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doug washington

02/05/107:00 am

Five Minutes with Town Hall Chef Vernon Morales

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www.bluewaikiki.com at Flickr

Last week I spent a couple of nights revisiting some old restaurants—I hit A16 on Monday, which is now under the able tutelage of Liza Shaw, and then the following night I went to Town Hall, where I had not been in an embarrasing several years. I have been wanting to return ever since I heard that Vernon Morales had come on board as chef.

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11/10/082:26 pm

Anchor & Hope Restaurant Opens Downtown

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Anchor & Hope, from the team that brought us Salt House and Town Hall, docks downtown.

by Jessica Battilana
posted November 10, 2008 2:26PM

Anchor & Hope, from the team that brought us Salt House and Town Hall, docks downtown.

If you're opening a restaurant, one of the most important pieces of the puzzle is tapping into what diners want. Sounds obvious, but satisfying the desires of the fickle masses is no mean feat. Front-of-the-house man Doug Washington and chefs (and brothers) Mitchell and Steve Rosenthal have nailed it thus far: Their first restaurants, Town Hall and Salt House, remain two of the city's most beloved, owing to approachable menus that have such duh-it's-delicious dishes as fried chicken, braised short ribs and crispy shrimp.

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06/27/08 12:07 pm

Anchor & Hope

(restaurant)
Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=83+Minna+St.,+San+Francisco&sll=37.739145,-122.417376&sspn=0.011844,0.019312&g=410+Cortland+Ave.,+San+Francisco&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr

2009 EDITOR'S PICK: Best New Restaurant

The team behind Town Hall and Salt House has done it again, this time converting a former auto-body shop downtown into an East Coast–inspired seafood shack with a NorCal twist. The big space is softened by distressed wood, antique light fixtures and lengths of nautical rope—the overall effect is more chic than kitsch.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>If it’s fried fish you’re looking for, or creamy chowder studded with white corn and littleneck clams, or a lobster roll bursting with chunks of meat, then Anchor &amp; Hope is the place. In addition to raw bar offerings (shrimp cocktail, crab claws and oysters) and all of the above, the kitchen also turns out a superior monkfish-and-mussel stew—with tiny chorizo meatballs, kale, roasted peppers and slices of potato—and some turf options, such as roasted, stuffed breast of guinea hen and the ubiquitous steak.</p> <p>MUST ORDER: Angels on Horseback</p>
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01/31/07 5:34 pm

Salt House

(restaurant)
Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=545+Mission+St.,+SF&sll=37.775196,-122.419204&sspn=0.390228,0.608368&g=545+Mission+St.,+SF&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr

The trio behind Town Hall—Doug Washington and Mitchell and Steven Rosenthal—appear to have perfected the formula for restaurant success with their second venture, which has been packed since it opened last October. The space mixes luxury with rawness, keeping several of the original elements of the building—a former printing press—such as 1907 Douglas fir floors, concrete beams and exposed brick. A portrait of Don Quixote on the back wall sets a dramatic stage for the mix of artsy types and well-dressed downtowners who gather around the communal table for drinks.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Chef de cuisine Robert Leva (formerly of Calistoga Ranch) had a hand in developing the contemporary American menu. The crispy shrimp starter is at once salty (Serrano ham), crunchy (warm roasted almonds and wax beans) and bracing (leaves of fresh basil and parsley). For entrées, even the most basic proteins shine: Pepper-rubbed New York steak is perfectly rosy inside, while pieces of an already superior roast chicken, served with roasted potatoes dressed up with chorizo, are jazzed up with preserved lemon.</p>
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01/23/074:28 pm

Well Seasoned

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With Salt House, the Town Hall trio gets it right—again.

by Karen Palmer
posted January 23, 2007 4:28PM
With Salt House, the Town Hall trio gets it right&mdash;again.If there’s a recipe for restaurant success, Doug Washington and Mitchell and Steven Rosenthal—the gregarious trio behind Town Hall and the recently opened Salt House—appear to have discovered it. Take a few dynamic personalities, add a sweeping SoMa space, stir in upscale but unpretentious food and personable service and voilà! Only two weeks in, and Salt House is already number two on Open Table’s list of most-requested reservations (bested only by Town Hall).
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