Paul K
Category: Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley199 Gough Street
(between Lily St & Oak St)
San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 552-7132
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Sat 5:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
Sun 5:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m. - Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
238 reviews
Neighborhood: Financial District
"I came here last night with the Validant crew. My wine was good, and the bartenders were nice. I love the atmosphere! Highly recommend.…" read more »
170 Reviews for Paul K
Very underwhelmed. Great atmosphere and good service, but that's not why I go out to eat. Really bland mussels to start -- and no bread to enjoy the sauce with. Main course -- chewy ribeye that did come with very good shoestring fries. Skipped dessert because things were trending in the wrong direction.
Small and unassuming, this quiet little gem in the middle of the hustle of Gough is within easy striking distance of the Opera. Wanting to try something different from Jiardainare, Absynthe and Hayes St grill, I stumbled on to it.
It has a cozy setting in which I can actually have a conversation with my wife. The menu is sparse and has a distinct mediteranian influence. I love their Atkins lamb riblets, which are lamb short ribs with a pomegranite glaze on them. They simply melt in your mouth. Most of the starters are very cocktail freindly.
The better main courses are the fish dishes - I don't think I'm qualified to go much further on those since we usually just go for the mezza but they look good. I am definately a fan of the place.
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It's been forever since I've written a review, but the underwhelming experience I had last week at Paul K has brought me back to Yelp...
My friend and I were looking for a lively scene and great food, and we both LOVE mediterranean food, so what's not to like, right? Our reservation was on a Wednesday at 7:30... while we didn't expect a line out the door, we were shocked to find ourselves the only 2 people in the restaurant... apparently the Opera crowd had just cleared out, but it was so dead in there you could hear a pin drop.
However, we busied ourselves with the menu and decided on the vegetarian mezze plate to start (very good, basic dips and vegges with bread for dipping), and the pomegranate-glazed lamb riblets and eggplant napolean for dinner. The lamb riblets were nearly inedible- the glaze was so strong and sharp-tasting that I could not make out the lamb flavor underneath it, and the riblets were very fatty. The garbanzo beans surrounding the eggplant napolean were undercooked, still crunchy. I was looking to be wowed by Paul K's food but unfortunately was very disappointed.
A note re: our server- He had the MOST bizarre way of talking, and used his hands almost like sign language. WAY over the top with the theatrics. We guessed he was an out of work, frustrated circus actor taking it out on restaurant patrons? He made me so uncomfortable I had to look away as he talked. A good server doesn't make the meal about them in any way- it should be all about the food.
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Our small plates were incredibly tasty and fresh.
The desserts are nothing to sneeze at either.
This gem of a restaurant really delivers.
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Our waiter Richard was absolutely fabulous! Even if the food theoretically blew (it was actually quite delicious), the entertainment value of Richard would have been entirely worth the price of our Dine About Town meals! His verbal descriptions are wonderful and his hand gestures describing the food were highly imaginative. My friends are still giggling at the memories of Richard with his swimming fish gesture, description of "moist warm WEDGE of chocolate cake" and his hand motions describing pomegranate drizzle over the succulent duck (not a DAT menu item but well worth the extra expense).
Great news? the food was fabulous!
Why not 5 stars? Though it was Dine About Town, the host seemed confused that we were asking for the DAT prix fixe menus...very odd....and our table for 6 people was RIGHT by the door - this despite the fact that I had made the reservation nearly one month in advance, was very disappointing.
Would I return? Yes, perhaps with a max of 4 people. The restaurant is far too loud for larger parties. And I will DEFINITELY ask for Richard again!
Update after 06.13.08 dining:
$200 shitty meals BLOW. Especially when you're the one footing the bill.
Dine About Town is on. And but of course, my foodie friends and I hit the streets of SF, three bottles of killer vino in tow, in search of some good prix fixe grub.
Unfortunately we chose Paul K.
I say unfortunately because though my first experience of this restaurant was highly positive (I think Dash N. had EVERYTHING to do with that by the way)...this one placed a very long distant last place.
Only one of us ordered from the prix fixe menu (which was barren in terms of selection). I took on the mussels, arugula salad and halibut. Mussels were cooked OK, but flavor was off. Salad was bleh and boring. Halibut was tough and flavor was non-existent. All of it was just BLEH.
I'm really disappointed in restaurants that can't get texture and flavor right. I was really confused by the ingredients and how they paired together.
And on top of it, the space (though modern and cool) didn't seem to fit the menu. And they need to hire a new floral designer because the filler flowers in their arrangements just don't hack it.
All four of my dining partners agreed...a total dud. And I'm sad because I love Hayes Valley and would definitely come back here more often.
Not so much.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/08/2007
Nothing like the Hayes Valley Block Party to bring me out of my Peninsula cave.
Paul K was the… Read more »
great food, great atmosphere... the food is always consistent. great simple menu with great flavors and texture.
the server with the sexual dessert desc is awesome too.
I really like this place. Found this place on our way to Little Star. Though, I probably will not come back due of location and parking. However, if these two factors weren't an issue, I'll definitely be back for more.
The food was really good. We tried four little plates and a main course, and everything was delicious!!! The service was attentive, and the decor was pretty cute. I can't complain about anything aside from location and parking.
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It's Aight. Aight. Aight. (I can see my brother giving me the stare ... and thinking, "girl you need to stop being ghetto.") There wasn't anything memorable. I was hoping for pomegranate "this" or "that." Exoticize the fruit, bring Mediterranean cuisine on, but the closest thing to Mediterranean was the pita provided in substitution of bread.
My mussels lacked flavor, the sauce was light and not refreshing. I could have easily gone to Plouf and picked whatever sauce I wanted. I aimed for lamb chops and all I got was tough meat. I "felt" and I think I looked retarded trying to cut my chops into small pieces. I'm hoping it was an off night for the chef. But, Paul K saved himself with the chicken. They did it just perfect...grilled with sumac rubbed. Yes, I can come back for that but it'll be awhile.
Otherwise, pass on the dessert. I am a firm believer in the notion of "everything in moderation," and that also applies to almonds in ice cream.
Saturday night and we ended up at Paul K. Our meal was quite enjoyable. Started with the sampler platter of tasty goodness. The place was packed by the time we left at 9:15 but the noise volume was comfortable for two at a table at the window to have a pleasant conversation. The duck was very good and the almond ice cream was nice; maybe a little too much almond but still good. The only thing that was odd was our server; he spoke to us as if we were deaf. Also, he punctuated each word with weird hand gestures. It was hard to listen to him describe the menu. Other than his violent hand gestures, the service was very good.
Yum.
We thoroughly enjoyed dinner at Paul K last Saturday. The arugula salad was excellent and my husband loved the tomato soup. The halibut was wonderful -- incredible flavors.
The wait staff was superb.
My only complaint: we were elbow-to-elbow with the diners on each side of us. A bit more room between tables would have been nice.
We'll go back.
My expectations weren't that high as my date and I selected this place out of the Cosmo deck as something new to try on a Wednesday night. But we were so pleasantly surprised that both of us want to come back.
The restaurant is in Hayes Valley, which is a great foodie neighborhood, it's a small, intimate place with an open kitchen and bar. It wasn't packed which can sometimes mean it's not that great but again, I'm learning that this is not always the case.
We were seated and our waiter came by to give us water and tell us about the specials. He had the most unique way to describe the food with hand gestures and almost a theatric delivery and he said it only gets better.
We selected lamb riblets marinated in pomegranite sauce and served with a yogurt dipping sauce. They were AMAZING! The combination of sweet and sour coupled with meat that literally was falling off the bone was absolutely amazing. The food was served well, at the right pace and temperature and looked appealing.
We also got a salad which was great.
The service was very attentive but never intrusive and our conversation flowed as did the food delivery.
For the main course we had Arctic Chard and Duck, both exceptional, prepared perfectly and tender. Duck isn't always easy to get right and this was, it was tender, lean, not overcooked and a perfect portion.
Now came the dessert, one was described as an food orgy in our mouth and another was dark, rich and moist. We actually didn't get chocolate and got the sesame one which was amazing, we also found out that our waiter was featured in 7*7 magazine, a well deserved honor for him.
Sometimes not really having expectations and picking a place out of the blue or out of a deck of cards as it happened to be turns out really well.
I'm looking forward to coming back and trying more food.
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Had the Lamb Koftie (3 pieces) appetizer and the spiced duck breast entree as recommended by fellow Yelpers. Both were very tasty and heavy in flavor. Goes well with red wine. The only complaint would be the slightly smaller portions. Some of us ordered scallop appetizers (2 pieces), and they were really good too - the surface looks very crisply seared.
We had an interesting waiter. He is this thin guy with shaved head. As he explained the menu, he make gestures and almost acts out the menu. We were quite entertained.
And the free pita bread with hummus was a nice change for me (instead of plain bread and olive oil).
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This has been a pre-symphony, pre-opera favourite for me and my wife for years. Wait staff are very attentive and prompt even during early evening rush. Reservations can be hard to get, plan a week in advance at least or try seats at the bar on a walk-in basis. Decor is very clean and crisp, although the space can get loud depending on clientele. The food is consistently quite good. I return to the lamb kofti as an appetizer and the duck entree time and time again. The Paul K margarita has a refreshing bite to it.
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I want to give this place four stars but I can really say I'll keep going back. The food tasted great but our waiter is definitely a weird character. He spoke to us as if we are deaf. He punctuated each word with weird hand gestures. He rolled his eyes at everything we said and also when he spoke. Our dining experience felt quite odd. Beyond that I like the unique flavors and I do like the dcor. I like that the bar area have four large beautiful flower arrangements that made the place smell nice.
Who doesn't want an orgy in their mouth?!? But I'll get to that later.
I can't speak for the theater/opera crowd. I came on a Wednesday night as the result of a Cozmo Deck brainstorm (I freakin' LOVE that deck - found a lot of great places that way). We had 8:30 reservations. Showed up at 8:00. Plenty of seating. We sat at a cozy candle lit table near the back. And our waiter? Freakin' awesome! I think his name's Richard. Yes - he mimed out everything he read. I was asking questions about food I didn't even want - just to see his descriptions. He was also proud of the fact that he was named "San Francisco's most Dramatic Waiter" by 7x7 Magazine. He doesn't work Sundays. If you want the experience I had - call ahead to see if he's working. Good times...
They have a nice wine selection. Not huge, which can sometimes be refreshing. Wasn't intimidating at all. But they covered most all demographics and price ranges. Got a bottle of the Napa Sauv Blanc, then came our salad with grilled romaine, medjool date and crumbled blue cheese (with a few other bells and whistles). Light. Tasty. Very good. But the lamb riblets with a pomegranate reduction and yogurt sauce - AMAZING! The lamb must have been rubbed with some sort of cardamon and spices that paired very nicely with the riblets and sauce (the sauce was very tangy - some may think too tangy. I loved it and when I go back - I'll order that again.)
Entrees. My date had the Swiss Chard (a fish similar to salmon), with a nice sauce, some clever greens and peas splashed around to garnish. It was very tasty with a nice presentation. A busy presentation - but I liked it. I had the spiced duck with a pomegranate sauce, portobello mushrooms, greens and some fingerling potato's. SOOOOO GOOOOOD!!! Our waiter said this was the chef's signature dish. It absolutely hit the spot for me. Spice, tenderness, portion size - perfect.
Then the desert came. I don't know what I liked more. The waiters presentation or the marscapone. Hmm...definitely the marscapone, but the presentation was delightful. It deserved an encore. I think I was told the Paul K Sundae would be like "An orgy in my mouth". As tempting as that sounded - I love good marscapone. And oh - my - GOODNESS! This was perfect. Sandwiched between two thin sesame crackers, drizzled with a spiced honey and apricot wedges, was some of the absolute best marscapone I think I've ever had. Get this desert. DO IT! You'll love it.
Prices - absolutely fair for what it is. Appetizers between $6 - $12. Entrees between $15 - $25. Deserts $8. And I think it's funny how a cucumber wedge in my water can make the experience that much better. I would probably give this place a solid 4-stars. But it's getting that extra fifth because I want to try and make up for the over-critical bastards leaving 1-star reviews. Gimme a break. On their worst day, this place couldn't possibly be a 1-star restaurant. Definitely worth checking out at least once. In the words of our Governor "I'll be back"...
(Okay - that was a pretty lame sentence to end on. Hope I at least got a couple eye rolls out of it) ;-)
This was a more Mediterranean, tapas/small plates restaurant. The place was modern and interior is beautifully done. I thought the food was just OK...nothing too special...however the pomegranate martini was pretty good though!
The ravioli appetizer is simply amazing. It is a must have everytime that I am there. The rest of the food is certainly good, you can't go wrong with any of the dishes IF you enjoy mediterranean flavors.
What adds to the experience is the wait staff, you have the range from Scott's southern charm to Richard's dessert theatrics. If you are sociable and enjoy a great staff, then check them out.
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This place is more of a 3.5 joint.
My friend and I came here before a show at Herbst Theater.
We shared a bunch of small plates/appetizers as we love to do. We had an appetizer special of scallops, which were delicious, the goat cheese ravioli, amazing, a salad with pine nuts, nothing special, and the vegetarian mezze platter. The platter had several dips, olives, feta, artichoke hearts, etc. I love that they bring you pitas and hummus like a bread and butter/chips and salsa kind of thing. Also, love the cucumber water.
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I have been there twice with consistently stellar results. The fish dishes are always good. I love the freshness of the food. The hummus and pita bread they serve at the beginning of the meal was yummy. Lamb kofta is deliciously spiced and the baba is good as well. The romaine salad -- yep, it's as good as advertised.
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This place is very, very over-rated.
The staff is rude and the food is insultingly bland.
I went there some time ago and had the misfortune of arriving at 6pm (my reservation was for 6:30) and I ended up getting seated at 7:45pm-- no free drink or app for my troubles. When the theater crowd finally departed and we sat down to eat my hopes for a good meal were quickly smashed when I got the sampler plate. Downhill from there. I can't recall the rest of the meal since it was bad (soggy fries and dry, bad chocolate cake. Yuck).
They should close this place down and make it a fur shop or something less relevant.
I gave it the 1 star for their hubris which is a San Franciscan trait.
To my surprise, the restaurant was not that crowded considering it was on a Saturday night and I found out why. I went with a large group (10) and the service was excellent but there was nothing special about the food. The taste and presentation were pretty simple. I guess some prefer Mediterranean food to be that way but I like mine to be bold and sharp and Paul K was neither.
I ordered four small dishes to get a sample of what they offered. I ordered the winter lettuce which is a pretty basic salad, the cheese and leek ravioli which is good but drowned in so much butter that it seemed that every morsel felt as if you were drinking a tablespoon of butter, shoestring potatoes which were good to go along with my mussels which were not good. My shoestring potatoes was seasoned with enough salt whereas the mussels were not.
So would I go back? Not really and if I do, that's because I didn't pick it.
Its a very cute spot. The service was good. Food was decent if not completely un remarkable. We had the mezza sampler to start. It was OK. I had the seabass and my bf had the chicken. Neither of them were bad but neither of them had any flavour and the chicken was a bit dry. THe huckleberry cake was the same...non-descript and blah. A very BEIGE meal.
Paul K is a seriously underrated restaurant. The food is med-influenced for example, they bring pita/flat bread with hummus to the table to start. Hubby's dish was rubbed in pomegranate sauce and my mom's rib eye had chili harissa on it (a spicy herb mix) both very good. My lamb chops were juicy and tender and a large, but not to large, portion. The grilled romaine hearts with dates and blue cheese is a must. A twist on the traditional.
Great place for pre ballet. They get you in and out in a timely way but we weren't rushed.
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I've been wanting to try this place forever, so a friend and I finally decided to go for it since they are participating in dine about town. I was pleased with the experience, if not bowled over.
I had the grilled romaine hearts and the pressed sumac chicken which were both good, but the real stand outs of the meal were the cheese course we had for dessert and the wine we had with dinner which was an '05 chenin blanc that was fabulous and really held it's own from the salad through dessert.
Yet another place I wish I could rank 3.5 stars.
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We went on a Saturday night and the place was pretty loud and crowded. Our waiter was great, when he stopped by. I think they may have been short of waiters, so we had to wait at least twenty minutes for two glasses of water, and we had to request that they bring pita bread o our table.They served two kinds of hummus with the pita bread, one was a plain garbanzo hummus and the other had a really good rye flavor.
We ordered two small plates; mussels,and the nightly special which were scallops with a tomato sauce and a pureed avocado topping.
The scallops were really good, they tasted a little like ginger, and I really don't know what the other seasonings were,but they all came together really well. The mussels were good too, I but I thought they served us too many...I enjoy presentation more than quantity and the bowl of mussels wasn't all that pleasing to my eye.
I ordered the "Pink Lemonade" cocktail- pomegranate, citrus vodka, and lemon- the drink was decent.
As for the miming I read about before visiting this restaurant, our waiter did illustrate the scallop dish for us.
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This place actually gets 3.5 stars from me - w a" I'll come back and give it another try"
Well decorated restaurant in Hayes Valley - cute and really trendy and hip inside.
Hits -
-nice ambiance
-ravioli with goat cheese app
-servers
-lamb chops
-was able to walk in on a Sunday night w/o reservations!
Misses
-mezze platter (specifically the lamb riblets -was way too tamarindy!)
-dry chocolate cake - yuck!
-portions were small (maybe I was hungry - :) )
Great date spot. I was a bit worried when we were seated near the kitchen entrance, and there was a fair amount of traffic back and forth, but I quickly forgot about that as we started our meal. The restaurant felt lively and fun, but it was also quiet enough for us to talk easily.
The friendly waiter enthusiastically recommended the scallop appetizer special, and it lived up to his description. The lamb was fine, but the duck was really good, and went well with the wine we ordered. I was disappointed by the dessert, but that was just because I don't like Amaretto, and it was waaay Ameretto-y.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience: nothing noticeably wrong, and providing a nice background for lots of conversation.
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I've walked by the restaurant before and always thought it looked trendy, perhaps a little bit too much like it was trying. Still, it's a perfectly fine place. That's just the thing, it was nice, but nothing really stood out to me.
Even re: the waiter with his gesticulations, I couldn't decide if I found it amusing or distracting or both. He's been working there for a while though so apparently it's his personal flair and seems to work for him.
The artichoke heart appetizer was tasty, but I can't even remember my entree anymore so it must not have made a strong impression either way.
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It appears that some people do not like the exaggerated hand gestures of the waiter, Richard, while impeccably describing the meal? What?! These folk are much too pretentious as this style added much fun and amusement to our meal! My friend and I commented that this would be the ideal place for a first date....wonderful ambiance (we liked the
artwork on the wall) and clever humor from Richard would ease any nervousness....
The food is pretty good....although if i were the sous chef (in my next life) I would make a few changes.
The pomegranate lamb was a tad too tangy and the pasta had a bit too much oil swimming on the plate. However most morsels were tasty enough...those dipping sauces for the pita were a nice (and addicting touch).
Not a top dining destination but a fun experience that should be repeated.
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I love the interior design of this place and the bathroom was super clean.. even our waiter was fun.
the food was just okay... the meat dishes came cold -- the steak was burnt and the duck was nothing special.
the best part of the evening was the dessert -- excellent sundae!
i would not go out of my way to go back there... but glad i finally got to check it out.
I went there the other day and had a good time. I wasn't really in the mood for SF scenesters and douchebags so I was apprehensive about going in. The crowd was mixed. I saw seniors, people going to shows, and neighborhood folks. I relaxed immediately.
We ended up getting a bunch of random stuff as we were suffering from food dyslexia. We started with fried shoestring potatoes, halloumi cheese and the lentil soup. For a main, we got small plates. We ordered the goat cheese & leek ravioli, pomegranate braised lamb riblets with garlic yogurt and the steamed mussels. I'm not sure I was into the heavy citrus on the lamb. It was heavy handed as the orange was a bit sour...it was like candied meat. As soon as I used the side of yogurt, it mellowed it out. Everything tasted great. We had no idea Paul K. had a middle eastern flair so it was nice surprise.
If I'm chillin' in Hayes Valley, I'd go back.
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Paul K is a rare 5 star place for me, but I LOVED it so much. We took my girlfriend's mom here when she visited us and everyone was so pleased with the place that I definitely need to take my relatives here when they come into town.
Let me be the 100th person to probably recommend that you make a reservation and ask for RICHARD as your waiter. I think the table was at the brink of orgasm based on this man's acerbic, yet sensual attack of describing the menu in painfully delightful detail. If you get this waiter, your experience will be enhanced tenfold.
The food was as sexually gratifying as Richard portrayed. I had the grilled lamb chops with potato-dandelion green gratin, roasted carrots and cardamom yogurt. It had been years since I had lamb chops and after three weeks, I can still taste Paul K's chops on my tongue. Delicious!
We shared some goat cheese & leek ravioli with portobellos, pistachios and brown butter. I almost died when I bit into them because I felt that no, a human should not be experiencing this on Earth. It was definitely heavenly.
The hummus plate they give you is in-fuckin-sane as well. The rye hummus kind of blew my mind wide open. Never had it that good.
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I almost hesitate to review the place based on my Dine about Town experience, but here it goes....
Decor: Tres hip. Painfully so, but you're in Hayes Valley, so what do you expect.
Service: didn't have the mime, our server kept his hands to himself, but he was very nice and efficient, casual yet professional. Yeah!
Food:
We ordered an appetizer of olives, which seemed to come straight out of the Whole Foods Mixed Greek Olives bin, which isn't bad, but nothing really to get excited about.
On with the Dine menu, my friend had the split pea soup, which she really liked, I had the grilled romaine salad. The romaine hearts were totally cold (I like mine toasty as a contrast to vinaigrette) and the dressing was super-oily. OK, but not exciting.
Then we got very uncreative and both ordered the pressed chicken (poultry for the chicks, what can I say). The chicken was very juicy and tender, if a bit over-seasoned. The vegetables were extremely greasy and very under-seasoned, as were the potatoes.
Sorbet was yummy and my friend seemed to be happy with the Sundae.
So all in all: 2.5 stars
Everything was OK, but nothing stood out and I could have done with less grease on everything (and I like my fats, so don't get me wrong, but I felt like I just had an oil change after the meal).
Wow. Never going here again... My sister-in-law wanted to eat a Zuni after an art show but as it was a Friday night, the wait was an hour. We were too hungry to wait so we strolled the neighborhood looking for a good alternative. We spotted Paul K, looked at the menu and it looked delicious. The restaurant was half full so we were seated right away. We studied the menu with anticipation. Minutes passed. Our waiter was busily fussing over some empty tables in the corner (resetting them? we don't know)... so when the host walked near our table, my sister in law told him we were very hungry and could we just get a basket of bread while we were waiting. Our menus were on the table as were were ready to order. He told us that our waiter would help us in a minute. We looked the host and then at the waiter who was still not doing anything at all that we could see, After nearly 10 minutes, we rose to leave and (this is tiny restaurant) neither the host nor the waiter batted an eye. Really shame. We went next door and it was completely the reverse. Not amazing food but service that was so nice we couldn't help but laugh at the experience.
As Yan G was getting ready to review Paul K, Yan G was thinking about dedicating a whole paragraph to the phenomenal waiter he had. He was sad to find out that the waiter was mentioned in 50% of the reviews.
Oh well.
The waiter was absolutely great and enhanced our dining experience tremendously. At first, I thought that his slow, deliberate and painfully meticulous description of every item on the menu was pretentious and unnecessary. Did I mention that the afore-mentioned meticulous description was accompanied by exaggerated hand gestures? I wasn't sure whether he thought my sister and I didn't speak English or were hearing impaired. However, when I realized it was his style, I started enjoying it. He knew the menu inside and out, he patiently explained every little thing on our appetizer plate, and he made my evening. At the end of our dinner, he asked us: "Is this the end of our relationship? You're going to leave me, just like that?" I was actually sad to see him go . . . which was reflected in the tip I left for him. What a treat!
The restaurant was packed when we walked in at 7:30 pm. The opera crowd was on its way out, and by 8:00 pm Paul K was empty and quiet. The simple, peaceful decor (abstract paintings on light blue walls and light blue curtains) seemed to have been rudely disturbed by the gaudy Christmas lights in the windows. It's the middle of January, people.
The dinner itself was a wonderful journey into the world of upscale Mediterranean food. While we were looking at the menu, our wonderful waiter brought us some pita bread and two types of hummus, both of which were delicious and tasty. Then, my sister and I moved on to the salads. She had a frisee salad with blue cheese, walnuts and pears, which was good, but not unusual. I opted for the romaine salad with dates, blue cheese and red onions. My greens were slightly warm and tasted a bit like . . . meat. Could it be my Umami talking? (http://en.wikipedia.or...).
After our salads, we shared a mezza plate. A mezza plate is veritable hodgepodge of everything that's good about Mediterranean food: lamb riblets, kofte (ground lamb), olives, marinated artichoke hearts, pomegranate and eggplant dips, feta cheese and something else. It was GREAT. A lot of food, most of it fun and exciting.
For my entree, I opted for the duck. The duck was juicy yet lean, each tender slice carefully placed on the bed of portobello mushrooms and potatoes. The pomegranate sauce had a bit too much vinegar for my taste, but it gave the duck a certain zing. My sister ordered a quarter of sumac chicken, which, again, was good by pretty ordinary.
For dessert, I had a slice of orange and almond cake a la mode (with almond ice cream). My dessert was garnished with honey and three slices of blood orange. The cake tasted better with ice cream, although the smell and taste of honey overpowered everything. My sister opted for the chocolate mousse served with whipped cream and a couple of wafers made for dipping. The mousse was very rich and creamy, but it managed to stay out of its own way by not being too sweet.
If you crave Mediterranean food and have some money to spend, Paul K is the way to go. Lessons learned: street parking is hard to find ('street' may include dark alley); dark hummus is better than light hummus; 8 pm is a good time for dinner if you want peace and quiet; Richard is the best waiter west of Mississippi.
Enjoy!
I went here for Valentines in 2006. The food was very good. One down side was the noise and we had a bad table right next to the kitchen. The food was full bodied and flavorful. We asked for help with the wine and they found us one that match PERFECTLY with my duck. I'd never has such a satisfying meal, too bad we had such a poor table.
I have no idea how Paul K manages to stay in business. I've been to this restaurant three times over a period of 4 years and each time my experience has been increasingly shoddy.
First of all, they need to get rid of the bar and re-arrange the tables, for crying out loud! There are way too many tables for a place that size. Secondly, the chef should get a raise or needs to get his mojo back because the food is shockingly below-average. Add to that horrendously overpriced food and the entire experience leaves a lot to be desired. Go to Absinthe if you want great food for the same price! One star for ambience and that's it!
We've been there twice. Both times the food (the duck and the lobster ravioli) was good and worth the price. The wine list isn't that interesting, but the cocktails were good. That said, I can't seem to get excited about this place. I want to, but I can't. I think it's because we've sat at the bar both times and both times the same icy, borderline rude, definitely not hospitable or helpful bartender served us. As a neighborhood, "walk in, sit down, have dinner at the bar" sort of place, it's fine, but I think there are a lot of options for a better, comparably priced dining experience elsewhere. It's a shame, because you can feel the potential. Maybe we just need to stop sitting at the bar.
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4 stars might be generous.
My friend and I went here to use one of the Cozmo Cards. We ordered the Arugula and Persimmons Salad, the Mussels with Feta, and the Yellow Tail. Well, the first two dishes were amazing, but the yellow tail was quite anticlimatic. One bite into that fish, man was it dry, rubbery and overcooked! They ended up letting us order the Char, which was also amazing.
If not for the food, go for the amazing hand gestures from the waiter. He was quite dramatic in describing the food.