Special Feature: Products Sally Recommends
Mecca
500 Jackson St. (near Columbus),
San Francisco
(415) 296-8555
Cuisine: Contemporary eclectic
Pluses: Nice supper club, good bar food, eclectic crowd
Minuses: Dark interior
Prices: Appetizers $7-$15; Entrees $15-$25
Overview: Dinner nightly, bar open until midnight or 1:30a.m.
Mecca is a stylish addition to the Castro district. The centerpiece of the place is a circular bar that seats 30 and is a focal center. Surrounding the bar are five small dining rooms. The look is high tech lots of zinc and brushed aluminum and plush at the same time - softened with heavy velvet drapes. When it first opened there was live music, but neighbors put an end to that. Now a deejay provides a nice mix of soft rock and jaČ. New chef Mike Fennelly hails from new Orleans and brings that sensibility to the menu. First courses include a tower of iced shellfish for $12 a person, minimum two; shrimp dumplings; and a spicy pecan salad with a champagne vinaigrette. Be sure to try Fennelly's spicy shellfish stew, wood-roasted chicken, or tender potato samosas. Chowing at the lively bar, mixed in the early evening and predominantly gay after 10p.m., is popular, especially on one of the wood-fired piČas. Desserts range from a caramelized pear upside down cake to a classic creme brulee.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the businesses in question before making your plans.
