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UNITED STATES CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO RANGE
The Mission District of San Francisco still has enough ‘interesting’ persons about its streets to deserve the epithet ‘colourful’. You must certainly go to it by taxi, rather than by public transport. But signs of its increasing social status are everywhere. And chief among them must be Range. Its exterior is smart, but it is possessed of a charming modesty. And this, I suspect, gives us the clue as to why it is so highly regarded. A lesser place would be more pretentious in all sorts of ways, but here there is the self-confidence which does not need to shout. The people at this restaurant know that their food is based on fine ingredients, simply and expertly cooked, and that they are involved in an enterprise with high standards. I felt this as soon as I walked in, to be greeted in the friendliest of manners. Clearly, due credit must be given to Mr and Mrs West, Phil and Cameron, who certainly know how to run a restaurant. I walked through the front bar and down a corridor, past windows into the kitchen, and found myself in the rear dining room. I had been put on a corner table, which was important for me, for I am a little hard of hearing, and I knew that in this crowded and busy chamber, with its metal-topped chairs and beamed ceiling, I would have difficulty in conversing with my companion if we were obliged to sit opposite each other, which is how many of the tables are arranged. Range is justifiably popular, so this is something you might wish to discuss when booking. Thus comfortably settled, I examined the decent glassware (which was without a name), appreciated the absence of canned music (there had been some jazz on a previous visit, so I hope the absence is permanent) and decided that I liked both the subdued colour scheme (of brown and green) and the uniforms of the waiting staff (black shirts and white aprons). The crusty bread was exceptionally good. I also approved of the diligence with which the waiters and waitresses re-folded the napkins of those guests who left their tables for a moment. The menu at Range is market-driven and therefore changes each day. You will note that the menu card is dated. This is exactly how it should be in a restaurant of this sort. Mr West is a chef of real talent. His unfussy, direct approach reveals the true tastes and textures of his ingredients. But there is subtlety here, too, in the careful combinations on his plates. It would be very difficult indeed not to enjoy this cooking. I began with a beautifully presented salad of carefully balanced ingredients: little gem lettuce, radishes, bacon and parmesan, with a green peppercorn dressing. Note that I remark on the presentation. There is a painterly eye at work in the kitchen here, and its influence heightens the enjoyment of the diner. Next came marinated leeks, with a poached egg, aged cheddar and breadcrumbs. These are simple elements, but when they are of such high quality and they are prepared and put together with such flair, the result can be startling. So it was here. This was a rich and flattering treat for my taste buds. And my main course was even better. Sometimes beef can be disappointing, but this pan-roasted grass-fed strip loin steak was full of those flavours for which we carnivores crave, and the accompanying fingerling potatoes, pardon peppers, marinated beech mushrooms and horseradish brought the right contrasts of taste and texture. The wine list is short – with around 70 bottles and 17 wines by the glass – but interesting, with a mixture of offerings from the New and Old Worlds . Prices range from $30 for a red Italian to $166 for a 2005 Meursault (Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, ‘Les Genevrières’ Ier cru). My whites were three good glasses: a sparking vouvray brut from the Loire with a nose of rose petals (Domaine Pichot - $10, glass), a bright, well-structured semillon/sauvignon blanc from the Napa Valley (De Sante ‘l’atelier’, 2008 - $9.50, glass) and a German riesling with a hint of petrol in the nose (Wittman, 2007 - $10). My red was the 2003 ‘Barn block’ cabernet from Sonoma (Watkins Family Wines -$70). Decanted, it yielded massive depths of delicious ripe fruit, almost like blackcurrant jam. Range succeeds because it knows exactly what it wants to do, and it does it spectacularly well. I wish it continued success. And I look forward to my next visit.
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ADDRESSES RANGE
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© Francis Bown 2003
My admiration for Range is enormous. Why? It is because this is a restaurant which displays intelligence, flair and conviction. Its objectives are limited but admirable: to serve intensely enjoyable food (of the simpler, non-faddish kind), to offer carefully chosen wines, to create a relaxed, friendly atmosphere for a pleasant dinner and to take part in the reclamation of a locality which has been less than fashionable. On all counts, it succeeds brilliantly. Range was opened in San Francisco by a husband and wife team in 2005. Its cuisine is described as ‘new American’. It is modest in size, with just 70 seats. Its décor has an industrial theme, with a bar-top made of polished concrete. It has banquettes of brown leather. It has been awarded a Michelin star. And the Michelin inspectors are absolutely right.
Pam, our wonderfully pleasant waitress, said I looked “smashing” – which was as good a tribute to my sartorial efforts as I received throughout the whole of my trip to California. (‘Dapper’ is the word I hear most often.) 
Carnivores should be good trenchermen, so I looked for a substantial pudding – and found it in the form of peach and plum cobbler (like a crumble) with peach leaf pouring cream. It sounds indulgent, and it was. But what’s a bit of self-indulgence between friends? (Allow $55-$60 for four courses.)