San Francisco - June 09, 2006

Come to Your Senses

Senses Restaurant

Menus these days. Pork cheeks show up more often than meatballs, and desserts made from rosemary no longer surprise you.

Bon vivants in need of a boost head to the Mission’s new Senses, where chef Sophiane Benaouda cures the most stubborn sybarite slumps.

Curling salty-sweet prawns accompanied by zesty orange marmalade and a carrot-citrus shot are the edible equivalent of a one-two punch. Mini mushroom souffles taunt the taste buds with bursts of mascarpone sorbet under slivers of black truffle; and a delicate glass of red wine gratinee blurs the line between cocktail and dessert in its intoxicating moat of spiced sangria-like soup.

The smashing decor a la Dava Guthmiller (Limon, Circolo) and Dan Donovan highlights rare wood of bamboo, coconut, and palm along with colorful modern paintings by local artists.

Objets d’art on the walls and menu delight the senses for multiple visits, turning capricious culinarians into creatures of habit.

Which is really the ultimate surprise, now isn’t it?

Senses, 1152 Valencia Street, between 22nd and 23rd Streets (415-648-6000).