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IT'S STILL COOL AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. GOOD FOOD KEEPS A HIP PLACE HAPPENING.

Michael Bauer, Chronicle Restaurant Critic
Friday, January 9, 2004

 
When it opened nearly 13 years ago, the Slow Club was painfully hip and cool. Located in a yet-to-emerge area, it was difficult to find, waits could be as long as an hour, and the service oozed attitude.
 
A lot has changed since that time: Dot-com mania boomed and busted, the South of Market location has become more mainstream, and cutting-edge industrial interior has become more commonplace.
 
Yet even with different owners and a series of chefs, it has continued to thrive and maintain its hipster image -- not a small feat in an era when even an instant replay is already too old to be considered relevant. What other serious restaurant, for example, doesn't take reservations and doesn't serve most nights before 6:30 p.m.?
 
Diners feel as if they're walking into a speakeasy when they enter the dark, moody surroundings, accented with black walls, frosted windows and concrete floors. The lighting is low, candles flicker from the tables, and waiters, attired in whatever T-shirts and grungy jeans they prefer, are even more carelessly dressed than the mostly young patrons.
 
There's a certain cachet that keeps people coming back. The long bar in back of the restaurant generally houses a gaggle of people who come by for a few after-work drinks and bar bites. This spirit of camaraderie permeates the entire 40-seat dining room.
 
If you're older than 35 and self-conscious, you'll feel out of place, but if you love good food and relaxed, laid-back service, you'll relish the Slow Club experience. Over the years the restaurant has launched several first-rate chefs. Since the place was purchased by Erin Rooney several years ago, chef Sante Salvoni has consistently turned out top-notch food. The dinner menu easily fits on one page, with eight appetizers and six main courses (including the popular burger, $9), but everything is right on. Salvoni knows the limitations of the tiny kitchen and makes the best of them.
 
Caesar salad ($7.50) looks as if it had been dusted with the winter's first snow. It's cold and crisp, and the shards of pungent grana cheese cling to each whole leaf; the garlic croutons and creamy dressing make this about as good a version as you'll find. Salvoni also roasts cremini mushrooms ($6.50) with olive oil, fresh thyme and a bubbling blanket of cheese. Other starters include an escarole and whitefish soup ($6), warm lentil salad with duck confit ($8) and an antipasto plate ($8) that's great for nibbling at the bar with one of the special cocktails.
 
Main courses include a pan-roasted duck breast ($18) cooked medium rare and served on a well-prepared bed of risotto. The pepper cress and hazelnut accents bring everything together like old friends.
 
I also love the preparation of blue-nose bass ($17.50). It's seared to form a slight crust, and arranged on a bed of mashed potatoes and sauteed broccoli rabe. The beet vinaigrette adds an earthy hint of sweetness to the mix. Serious meat eaters will enjoy the chipotle glazed pork chop ($18) that's served with cumin potatoes, smoked onions and spinach.
 
Since its opening, the restaurant has been known for its chocolate pot de creme ($5), which has remained consistent throughout the years. The dessert menu, in fact, is weighted toward chocolate. Aside from the chocolate chip cookie ($2) and dark chocolate mousse cake ($5), the only other option is a homey warm apple walnut crisp ($6) that offers an exceptionally crunchy topping and a load of seasoned and sweetened fruit underneath.
 
It's clear that even cool people like comforting food, which is a comfort in itself.
 
E-mail Michael Bauer at mbauer@sfchronicle.com.
 
Slow Club 2501 Mariposa (at Hampshire), San Francisco (415) 241-9390 Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; brunch 10 a.m.-2:30 Saturday-Sunday; dinner 6:30-10 Monday-Thursday, until 11 p.m. Friday; 6-11 p.m. Saturday. Full bar. No reservations. Credit cards accepted. Easy street parking. Overall: THREE STARS Food: THREE STARS Service: TWO AND A HALF STARS Atmosphere: TWO AND A HALF STARS Prices: $$ Noise Rating: (BOMB)