In recent years, very few spaces have the culinary track record of 1701 Octavia Street in San Francisco. The building in Lower Pacific Heights previously held The Meetinghouse, Quince, and Baker & Banker. In 2015, Frances chef/owner Melissa Perello took up residence with Octavia, which touts an airy, glass-fronted dining room with wood tables and floors, an open kitchen, and white walls sporting a single cluster of decorative branches. Chef Perello’s menu beautifully captures the seasons in dishes like Gulf Snapper.
Filets of Gulf Snapper ($32) are luscious, with crisp red-tinged skin. The fish is plated with grilled mushrooms and celery root and bright green garlic salsa verde. My wife Stacey, who rarely enjoys fish outside of sushi restaurants, even found elation on this plate.
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