Fun Nibbles At Oro in San Francisco
Say hello to the Scarlet & Gold at Oro.
San Francisco’s Mint Plaza has been a revolving door of restaurants over the years.
So many have come and gone that it’s hard to keep track of them all.
Here’s hoping Oro, which opened last year, has sticking power.
I think the downtown location, while an easy hop across the street from the Fifth & Mission garage, can be a hurdle. It’s hard for people to remember that behind the imposing ornate edifice of the historic Mint Building is indeed a plaza ringed by restaurants.
The three-story Oro presents a sleek veneer with floor-to-ceiling windows and a steel-cable glassed staircase that dominates the first floor.
The sleek staircase that bisects the main dining room.
The artsy dining nook.
The restaurant also has a lot going for it, most notably Executive Jason Fox of San Francisco’s marvelous Commonwealth restaurant.
When I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant recently, I started with a Scarlet & Gold ($13) cocktail served in a pretty retro glass. This is the perfect sip for those who want something delicate and not-so-boozy. With gin, fennel, lemon, soda and a froth of egg white, it was light and refreshing.
What makes the menu so fun is that you can make a meal out of a traditional appetizer and entree or several snacks and single bites if you’re more in a grazing mood.