Fine Wine Meets Elegant Design at Mina’s RN74
RN74, the latest gastronomical hotspot from The Mina Group, is an elegant retreat filled with dark wood, soft lighting, and rich detail. Named after Route National 74, the major thoroughfare passing through the heart of France’s Burgundy region, RN74 samples liberally from the best of Burgandy, Europe’s rail riding heyday, and New American cuisine for a delicate blend of flavors and influences.
Located at the base of Millennium Tower, a luxury high-rise at 301 Mission Street in San Francisco, the restaurant’s design by New York City design and concept firm AvroKO features reclaimed wood, buttery leathers and delightful accents inspired by trains. Antique glass train lanterns are hung to create a partition that separates an intimate wine bar and a 75-seat main restaurant. Another highlight is the authentic electronic train board imported from Italy that lines the back wall. Where it once might have announced the latest train and track numbers, the board now displays special deals on last available bottles. As one bottle sells, the board flips to reveal a new one, giving an anticipatory sense of motion and sound to the room. Lining the inner wall are stationary boards displaying a “Market List” of 100 wines under $100.
As you can tell, wine is the star player at this venue. RN74 is a collaboration between expert sommelier Rajat Parr, long-time Wine Director for the Mina Group of restaurants, and former French Laundry Chef Jason Berthold and Chef Michael Mina. Wine lovers will thrill over RN74’s expansive selection showcasing the best expressions of Burgundy, new world Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and a selection of varietals from other world regions. All told an astonishing nearly 2,000 carefully chosen wines can be found on the pages of RN74’s leather bound list.
At the wine bar, RN74 offers a full menu tailored to the over 32 wines available by the glass and taste through a custom-made Enomatic machine. Four of these innovative machines imported from Italy hold eight bottles each and precisely pour by the taste, half-glass or glass. Bottles can be kept fresh and virtually on tap for up to 21 days, though with wines this popular RN74 pours from new bottles far more frequently. Dishes include the Miatake Mushroom Tempura with yuzu salt and green onion mousseline, an exquisitely salty combination of moist mushrooms and a light crunch, and Sturgeon Rilletes, a surprisingly well-paired dish of flaky sturgeon and crème fraîche. The main restaurant’s dinner menu offers heartier fare like duck cassoulet or bacon-wrapped pork loin; dishes that clearly speak to the influence of France’s Burgundy region on the restaurant’s cuisine.
For any wine-lover seeking a lifetime of expert knowledge by a world-class sommelier and a carefully crafted menu heavily influenced by the wine, this upscale, urban restaurant is not to be missed.
RN74
Millennium Tower
301 Mission St.
San Francisco, CA 94105
