Maven’s Faves: Sweet Maple

San Francisco’s Sweet Maple is a Sweet Reward

Within walking distance of San Francisco’s Japantown is a brunch place that will offer a sublime, decadent experience that you will carry with you long after you eat there.

It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that spending hours infusing brown sugar and spices in bacon will result in a slices of heaven that can make an excellent breakfast into something you find yourself day-dreaming about. For instance, right now, I am mentally teleporting myself to this amazing brunch spot.

Located on 2101 Sutter Street (at the corner of Sutter and Steiner), Sweet Maple offers a very pleasant atmosphere and wonderfully seasoned brunch. Word is spreading about this place and so you do have to wait for a table, but the wait is so very worth it.

My absolute favorite brunch food is Eggs Benedict, so I opted for their Asparagus Blackstone, which is their Benedict with grilled asparagus, tomato, and what the maple syrup and spice infused bacon called “Millionaire Bacon.” Millionaire Bacon is grass-fed, pork belly bacon cooked for hours with cayanne pepper, black pepper, brown sugar, and pepper flakes until you get thick, glossy, spicy, sweet, sublime protein that is to die for. Many of us have had the experience of having our sausage or bacon accidently, or not so accidently, get into our pool of syrup. It is that kind of awesome when sweetness intersects with salty spiciness. Oh. My. Gawd.

Millionaire bacon speaks to your brainstem, but the execution of everything else appeals to your higher brain functions.

Everything was cooked and seasoned perfectly. The asparagus was fresh and had just the right texture and taste. The eggs were fluffy and delicate. Their breakfast potatoes on the side were a great compliment to the benedict. I ordered this with coffee and a mimosa and it was a great treat. We were served really well and this place was incredibly busy. The tables were kind of close together, but despite this and the crowd this restaurant gathers it still seems calm and confortable.

San Francisco has always been a great City to grab brunch in, but Sweet Maple pumps the practice to a whole new level. Go! You’re welcome.