Big on taste and epic in view – Epic Roasthouse, San Francisco, USA

Located just a stone’s throw away from the Oakland Bay Bridge, Epic is a restaurant that boasts the best of both worlds – food and view. I chanced upon Epic a few years ago when I last visited San Francisco. Then, I just walked into the restaurant and was fortunate enough to get a table. That dining experience left such a deep impression in me that I had to revisit Epic when I returned to the Bay Area last month.

A meal at Epic doesn’t come cheap. A three-course dinner with a glass of wine costs about S$290 for two persons. And that is before any gratuity for the service crew. But my dinner was worth the price – considering that the food was good, service crew was attentive and the view… spectacular.

Epic Roasthouse, San Francisco

Despite having had lots of pork before arriving at San Francisco, Epic’s Miso Glazed Pork Belly still managed to surprise me. The luscious meat was placed nicely on a small pool of ‘kimchi’. And when I bit into the pork belly, I could hear the crispy skin crackling in my mouth. But what really amazed me is how these two drastically different tastes, the spicy ‘kimchi’ and savoury pork belly, actually compliment each other perfectly.

Miso Glazed Pork Belly

The Seared Sea Scallops were heavenly. They were huge, fresh and juicy. These Maine-caught sea scallops were perfectly seared and not overly cooked. The flavourful meat was still slightly pink when sliced open. The oyster mushrooms, butter beans and caper berry relish are nice accompaniments.

Seared Sea Scallops

For my entrée, I had the Filet Mignon with Béarnaise Sauce. The red meat was nice but I wasn’t particularly overwhelmed by it especially when I have tasted better steaks. Nevertheless, it was still decent.

My partner had the Roasted Alaskan Halibut. I’m surprised that the menu actually provided details such as where and how the fish was caught, and also the name of the vessel! The fish meat was flaky white, and it tasted gorgeous. But I still preferred the savoury vegetable couscous, marinated squash and Chermoula side that came with the fish. I loved it so much that I hijacked the entire side from my partner!

Roasted Alaskan Halibut

It’s a pity that Epic doesn’t have a strong dessert menu. The desserts were not as impressive as the appetisers or the entrées. The Chocolate Mint Sundae was ordinary and the Caramel Fennel Panna Cotta was just mediocre. For a person who has a sweet tooth, I was a tad disappointed when my dessert didn’t wow me that night. The meal just wasn’t complete.

Chocolate Mint Sundae

Having said that, Epic is definitely worth the visit. In addition to the good food, you get to watch the alluring LED light sculpture, The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal, on the quaint Oakland Bay Bridge. The LED light installation is expected to last till March 2015.

Epic Roasthouse
369 The Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94105
Tel: +1-415-369-9955
www.epicroasthousesf.com

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