SF: Oak Room - $27 Surf and turf sandwich (lobster tail/kobe burger)

[rworange]

While looking on the St. Francis Hotel website for info about the new Clock Bar, I decided to see what was going on at the Oak Room these days and the above sandwich was listed ...

THE OAK ROOM SURF AND TURF BURGER
KOBE BEEF FROM SNAKE RIVER FARMS TOPPED WITH
A BROILED LOBSTER TAIL AND SERVED WITH GRILLED ASPARAGUS
ON A TOASTED BUN WITH SWEET POTATO FRIES
27.50

You know ... it sounds like a waste of good lobster and kobe beef ... just doesn't seem appealing. I mean even with a surf and turf plate ... who puts lobster AND beef on the fork at the same time.

Anyone been to the Oak Room lately? It has been about a decade since I've been there. Over the years the Oak Room has consistant ... consistantly meh breakfast, lunches, buffets ... in a depressing and too quiet room. However, who knows ... maybe they changed.

Looking over on Yelp, it seems maybe not.

Some possible good points ...
- Daily early morning breakfast (starting 6:30 am) that has a la carte or a breakfast buffet
- kid's menu
- Some sort of special healthy menu
- Holiday buffets ... the latest menus looked ok

But some of the breakfast items ... have you NO pride St Francis?

I'm fine being soaked for breakfast in a hotel of this class ... at the Waldrof in NY I paid about $30 for bacon and eggs with white toast and Smuckers jelly ... which seems to be the case of breakfast at the St. Francis

- Hot Quaker Oatmeal - $8.50
- Bowl of Cold cereal (Coco Puffs, Frosted Flakes, etc) $7.25
- Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate $4.25
- Starbuck's coffee $4..25
- etc

At those prices you can't make it steel cut oats ... that would cost what ... 20 cents more? Ya can't use at the least Ghiradelli hot chocolate or Pete's Coffee. Shame on you, St. Francis ... shaaaaame on you. No wonder Sears and Lori's look good to tourists.

Anyway ... anyone been there lately? Anyone tried the holiday buffets in the last year?

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Oak Room
335 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94102

[Robert Lauriston]

I didn't know Sysco was supplying Kobe beef.

[SteveG]

Supposedly Trader Joe's had the Snake River ground beef at one point, so it's definitely distributed in mass channels. It's American Wagyu, not Kobe, for those who worry about such things.

From what I hear about the catering options for events at the St Francis, they aren't very flexible or creative on that front either.

[adamshoe]

This is the same Hotel that houses Michael Mina Restaurant and they're proudly offering SWISS MISS instant cocoa?! WTF? Do they still offer sanka packets as their decaf coffee option?

[ML8000]

Hey it's a Westin hotel...what does anyone expect?

Any way, I'd like to see the review of the lobster-wagyu burger. I really can't imagine it.

[rworange]

Also, Michael Mina is a chain
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/539369

Yeah, the texture just seems so wrong. For some reason the thought of biting into it makes me shudder ... the soft burger and the sort of snap of the lobster tail ... sheesh.

A few other odd combos on the menu ..

THE CLASSIC DUNGENESS CRAB CHOWDER
ANCHOR STEAM BEER AND MUENSTER CHEESE

Muenster cheese? At least this does sort of acknowledge SF with the beer and crab.

FRENCH ONION SOUP
GRUYERE CHEESE AND PESTO RUBBED CROUTON

Pesto-rubbed crouton? Who gets that job ... rubbing the crouton?

There are a few good sounding things on the menu

“THE COMPASS ROSE” LOBSTER AND ARTICHOKE SALAD
AVOCADO, TOMATO, MEYER LEMON AND SONOMA GREENS

Nice to have something from the old Compass Rose ... and yet ... why lobster and not crab?

Yeah, ok ... that was really it ... pee-wee potatoes? Shitake chips ...seriously did anyone say this out loud? Is this a chef with a grudge against the hotel?

Don't forget that is $4.25 Swiss Miss. I wonder if you have to mix it yourself ... packet with pot of water ... I tell you, I know I just wouldn't have any self-control if they brought me that. One would hope at least they serve it in a good china cup with a real silver spoon ... and more than one package for a re-fill ... I don't supposed marshmallows would come with it.

Ya know ... if there is anything good here ... at this point ... no one is going to have the courage to post ... maybe a separate thread ... "What I like about the Oak Room"

[lmarie]

RW - some Swiss Miss packets come with miniscule freeze-dried marshmallows! We have some in my office break room!!!!

[Ruth Lafler]

The lounge at the Four Seasons served a pot of tea with a teabag for $5, but at least it included cookies (good cookies, at that).

[Glencora]

Yes, it's a Westin hotel, but it's the St. Francis!!! I miss the Compass Rose. Loved having tea there as a teenager.

[Ruth Lafler]

If you serve steel cut oats you have to have someone in the kitchen who know how to cook them. From the looks of this menu, they aren't bothering to cook at all, just open packages and add hot water.