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http://www.harrydenton.com/photos.html
Sunday’s a Drag Brunch
Harry Denton’s Starlight Room
in the Sir Francis Drake Hotel
450 Powell (at Sutter)
San Francisco, California 94108
415-395-8595; reservations@harrydenton.com
www.harrydenton.com
Cuisine: Brunch
Loved: luxurious atmosphere, fun audience participation and great drag show
To Die For: large brunch menu and incredibly fresh, strong coffee
Price: $30 per person, includes show and brunch. Cocktails extra.
Hours: Sundays, at Noon and 2:30 PM
Noise Level: Good
Service: Very attentive
Romantic: Yes
Reservations: Recommended
Good for Kids: No
Good to Know: Seats fill up fast, so get there early for good seats, especially if you want the best seats, which are in front of the stage
Recommended / Rating: 5 Stars (0=Don’t Bother to 5=Highly Recommend)
Of all the places I’ve ever eaten brunch, none has been as much fun, or
so high up, as Harry Denton’s Starlight Room at the top of the Sir
Francis Drake Hotel. For the past several months, I’d heard from
friends about an exciting new drag show and brunch called “Sunday’s a
Drag,” hosted by community activist and performer extraordinaire Donna Sachet.
It’s often been said that people come from all over the world to San
Francisco to see the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, Beach Blanket
Babylon and a great drag show. Since there aren’t very many places to
see a great drag show, especially downtown, San Francisco’s Mr.
Nightlife, Harry Denton,
decided he just had to do something about it. “I wanted to have a
Sunday brunch with entertainment provided by a group of really
glamorous and talented drag performers,” says Denton. “It was really
easy to organize, and once Donna got involved, I knew it would be a
smashing success!”
“There are other shows, but none set in such a luxurious and romantic
venue like the Starlight Room. This really was the perfect opportunity
to create something special that people from all walks of life can come
and see,” Sachet agreed.
To promote the show, Denton and four of the performers rented a limo,
and for more than four hours, drove around meeting with concierges at
more than 32 San Francisco hotels. “That was the smartest thing we
could have done,” says Denton. “Ninety-nine percent of them said this
was exactly the type of event they’ve been wanting to send their
clients to, so I knew I was doing something right.” Denton adds that
his staff usually doesn’t like to work on Sunday, as it’s usually one
of the slowest days of the week. Since the brunch and drag show began,
all of them have asked to work as they think it’s really fun.
“In 20 years of being a nightclub owner I’ve learned never say the word
never. I swore I wouldn’t work on Sunday but now I love it.” Sachet
doesn’t mind working on Sundays either, as she’s been committed to
fundraising and hosting events for more than 15 years, usually while
wearing a brilliant red dress. “Bill Blass, the famous designer, once
told me that when a woman walks into a room wearing a red dress, she
has no intention of being ignored,” says Sachet. “So I wear red, and
honey, nobody’s ever ignored me!”
Atmosphere & Food
In a magnificent recreation of a 1930’s nightclub, the Starlight Room
is an architectural gem with lush booths, crystal chandeliers, dozens
of Ecuadorian roses and a magnificent view of downtown San Francisco.
Each week a temporary stage is set up for the show and the brunch
service is set up at the other end of the room. The best tables in the
house surround the front stage, which is where all the action is.
Performers mix and mingle with the sold-out crowd, which usually
arrives early to eat before the 45-minute show.
Service is excellent, with several staff members waiting on each table
to ensure you have everything you need. On the four occasions I’ve
eaten there, I’ve called ahead the day before to make a reservation and
didn’t have a problem getting a booth. The elegantly dressed hostess
was cordial and professional on the phone and in person. Water and my
drink order were served promptly and my server, as previously
mentioned, was polite and attentive.
For $30, you not only get to see a great show, but also get to enjoy
Chef Nick Bocchimuzzo’s well thought out and well laid out brunch,
which takes up the entire length of what is normally the Starlight
Room’s dance floor. Several brunch items worth mentioning included a
nice variety of fresh fruit and vegetable salads, diced turkey in
miniature pastry cups, delicate smoked salmon with caper and onions,
fresh sausage, sautéed chicken breasts, made-to-order omelets and
several mouthwatering desserts, including an out-of-this world
chocolate torte and chocolate-covered strawberries. The coffee was
outstanding, strong and freshly brewed, which seemed to perk up
everyone in the entire room throughout the show. My omelet was packed
full of juicy smoked ham, spinach, onions, peppers and plump tomatoes .
. . quite filling. Overall, the brunch menu was completely satisfying.
I had to go back several times to ensure I didn’t overlook anything.
The Sunday’s a Drag Brunch at the Starlight Room is a great addition to
the San Francisco drag scene and really is one of the city’s best
places for brunch. Does Denton see himself dressing up for the show?
I’ve been thinking of doing ½ drag, to show off my great legs, but
don’t commit me to anything just yet!”
Bio & Past Articles
Past Articles
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Betty's List Restaurant Review
Columnist David Grabstald.
An enthusiastic freelance writer, editor and copywriter with marketing, media and daily newspaper experience, David serves as senior food critic for Betty's List. His articles have been published by Macy's Westbound, Mervyn's, The New Filmore, SF Examiner, Marina Times, North Texas Daily, And Baby Magazine and others. He is an experienced writer of grant proposals, documentation plans, feasibility reports, press releases, employee procedure manuals and other formats. David has written news scripts for NBC and produced video packages for the Irving Community Television Network. David can be reached at dgrabstald@gmail.com. His website is http://davidgrabstald.blogspot.com/ |
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