Chef Greg Lutes opened Precita Social just a little over two months ago, in the space previously occupied by the ill-fated Foliage, and, before that and more auspiciously, the much loved and missed Marlena.
His reputation precedes him as the chef/owner of the splashy Third Cousin in Bernal of Michelin-mention fame. With Precita Social, Chef Lutes has said he wanted to open something a bit more casual, focusing on his version of home cooking and comfort food. While the space is still airy and elegant and not particularly casual, he pays homage to a bygone time when he would cook for his mother and her friends and neighbors, in what sounds like vibrant communal gatherings.
My sister and I went recently and shared a few items. I’d read about the lobster handroll and had to have it.
Lobster & Uni Handroll. Photo by Maria C. Ascarrunz.
I hadn’t clocked that it was $25, nor that it was really meant to be only one bite. But we’d shared bites before, so in we went with a nibble each. Tender and sweet Maine lobster sits demurely on a bed of rice, topped with lusty uni and a heaping spoonful of caviar, enveloped by still very crispy nori. Creamy and briny, the uni was superbly fresh. Was it worth $25 – maybe if I’d had the whole bite to myself. Which means I’d get it again. If this is home cooking, I’m all for it.
Next were the Persillade Baked Oysters.
Persillade Baked Oysters. Photo by Maria C. Ascarrunz.
Outstanding. Fresh and barely warmed, quivering oysters were topped by a gratinée of parsley and Parmesan. Buttery, juicy, and exceedingly delicious. These may have rivaled the lobster bite.
We split two mains.
Cod. Photo by Maria C. Ascarrunz.
Sautéed black cod in a red miso butter lake, with an island of wilted spinach beneath. The dish reminded me – ever so faintly – of the miso-marinated black cod made famous by Nobu (and now beloved by many home cooks). The texture of the fish was superb: a shatteringly delicate, crispy skin atop tender, flaky flesh, the whole rather melting into the savory sauce, punctuated by the garlicky spinach. A well-thought-out concept of a dish, gorgeously executed.
For our second shared entrée, it was a toss-up between the lobster amatriciana and the steak frites and since we’d already had our morsel of lobster we went for the steak.
Steak Frites. Photo by Maria C. Ascarrunz.
I’ve yet to try American wagyu that even tangentially resembles the Japanese version. I know it entails cross-breeding American cattle with Japanese Wagyu, which does produce a flavorful beef, but it certainly isn’t as meltingly tender as real Wagyu – nor, of course, nearly as spendy. But Precita’s culotte was tender enough while maintaining that good old American chew and a satisfyingly beefy flavor. The thin green peppercorn sauce beneath almost stole the show, however, and I delighted in sopping it all up with the Belgian-style frites. The fries, by the way, were exemplary, and stayed crispy until the very end. Do I need to have this again? Probably not, but you’d not go amiss if you were having a meat-and-potato craving.
Parker House rolls and cultured butter came late-ish to the party…
Parker Rolls & Cultured Butter. Photo by Maria C. Ascarrunz.
Chef Lutes serves up his mother’s recipe for Parker House rolls – beautifully hot, light and fluffy, flecked with flaky salt, which we liberally slathered with the tangy cultured butter. Mama done good.
In truth, there wasn’t a misstep in any of Chef Lute’s dishes, and I dare say I may have enjoyed my meal here even more than the one I had at Third Cousin. We were too full for dessert – but there’s always next time, as I’m curious about quite a few other items on the menu. The rice pots, of which there are a couple of variations, were enticing, and the ones that walked by us looked huge and perhaps more in keeping with the sort of home cooking I expected. There’s a cheeseburger that you can make a double, the frites can be made “disco” by topping them with that lovely peppercorn sauce and grated cheese, there’s a giant Caesar salad to share, and another pasta dish or two.
Aside from the decadent lobster roll, prices are reasonably in line with what dinners out cost these days. But for me, Chef Lute has given the neighborhood back a star of a restaurant, one of elevated hominess with a good wine list.
Precita Social
300 Precita Ave.,
San Francisco