TWO Style

At the large communal table in the dining room at TWO, friends and strangers bond over thick, juicy New York steaks and caramelized broccoli. Crispy-skinned cast iron-pan chicken and pasta with house-made pork sausage mingle with spicy onion soup and iceberg wedges topped with decadent St. Agur bleu cheese dressing.  Wine and laughter flow freely; the mood is convivial, the room is warm, and the food is satisfying—just like a good dinner party. The restaurant is to be “much like a dinner party at my home, a reflection of my distinctive entertaining style,” says Gingrass.

David’s decision to reinvent his restaurant is the result of his dining preferences evolving from the “dressing up and being all fancy” in the 90’s to “fine dining without the pomp and circumstance” for the new millennium. TWO is the successor of Hawthorne Lane, a San Francisco dining institution that opened more than a decade ago under the guidance of David and his then-wife, Anne. It’s once again a family affair; guests are greeted at the door by David’s daughter and maître d’, Rebecca Gingrass, formerly of Globe and A16.  Fittingly named TWO, it’s the second restaurant at 22 Hawthorne Street with a menu designed by two chefs.

The décor is groovy, sort of a retro design: a copper and concrete centerpiece bar is softly lit by hanging coconut lights.  Tall banquettes in shades of green, brown and gold line the perimeter of the dining room, and woven-reed window coverings adorn the large windows.  The room is punctuated by a massive, solid acacia wood table for 14 with long benches and oversized wing-back chairs on the ends for communal dining.