Fodor's Expert Review Verbena

This sister of the highly praised Gather restaurant in Berkeley manages to do the impossible: woo carnivores, pescaterians, and vegetarians with equal success. To the meat-eater, for example, spreadable salami is a dream come true. Flavorful sauces, like spiced moles, nutty pesto, and lemongrass-spiked broths bring out the best of the main ingredient, whether it’s a pork rib, duck wing, or sunchoke. Farm-fresh produce are placed on a pedestal, with dramatic presentation—as well as a backlit wall of vegetables pickling and fermenting that is altar-like. Large hanging panels in the buzzy dining room may look painted, but they are the pigment of soil. This is a valuable addition to Russian Hill, bereft of good dining options.