Jack Falstaff is on Brandon and Second Street. Architecturally, the interior is different dressed with padded suede walls in an odd shade of green. It’s an odd juxtaposition with a normal crowd that has strong corporate Pang. What’s interesting is that despite being in a semi-industrial area, after 6:00 there is a country silence. I wouldn’t call it a romantic place, I would call it a nice atmosphere to conduct friendships and close deals. Unassuming, I am watching two computer wizards with similar square glasses talk about multimillion dollar deals. To the left, a group of three couples from Asia are having a good time on a round table. The tables are square and round at Jack Falstaff…Would really dig seeing more art and a feminine touch here. There are square lights in a wood ceiling. Jack Falstaff is truly visually odd. This doesn’t blur the fact that Jack Falstaff is wine tasting with good food that is mostly organic.
The crowd tonight is mostly corporate. Jack Falstaff is two years old, so the atmosphere is still finding its way and being defined. Several years ago an artist named Anthony Curatolo completed a painting called “Describe Honestly, Honestly Describe”. I think that people have this view about Jack Falstaff.
Said, pronounced (Sah-eed), means happy. He is my server today and he really cares. The attention that he pays to details is superb.
Bumbino, yet its staff and chef has some experience with “mostly organic ingredients”. Chef, Jonathan Leiva and Sous Chef, Manfred Wrenbel will take you to a culinary journey. Jonathan worked with George Marrone who started Acqua and has been working with Jack Falstaff for 18 months. He also trained in New York and Miami. He spent some time in France, but San Francisco is his hometown.
Everybody involved in Jack Falstaff are friends in regards to who supplies ingredients and sustainable produce that sometimes comes from out of state—that is, if it is the best of the best. An Illogical experience? I can pick up a phone and call a farmer, or dairy purveyor if there’s something not just right. They will tell that Jack doesn’t want to use anything that harms the environment. Instead, Jack is only interested in anything that contributes to the betterment of the environment. You can sleep well knowing you caused no harm. Jack Falstaff, we thank you.
The carrot ginger soup is yum. The Baley organic salad is fresh from the garden. I can eat three…with watermelon, radish, and hearts of palm grown within a fifty mile radius of where I am eating…The ravioli is engaging, not overly cooked…This cuisine is incredible in its pureness and variety of ingredients. It is a luxury to have such bounty from nature. Although, it is most natural that a person can get nourished by Mother Nature or what I like to call her, ‘Big Momma’. The forbidden rice, which is black rice, was once allowed to be eaten only by Chinese emperors. A bit of spice is a nice note during this culinary journey at Jack Falstaff.
There are five different things to put on the bread for starters, three different oils, honey, and hummus. Hey, it doesn’t happen often to be able to enjoy perfectly warm, grainy organic bread…
The desert is ripples in your mouth that make you crack a smile…
Matt Tunstall, the general manager and wine buyer, will set you where you want to go in a San Franciscan way with knowledge of wine. There is a large selection of organic wines and a lot of space for events and parties (say with an English accent). Each four wines that Matt suggested are based on the description I gave him of my likes, turned out near perfection. I say near perfection simply cause perfection is on going and is often determined by many factors. Near perfection means as aware of perfection as I can be to what is “Perfect”. Jack is full of nice surprises in a Jack Falstaff idea and it is a good idea, might I add.
Wines that I suggest are:Massena “Howling Dog”, 2004, Barossa, AustraliaCh. La Gardine, 2003, CDP, Rhone FranceRoagna NV “Opera Prima”, Italy
