Manos Nouveau

Manos Nouveau Restaurant Review:

Tucked away just off the bustling corner of Market and Castro, where colorful cable cars rest between runs, this unassuming wine bar and restaurant serves up creative French- and Latin-inflected dishes. Rhythmic music competes with the sound of searing from the central kitchen, and a palette of hand-selected local artwork sets a relaxed, playful tone. House “ceviche” incorporates soft ahi, ahi-infused aïoli and fennel for a refreshing take on tartare. The deceptively small rainbow chard salad with fried cheese, strawberries and a fennel-pistachio soubise was surprisingly substantial, but wanted for more savor. We will return for the supple albondigas of pork, filet mignon and rib-eye, bathed in duck-fat cassoulet of kidney beans and chorizo. Not to be outdone is the smoky salmon in chilmole with rice, green-pea crème sauce and fennel salsa criolla. Wine pairings are spot on and shouldn’t be passed over. Neither should the dessert of fried cheese and plantain.