![]() ![]() Day Boat Scallop w/ dosa, turmeric, mustard and kale thovial and for my wife, with a bi-valve allergy, Heirloom Kale w/ kale composition, fresh edamame, shallots and black mustard - Neither dish was at all exciting, and the kale was actually more flavorful, than the scallop. The lobster was quite tough, with little flavor, even with the curry. Poached Lobster w/ Spring peas, wood sorrel, cipollini and coastal curry - While we both love lobster, this dish did not do anything for either of us. Spice Pot w/ “Chaas,” tamarind chutney and cilantro - Still a cute idea, but this version lacked the “soul” of many previous versions. Oh wait, they still had those, but did not see fit to provide one for my wife? Our July Spice Route Menu was: Truffle Naan w/ caramelized butter, and 5 grams of Australian black truffle at $40 supplemental charge - This was a very good starter. One missing aspect however, was the purse stool, provided to the ladies in the dining room, which was always a nice, and welcomed touch. Nothing was badly missing, but nothing was stellar, as we had come to expect. The same could be said for the colors: mostly browns and greys. Dishes were OK, but all lacked any spirit, and the textures were all wrong - just too amorphous to work. On this visit, it seemed that the excitement had drained from the menu. Now, Campton Place had just lost one of its two Michelin stars, but instead of working hard to win that back, they seemed to just be phoning it all in. On this visit, the room was as lovely, as always, but several things just seemed off: the Spice Route menu was again lacking focus, and also execution, the wine pairings were basically just the By-the-Glass selections, and with but one exception, did not compliment the dishes this time. Fairly recently, in July, that Tasting Menu seemed to have become a second thought, though on our previous visit, it seemed that the spark had come back, and we had a fabulous meal, reminiscent of much earlier experiences. Since the inception of Chef Srijith Gopinathan’s Spice Route Tasting Menus, we had been great fans. We had previously dined at the Michelin-starred Campton Place restaurant, in the Taj Campton Place Hotel, many times. A couple of very nice meals, and fun wines, with excellent service. I then had on lunch in the bistro, and got to play around with several of their new wines, on their small, but interesting B-T-G list. I only got to have breakfast one morning with my wife, as she had a breakfast meeting the rest of the stay. ![]() Even with some traditional breakfast items, Chef Gopinathan’s hand is evident. For the breakfasts, in the elegant dining room, Chef Srijith Gopinathan’s creations and adaptions came through. On this trip, I did two breakfasts in the restaurant, and one lunch, plus wines, at the bar, in the bistro. First, Campton Place is really three venues in one: an intimate bistro, and then a small bar with seating at one end, and finally a lovely Michelin-starred restaurant, open for breakfast, and then dinner. The breakfasts were both great, and I often dine here, when not staying at the hotel - it is good enough to walk from beyond Union Square, or the SoMa Area, and is probably my favorite breakfast in San Francisco. While we have had several dinners at Campton Place, we dined off-property each evening of this trip. Only Breakfast, Lunch and Drinks on This Visit In October, we were back at the Taj Campton Hotel, and dined in their Michelin-starred Campton Place restaurant, and its attached bistro. We always have breakfast here, when staying at the Taj Campton, but then walk over, when we are not. While not inexpensive for breakfast, we both feel that for the quality of the food, this is one of the best breakfast values in the Union Square area. This morning, it was great! Service was excellent, and our coffee cups always refilled. I have had this dish before, and only once was not 100% pleased. ![]() ![]() I opted for the Lobster Knuckle Frittata w/ breakfast salad. The “over-easy” eggs were perfectly cooked, and I inherited most of her home fries, as she is just not a potato person at breakfast. This was, as always, an excellent choice. With coffee on the table, my wife went with the California Breakfast w/ two eggs, home fries, a breakfast salad, wheat toast, applewood-smoked bacon and cranberry juice. The room was lovely, even on a gloomy morning, and we were seated in one of the booths, across from the windows. Just a Great Breakfast In February, we were back in San Francisco for a wine maker event, and though we were staying at another hotel, near Union Square, walked over to the Taj Campton Place, to have breakfast at their restaurant, Campton Place, just off of their lovely lobby. ![]()
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