Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Breakfast: leftover fusilli with autumn tomato sauce, hot water. Nap. Late lunch: tried cooking a chinese bun from frozen in the microwave according to the directions but it unexpectedly burned, spewing smoke when I removed it from the oven. Instead I ate a slice of sourdough toast with a slice of swiss cheese. Water to drink. Reviewed measure descriptions and arguments for the forthcoming election. In the early evening Sam came over to open birthday presents before we drove to House of Prime Rib. Neither he nor Patrick had been before. I had gone once before on January 8, 2008. We used the very convenient valet parking ($19) and took photos outside. One of the valet attendants helped us take photos—so nice. Set menu: you order your cut of prime rib and it automatically comes with several accompanimants: salad, choice of vegetable, choice of baked potato or mashed potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, your choice of three spice-levels of horseradish. Every item is a huge portion for one person. Our party of 3 was seated at table 225 in the lit fireplace room directly adjacent to, and with an excellent view of, one of the stainless steel carving cart-dirigibles. While we were being seated, the hostess leaned across the table to place the menu on a plate and it awkwardly fell onto the floor as I was about to sit in that spot. She apologized immediately, and I told her not to worry about it and picked up the menu—not a big deal. The table had a tablecloth which I think was colored light brown—hard to tell in low light. White cloth napkins. Huge stainless steel steak knives. A candle which consisted of a holder made I think of stone and an electric tealight. In the past the carts were wheeled throughout the dining room, but now it seems they have more of them and keep them stationary in different parts of the dining rooms, and wait staff picked up plates and walked them to their destination tables. The entire restaurant was filled and very boisterous and loud when we arrived for our 5:30 p.m. reservation. Our receipt said our server's name was Orlando. Water is initially poured by staff, and our table received two bottles of water to pour refills at our leisure. Later we ordered drinks: sparkling wine for Sam ($17), Manhattan for Patrick ($16.50), apple martini for me ($16.50). Complimentary bread (a warm sourdough round) and butter (cold and not easily spreadable) arrived promptly on a wooden paddle-shaped board. All other food and drink arrived in a manner I would call leisurely. If you're here, you're probably celebrating something, and you're also probably not in a hurry. Drinks arrived. Patrick's cocktail and my cocktail were poured at the table from glass shakers with stainless steel shaker lids. We were warned to hold the lid while pouring I guess because sometimes they accidentally come loose. The shaker contains more of your cocktail that you can use to refill your glass at your leisure. I think I refilled my glass twice, so it was like purchasing three cocktails at once (but yes there is a lot of ice and it is waterier the longer you wait). All drinks were delicious and Orlando came by at some point to confirm that was so. Later Orlando took our food order. Sam ordered the English Cut ($68.85) well done, and Patrick and I each ordered the City Cut ($64.85) medium for Patrick, medium rare for me. Each of us ordered creamed spinach with the baked potato fully loaded. Later you know the salad course will soon arrive when you are presented with a plate of chilled forks. Don't take the plate; just each person take one fork. (I don't know anywhere else in San Francisco you get chilled forks for salad.) Next the salad is assembled theatrically tableside in a stainless steel bowl set in ice inside another larger bowl (probably clear glass). The inner bowl is rapidly spun while dressing, spice blend, and pepper are poured or dropped from high above. The mixture is then energetically tossed by hand and served. Throughout the meal I watched the chef work the cart-dirigible. The cart is heated with perhaps 10 cans of Sterno. The work area is lit with a short fluorescent bar light (perhaps 8 inches long) that I think had changing color temperatures—cool or warm. Almost everything the chef needs for plating the main course is in the cart. As the chef plates, wait staff take the finished plate and immediately walk it to a table. Everyone knows what they are supposed to do, and it performs like a machine that is a pleasure to watch. Our main course plates arrived. All the food is notably hot. Shortly afterward the baked potatoes arrived (I think from the kitchen in the back), then a bit later the Yorkshire pudding (also from the kitchen in the back), which was laid atop your prime rib. Everything is delicious and meat temperatures were as ordered. We ate and ate for a while. At one point a man in a suit stopped by our table to ask if everything was okay, and we said it was, but I also let him know that there was a screw dangerously sticking at least one inch out of the wall adjacent to our table and that he should know so no one gets injured from it in the future. He saw the screw and thanked me sincerely. Later, the dessert menu had 14 choices. We shared the English trifle with raspberries, blueberries, Grand Marnier, pound cake, and creme anglaise. Our dessert had a single candle since we were celebrating Sam's birthday, and Orlando joined us in singing happy birthday to him. Overall, Orlando and the team supporting him did a great job. Our bill was $296.61 after tax and before tip. Upon departure there was a reasonable wait as the valet team retrieved the car. It's a good idea to bring sufficient cash for a tip for the valet. I am guessing it was about 2.5 hours start to finish. In all, a delightful experience that is great to do at least once. Sam drove us home, and Patrick and I went to bed shortly afterwards.