The Sentinel. Miniature Restaurant, San Francisco

For a short time, between 2005 - 2006, I worked downtown, in the financial district of San Francisco. Much to the amazement of everyone who knew me, and many who didn't, I worked for the Apple store.

The most difficult aspect of working downtown was that, besides all sorts of fast food, there were very few choices for places to eat. There was a deluge of expensive tourist-attracting restaurants, soup-salad-sandwich factories and mediocre cafes.

Every day, on my hour (!) meal break, I scoured the area for fresh food.

Many a lunch establishment in the area sported huge lines, and I'm sure they did booming business, but I was having difficulty eating well day after day. I did make a lot of food at home and pack lunch like a good little cook on vacation from working in restaurants; but on those days I did not have my brown paper bag, and neatly stacked tupperware, I looked for a good lunch, and the options were dismal.

If you work in downtown San Francisco, near the Montgomery BART station, you now have one of the best take-out lunch options I have ever seen and tasted, in any city I have ever worked in.

The Sentinel

is a smidge of a place we all wish we'd thought of first.

Dennis Leary, of miniature restaurant fame, works quickly and steadily as The Sentinel line around the block sighs and heaves. How can he own two teency places and still be the only major cook in the kitchen?

He is a chef-owner with extreme single focus, vision and steadfastness. And stealth.

I went yesterday for the first time and you can be sure I'll be back. Whenever my feets find me in downtown San Francisco Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 2:30 pm.

If I had to describe The Sentinel's menu in a few words or less, paying homage to its diminutive square footage, I would say getting lunch here is like eating restaurant food without all the pomp & circumstance. Dennis Leary has made a name for himself with honest fare and quiet finesse. Not to mention that he's possibly one of the best bread bakers in San Francisco. Shhhh, that one's a secret.

The Sentinel

37 Montgomery Street

M- F 7:30 a - 2:30 p

~ for more photos on Flickr, check 'em out here ~

Comments

[Anita / Married ...with Dinner]

yum! thank you for your write-up. I work about 3 blocks away, and yet I always forget to try Sentinel. I'm going to write it down so I get over this blind spot... as you say, there aren't a lot of decent food options in the area, although Out the Door (in the Bloomie's basement) has saved my day more than once.