Silks Restaurant

As a Euro-​British person coming to this restaurant for the first time the name, ‘Silks’ conjures up images of the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand in London, where, to gain one’s ‘Silk’ means you have now stepped into the prestigious realm of Queen’s Counsel and instant respectability is yours. You may indeed feel as though you have embraced your ‘inner silk’ when you waltz into this rather sumptuous, although mildly stiff and foreboding place. However, through a minor bit of detective work — and I didn’t even have to call on Claude Clouseau to aid me — I now know that it acquired it’s name sake from it’s exquisitely gorgeous décor. From the textures used in the floor coverings, the fine fabric in the curtaining and table linen, to it’s hand-​painted silk chandeliers.
The peculiar thing is — which brings me back to my original thought — is that close by in this august establishment of the Mandarin Oriental is it’s ‘MO’ Bar, a sly abbreviation methinks for ‘modus operandi’ perhaps? I can assure you, one could certainly get used to afternoon-​teaing in the joint, if that’s what they mean. Sharing a Crab Club with ‘Jimmy the Finger’ long retired ‘Screw’ from Alcatraz perhaps — maybe even stringing a few Singapore Noodles while supping on a spot of English Breakfast with ‘Bay-​side Snitch’ the SF Cop’s best friend — or, is the old imagination just running away with me and all along it just simply stands for ‘Mandarin Oriental’ — of course, how innovative. But I digress… as bloody usual.
Silk’s cuisine as they claim is a mixture of Pacific Rim and American Cuisine. Whatever the latter really is, it sure ‘aint hot dogs along with burgers and fries, however, I do appreciate what their interpretation of American food is these days and how it has evolved over the years from greasy and over gravied to fresh and rejuvenating to one’s palate. Tasty and yet embracing the health concious element in us all without sacrificing total abandonment when enjoying one’s decent sized morsel of food either and here, Silk’s kitchen represents it all well.
This restaurant whether you are there for a business lunch — which to me was pretty good value and I struck a marvellous tasty menu — or dinner, now this wasn’t cheap, but fresh great food isn’t cheap. If it was, one would start worrying about a little matter known as ‘source’. So, whether it be the tender rack of lamb, ahi tuna or braised beef, all of which just simply melts in your mouth. The crisp Spring/​Summer veg where you can just gorge on the goodness. Simply divine. Everything I consumed I felt instantly healthier and younger for doing so. Botox Beware! Not heavy and languid, but bright and energetic ready, like Superman, to ‘leap tall buildings in a single bound.‘
The only thing I worried about was the mention in the menu of having ‘Biodynamic Wines,’ huh? Only in California!