Evenings, XYZ, the swanky, hip modern Californian eatery at San Francisco’s W Hotel, exudes a chic, urban vibe. The crush of people and pulsing energy pushes diners into a close intimacy with their table. Brunch affords more elbow room and less din. A DJ spins mellow, soulful music to create an ambiance that suits a mix of awakening (or just returning?) clubbers, traveling businesspeople, twenty-somethings with parents in town, and sophisticated locals.

After relaxing into a comfy booth one sunny Sunday morning, my friend and I ordered coffee and fresh o.j. Complimentary miniature muffins arrived at the table, banana with chocolate chip flecks. We nibbled on them and then ordered more substantial brunch cocktails. For her, the Classic—a hearty, peppery, and straight-ahead Bloody Mary mixed with Hangar One vodka. Mine was a Green Lake, a Mary adaptation with wasabi and skewered shrimp standing in for horseradish and veggies. Both were excellent, although of the two, the Classic stood out. I made a mental note of more adventurous variations for the future, perhaps Marys mixed with aquavit, gin, or tequila.

We loved the fresh donut holes, crisp outside and pillowy inside, which were served with orange blossom honey and Meyer lemon curd for dipping. But love is a funny thing. A better suitor arrived in the form of a dense, yeasty homemade cinnamon roll topped with currants, brown sugar caramel, and pecans. It all but melted in our mouths.

Next up, my friend ordered eggs chilaquiles, served with shreds of crisp corn tortillas folded in a brightly flavored roasted tomato salsa and finished with queso fresco and avocado. A squeeze of lime pulled the zippy flavors together into a mildly spicy and thoroughly satisfying relationship of textures and taste. Prefer a bit more heat? Add a dash of Tabasco.

I selected the proscuitto-topped grilled chicken breast served with sprightly friseé and a gooey gorgonzola cheese on an artisan white roll spread with fig jam. Delicious. My friend, a vegetarian, could not appreciate its glory, so even though I tasted hers, I still consumed the whole thing and married it with a creamy, simple, and spot-on Cole slaw.

With each course, we concurred that one of our choices had been the clear main event. The Classic eclipsed the Green Lake, the cinnamon roll bested the donut holes, and the chicken sandwich nudged aside an otherwise gorgeous chilaquiles.

Putting on our shades and heading into the afternoon sun, we pledged to return, daring to hope that we would find other delights that would make today’s main events tomorrow’s distractions.

XYZ @ W Hotel • 181 Third St. @ Howard, San Francisco • 415.817.7836 • www.xyz-sf.com

BY DON ROMESBURG