Asian Fusion at The House

Food Rating: 9.5/10
Overall Rating: 9/10
Date Visited: December 3, 2011
Price: ~$40 per person

I wanted to take Grace out to a nice place for our first real dinner date, and The House came to mind. My friends have been raving about it for years as one of the best Asian Fusion restaurants in all of San Francisco. I made reservations for a party of 2 at 6:00 PM on a Saturday, giving ample time before the Cirque Du Soleil Totem show at 8:00 PM. Reservations are a must – this place is small and seats 20-30 people max. The tables are very close to one another too. We arrived 15 minutes late since parking was difficult in the North Beach district. But we were seated within 10 minutes at the table closest to the entrance, even though there was another party ahead of us. My only complaint was the waiting area, which was right behind the first table and very cramped (see photo on the left). And the folks waiting outside would constantly peer inside; a bit creepy and awkward. But overall, the ambiance was intimate with dim lighting; classy and upscale yet casual.

Outside

Wall Decor

Tabletop

There was one ubiquitous dish that everyone recommended to me – the Sea Bass. So I knew that I had to try it since it was my first time. We ordered 4 dishes in total – 1 appetizer (Seared Sea Scallops Appetizer Served Medium Rare), 2 entrées, (Grilled Sea Bass with Garlic Ginger Soy and Warm Wasabi House Noodles with Angus Flatiron Steak) and 1 dessert (Coconut Crème Brûlée with Passion Fruit Purée) - and paired it with red wine. Everything is easily shared and they provide extra plates for doing so. Service is really fast here; they clear the tables quickly without much delay between courses.

The House truly pays attention to detail. Even their place mats have a subtle outline of a house carved out, which makes you appreciate their efforts even more.

Complimentary Pickled Cucumbers

Seared Sea Scallops Appetizer Served Medium Rare

The special of the day! The sea scallops were done just right with a nice golden brown lining deep fried. This appetizer dish comes with 3 pieces with a side of radish and caviar so every bite was savored.

Grilled Sea Bass with Garlic Ginger Soy

Ah, the sea bass. My favorite of the night. Actually, it’s the best damn sea bass I’ve ever had in my life. It definitely met the hype. I literally closed my eyes with every bite; it was perfectly cooked with a buttery, succulent, and rare texture. The fish melted in my mouth and was well complemented by green beans.

Warm Wasabi House Noodles with Angus Flatiron Steak

The flatiron steak was served medium rare. It was a bit chewy and rough, but that’s expected. The wasabi house noodles were pan fried (udon style) and the cabbage gave the bed a nice crunch feeling. You could taste a slight hint of the wasabi, so it definitely wasn’t overpowering. Overall, I loved that there was so much bold flavor in this dish, which gets two thumbs up in my book.

Coconut Crème Brûlée with Passion Fruit Purée

I was so happy to be ending dinner with crème brûlée, especially with the coconut flavor and passion fruit purée on top. The portion was generous and just right for 2 people. Words cannot describe how awesome it was. Just take a look at the picture; after all it is worth a thousand words.

I will definitely be coming back to The House again. A few tips I learned:
1) If you make a reservation, make sure to cancel if you’re not showing up. Otherwise, you will get hit with a no-show fee.
2) For large parties, bring cash! They only take 2 credit cards per table.
3) Give yourself plenty of time to arrive. Parking will take time. You don’t want to end up losing your table and waiting, which could ruin an otherwise perfect night out.

Yelp Review: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-house-san-francisco
4.5 out of 5 stars. 2,000+ reviews.

Address:
(North Beach/Telegraph Hill)
1230 Grant Ave
San Francisco, CA 94133 (map)
Tel: (415) 986-8612

Hours:
Mon-Sat 11:30 am – 2:30 pm
Mon, Sun 5 pm – 10 pm
Tue-Thu 5:30 pm – 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm – 11 pm