Eight Tables by George Chen
We take inspiration from the historic dining style, Si Fang Cai or ‘Private Chateau Cuisine,’ which has been revitalized in the great cities of China. Si Fang Cai is a personal experience, as if you were coming into our home for an elaborate meal prepared in an intimate setting. Our tasting menu is created using the finest seasonal ingredients and is prepared with the utmost respect and care.
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Welcome Home
You may at first think you’ve lost your way walking through a wrought iron gate to a mysterious alley approaching 8 Kenneth Rexroth Place. But you are exactly where you should be. Continue forward and you will spot an entranceway guarded by two Fee-Dogs (mystical Dragon-like creatures) with a singular elevator to their right transporting you up to the refined old-world elegance of Eight Tables. Imagine you are attending a decadent banquet at George’s and his wife Cindy’s home, as this is exactly their intention. Treasured black and white portraits of Chen’s family decorate the atrium foyer adding a warm welcome into his home away from home, with the sound of classic jazz whispering from on a mid-century turntable. And then there is the butler’s bar-cart to intimately serve our guests in their individual alcove with the finest libations from exotic teas to rare wines.
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An Unforgettable Experience
Eight is considered the luckiest number in Chinese. Phonetically, the number in Mandarin, “ba”, rhymes with “fa”, the word for fortune or wealth. George Chen creates a unique dining experience around this auspicious number at Eight Tables, celebrating the best of Chinese cuisine. The restaurant is also aptly named for the number of dining tables inhabiting intimate, yet comfortably spacious, nooks in the restaurant.
The feast that awaits you is Chen’s homage to Si Fang Cai, or private chateau cuisine, a dining style of the Qing dynasty that has been revived in recent years across China’s cosmopolitan cities. It is Chinese cuisine through and through with a modern interpretive style.
Guests might see the many dishes with memories of the great Chinese cuisine through a historical cultural lens and yet be surprised at the chef’s modern interpretation that brings out the best of the San Francisco experience and Bay Area’s bounty.
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For Your Most Precious Occasions
Chef Chen’s vision is to elevate Chinese to the level of any other cuisine as perceived in the West. At Eight Tables, Chen creates a hyper-seasonal menu that respects the long deep culinary history of Greater China but interprets cuisine in a modern innovative and sustainable manner.
The décor is liken to coming to Chef Chen’s understated elegant home with superior personal service. The beverage program helmed by Somm Genaro Gallo oversees 1000+ rare wine selections.
Come and Experience Eight Tables!
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