Cliff House Back and Better than Ever

By Paul Redman

Shrimp cocktail, strong martinis, and breathtaking ocean views— this is the Cliff House I remember from my last visit, in 2002.

But a few weeks ago, after surviving an interminable taxi ride to attend the grand opening of the new and improved facility, I was ready to leave the past behind me— that is, until the car stopped in front of the windowless, solid pink façade of the remade building.

However, as they say, remodeled facades are only skin deep, and things got better, quickly. I was no sooner in the door and handing off my coat to one of the cadre of hosts, than a glass of Gloria Ferrer sparkling wine assumed position in my hand.

We made our way through throngs of guests, and were taken by the openness of the dining room, the view from the balcony to bar and dining room in the lower level, and the dedication to preserving the integrity of the ocean views— from every angle— that defines the new Cliff House.

There is a seemingly complex array of rooms and dining choices now, from the Cliff House Bistro and Zinc Bar area, to the long banquet room where weekend brunch service takes place, to the all-new restaurant Sutro, which spreads over two floors in the large addition to the Cliff House. Sutro is named after the Sutro Baths that once stood here. Even though Sutro has an ultramodern feel, with its frosted glass wall behind the bar and gleaming open kitchen, if you look closer you see tributes to the bathhouse, with subtle swimming motifs and a beamed ceiling beneath the upper level, just like in the pictures of the old bathhouse that are found in the hallways of the restaurant.

By far the greatest improvement on this SF landmark by the sea, though, is its thematic conversion. The Cliff House in San Francisco is now something of a gourmand’s end of the road.

The food at Sutro seems to walk a line somewhere between Cal/Asian seafood and traditional bistro fare. The two appetizers we tried were ahi tuna tartar on a fried wonton chip (something of a ubiquity these days), and a little paper cup filled with piping-hot, salty, homemade French fries. The fries were garnished with chopped herbs, including chervil, which instantly sent this food lover swooning. Many chefs would not have left well enough alone and added a dab of some infused mayonnaise on top of the fries, but at Sutro they had the courage to let them stand on their own— a wise choice.

It seems that San Franciscans are now blessed with an egalitarian nexus of food, drinks, ocean views, and historical relevance. If you look around at some of the famous visitors to older Cliff Houses (it has been rebuilt on the same ground several times before), you will find they include many presidents, as well as the great American icon, Mark Twain.