25 Lusk's Chad Bourdon on Metallica and Name-dropping

“Chef-restauranteur Matthew Dolan and partner Chad Bourdon found a huge 1917 smokehouse and meatpacking building, and used all of its massive timbers and bricks to create a shadowy two-story restaurant of daunting size and cool, casual elegance. Dolan's food has the same balance of expansive ideas and simple good taste, obvious in dishes like his grilled prawns with Japanese-pepper grits, carrot puree and horseradish vinaigrette and his smoked beef short rib with truffled corn mousse and summer blossoms.”

“With its combination of old and new in both aesthetics and cuisine, Twenty Five Lusk is slowly redefining the fine dining experience in San Francisco. In a city with an established reputation for excellent restaurants, it is refreshing to see a relative newcomer become a sought-after restaurant in such a short time.”

“We created a stylish ‘Gucci' interior to showcase Executive Chef Matthew Dolan's food. Like a white tablecloth restaurant without the tablecloth.”

“Housed within a 9,800-square-foot former meatpacking plant, the spectacular basement drinking den (with an eponymous eatery above) features comfy furnishings and futuristic steel fireplaces. An overriding industrial aesthetic characterizes the sprawling but sexy space, which also boasts various hidden nooks for semi-private snogging.”

“Since executive chef-owner Matthew Dolan and co-owner Chad Bourdon opened the doors to this stylish spot in October 2010, they've continued to evolve their seasonally driven New American cuisine. And this is certainly a tasty addition: In February, the duo began brunch…”

“According to OpenTable diners, 25 Lusk is the hottest restaurant in San Francisco.”

“Former 1917 smokehouse finds hip, new existence as foodie hotspot with sexy lounge in SF's China Basin.”

“Twenty Five Lusk is giving you a good reason to be out of bed before noon on Sundays: they are now serving a wonderful brunch menu.”

“Shiny and new Twenty Five Lusk stands out of San Francisco's restaurant scene for its sheer size, modern décor and innovative cuisine.”

“San Francisco doesn't have too many see-and-be-seen restaurants, as much of the city pretends to be too cool for anything too...well...cool. Twenty Five Lusk, however, has changed that game. Tucked down a SoMa alleyway, the multi-level bar and lounge designed by Cass Calder Smith has wooed the city's jetset out of hiding.”

“SoMa's latest star, Matthew Dolan, has crafted a fine-dining menu that's both unpretentious and confident. The beauty of his food is in its utter simplicity.”

“The main entree was grilled diver scallops with carrot, microgreens, roasted oyster mushrooms and, again, two sauces, puréed cauliflower and a lobster sauce. It was among the greatest scallop dishes I've ever had”

“Chef Matthew Dolan, a protégé of Emeril Lagasse, and wine director Cezar Kusik, formerly the sommelier at San Francisco's Rubicon restaurant, add epicurean star power.”