the last supper club: a hip spot for value-oriented sophisticates

By Caroline Carter
July 2, 2004

Restaurateurs A. J. Gilbert and Joe Jack have the recipe down pat: combine low lighting and funky décor with a decently-priced menu and a happening bar scene (helped along both by minty-fresh mojitos and long table waits even for those with reservations), and trend-setting yuppies will turn your restaurant into a hip city destination. The Last Supper Club is the latest iteration of this formula, opened in early 2003, and located just a few blocks down Valencia St. from its sister restaurant, Luna Park.

Once you squeeze past the crowded entryway and into the more commodious bar space, it’s easier to appreciate the sophisticated kitsch of the décor -- a quirky stone cherub fountain trickles near the open kitchen, and a large stained glass window illuminates the dim interior during daylight hours. Dark wooden booths take up the wall opposite the large bar, and clusters of smaller tables are crowded into the remaining corners.

The menu at the Last Supper Club can be hit or miss: although the appetizers looked tempting, both the Tuna Tartare with Housemade Potato Crisps ($9.50) and the Steamed Mussels and Sausage ($8.25) fell a little flat. We were much happier with the delicate Arugula and Shaved Fennel salad ($7.50), featuring zingy citrus wedges with creamy goat cheese and dusky toasted hazelnuts. Pastas are house-made and great values: order the mountainous Five-Layer Lasagna Bolognese ($14.00) and only the hungriest will be left without enough for lunch the next day. The standout of the menu, however, is the Pork “Jump in the Mouth” Saltimbocca ($16.50). This generous dish includes two large, flattened steaks of perfectly seasoned and cooked pork, next to a pile of lemony string beans that will leave you worshipping the food gods.

All in all, the Last Supper Club is a great destination if you want to be part of the “scene” without breaking the bank. Choose wisely from the menu, and you won’t leave disappointed.

Food: **
Service: **1/2
Atmostphere: **1/2
Overall: **1/2

The Last Supper Club
1199 Valencia St (at 22nd St.)
San Francisco 94110
(415) 695-1199
website

Hours:
Mon–Thu: 11:30 am–2:30 pm, 5:30–10:30 p.m.
Fri: 11:30 am-2:30 pm,
5:30 pm-11:30 pm
Sat: 11 am–3 pm, 5:30–11:30 pm
Sun: 11 am–3 pm, 5:30–10:00 pm

Accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, cash.

Food: **
Service: **1/2
Atmostphere: **
Price: $$
Overall: **1/2

All rankings out of a total of 4 stars.