Already the home of Bombay Brasserie—one of the restaurants at the center of the Bay Area’s modern Indian renaissance—Union Square’s Taj Campton Place has stepped up its game once again.
A multimillion-dollar renovation has completely refreshed the hotel’s lobby floor with elegant, neoclassical California charm and subtle Indian-inspired touches, and has charmingly reimagined its casual Campton Bar & Bistro.
Both are fine bedfellows for the Indian-French Bombay Brasserie, which opened last August with a new look of its own: lotus flower lighting, cool blue fabrics, and peacocks that strut across the space. Campton Bar & Bistro channels the same jewel tones through a more laid-back vibe, one that feels simultaneously vintage and timeless with leather-backed bar stools, hanging globe lamps, and arched, Art Deco-like bar shelves.
Signature cocktails at the Campton Bar & Bistro play with Indian flavors.(Vanessa Lentine Photography)
On its new menu, the bistro has classics like Caesar salads and club sandwiches, but its real standouts take their inspiration from the Indian subcontinent. Signature cocktails, for example, play with flavors like turmeric and curry leaf. The chai paloma, which mixes two things that seem like they shouldn’t go together—chai tea and grapefruit—is surprisingly delightful, with an earthy sweetness that tones down the bitterness of the citrus. The paan, which is made with nectar and smoke from a South Asian betel nut-based after-dinner treat, is entirely unique on these shores.
The bistro’s food hails from chef Thomas George, who helms Bombay Brasserie. George was given the impossible task of filling the shoes of chef Sri Gopinathan, who ran the hotel’s predecessor Campton Place—the first Indian restaurant in the U.S. to receive a Michelin star—and he’s done a damn fine job of it.
Though they were both raised in South India, George has his own vibrant style. His dishes are arrestingly beautiful without being precious or overwrought. His flavors are excellent: rich, comforting, familiar, and he brilliantly integrates French touches like samosas made with duck confit and apricots, and kofta made with ricotta and creamy spinach. The tandoori king salmon, which is wrapped in a Dijon mustard-based crust before being fired in the traditional clay oven and drizzled with tobiko beurre blanc, is an absolute triumph.
Tandoori king salmon, which is wrapped in a Dijon mustard-based crust before being fired in the traditional clay oven and drizzled with tobiko beurre blanc(Vanessa Lentine Photography)
Served a la carte or as a surprisingly affordable four-course prix fix menu ($70) that changes seasonally, Bombay Brasserie’s dishes are far more accessible than the delicious but dainty fare once served only elevated tasting-menu-style at Campton Place. At Campton Bar & Bistro, that accessibility expands even farther.
Some of its dishes also appear at the more elevated restaurant—things like shareable yogurt croquettes and the excellent creamy tomato makhani curry. Others, like the kathi roll sandwich with spiced chicken, cilantro, and mint were fashioned just for the all-day bistro’s more relaxed atmosphere. The full bar also makes for a nice pre- or post-dinner downtown stop, with a handful of sweet tooth-taming desserts at the latter, including Indian-style coconut pudding and French-style crème brûlée.
The refreshed lobby at Taj Campton Place(Vanessa Lentine Photography)
Treat yourself to the whole shebang—dinner, drinks, and more—with a mini-staycation. The legacy Taj Campton Place hotel, which dates back to 1909, is comfortable, convenient, and well-stocked with a pillow menu, soaking tubs, and plush bathrobes. As of this month, every Sunday you can even wake up to brunch at Bombay Brasserie, which features entrees like fried chicken and dosa waffles, and naanza with chicken tikka, smoked makhani, and burrata.
In this time of ongoing economic uncertainty, Taj Campton Place is truly doing its part to spice downtown SF back up.
// Bombay Brasserie is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5pm to 10pm and for brunch on Sunday from 11:30am to 2pm; Campton Bistro & Bar is open daily from 11am to 10pm; 340 Stockton St. (Union Square), tajcamptonplace.com
Offerings from Bombay Brasserie's new Sunday brunch(Courtesy of Taj Campton Place)
