SFReview
The Slanted Door
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The Slanted Door is unequivocally two things: a San Francisco icon, and a “Keep Gettin’ Dem Checks” all-star.
When an average restaurant’s lifespan can be measured in months, you have to applaud a place that’s managed to persevere for nearly two decades. They’re clearly doing something right here. And, given that they’re able to make it rain harder than any other restaurant in California, without serving $500 Goose bottles or $100 steaks, it must be something to do with the food.
Or the view, which is admittedly pretty awesome. The Golden Gate Bridge is still the Giants to the Bay Bridge’s A’s, but we’ve got a soft spot for the latter (and the A’s). It makes up for its pedestrian color palette with sheer magnitude. The Slanted Door makes liberal use of glass to remind you that you’re right on the water, under this bridgey behemoth, and we approve.
So what’s the key to The Slanted Door hanging around? We have a few ideas. The first is that back in 1995, upscale Asian food in a shiny setting was a new and exciting concept, and these guys jumped on the opportunity. The second is that while the transported-from-1995 food is not balls-out amazing, it’s not strictly bad, and they know how to put it out with relentless operational efficiency. (Some of it is even good!) The third is that the cocktails are strong as sh*t and damned tasty, so everyone walks away sloshed and satiated. We don’t disapprove of this strategy.
Some restaurants that have been around a long time feel like ageless classics. (See Zuni Cafe.) The Slanted Door feels more like an aged classic. We can see how decent papaya salads and spring rolls with fancy ingredients were exciting stuff back in the day. But the world of food has moved forward, and The Slanted Door seems like it stood still.