At last, Ezra Berman and Miles Palliser (The Corner Store, San Francisco Athletic Club) are ready to reveal their plans for the former Nova space in SoMa, because, well, their new place is open. (Well, softly open—the grand opening is this Thursday September 3rd at 7pm.) Meet THE LORD GEORGE, a “cocktail house” designed to appeal to neighbors and Giants fans, both when the game is on and when it isn’t.
The name takes its inspiration from “Lord” George Gordon (i.e., not a lord, although he acted like one), who built South Park and helped create a little slice of well-to-do London in San Francisco in the 1850s.
The executive chef is Nick Adams (The Corner Store, formerly Salt House, Town Hall), who is putting together a menu of shared plates, with food designed for gathering (and drinking). Dishes include an array of tartines (whipped avocado with goat cheese, lemon, soft herbs, and blossoms; crispy duck confit with plum, five spice, and shallots; roast strawberry with ricotta, pistachio, and honey; and one with prosciutto, Gruyère, and egg), salads (a chopped salad with Green Goddess and an heirloom tomato panzanella), plus a couple of soups (seafood bisque, summer corn). Oysters will be served from the marble raw bar up front (look for three or four kinds nightly) and served late (along with some cheese and charcuterie and other bar snacks after 10pm).
Dustin Sullivan (formerly Fog City, Picco) is the cocktail and beverage director and will be offering a top-tier bar, with quite the list of cocktails, 18 in all. There are two lists: the simple and the fancy, depending on what you’re in the mood for. Maybe both. The simple side of the list includes a French 75, gin martini, and Manhattan bottle service for four to six people for $45. On the fancy side, there’s the Inside Job (rye, spicy ginger, maple, lemon, seltzer, bitters) and the Oxford Comma (Armagnac, aquavit, dry vermouth, maraschino, grenadine)—and yes, we love the name. All cocktails clock in at $10-$13. There are six wines on tap, including one sparkling, and 20 or so bottles (old and new world).
The space was designed by Clinton Miller of Parisa O’Connell. The long bar was refinished, and the back bar was built out in mahogany (the oak floors were also refinished). The banquettes were taken out, and six high-top tables built for socializing were put in. There’s a green tufted leather booth in the back, with a marble-topped table (matching the marble used for the oyster bar in the front). For a touch of glimmer, there are three Deco-looking chandeliers, but when you look more closely, you’ll see they are made of test tubes with corks inside. The interior is meant to feel classy and fun and vibrant all at once—stylish but not stuffy.
Hours are Mon-Thu 11:30am-1am, Fri 11:30am-2am, Sat 10am-2am, and Sun 10am-1am. 555 2nd St. at Bryant.