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Bistro Ember is a sultry Turkish spot in Noe Valley that works best as a last-minute weeknight date spot if you find yourself in this stroller-filled neighborhood. With dim overhead lighting, small table lights, and soft acoustic covers of Top 40 hits playing in the background, the dining room is a perfect backdrop for couples seeking to slow down and enjoy their meal after a long day. Servers spray raki perfume (a Turkish liquor in a spray bottle) on kampachi crudo with melon gel and deliver chickpea yeast bread served with a side of butter that’s shaped like a honeycomb. Unfortunately, the entrees are where the menu is the weakest. When you’re paying upwards of $40 for a piece of lamb that doesn’t taste like much, it makes more sense to just grab a cold and hot appetizer, get a glass of zinfandel, and stare deeply into the eyes of the person across from you.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Ricky Rodriguez
Chickpea Yeast Bread
photo credit: Ricky Rodriguez
Fish & Raki
photo credit: Ricky Rodriguez
Manti
photo credit: Ricky Rodriguez