Luke Sung Makes Small Plates Sing at Isa's
The trend toward small plates has really taken off on the San Francisco restaurant scene. Instead of ordering an appetizer, dinner, and dessert for each person, the idea is to build a meal by ordering six or seven items that are meant to be split among diners, allow both to enjoy a taste. For a larger group, it’s good way to taste much of the menu.
Isa's, located in the Marina District, is small, with tightly packed tables in front, but there is a back patio with heat lamps for cool evenings or delightfully airy dining when it’s warm. Chef and owner, Luke Sung, who named Isa’s after his daughter, Isabelle, is a native of Taiwan who got his start working for his dad, Tony Sung, at Eric’s Restaurant in Noe Valley, then moved on to train with Roland Passot at La Folie on Polk Street. Sung also cooked at Masa’s and then traveled to New York where he worked with chef, Daniel Boulud at the esteemed Restaurant Daniel. Upon returning to San Francisco, Sung spent three years with chef Sylvain Portray at the Dining Room at the Ritz Carleton. He opened Isa’s when he was only 26.
Sung is a master at crafting French-style, classically prepared small dishes combining fresh, seasonal ingredients. Signature items on the menu include baked Laura Chenel goat cheese with pesto, tomato and pine nuts; seared dayboat scallops with baby artichokes, tomatoes, olives and basil; potato-wrapped sea bass with brown butter, capers, lemon and parsley; and seared duck breast with balsamic onions, potato rosti, and huckleberry sauce. A small dessert menu and a well-thought-out wine list round out the selections. Entrees at Isa’s are in the $16-$19 dollar range, making sharing several a fairly affordable way to enjoy this youthful yet skilled chef’s innovative creations.
Isa’s
3324 Steiner Street (between Chestnut and Lombard)
San Francisco, CA 94123
415-567-9588
www.isarestaurant.com
Hours: Monday-Thursday 5:30-10:00 pm; Friday-Saturday 5:30-1-:30 pm
