by Patricia M. Lee

nniversaries are special occasions. Over the years my husband, Chuck, and I have celebrated ours with trips to Hawaii, Las Vegas, New York, Alaska and London, along with cruises to exotic parts of the world. This year, wanting to include family, it was time to celebrate in our own city, San Francisco — perhaps return to Telegraph Hill where long ago we had our wedding dinner at the Shadows. The restaurant, housed in an unassuming plain square building, was popular with a young crowd who loved the casual décor with sawdust-covered floors, wooden tables and chairs. Our small party savored the tasty German food and delighted in the spectacular view of San Francisco Bay. Even though our evening was memorable, something always interfered with our desire to return to the Shadows, and as time passed the restaurant closed.

“… huge windows provided vast views of the bay.”

But, another restaurant on the hill is still thriving to this day. Julius’ Castle — our choice for the evening. In sharp contrast to the Shadows, it was and still is an elegant restaurant with many nooks and crannies for romantic dining. A San Francisco historical landmark, the castle was the dream of Julius Roz, an Italian immigrant and restaurant counterman, who built it in 1922. Coit Tower stands at the top of the hill and hovers over the castle nestled among expensive hillside homes. Valet parking is available but the street is narrow and hilly, so a cab provides a relaxed way to get to the restaurant.

The friendly general manager, Joe McDonald, greeted us in the cozy bar and led us up narrow winding stairs to the very top of the building where a private room with terrace awaited. The round table, decorated with candles and flowers, was a perfect setting for our family of seven, including our son, daughters and granddaughters. Velvet maroon drapes hung on either side of the entrance (to be closed if privacy is desired) and huge windows provided vast views of the bay. Sipping champagne and chatting on the terrace, we snapped pictures of the magnificent view and sunset before sitting down to an appetizing feast. The wine and champagne enhanced our palate. With the impeccable service we truly felt like royalty.

Lingering on the terrace afterwards, we watched the sunset slowly fading as the lights sparkled over the Bay Bridge and ships sailing below in the water. Sadly, it was time to leave although we didn’t know that a surprise was waiting.
Upon hearing that we had had our wedding dinner at the Shadows, Joe invited us on an impromptu tour of the building. Now empty, it is used as a wine cellar for the castle. In the dark, Joe led us by flashlight partway up the hill where we climbed up three flights of creaky stairs to the entrance. We didn’t see the wine cellar, but the empty room brought back happy memories of a bustling restaurant with sawdust floors, German food and the beginning of a new life together.

We descended the stairs and as we waited for a cab, Joe suddenly disappeared. He returned shortly and presented us with a memento of the evening — a huge plate that had stood in The Shadows for many years. The picture and name of the restaurant is displayed in the center. We felt as though we had come together full circle with the Shadows on an unforgettable evening.

Julius Castle restaurant: tel. 415/392-2222, www.juliuscastle.com.

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