Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Striking new San Francisco museum (3 of 4)

































De Young Museum, Golden Gate Park
San Francisco
17th-20th century American art and art of the native Americans, Asia and the Pacific

Part 3 of 4
Good Eats

At the opposite end of the museum from the tower, there is a public sculpture garden and café tables under a huge cantilevered overhang. Somehow the massive roof reads as sheltering, not dark or looming.

The patio is a pleasant place to enjoy a meal, and the café’s repertoire goes far beyond sandwiches. The menu changes seasonally, and all dishes are made with fresh local ingredients from small farms and artisanal producers.

A glance at the current (autumn) menu makes me want to return:

- Barley risotto with mushrooms, roasted butternut squash and jack cheese

- “Fisherman’s Wharf” salad, with marinated calamari, shrimp, Dungeness crab, fennel and fresh pomegranate

- Seared pork chop with apple-apricot chutney, cranberry bean ragout, sautéed red cabbage with apple and pancetta

The Bay Area is truly foodie heaven.

Update, 1/28/07: To see more exterior photos and a review of the de Young building, here's an article by Canadian architect and writer Witold Rybczynski at Slate.com.

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