Marlowe

San Francisco, CA

To say there has been a lot of hype behind the Marlow burger is an understatement. People rave about it and reviews on the rest of the menu are just as positive. So following the opening night at AT&T park watching the Giants receive their 2010 Championship Rings, Chu-Toro and I made the short walk over to Marlowe for a late 10 PM dinner. I started with a nice mild Hopf Helle Weisse while we looked through the menu.

Hopf Helle Weisse

We shared a couple appetizers, the addictive, crispy, salty brussel sprout chips and two baked oysters.

Crispy Brussels sprout chips Meyer lemon, sea salt

We really enjoyed the brussel spouts, an original, successful idea but a costly $6 for what was probably four brussel sprouts.

Baked oysters, New England chowder in a shell

The baked oysters were touted in reviews and a supposed must have item on the menu, but we found them overly salty and could not taste anything but bacon bits.

Stuffed Sole dungeness crab, glazed celery root & baby fennel, meyer lemon & caper

We both enjoyed the stuffed sole, which was perfectly cooked, well seasoned and filled with fennel, lemon and crab. Chu-toro was looking for a light entree and I appreciate the depth of flavors of this course. 

Marlowe burger caramelized onions, cheddar, bacon, horseradish aioli & fries

I think part of the problem with the burger is the hype behind it. In actuality, it is a solid burger, nothing wrong with it, other than the patty was thin, small, and lacked juiciness. But it tasted good with the cheese, sweet onions and salty bacon. The accompanying horseradish aioli has a nice creamy kick and the fries were light and crispy. Overall, a nice burger, but no way one of the best in the city.

Overall, Marlowe is a solid restaurant and probably one of the better choices given the location. I would come back before or after a Giants game, but I wouldn't go out of my way to dine here.

Rating 6/10

April 9, 2011