Michael Mina	Rajat Parr	Jason Berthold
photos courtesy of the Mina Group

RN74:

Taking the Wine Bar to a Whole New Level

Review by Scott W. Clemens

Interior of the restaurant photo courtesy of The Mina Group/Michael Weber

San Francisco, April, 2009:

Judging by the wine bar scene in San Francisco, you’d never know we’re in the midst of a recession. From the smallest hole-in-the-wall, to the largest bar-bistro hybrid, the mostly young clientele rub shoulders at the bar like zebras at a watering hole. Since the opening of The London Wine Bar in 1974, wine bars in San Francisco have tried new concepts to win a loyal following. Success or failure seems a combination of concept and execution, timing and location. Today there are about a dozen in operation. None has been more anticipated than RN74, the wine bar/restaurant from the Mina Group. Michael Mina’s Wine Director, Rajat Parr, along with chef Jason Berthold, a former sous-chef at The French Laundry in Yountville, have joined forces to create RN74, named for the road that runs through the middle of Burgundy’s famed vineyards. Here Berthold’s interpretation of classic French cuisine is given a modern touch.

Mascarpone Agnolotti with Artichoke hearts photo © 2009 by Scott W. Clemens

Cobia with Broccolini & Tokyo Turnips with Sour Cherry Niçoise photo © 2009 by Scott W. Clemens

Duck Cassoulet photo © 2009 by Scott W. Clemens

Vanillla Bean Gelato photo courtesy the Mina Group

White-Sesame pot-de-creme photo courtesy the Mina Group

On the ground floor of the Millennium Tower, at 301 Mission Street at Beale, RN74 takes its theme from European train stations. The space for the 40-seat wine bar and 80-seat restaurant is long and narrow. Vaulted beams are suspended from the ceiling, suggesting the long, curved ceilings of such historic train stations as the Gare d’Orsay in Paris (now a museum), or Victoria Station in London. A large, old-fashioned arrival-and-departure board hangs at the far end of the hall, listing seven or eight selections that are down to the last bottle, along with the price. As a last bottle is ordered, the letters flip, revealing the next bottle in line. Other boards along the length of the restaurant list wines that showcase more than 75 wines that are offered for under $100. Fifty wines by the glass can be ordered in either a 2.5-oz. or 5-oz. pour.

When we first walked in, on a very busy Wednesday evening, I was afraid the decibel level would spoil the experience. For a restaurant/wine bar that caters to a youngish crowd, it’s a tricky business to maintain a balance between lively and pandemonium. I’m happy to say that I had no trouble carrying on a conversation with my wife, and while lively, the noise level never interfered with the experience.

The restaurant menu is divided into first courses (around $15), second courses (around $26), and sides ($9 each). The desserts, from pastry chef Shauna Hatwick, are also $9, and if you’re not already satiated, you may also choose from among a wide range of postprandial libations such as Sauterne, Port, Calvados, Cognac and Single Malt Scotch.

The portions at RN74 are small, but what they lack in quantity, they make up for in flavor, and you won’t go away unsatisfied. Chef Jason Berthold who, like Raj Parr, is also a vintner, presents dishes that highlight the flavors of each ingredient and texture. The flavors surprise and delight in a way that only the best restaurants can achieve.

The emphasis on wine as an accompaniment to food is not even a concept in Europe; it’s a given, a way of life. But as a concept in the U.S., food and wine pairing is a mere 25 years old. It became a mantra for Robert Mondavi, as a way to combat neo-prohibitionists by promoting wine as a food product, thus distancing wine from other alcoholic beverages.

Over the years I have read and written many articles on food and wine pairing, and attended seminars on the subject. On the surface, it seems that nothing could be more natural. At its most basic, wine can act as a palate cleanser between bites. To get more out of wine and food pairing takes more thought. What may seem simple in theory, can in practice be a bit more challenging. Certain foods or condiments can, for instance, ameliorate the impression of tannin or acidity, can make a wine taste fruity or bitter, drier or sweeter. It’s often necessary to adjust the food in order to make a pairing work. However, at its best a wine and food pairing should do more than just “work;” the wine should enhance the food, and the food should enhance the wine. Achieving this level of sophistication is exceedingly rare and requires a chef who knows wine, and a Wine Director who knows food. I’ve never seen this synergy better executed than at RN74, where I let the sommelier pick a glass of wine for each course. The pairings were sublime. A rich Yukon Gold Potato Soup was paired with rich a Sanford Chardonnay; a Mascarpone Agnolotti with Artichoke Hearts was perfect with a Morey Saint Aubin 1er Cru [Chardonnay from Burgundy]; a lean Husch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir was the perfect choice for the Grilled Cobia, on a bed of Broccolini and Tokyo Turnips, with sour cherry-Niçoise; while a lush Parr-Selection Santa Ynez Syrah was the choice for Duck Cassoulet with Shitake Mushrooms.

Items on the wine bar menu, which range in price from $9 to $16, are different, though no less imaginative, than items on the regular menu. You’ll find such fare as Maitake Mushroom Tempura; Gulf Coast Cobia Tartare with

Pastry Chef Shauna Hatwick photo ©2009 by Scott W. Clemens

Blood Orange and Sugar Snap Peas; Smoked Sturgeon Rillettes with Crème Fraiche and Meyer Lemon; and Sea Urchin Carbonara. Each item on the menu comes with a suggested wine selection.

Any restaurant, no matter how large or how small, lives and dies by its staff, and this is another area where RN74 excels. As you would expect from The Mina Group, service is attentive, without being obtrusive; the sommelier is helpful and knowledgeable, without being stuffy. General Manager Tim Flowers keeps everything running like a well-oiled machine.

Drop in to the wine bar, or linger over a meal. RN74 is a fine luxury that is within your reach, and will create a memorable experience.

The Wine Bar photo courtesy of The Mina Group / Michael Weber