San Francisco's care-free spirit was fully exemplified before the ashes
of the great fire of 1906 were cold. On every hand one could find little
eating places established in the streets, some made of abandoned boxes,
others of debris from the burned buildings, and some in vacant basements
and little store rooms, while a few enterprising individuals improvised
wheeled dining rooms and went from one part of the city to another
serving meals.
The vein of humor of irrepressible effervescence of spirit born of
Bohemianism gave to these eating places high sounding names, and many
were covered with witty signs which laughed in the face of Fate.
Fillmore became the great business street of the city now in ashes, and
here were established the first restaurants of any pretensions, the
Louvre being first to open an establishment that had the old-time
appearance. This was on the corner of Fillmore and Ellis, and had large
patronage, it being crowded nightly with men and women who seemed to
forget that San Francisco had been destroyed. Thompson opened a large
restaurant in O'Farrell street, just above Fillmore, and for two years
or more did a thriving business, his place being noted for its good
cooking and its splendid service. One of his waiters, Phil Tyson, was
one of the earlier ones to go back into the burned district to begin
business and he opened a restaurant called the Del Monte in Powell
street near Market, but it was too early for success and closed after a
short career.
Thompson enlisted others to join with him in opening a magnificent place
under the new Flood building at the corner of Powell and Market street,
but through faulty understanding of financial power Thompson was
compelled to give up his interest and the place afterward closed. It has
since been reopened under the name of the Portola-Louvre, where now
crowds assemble nightly to listen to music and witness cabaret
performances. Here, as well as in a number of other places, one can well
appreciate the colloquial definition of "cabaret." That which takes the
rest out of restaurant and puts the din in dinner. If one likes noise
and distraction while eating such places are good to patronize.
Across the street from the Portola-Louvre at 15 Powell street is the
modernized Techau Tavern now known as "Techau's". Here there is always
good music and food well cooked and well served, and always a lively
crowd during the luncheon, dinner and after-theatre hours. The room is
not large but its dimensions are greatly magnified owing to the covering
of mirrors which line the walls. This garish display of mirrors, and
elaborate decoration of ceiling and pillars, gives it the appearance of
the abode of Saturnalia, but decorum is the rule among the patrons.
Around at 168 O'Farrell street, just opposite the Orpheum theatre, is
Tait-Zinkand restaurant, or as it is more popularly known, "Tait's".
John Tait is the presiding spirit here, he having made reputation as
club manager, and then as manager of the Cliff House. One of the
partners here was Carl Zinkand, who ran the old Zinkand's before the
fire.
While these three restaurants are of similar type neither has the
pre-fire atmosphere. They are lively, always, with music and gay
throngs, and serve good food.
One of the early restaurants established after the fire was Blanco's, at
857 O'Farrell street, and later Blanco opened the Poodle Dog in Mason
street just above Eddy. Both of these restaurants are of the old French
type and are high class in every respect. The Poodle Dog has a hotel
attachment where one may get rooms or full apartments.
If you know how to order, and do not care to count the cost when you
order, probably the best dinner at these restaurants can be had at
either Blanco's or the Poodle Dog. The cuisine is of the best and the
chefs rank at the top of their art. Prices are higher than at the other
restaurants mentioned, but one certainly gets the best there is prepared
in the best way.
But the same food, prepared equally well, is to be found in a number of
less pretentious places. At the two mentioned one pays for the
surroundings as well as for the food, and sometimes this is worth paying
for.
The restaurants of the present day that approach nearest the old
Bohemian restaurants of pre fire days, of the French class, are Jack's
in Sacramento street between Montgomery and Kearny; Felix, in Montgomery
street between Clay and Washington, and the Poodle Dog-Bergez-Franks, in
Bush street between Kearny and Grant avenue. In either of these
restaurants you will be served with the best the market affords, cooked
"the right way." In Clay street opposite the California Market is the
New Frank's, one of the best of the Italian restaurants, and much
patronized by Italian merchants. Next to it is Coppa's, but it is no
longer run by Coppa. In this same district is the Mint, in Commercial
street between Montgomery and Kearny streets. It has changed from what
it was in the old days, but is still an excellent place to dine.
Negro's, at 625 Merchant street, near the Hall of Justice, has quite a
following of those whose business attaches them to the courts, and while
many claim this to be one of the best of its class, we believe the claim
to be based less on good cooking than on the fact that the habitues are
intimate, making it a pleasant resort for them. The cooking is good and
the variety what the market affords.
In Washington street, just off Columbus avenue, is Bonini's Barn, making
great pretense through an unique idea. So far as the restaurant is
concerned the food is a little below the average of Italian restaurants.
One goes there once through curiosity and finds himself in a room that
has all the appearance of the interior of a barn, with chickens and
pigeons strutting around, harness hanging on pegs, and hay in mangers,
and all the farming utensils around to give it the verisimilitude of
country. Tables and chairs are crude in the extreme and old-time
lanterns are used for lighting. It is an idea that is worth while, but,
unfortunately, the proprietors depend too much on the decorative feature
and too little on the food and how they serve it.
The Fly Trap, and Charlie's Fashion, the first in Sutter street near
Kearny and the other in Market near Sutter, serve well-cooked foods,
especially soup, salads, and fish. Of course these are not the entire
menus but of all the well-prepared dishes these are their best. Felix,
mentioned before, also makes a specialty of his family soup, which is
excellent.
Spanish dinners of good quality are to be had at the Madrilena, at 177
Eddy street, and at the Castilian, at 344 Sutter street. Both serve good
Spanish dinners at reasonable prices. They serve table d'hote dinners,
but you can also get Spanish dishes on special order.
Under the Monadnock building, in Market street near Third, is Jule's,
well liked and well patronized because of its good cooking and good
service. Jule is one of the noted restaurateurs of the city, having
attained high celebrity before the fire. His prices are moderate and his
cooking and viands of the best, and will satisfy the most critical of
the gourmets.
At the corner of Market and Eddy streets is the Odeon, down in a
basement, with decorations of most garish order. There is a good chef
and the place has quite a vogue among lovers of good things to eat.
Probably at no place in San Francisco can one find game cooked better
than at Jack's, 615 Sacramento street. His ducks are always cooked so as
to elicit high praise. He has an old-style French table d'hote dinner
which he serves for $1.25, including wine. Or you may order anything in
the market and you will find it cooked "the best way." One of the
specialties of Jack's is fish, for which the restaurant is noted. It is
always strictly fresh and booked to suit the most fastidious taste.