Food and Wine around San Francisco
I was in San Francisco recently and took the opportunity of visiting a few well known restaurants during my stay.
Quince
I should have known we were in trouble when we turned up at this restaurant and the only cars parked in front were well into the unaffordable category. Upon entering, I found a small, tastefully decorated restaurant. Despite only having 20 or so tables, there was considerable chatter, commotion and laughter from all directions.
Despite arriving on time, we had to wait 20 minutes to be seated. The restaurant does three sittings per evening (not surprising in San Francisco but nonetheless suprising to me).
The next surprise was the wine list: five to 10 times market up on wholesale prices. It wasn’t going to be a cheap night.
The menu was very French and I was eager to examine the local interpretation of French cuisine. So, I took the degustation menu.
The first course was frog leg crostini. Personally, I found the batter too heavy and herbaceous. It was difficult to find any frog leg meat at all! The following dish was a ricotta tortellini. The tortellini was expertly made but the sauce, two kinds of honey, was simply too sweet for dinner. The chef was obviously making reference to the classic Italian breakfast of honey and ricotta but I’m just amazed that he/she decided to present this here.
Next came a fish dish. Well executed but not memorable.
With these dishes we took a Fourney Vouvray Sec 2004. Despite being labelled sec, this was off dry to my taste, otherwise correct but forgettable.
The next dish was squab — both perfectly executed and absolutely delicious. This was the first cracking dish we received and my colleagues and I forgot about the previous courses immediately. With this we took a Vieux Télégraph Rouge 2005 which was perfect with the juicy and slightly wild flavour of the squad. The nose was highly perfumed, with lots of white pepper and garrigue. The palate a revelation, beautiful soft tannins, an elegant finish.
Next came the cheese course, presented in the French style via a chariot. I took only North American cheeses and was well rewarded. A hard cheese, called Old Kentuky, was similar to a brebis from the south of France but not as salty. A local chevre was rich but not overpowering.
The dessert course was well executed but forgettable. C’est la vie.
Overall, this restaurant was a disappointment. The bill was of three star Michelin proportions but the food was awkward. The service was superb. The atmosphere was not what I like, very bubbly, noisy, lots of business being done. A place to “be seen”, but not my kind of place.
Chez Panisse
Chez Panisse is a famous French bistro/restaurant in Berkeley, a landmark for Francophiles in the bay area. Bookings must be made 30 days before dining (not very French) and multiple seatings are made per night. The ambience was decidedly Californian, the senior wait staff French and the junior wait staff enthusiastic, very professional locals. The restaurant has a set menu, decided on the day, which all people must take.
The wine list was extensive, mostly French. While expensive there were a few well priced bottles. As my colleagues were not familiar with white wine or French wine, I decided to take a Clos Lapeyre Juraçon sec Vintage Vielh 2004. I found this a very good aperitif wine, the unique aromas of marmalade, saltana, vanilla, and bread spices lifting out of the glass made a nice contrast from the usual choice of Champagne. The palate was dry with acidity to balance the fruit richness. An unpopular style but by the end of the bottle my colleagues were signed up to this nearly unknown appellation.
With the beetroot salad first course the Juraçon worked well, handling the pepper and garlic in stride. The next course, a bourride of fruits de mer (like bouillabaisse) needed something a little different. I ordered a Deux Montille Rully 2004. A good wine but boring coming after the Juraçon. Funny how these things happen.
The dessert was excellent, an apple and lemon tart with cognac cream.
A good restaurant, well priced ($55 USD for food). It’s hard to say why, but I preferred the next restaurant a lot more.
Chapeau
This French restaurant has a loyal following in San Francisco. Even on a Monday night it was full. After a tough day, I was in the mood to enjoy myself an immediately ordered a Gosset Rosé NV. I found this a little boring but still refreshing. There was much back and forth with the French owner, talking crap in French and stirring about accents, etc. The ambience was relaxed and joyful.
For a first course, I took Gravadlax of salmon. This was good but more like smoked salmon, perhaps adjusted for the American palate.
I ordered, after this, a Calera Jensen 1998. This was a superb wine, showing true Burgundian character to the nose, with a lot of spice and dried flowers. The palate had beautiful acidity, lots of very fine tannin, and a delightful texture. If I could make a single criticism, it would be that the alcohol was getting up there, at around 14%. Nevertheless, a great Pinot Noir.
With the Calera, I took pigeon. The pinot flavour matched the juicy pigeon flesh perfectly and I was in heaven.
The best thing about Chapeau, though, was the relaxed atmosphere, the professionalism of the career waiters who’ve served tens of thousands of people and know just the right way to do everything. This, for me, is what sets French restaurants apart.
