
equal terms.
In California street, just below Dupont, the California House boasted a
great chef in the person of John Somali, who in later years opened the
Maison Riche, a famous restaurant that went out of existence in the fire
of 1906. Gourmets soon discovered that the California House offered
something unusual and it became a famed resort. Somali's specialties
were roast turkey, chateaubriand steak and coffee frappe. It is said of
his turkeys that their flavor was of such excellence that one of the
gourmands of that day, Michael Reece, would always order two when he
gave a dinner--one for his guests and one for himself. It is also said
that our well-beloved Bohemian, Rafael Weill, still holds memories of
the old California House, of which he was an habitue, and from whose
excellent chef he learned to appreciate the art and science of cooking
as evidenced by the breakfasts and dinners with which he regales his
guests at the present day.
But many of the hardy pioneers were of English and American stock and
preferred the plainer foods of their old homes to the highly seasoned
dishes of the Latin chefs, and to cater to this growing demand the
Nevada was opened in Pine street between Montgomery and Kearny. This
place became noted for its roast beef and also for its corned beef and
cabbage, which was said to be of most excellent flavor.
Most famous of all the old oyster houses was Mannings, at the corner of
Pine and Webb streets. He specialized in oysters and many of his dishes
have survived to the present day. It is said that the style now called
"Oysters Kirkpatrick," is but a variant of Manning's "Oyster Salt
Roast."
At the corner of California and Sansome streets, where now stands the
Bank of California, was the Tehama House, one of the most famous of the
city's early hostelries, whose restaurant was famed for its excellence.
The Tehama House was the rendezvous of army and navy officers and high
state officials. Lieutenant John Derby, of the United States Army, one
of the most widely known western authors of that day, made it his
headquarters. Derby wrote under the names of "John Phoenix," and
"Squibob."
Perini's, in Post street between Grant avenue and Stockton, specialized
in pastes and veal risotto, and was much patronized by uptown men.
The original Marchand began business in a little room in Dupont street,
between Jackson and Washington, which district at that time had not been
given over to the Chinese, and he cooked over a charcoal brazier, in his
window, in view of passing people who were attracted by the novelty and
retained by the good cooking. With the extension of his fame he found
his room too small and he rented a cottage at Bush and Dupont street,
but his business grew so rapidly that he was compelled to move to more
commodious quarters at Post and Dupont and later to a much larger place
at Geary and Stockton, where he enjoyed good patronage until the fire
destroyed his place. There is now a restaurant in Geary street near
Mason which has on its windows in very small letters "Michael, formerly
of," and then in bold lettering, "Marchands." But Michael has neither
the art nor the viands that made Marchands famous, and he is content to
say that his most famous dish is tripe--just plain, plebeian tripe.
Christian Good, at Washington and Kearny, Big John, at Merchant street
between Montgomery and Sansome, Marshall's Chop House, in the old Center
Market, and Johnson's Oyster House, in a basement at Clay and
Leidesdorff streets, were all noted places and much patronized, the
latter laying the foundation of one of San Francisco's "First Families."
Martin's was much patronized by the Old Comstock crowd, and this was the
favorite dining place of the late William C. Ralston.
One of the most famous restaurants of the early '70s was the Mint, in
Commercial street, between Montgomery and Kearny, where the present
restaurant of the same name is located. It was noted for its Southern
cooking and was the favorite resort of W. W. Foote and other prominent
Southerners. The kitchen was presided over by old Billy Jackson, an
old-time Southern darkey, who made a specialty of fried chicken, cream
gravy, and corn fritters.