Myth

Yes, Im a bit late to the game here but I just ate at Zinnia (which is also closing) and realized I hadn’t reviewed Sean O Brien’s former restaurant yet. Crap, p, aces I’m eating at are closing faster than I can review them; the list is rather large…
Too bad owner Tom Duffy became ill (since passed on) and could no longer run what was really a special, very popular restaurant. The drinks were amazing, as was the vibe and décor. Solid steak frittes, sweetbreads, gnocchi and scallops. Of course a lot of this moved along with Chef OBrien to Zinnia, but the vibe and energy are definitely not the same. I guess it’s time to see what Quince is all about now that they’ve transitioned into Myth’s old space. 4.5 stars

I am so glad this place shut its doors. Read my previous review and you will see why.
I do believe I single handily sent this place spiraling into oblivion. After the nasty note I wrote to the manager of the restaurant it as closed within a few short months!
Listen to the PEOPLE!!! We are what make your business successful!

When I found out this place had shut its doors, I shed a tear (not really). I am however definitely upset to see Myth gone… it was truly a go-​to spot for me.

The prosciutto pizza with gorgonzola and basalmic glaze was a close second for my «last meal on Earth.» Ahhh-​mazing. They’re getting a new chef soon (if they haven’t already) so get it while you can. Honestly one of the most delicious things I have ever tasted. I could eat twenty.
The private room in the back is perfect for small-​ish parties (about 8). The service was exceptional… I WISH I could remember the waiter’s name so I could give him the props he deserved. Fantastic foofie cocktails and the somalie gave terrific wine recommendations and the dessert presentation was gorgeous and they were pretty darn tasty, too.

Loved the place, loved the food, loved the service!
We had reservations via OpenTable at 7. We were seated promptly in this open but intimate area near the back of the restaurant. We had a great booth that felt like we were outside due to the full skylight ceiling and the surrounding brick walls with open windows that allowed us to look over the rest of the dining area.
Our waiter, Louis, came and explained the menu to us and took our drink order. I had a glass of Prosecco and my friend had a cocktail consisting of wasabe and cucumber something. She really liked it and we both ended up with another glass of each later.
We started with the oyster appetizer that was fantastic. The sauce they used was so good and had just the right amount of kick. It went well with our drinks and bread.
I had the Asian pear salad and my friend had the Ahi poke. She was surprised when the fish came out in slices (not typical style of poke) but she realized that the quality of fish was so good and it would have been a shame to butcher it.
For the main course we had the gnocci and the Alaskan halibut. Both were delicious and the tastes were wonderful. I asked for a second glass of Prosecco at that time and it came late, so Louis said it was on the house.
For dessert, the caramel pot de crème caught my eye and I was not disappointed. My friend had the gingered lime sherbert with mint granita dish that didn’t come at the same time as mine, so I asked about it. Louis came to the rescue and brought us two glasses of Moscato (on the house as well) to end our evening with a smile.
Louis mentioned that the restaurant will be closing in a couple of weeks? to undergo some remodelling and will reopen a month after. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.
(I am still in amazement that I can spend the same amount of money somewhere else yet feel so differently about the experience. Myth just raised the bar so I won’t settle now.)

My first collection of mythology was a lavishly illustrated book discussing the Deities and myths of Ancient Greece. And surprise, surprise, even as a taciturn child I CALLED BULLSHIT: see, I loved them as NARRATIVES — though I of course, at eight years old, didn’t know that mythos means «story» — but they TOTALLY FAILED AS TRUTH. I mean, there’s no way a fully-​grown Athena sprung out of Zeus’ head because MEN DON’T GIVE BIRTH — everyone knows that ADULTS SPRING FROM WOMEN’S HEADS, IDIOTS! Oh and don’t come at me with your fucking Richard Rorty impersonation by saying truth is relative and subjective! I BLAME ALL YOU RELATIVISTS AND YOUR TERMINALLY CHIC SOPHISTRY FOR THE MORAL DECAY OF OUR BELOVED COUNTRY with your truths in an extra-​moral sense bullshit and cultural sensitivity! And while we’re at it, fuck you too Nietzsche — WHO’S THE CRAZY BITCH NOW?!?
I’ll tell you this: it’s a truth that if I kick you in the balls you’ll keel over in pain but if you want to DISPUTE that, fine, HERE COMES MY FOOT. How’s that for subjectivity, asshole?!?***
All of this is to say that I was quite skeptical about my first dinner at Myth. The food at Myth The Restaurant has received a lot of praise and I was DYING for the opportunity to say «my unwashed ass tastes better than this food» or something equally disgusting but GUESS WHAT?!? There actually IS a grain of truth to the excellent reviews of Myth The Restaurant, as opposed to the more common Myth The Lies We Use To Explain Cataclysms, Human Sacrifice, And Why I Fucked Your Husband (Men Are From Mars).
The gnocchi may very well have been the BEST gnocchi I have ever had — and YOU KNOW I’m not given to hyperbole, so this statement actually means something. An almost crisp outer shell concealing a billowy and smooth mascarpone and potato center. And I’ve rarely had better pork than my entrée, the Brined and Grilled Pork Rib Chop.
On the other hand, the pizza was a tremendous disappointment: limp, tasteless, and indistinguishable from its CPK brethren.
My friend and I were seated in the lounge area since we had no reservations. I didn’t have a problem with this at all. The corner couch was comfy and we had an excellent view of the restaurant. There were two small cylindrical tables in front of the couch, as well as a few short wooden footrests. The waitress came by with a place setting for my friend and put it on the tiny table. But when she returned with MY place setting, did she put it on the other small table? NOPE, she put it on the footrest! OH. NO. SHE. DIDN’T. A word of advice? In the future, DO NOT PUT MY PLACE SETTING ON THE FUCKING FOOTREST! CRAZY POCKET GAYSIANS ARE PEOPLE TOO! I mean, fuck, I know I’m short, even REALLY FUCKING SHORT, but give me a break and please don’t SEAT ME AT THE MOTHERFUCKING KIDDIES’ TABLE!!!
Also, this was yet another restaurant where Darin The Fag played one of his FAVORITE games, Scare The Hets, albeit unwittingly. I don’t know why, but for some reason people would come by, look at the both of us in our resplendent faggotry, and quickly turn on their heels and leave. I usually have to talk about blowjobs or take off my clothes in order to provoke THAT response, but no, we were only talking about Clinton vs. Obama. Go figure.
All in all, around $ 160 for two (including drinks of course, we’re fucking lushes) was a fair price to pay for the realization that some myths are tenable.
***Don’t send me angry PMs or hateliments contesting my erroneous representation of the relativist’s stance. Bitch, please. I’m fully aware of the fact that this is an UTTER MISREPRESENTATION of relativism — let’s not forget I also majored in philosophy, which means I SPECIALIZE in setting up specious arguments and strawmen in order to easily criticize them, thus proving my innate moral and intellectual superiority. And fuck you.

*update 1/​24/​2008*
Oh Myth, what happened? I was so excited to dine one last time before the ownership/​chef change. But my meal last night was pretty darn average. The gnocchi were fantastic (some of the best I’ve had) but everything else was decent at best. The worst offender was the short ribs — way too much horseradish and something definitely foul with the red wine sauce. Our bartender (we ate at the bar) noticed that we took one bite each and pushed it away and graciously took the dish off the bill. He also treated us to a couple of desserts which was a nice gesture but again, they were a huge disappointment.
Come to think of it, other than the gnocchi the best thing about our meal was the service from Vinnie the bartender. He kept our glasses full (the wine list is great and pretty affordable, all things considered) and was a great conversationalist.
I haven’t given up on Myth completely but will definitely wait for Ron Siegel to take over the reigns in the kitchen before returning. And I’ll make sure and sit at Vinnie’s end of the bar.
*original review 3/​28/​2006*
Yum. Great food, and the Orin Swift Prisoner that was recommended to us was amazing and a great deal ($ 44 on the wine list, we later found out it retails for $ 28) The crowd was a bit older and the staff young and a bit scattered, hence ‘only’ four stars.

I hate to be a party pooper but I have to say that there were only two dishes that I enjoyed and even then I probably would not come back to have a second helping of those.
Either way the chef and the menu (possibly) are both changing soon so hopefully the new Chef leaves the horse radish out of the braised short ribs and cooks the risotto a little more.
Overall a nice restaurant with an excellent wine selection and GREAT staff. Loved the bartender!
Good place for business dinners or groups. Half sizes available in dishes for appetizers.
Three stars for the food but if we had a separate rating for service then Myth would definitely get 5 stars in my book.
Date Rating: 6
Pick up Scale: 4
Strong Suggestion: Wait until the new chef arrives to come here.

I like the spaciousness of the restaurant. Solid food and service. Great bar scene and prices are reasonable.
The calamari ($ 12) was good. I liked their wild mushroom soup ($ 12), however, the main entrée, the braised cheeks ($ 29) was nothing short of being average joe. Ice cream with cookies were boring *yawn*.
I tried the Red Wine Flight ($ 15) and not impressed.
Overall, good, but not WOW.

For Christmas, I was treated to a night in the City with dinner at a restaurant of my choice. Since we were supposed to go shopping at Union Square the next day for my «present,» I was looking for a nice, but reasonably priced restaurant.
Both hubby and I were extremely pleased with my choice of Myth. We sat at the bar and had wonderful Pt. Reyes oysters to start. Normally, I prefer small and mild oysters, but these were plump and full-​bodied and quite good topped with crunchy yuzu tobiko. The peeky toe crab salad with cucumbers and truffled mushroom soup were delicious. Hubby wanted to order more soup, but we moved on to luscious home-​made gnocchi and the rigatoni with foie gras cream, maitake mushrooms and marsala wine. Both dishes were very satisfying in appetizer portions.
A special dinner means we get to order dessert, right? We went for the once-​a-​year artery-clogger…the toasted coconut panna cotta. When I make panna cotta at home, I use yogurt, but at top establishments such as Myth, you can revel in the incredible smoothness of pure cream. Although we claimed to be full, dessert disappeared in microseconds (so much for savoring its smoothness!).
Chef O’Brien may have created the highlight of not only my holidays, but my entire year, with this meal. I will follow him wherever he goes.

For a place that is hidden in an alley and always booked, I had high expectations. Unfortunately, it’s a myth that this place is good because everything was plain and simple without any focus or theme. How can one claim this is a French restaurant when the menu overwhelms you with 17 dishes with a section on Italian pizzas?
What prevents this restaurant from being truly amazing is its inability to serve dishes with ingredients that complement each other. Aside from nothing ending with a strong or sweet note, the flavor falls flat for its pumpkin bisque and sweet bread, salty for its proscuitto and honey pizza, and cheesy for its risotto. Surprisingly, the gnocchi was light, flavorful, and crisp on the exterior. However, even the natural flavors of the potato cylinders were masked by the bland spaghetti sauce. If you think dessert is any better, you’re in for a thick panna cotta with sour kiwi fruits or a decent soufflé at best. The treats offered complimentary with your check are burnt, hard, and cold without much flavor.
From the moment you walk in, the hostess isn’t warm nor inviting. In fact, the hostess wasn’t even at her station to greet me. Instead, the wait staff and comfortable booths made up for the bare décor with pumpkins here and there. Street parking can be tough in this area, but you can use the valet.

All in all, great experience. Experience … I mean ambiance, service, efficiency, etc. The décor is beautiful and cozy. This would be a great place to be on a rainy night, I know that sounds random. Our server was professional and very unintrusive. Timing was impeccable between courses and ordering beverages.
The food… not the best in the city but definitely good and beautifully prepared. Heirloom tomato salad was perfect. Fig/​Procuitto pizza was delicious. The pork chop I found to be slightly bland and a little undercooked. Something was ‘off’ but I would never have said anything because I attributed this to my taste buds. The butter beans on the side were yum; I could have had a bowl of these instead.
My five stars are reserved for places I want to return to within a month whether I can afford it or not. Myth, I’d visit again, but for a special occasion like bringing the parents or celebrating an event.

Yum! Yum!
Cigar bar had a line for happy hour so not one to stand in line decided to check out Myth w/​o a reservation… not expecting a table for 45 minutes, we decided to eat in the bar. The cocktail selections were fantastic and fruity. all were well mixed and refreshing. My Stella was nicely chilled and tall.
We started with Oyster in Lime followed by the Chorizo pizza, app sized scallops and app sized gnocchi. The Oysters were amazing, flavorful and fresh; loved the sprinkle of Tobiko. Everything else was good. I am not much of gnocchi fan but they fried theirs which was a nice touch. The sauces were yummie on everything.
So for having some apps and cocktails it was 100 $ not bad but not a bargain either.
Probably won’t be going back because the spectacular food didn’t necessarily justify the expense.

The Legend of Myth
Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, four friends found themselves at Myth’s door. Many moons had passed since their last meeting due to their crusades in the exotic lands of Chicago, Minneapolis, San Jose, and San Francisco. Slaying the ailments of disabled patients, saving the finances of clients, building computer software and answering the call of discovery requests had left them with little time for merrymaking.
But as the winds of fate blew, the four found themselves assembled in San Francisco. What place would be befitting of such a rare occasion? The omnipotent seer Unilocal advised them to make a pilgrimage to Myth. Myth had become a local legend and its tales of delicious cuisine, warm hospitality, and beautiful décor had been known far and wide.
During their sojourn to Myth, they became acquainted with many people along the way. The kind Hostess who guided them through the cavernous main dining area to a more secluded and private booth in the back. The saintly Server who patiently assisted in the Herculean task of making selections from an extensive wine list and menu (both available in half and full portions.) The wise Sommelier who offered to share his vast knowledge with them.
They feasted upon many delicious, creative and artfully plated dishes including the Mascarpone & Potato Gnocchi, Oysters with Tobiko, and Crab Salad with Cantaloupe, Avocado & Mint. The entrees of Seared Scallops, Black Cod, and Grilled Walu were also enthusiastically received. A favored dish was the tartly sweet Chilled Strawberry Soup with Lemon Tea Cake & Vanilla Ice Cream but the Fromage Blanc Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce and Peanut Butter Mousse and Chocolate Brownie also fared well.
With a start, it was with amazement that the four realized that FOUR HOURS had passed. They had unwittingly fallen under the spell skillfully woven by Myth. For sometimes a meal is merely a meal. And other times it is an experience. And as the four friends rode off into the night, each realized that their time at Myth together was the latter and that they would remember it fondly for years to come.
(And of course, they lived happily ever after.)
The End

When I went quite a while ago before it got so popular you have to book months in advance for a weekend dinner, my boyfriend and I had a very good meal there. We ordered the fresh oysters which were delicious, and they came on a plate of tiny rocks. It made an interesting and pretty presentation, but our waiter had to put on a straight face and warned us to not eat these tiny rocks. «These may look like beans, they are really rocks, so, please don’t eat them!»
Hehehe, I can only imagine what might have happened at some point when they first introduced this dish: dinner guest gagging, waiters and hosts running around to help the victim who has swallowed rocks, with red faces full of regret and shame. Well, glad the little rocks didn’t hurt their business, because their food is fantastic, and ambiance is very lovely as well. I would love to go back.

Atmosphere: chic and sophisticated, probably the best of any restaurant in SF I have ever been to.
Food: delicious.
However, I must agree with some other reviewers… the hostess was AWFUL! she was rude and condescending… Not sure if she’s still there (I last visited in March 05)

I had been wanting to eat here for over a year now, but it’s so hard to get good reservations!!! We planned this outing a couple weeks in advance and Hue L. managed to get us a really nice 8PM Saturday night reservation. We got there a little early and had to wait about 5 minutes in the very cool lounge for our booth. Yes, booth. I absolutely loved the booth! Beautiful wood with the slightly frosted window on one side facing the bar. It makes you feel very private and cozy in a packed restaurant.
Appetizers: Split the Chorizo Pizza and Seared Scallops. Scallops were just okay for me, but I liked the Potato Purée that it came with. And I really liked the Chorizo Pizza. Linda L. and I only had 2 slices each, but Hue L. had 4!
Entrée: I had the Braised Short Ribs. HUGE. It was very tender though and just fell off the bone. Plus it came with some more Potato Purée! (I think Hue L. had rabbit and Linda L. had a stuffed quail? I’m sure they’ll go into more detail of their dishes on their reviews.)
Dessert: To be perfectly honest, none of the desserts jumped out at us so we asked our waitress (Marla!) for some suggestions. We decided to go with the Grand Marnier Soufflé with Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise. Great choice. It was sooooo good!!!
And to top it off, at the end of our meal, they gave us a plate of mini hazelnut French macaroons! This was a really nice touch. And I LOVE French macaroons.
Service: Fabulous. Our waitress was very friendly, very knowledgable, and helped make an already great dining experience even better. Plus, when Linda L. decided she wasn’t «feeling» the cocktail she had ordered, Marla went ahead and took it off the bill.
Oh, and can’t forget Bathrooms: I love their thick paper towels imprinted with Myth to wipe my hands after washing. Little touches make a big difference.
Go to Myth! Go to Myth! Go to Myth!!!

Really it’s 4.5, but I’ll round up. They lost a half star for making us wait 20 minutes for our table even though we had a reservation. If the bar (the suggested waiting area) had room for us it might have been acceptable, but it was packed.
The meal was perfection: I started with the oysters and couldn’t resist ordering the duck. A couple of mini-​dishes were served as well (the highlight being the pillow-​soft gnocchi) Service was just right, no hovering but always there when needed and the sommelier choose an excellent wine for our meal.
The décor is stylish enough for a hot date, loft-​like with high ceilings, but they keep things subtle so your parents/​grandparents will most certainly appreciate the space too.
Overall the experience matched my expectation: it’s one of SF’s best restaurants.

Have you ever had your bridge toll paid for you by a total stranger? Way back in the days of undergrad and before there was FasTrak. .. Lulu P and I were heading to SF on a typical Thursday night study session of clubbing & drinking. And as we blew our last coinage on Yogurt Park. .. we were seriously SOL on toll. But as the gods would have it that night, some doubly kind angel driving in front of us paid the 2 dollars AND we cheered AND it made our night! THANK YOU WHOEVER YOU ARE!
**** NOW FAST FORWARD TO THE PRESENT *****
Have you ever had a poshy dinner paid for you by a total stranger? Well just a few months ago. .. Lulu P and I were here at MYTH having dinner. Reservation for two ON. Lip gloss ON. «A» Game ON. We were ON.
By the time our first entrée arrived so did 1 mysterious bottle of Vueve Cliquot. «I didn’t order this!!» we demanded in unison. But apparently someone else did. Hmmmm. Whatthehell Whynot. *CHING* *CHING*
And the food was golden like the champagne. But by the time desert arrived. .. No creepy guy came by the table to claim the bubbly. No note with a phone number. No awkward glances from neighboring tables. No lonesome diners. Nothing. Some weird candid camera shit was going down. We were SOL.
AND HERE COMES THE BEST PART: «Mademoiselles. .. ze billz bene paid for.» *incredulous glances darting back and forth between Lulu P and I*
And all we could get out of our server was that it was from «someone» because «that person» overheard it was both our birthdays!!! THANK YOU WHOEVER YOU ARE!
So MYTH gets 5 stars. A night made permanently memorable by a random act of chivalry.

In a word, impeccable. Every detail– perfectly executed. One of the most enjoyable dining experiences I’ve had this year.
After being seated at our wonderfully comfortable table, we ordered two glasses of the Prosecco straight away. At just seven dollars per glass, don’t think about passing up this delightful bubbly if you’re in a festive mood. As I set about navigating my way through the menu I was struck by its creativity and more so by the overwhelming feeling of wanting to try every single dish on offer (I can’t honestly remember the last time that happened to me in a restaurant.)
If you eat seafood and dine at Myth with others who do, you will be in an optimal position as many of the most exciting items on the menu include fish and/​or seafood. Though I love to partake in the fruits of the sea, my dining companion didn’t so we began with the agnolotti pasta stuffed with braised beef cheek and porcinins in a Parmesan broth. Our server recommended that we get this as an appetizer portion and he was spot on in his suggestion. The pasta was perfect, with broth so tasty you wanted to slurp it right up.
For dinner I chose the seared scallops with abalone mushrooms and potato purée. With the scallops, our server recommended a fantastic Sauvignon Blanc (again, just $ 7 for a glass). My dining companion chose the grilled New York steak with green peppercorns, red wine sauce and french fries. Once again showing off just how well-​acquainted he was with the food and the wine, our server paired a perfect glass of Cabernet Sauvignon to go with the meat. Both dishes were absolutely gorgeous.
Just when I thought this meal couldn’t get any better, it did! The raspberry soufflé with crème anglais was nothing short of heavenly. What’s more, they had my favorite flowering tea from Numi.
I cannot think of a single thing that could have made this meal better. Service was flawless, as was the food. At every turn, I was impressed. Myth undoubtedly deserves five stars!
UPDATE JULY 26, 2006:
Went back to Myth last night for a celebratory dinner. Turned up early and kicked the night off with glasses of Prosecco at the bar.
Dinner included:
Point Reyes Miyagi Oysters Marinated in Cilantro and Lime with Yuzu Tobiko
Corn Salad with Arugula, Feta and a Cumin Tomato Vinaigrette
Chilled Corn Soup with Leeks, Bacon, Basil Oil and Chives
Roasted Black Cod
Everything was fabulous, and it is wonderful to know that Myth is consistently awesome. Ordered the raspberry soufflé again for dessert and it did not disappoint. Five stars again for Myth!