The radicchio salad is a culinary adventure in appearance and taste, and comes with a special napkin to catch any splattering. (photo courtesy of Angler)

It is widely reported that British economist John Maynard Keynes was asked shortly before his death if he had any regrets, and he replied “I should have drunk more champagne.” For those who realized during the pandemic that life is short, Angler offers a way to live it up – drink more champagne and eat more caviar.

When Angler SF at the Embarcadero earned a Michelin Star in 2019, restaurateur and chef Joshua Skenes added this accolade to his three Michelin stars earned at Saison. He is the first and only chef to earn Michelin stars cooking solely over open fire, and is considered by many as one of the best fine-dining chefs on the West Coast.

With his success, he opened Angler in the Beverly Center before the pandemic. Located on the ground floor, it’s hidden from La Cienega Blvd., tucked inside the parking structure at a valet circle. During the pandemic, Angler temporarily shut down, The décor at Angler evokes an elegant hunting lodge meets cozy maritime and is a great spot to drink more champagne. An affable host in a fitted suit led us past a variety of salt water tanks along the length of a banquette. The tanks were filled with live fish crab, shrimp and lobster. The star of the tanks was an enormous Alaskan King crab that can be purchased for $180 per pound.

Skenes and his team work with ranchers, fishermen and farmers to offer a carefully curated sea and land menu featuring the finest caviar, antelope, wagyu and seafood.

Skenes is best known for his “Skenesian”, a slow fire-based cooking style. Almost every table has a full view of the large open kitchen. The aroma of burning wood wafts through the expansive bar and lounge area.

To add a whimsical touch to the elegant atmosphere is the music playlist streaming top 1980s songs.

As we made our dinner selections, we looked over Angler’s award-winning wine program emphasizing wines of Burgundy, as well as some of our favorites from Napa and Sonoma. Our server recommended two wines to enjoy with the first dish of caviar and banana pancakes, a very popular item on the menu. Pouring a 2018 Golden Mullet Fury Semillon by Alpha Box & Dice into a thin-stemmed glass, an aroma of nectarine and almond was prominent on the nose. The skin-contact white wine offered a slightly saline, bright acidity and smooth, round mouthfeel.

A server wheeled a small cart to our table and delivered a palm-sized banana pancake on a pretty floral china plate. A a crystal bowl contained an ounce of Angler Reserve caviar, and a smaller glass bowl was filled with soft and creamy banana enhanced butter. The caviar is $88 per ounce and arrived with just one pancake, so we asked for another, so we each could have our own. “People inquire if they can order this for dessert,” the server said. “They love them.”

We were advised to spread the sweet butter onto the pancake and use a beautiful shell spoon to scoop a generous heap of caviar on top. The caviar offered a pleasing smokiness and the banana flavor made this starter unique and memorable.

My husband enjoyed a glass of 2019 Ferlat Pinot Grigio Rosa. The shiny copper colored wine offers delicate floral notes, yellow fruit, cherry and strawberry. It was fresh, young and had a pleasing minerality that paired nicely with the caviar.

In the raw bar section, there are four surf-and-turf items including bivalves ($4 each), antelope tartare ($24), ceviche ($16) and tuna ($20). The silvery white sea bream ceviche marinated in a delicious leches de tigre, seaweed and fish sauce was delivered in a beautiful glass bowl, with a crispy plantain chip on top.

The radicchio salad was plated as a giant flower. Our server asked if we wanted her to chop it or would we prefer to do it ourselves. We opted to cut the salad ourselves, so the server brought us thick white linen napkins with a metal chain to clasp around our necks to prevent splattering on our clothing. We cut into the thick red leaves slicked with a vinegary dressing named Radicchio X.O. made with grilled garlic, shallots, radicchio, honey and vinegar. Watching each cut bleed onto the plate was quite dramatic and the salad is layered with appealing flavors. Another culinary adventure was the ember roasted beets. Layers of interesting textures combined with a crumble on top had a delightful smoky essence with each bite.

The fish and meat are cooked in the kitchen fireplace. We chose the wild caught swordfish steak ($32) that arrived with a delicious glaze on top and slice of lime. Other items include a whole sea bream fish ($48); blistered whole chicken ($68), and a 30-day New York Strip ($72).

Be sure to order the Hasselback potato in the vegetable section. This isn’t just an ordinary potato, even though it first resembles one when delivered to the table. It is partially sliced into rows of thin slivers that Skenes perfects by using his fire cooking method and brushing with butter. Plated on a melted cheese and chive sauce, the potato is crispy and crunchy on the outside, and soft and warm on the inside.

We finished with a tall swirl of delicious soft-serve ice cream presented in a sundae cup, and happily watched our server pour warm salted caramel sauce on top as the ice cream started to melt down onto cocoa nibs.

Angler is ideal for those seeking a dining destination for a celebratory moment, special date night or adventurous culinary experience.

Currently the restaurant is open on Tuesday through Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. Valet parking is available at the Beverly Center entrance on La Cienega Blvd. Additional self-parking is available in the Beverly Center’s main parking structure. $$$ 8500 Beverly Blvd. Suite 117, (424)332-4082.