It used to be that if you wanted to enjoy cocktails on a roof in San Francisco you had to either:
- Prepare yourself for the Tenderloin and cautiously make your way to 620 Jones, a trendy lounge.
- Make friends with a fancy SoMa high-rise dweller and convince them to let you up onto their roof.
- Scale the side of your own house and hope for the best.
Good news for us all, though! A new rooftop bar and restaurant called El Techo de Lolinda is opening in mid-May, so when we don't feel like going to the TL on those rogue warm SF days, we have a new option (some might recognize it as the former restaurant Medjool). The spot adds a new, open-air dimension to the already bustling sister restaurant beneath it, Lolinda. Unlike Lolinda, which serves Argentine food, El Tech Lolinda promises Peruvian street food. Cocktails, meanwhile, will still be masterminded by bar manager extraordinaire Chris Lane.
The rooftop will be opening sometime in mid-May, but to whet our appetites, here are some pictures from tonight's preview party:
The view from the bar is gorgeous, especially at sundown. You can see straight down Mission Street.
The view from the bar is gorgeous, especially at sundown. You can see straight down Mission Street.
Tonight there were canopies to keep people dry and heat lamps to keep people warm.
Small tables line the glass-wall perimeter, making it a pleasant, scenic spot for a cocktail and some bites.
At night the view is equally stunning. Heat lamps glow red, keeping us warm.
The roof has its own bar.
Is there a more professional word than "bad ass"? Bar manager Chris Lane is steering the upstairs program, as he is the main bars below in Lolinda—and we are all better for it. He brings his trademark attention to detail, flawless execution, and characteristic rich, complex flavors to this menu, as he has in the past.
Three cocktails were on the docket tonight. We were lucky enough to try two.
The first: Pisco Apricot Tropical, made from pisco, fresh lime, apricot liqueur, pineapple, bitters. It's a light, refreshing cocktail, not too sweet and with some complex funk from the pisco and apricot. Delicious and easy to drink.
The second: the Mexican Firing Squad, made of calle 23 reposado, lime, grenadine, angostura. A classic Chris Lane drink—deep fruit flavors, but also rich, smoky, and a little spicy. It may look pink and fun, but it's a pleasantly viscous, smooth sipper. We loved it.
We also got to try a few bites.
Here is Elote—corn on the cob, sour cream, chili, lime. Sweet, delicious, and a little acid. We could eat several cobs of this.
Ceviche de camaron - Shrimp, lime, tomato, red onion, cucumber, avocado, cilantro. Very fresh seafood paired with bright lime and a satisfyingly very salty finish.
Patacones - Green plantain patties, black beans, salsa. A tasty vegetarian small plate. Beans a pleasantly sweet and the plantain is crunchy.
Empanada de Alambre - Braised beef and picked cabbage. Super tender meat and the pickled cabbage gave it just the right kick
Welcome to the city, El Techo!
To tide you over until the spot opens, here's a slideshow of more photos from the preview event:
El Techo de Lolinda - opening mid-May 2013
2518 Mission St.
San Francisco, CA 94110
415.550.6970
Hours:
Mon-Thurs 4pm-11pm
Fri 4pm-1am
Sat 11am-1am
Sun 11am-11pm
1 comment:
Vida - I think you will like both! Josh and I immediately loved the patacones. If you go without us, let us know how you like it!
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