Anchor & Hope Restaurant Review - June 12, 2008 BunRabs Home Yummy Chow Home

Anchor & Hope
83 Minna St.
San Francisco, CA
415.510.9500

www.anchorandhopesf.com

Hope springs eat-turnal

What kind of hopeless, unanchored bottom feeder doesn't like a good fish house? Not me. When I am trolling for chow, I tie one on at Anchor and Hope.

Atmosphere: this converted warehouse was given a nautical treatment with a cool, drippy fish mural and fun light fixtures. There were people in suits and jeans grabbing a quick bite or drink at the bar or seated in the main dining area where well-behaved children blend in easily.

Service: Friendly and on the ball.
Everything tastes better with bacon and oysters improve almost any savory dish, so it's a bit like wrapping gold nuggets in money to combine them in Angels on Horseback ($8.00). The smokey pork girdled shellfish were fried until their plump figures bulged from their baconwear. A nest of rocket lined their half shells and a coating of remoulade sealed the deal on these pigs as blankets appetizer.
Fries with eyes ($7.50) were dredged whole smelt deep fried until they were crisp shelled and moist bellied. They were served with a pool of remoulade, but were also perfectly tasty on their own.
Bay Scallop ceviche ($10.00) got a mild kick from bits of peppers in this fresh filter feeder formula. This simple dish showed off the chef's good sourcing and spotlighting of high quality ingredients.
The Lobster roll ($23.00) had a traditional, top loading, toasty, buttered bun stuffed with tender chunks of well seasoned 'ster. We made quick work of the mound of crispy house made potato chips (which made the crunchy cabbage and carrot coleslaw seem boring by comparison.)
Local halibut ($24.00) was beer battered and deep fried. These toothsome hot fish pillows were worth fighting for. We showered them with malt vinegar and wished that the rosemary potato wedges were left in the fryer-later so that their centers didn't verge on undercooked. Perhaps they call this dish "halibut" so that people don't associate it with a lower-brow fish and chips made with lesser quality ingredients, but the fish used here kicks hali-but.

 

Three carrots out of four

Chef Sarah Schafer's seafood shines at this fun and welcoming watering hole.

 

"Great!"


Anchor & Hope Bathroom Rating

Clean and well stocked.

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