Le Bernardin <3

If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you might have noticed that I have a bit of a chef-crush on Michael Laiskonis, exec pastry chef of Le Bernardin and their associated restaurants around the country. Le Bernardin isn't just famous because of Eric Ripert (although I'm sure everyone wants to be his BFF), but it is one of the few restaurants in the US with 3 Michelin stars, as well as a consistent rating of 4 stars from NYT.

I know we're in a season where fine dining and outlandishly excessive meals are shunned (not quite a twitter-happy establishment), but I've been so interested in the work he's been sharing that I just had to go.

We went with the Le Bernardin tasting menu (as opposed to the chef's tasting or the 4-course) with wine pairing. The sommeliers wore these huge medallions that initially seemed a bit absurd, but ended up being quite useful to tell them apart from the servers. The food was very clean, deceptively simple yet amazingly complex, and of course, refined.

Kampachi tartare, squid stuffed w/ more squid + mushrooms, crispy snapper w/ a truly lovely spiced sauce (as a whole, I felt like I was eating a beef stew, except not beef)

Recognize the dish on the left?? Hootie hoo! Escolar w/ a red wine sauce and little potato chips, cod w/ a red bell pepper sauce, served w/ a yellow bell pepper filled with braised octopus (tasted and looked like a tamale. clever!)

Now for the fun part. I contacted Chef Laiskonis when I made my reservation because I really just wanted to meet him and such. Well, I got much, much more! There were only two desserts on the tasting menu, and when the first course came, we each got a different unlisted dish (and they kept coming). The real treat was that they were all dishes I've read about before - experiencing first-hand how each individual component worked to contribue to a beautifully plated and delicious dessert definitely made all his work an amazing reality.

Ahh there was so much food I actually don't remember what the dessert on the left was but it was pistachio-based and perhaps similar to this one. R: yogurt parfait, basil ice cream, yogurt micro-sponge (my favorite of the evening)

Ahh again I don't remember what this was but it was a green tea and yuzu dessert. On the right is one of his signatures - an egg filled with chocolate pot de creme, caramel foam, topped with some Maldon salt

It was pretty cool because the dessert courses were paced from light (fruit and such) to heavy (chocolate) as well. Unfortunately, all that wine, plus my giddy excitement and thus inability to think straight => I really can't remember what we ate! It was all delicous, the textures and flavors all worked together nicely, and everything was innovative without becoming too inaccessible. <3

I think this was a milk chocolate cremeux on the left, and then a chocolate-PB dessert on the right. There were just so many! I should've written it down.

A chocolate sweet potato dessert, raspberry pearls, truffle + petit four (beignet is missing because I ate it too soon)

Three hours, a stretched stomach, and a hefty bill later, our server finally asked the magic question: "Ready to see the kitchen?" YESSSS

Unlike the kitchen I worked in, it was remarkably pristine, very monochromatic, and quite serious. They mean business! The pastry nook was a very large space (for NY pastry standards) and I got to say hi to the team and finally meet someone I truly respect and admire. So gracious, humble, and generous! Definitely an experience I will never forget!

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Viva la France! et Cynthia!

Resident Francophile, Cynthia, turns 25 today! In honor of her quarterlife, she threw a French themed potluck, and despite some groans, a lot of people made food!

I had some lentils, so I made a Coq Au Vin and just threw them in with that. It ended up looking like brown mush (or barf, according to Kevin), but it was quite tasty. Cyn made some crepes for dessert a la Ikea mix, and we also had a fruit tart from La Farine (which, btw, ain't all that). Other dishes people made/brought included:

- Mini quiches a la Costco
- Potato Puffs a la Gregoire
- Cassoulet w/ white beans, ham hock, sausage, other random meat
- Ratatouille!
- Beef Bourguignon
- Mussels cooked in white wine
- Chocolate bread pudding


What talented friends! =)

Joyeux Anniversaire Cynthia!

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La Note

2377 Shattuck Ave.
(510) 843-1535

French (or Provençal) in West Berkeley

I've been here many a time in the last few years, and it's definitely one of those places that gets majorly hyped. I first heard about it back in 2003 from my co-RA in the dorms who had spent a year studying abroad in Paris. OK, I thought, this place must be pretty good since she's probably been to Provence. I remember being completely let down by the supposedly divine raspberry oatmeal pancakes, as well as the eh eggs.

I had also gone for dinner once with a friend, and I remember being a believer in monkfish after my meal. Buttery and rich, that dinner was one of the best I had in college. But then again, that was pre-SF and before I really began fine-tuning my palate. I went here for another brunch last year, and got the deliciously sounding open-faced omelette with potatoes and caramelized onions, which was disappointingly bland.

After my let-down brunch experiences here, I went here again this past weekend, only because Mike had never been before. This time it was actually quite good. I would usually average the stars in the review, but I'm feeling generous. I believe that this restaurant can be redeemed, given these crucial factors:



- Know what to order. Since I had already gone through disappointing menu choices, I knew what to avoid and we picked dishes that were actually good this time. Mike had lemon gingerbread pancakes which he raved about (they were ok for me. I'm not a fan of gingerbread, and that flavor was very strong). It was cutely plated with blueberries and poached pears. I had a normal ham & cheese omelette accompanied with roasted tomatoes which were yummy. Mike had a side of homefries which were roasted with rosemary and garlic = mmm. I remember having the homefries before and feeling pretty indifferent about them, probably because they're easily burnt... which leads me to the next factor....

- Beat the rush. Sure, there are practical reasons behind this (you don't have to wait, less crowded, blah blah blah), but the main reason, especially in this case, is that the busier the restaurant is, the worse the quality of the food will be. We went at 9am whereas typical brunch time is 10am, and we didn't have to wait at all, and we also got good food. I have no idea if the food would've been comparable at 10am, especially given my previous experiences there.

All in all, La Note was redeemed this weekend, but hopefully they're consistent from here on out. We'll see!

*** UPDATE ***

Went here for a late lunch and was relieved to see that their brunch/breakfast menu is still good until 2:30pm! I got french toast (more specifically cinnamon brioche pain perdu) that was supposed to be coated in an orange blossom batter then sprinkled with lavender honey (sugar?)... but the flavors were really really subtle since cinnamon is a very overpowering spice. Mike's lamb sausage was really juicy, especially with the thick red sauce. Mmmmm

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Tartine

600 Guerrero St. (and 18th St.)
(415) 487-2600

[French] Bakery/Dessert place in the Mission

One of my favorite places in SF. What I love about this place is the atmosphere -- it's so comfortable. It's the type of place where you can spend an hour or two just reading by yourself. The quality of the desserts is very good, as is the food (try the sandwiches). The only thing this place lacks is originality/innovation in their menu (although that's not what they're going for, anyway).

*** UPDATE ***

I've never tried their loaves of bread before, but I finally did last week. Here's a sourdough with dates & hazelnuts... the crust was very caramelized which I'm personally not a fan of, but the bread was fluffy and the flavors subtle.

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Aqua

252 California (b/w Battery & Sansome)
(415) 956-9662

French/ Seafood in Financial

My tastes in fine dining have evolved since I first started getting really into eating out. My very first fine dining experience was at La Folie, which still to this day I remember as being amazing... but was that just because I didn't have any other restaurant really to compare it to? I bring this up only because I wonder... had this meal at Aqua been my first fine dining experience, would I have been just as blown away?

Aqua is definitely very good. Impeccable service, extremely knowledgeable wait staff, beautiful plating, and good quality food. I went here with my family for my mom's and my birthdays, and we all opted for the 3-course since that was already a good amount of food (as opposed to the tasting menu, which is... 9 courses? I'm too lazy to look it up). Their amuse was a trio of minis that didn't really go together, but their mushroom soup had a kick of hazelnuts, which I am widely known to be a sucker for.

L: Amuse bouche - Monterey sardine over celery root salad, mushroom soup w/ creme fraiche & hazelnuts, smoke ahi tuna croquette w/ roasted bell pepper sauce
M: white sturgeon + veal cheeks, served with cremini and hollowed potato w/ marrow (very cute)
R: Atlantic cod w/... stuff

They're known for their tuna tartare, which was ok, but honestly, I'd rather taste the fish than all those spices. I had a trio of foie (one poached, one in sweet bon bon form - not my fave, and one cured). For entrees, everything was ok, but I must say that I really liked the cod. The plating looked so time-consuming, but it really was the best dish of the evening by taste.

L: Apple tatin w/ green apple sorbet M: Pineapple medley, including ice cream, "caviar," foam, etc. R: cookies and candy

I was really disappointed with their dessert menu. My friend used to work there, and she always described the desserts as so amazing... but on this occasion, they just.. weren't! Maybe my expectations were too high, but the only thing that really intrigued me was the "Fall Composition," which turned out to be the one that only Joe ate (he eats everything). "Le Kit Cat" did make an appearance and it was very well done, and the pineapple medley was beautifully adorned with a dried, thin slice of pineapple that looked like a snowflake/flower... but in the end, the never failing Grand Marnier souffle was the winner. Their plate of cookies/candies (I forget the French term for it) was also kind of a let down. I can't even really remember what was on it because it was so unmemorable - sad! Maybe fall just isn't this pastry chef's best season....

L: Chocolate mousse dessert w/ Le Kit Cat (they didn't actually call it that, but that's basically what it was), roasted bananas (SWEET), & a lime caramel sauce
M: "Fall Composition" - from the bottom up, huckleberry compote, some other fruit I forgot, maple creme I think, quince gelee, gingerbread cookies, some other stuff I don't remember... there was a lot going on
R: Grand Marnier souffle w/ candied (?) citrus

All in all, this was a very solid meal, but nothing particularly blew me away. I think I'm over eating out, but that's a whole other post....

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Chapeau!

1408 Clement St. (and 15th Ave.)

(415) 750-9787

French in the Richmond

I ate here with a friend for his birthday a long time ago, and I honestly don't really remember much about the food (doesn't say much for the food). It was good, but not striking, obviously. I just remember having a lot of meat. Oh and the trio of sorbet which was interesting. i thought that the food was so good, more **** than *** (it might have been because of the two bottles of wine though. for appetizers we had the tuna tartare served on a crouton which was perfect, not too fishy but still tuna, a delightful foie gras, and smoked trout that was very flavorful (maybe a bit too smokey though). the next course was sea bass on top of a scallop served with a seafood risotto and a tasty lobster sauce, it was absolutely wonderful. =]. for entrees, we had the duck and the cod. they were both really yummy too (and sounded a lot better on the menu than they do right now). and for dessert, we had some sort of strawberry with whipped cream with a vanilla pudding, a tart, and chocolate puffs on the house - so good, but we were so stuffed by then too.

On the other hand, what's quite memorable about this place is the service - it's EXTRAORDINARY - by far the best service I've had in SF. i agree! definitely the BEST service i've had. the waiters are very accomodating. the owner/chef/host comes out of the kitchen every so often just to see how the meal is going. Since it's in a residential neighborhood, it's not that crowded (which I love) but definitely gets a good amount of business. (it's been completely booked the two times i've tried to go there, definitely make a reservation if it's the weekend) Our waiter was extremely friendly and attentive, and really made the experience 10 times more enjoyable. our waiter was great too When we asked about the sorbet trio (the menu didn't list the flavors), he said it was a surprise and that we had to guess hahaha. We got 2 of them right, and were very close on the third =) The check is served in a hat ("chapeau" in french) - very cute. We had heard that the owner/chef makes sure he meets you after the meal, but we didn't see him so we decided to just leave. As we were rounding the corner, he ran after us and hugged/thanked us for coming =) we saw the owner/chef/host quite often. he came to speak with us many times, including when we were asking about a wine that i would like. his wife is one of the waitresses/hostesses as well.

Although the food wasn't memorable, everything else was! Very very cute. =) i liked it so much! i would definitely go here again.

- k - s

*** Edit: I went here again for a belated Father's Day dinner with my family, and it was a pretty lackluster meal. I really liked the broth in the mussels appetizer, but other than that, the food was eh. I think I would only go back for their "Early Bird Special" - a prix fixe for $25 on Sundays and weekday early evenings.

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Isa

3324 Steiner St. (and Lombard)

(415) 567-9588

Californian/French, tapas style in the Marina

Went here for my birthday on a late Saturday night (around 9:30pm or so). Even though it was so late, there were still a lot of people there (we were the last to leave though). Sat at the patio in the back - very nice ambiance.

For two people, we shared 4 plates - the lobster broth (just ok - really just broth with like.. 3 pieces of shrimp in it... no lobster), the sea bass wrapped in potato (very good), the duck (not that good... it was very chewy and not that flavorful), and the truffle risotto (recommended by the waiter, but it was too cheesy). For dessert, we had the amaretto semifreddo, which was good - really just because I love love love anything hazelnut. =)

The service was very attentive - since we were there so late and ended up being the last ones out, towards the end they kept asking if we were done which was a little annoying, but understandable.

Overall, pretty good, but the sea bass is the only thing that really stuck out.

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Clementine

126 Clement St. (and 2nd Ave.)
(415) 387-0408

French in the Richmond

a very cute french restaurant located in the inner richmond district, it's a perfect date place. the food is good (though not exceptional), the decor is very cute and romantic, and the service is good too. the veal was tasty, the rack of lamb was very good but the quail and the rabbit were only okay. if you come on a tuesday, wednesday or thursday, you can get a 3 course meal for 27 dollars (i think). overall nice place to eat with someone special =]

(the salt and pepper on the table are really cute)

- s

** Edit: This is one of my favorite places for dessert -- their FRENCH TOAST is absolutely divine (this means something because I rarely give rave reviews). My french coworkers generally like this place and say it's very authentic - I wouldn't be able to tell, but I think their non-dessert food is just ok. (- k)

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Zazie

941 Cole St (and Carl)
(415) 564-5332

French/Californian bistro in Cole Valley

Cole Valley's a very Berkeley-esque area where people are out walking their dogs or brunching on weekends. Our group of 4 had to wait awhile but the neighborhood is comfortable enough to not be so bad. This place is supposed to have a cute patio (in the back), but we got a very cute window booth instead, which was actually perfect since it was raining for a little bit.

I enjoyed the food. It's no Rick & Ann's, but they have a lot of poached eggs, which you don't see very often on brunch menus. The dishes we tried: french toast tahiti (with caramelized bananas... interesting concept, but just ok), scrambled eggs grece (with feta and the like), poached eggs monaco (with proscuitto and tomato... i liked it), and poached eggs with salmon, capers, and stuff (don't remember what it was called).

All in all, it's a very cute place, cute ambience... very rick & ann's, but not as good. I'd go for the poached eggs, and next time the patio. =)

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La Folie

2316 Polk St. (and Union)
(415) 776-5577

French in Russian Hill

I am uncomfortably full and $85 poorer. Oh, but it was worth it. The restaurant was much smaller than I had imagined - very intimate with warm colors, like most date-ish places. The location is also great - prime Russian Hill area. Service was also very attentive, and our waiter humored my party's silliness and wasn't snotty.

The menu is very flexible - you can choose from a 3-, 4-, or 5-course menu that you arrange yourself, based on lists of appetizers, seafood/meat, and desserts. Don't be fooled - 3 courses is already A LOT! They brought us complimentary extras aside from the bread - high quality raw hamachi before our appetizers, a double shot of melon cream/smoothie to cleanse the palette after our entrees, and additional mini desserts after dessert! SO MUCH FOOD.

Appetizers: foie gras soup (very rich and creamy), foie gras & squab "lollipops" (REALLY GOOD), crab napolean with pineapple chips and apple gelee (the sweet and fishy combo didn't quite work... but it was refreshing in a strange way), goat cheese tartin with roasted vegetables (ok), scallop (yes, singular. i've never had it not fully cooked. was not a fan).

Entrees: sea bass (the corn was realllly good, pea-truffle gnocchi was ok... could really only taste the truffle... the skin of the fish was delightfully crispy, but the taste was a little too fishy for me), veal wrapped in some kind of mushroom (ok... the mushroom was kind of cheesy, which threw me off), lobster with ginger ravioli (ok... beautiful plating though, i must say... amazing colors), rabbit trio (one part looked like sushi and it was a bit dry. the good part was the leg - very moist, unlike most rabbit you'll find), quail&squab (very good. truffles did get a little tiresome, but the flavors were all there, and the surrounding potatoes gave nice texture).

Desserts: coconut tapioca with passionfruit sorbet & basil sauce (the basil totally threw me off. it tasted kind of foul by itself, but altogether it actually worked) and frozen lemon cream torte with fresh fruit (honestly, i like anything lemon). I must say that the best part was the assortment of mini desserts when we got our check. One of them was this bite of chocolate ganache with a hazelnut something... so rich and soooo goood. It was like eating a tiny ferrero rocher but ten times more rich.

I haven't had good food in awhile, so this meal was definitely a welcome change of pace. I must say that this is one of the best (and most expensive) restaurants I've been to. Lots of foie gras and truffles which can get old, but even though I tend to be attracted to creativity and uniqueness, nothing beats high quality classics. Very solid. =)

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Masa's

648 Bush St. (between Powell & Stockton)
(415) 989-7154

French in Union Square area

When you first enter this restaurant, the decor is nice and warm, but something's a little off. The chairs are printed and the fresh roses add to the feminine touch, but the black drapes and the red modern lanterns don't quite fit in... it's like the room is having an identity crisis. Regardless, the chairs were really comfy =)

Food: they welcomed us with a warm mini cheese grougiere (cheese puff) accompanied with a cherry squash soup with brown butter - the first sip is all butter. Talk about heart attack waiting to happen. They have an interesting variety of breads - sourdough, olive, and raisin (the olive was good if you like salty foods). They also gave us another amuse bouche, which was a shrimp mousse (custard-like goodness).

You have the option of the 3-, 4-, 6- or 9-course menu, and we all opted for the 4-course. First course, we shared the crab louis (nothing special), hamachi sashimi, and the veal sweetbreads (glands... they had really good flavor, though some bites were a bit too reminiscent of liver, which i hate). Second course, we had sea bass (good, but lacked really strong flavor), celery ravioli (good, strong flavor), and the scallops. The scallops were by far the best dish in the entire meal - they were seared perfectly, and accompanied with a buttery risotto pancake (incredibly unhealthy but soo goooood). Frenchies really like their butter.

For main course, we had the beef short ribs, stuffed quail with truffles, and the lamb. The lamb was good but could have been more moist, and the short ribs were... gooey. It was weird. The quail was good, but difficult to eat because of all the small bones (maybe I just need to take a class on how to cut it up). For dessert, we had the lemon chiffon (flavorless and very disappointing), the "cracker jax" which was a popcorn and chocolate cake (good), the "coffee bar" which was a sponge cake with dollops of coffee-esque creams and foams (I only liked one of the foams), and the huckleberry blinis. The blinis (like mini pancakes) were divine, I must say. Light, fluffy, but bite-sized and contained. Mmmmmmm

Overall, this dining experience was enjoyable (good food and good company are always good. hehe), but I don't think I will ever come back. It just wasn't worth the money ($105/person). La Folie was a LOT better, and $20 cheaper. If you want classy French food, you should go there instead.

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The French Laundry

6640 Washington Street
Yountville, CA 94599
707.944.2380
the best restaurant in the country (note: yes, i know this isn't in SF, but whatever. it's worth a post!)

if you've never heard of french laundry, you must know that (1) it's the best restaurant in america according to just about any food resource, and (2) it's the only restaurant on the west coast (i.e. outside of new york in the US) to get 3 michelin stars. i must say that it completely lives up to the hype.

going along with the woodsy theme of wine country, french laundry basically feels like a classic and elegant house in the countryside (that just so happens to house millions of dollars worth of food). it takes quite a few months in advance to get a reservation, but if you're lucky and have connections (like if your friend's sister's coworker is friends with thomas keller's ex-gf!), you can score a reservation of your choice in a few days! =) there's an early and a late seating since the meals are so extensive and time-consuming (9+ courses). we basically started at 6pm and didn't leave till after 9/9:30pm.

the best part about going to the best restaurant in the country is that not only the food is good, but the service is impeccable and not snotty at all. despite being probably the youngest in the building, the staff treated us with respect and were really nice =) there are two menus - the chef's tasting menu, and then the vegetable menu (vegan except for some cream here or there i think... even the cheese course isn't real cheese though). even though i'm not vegetarian, the veggie menu looked really good. but being the carnivore i am, i opted for the chef's menu.

the food: it was good. uber rich. lots of butter. and GOOD. instead of going into detail about it here, you can see for yourself here. yes, i took pictures with absolutely no shame.

the money: prix fixe menu is $210 including service. for my menu, there was a $30 supplement for foie gras, and a $150 supplement for the wagyu, or kobe beef. i'm actually not sure if it was $150 for two, or just one.... and then the wine pairings... i'm not sure about that, either.. but i'm sure it was a good amount! yes, this place is bank, but if you think about it, it's more than just food... it's an experience (maybe even a once in a lifetime!).

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gary danko

800 North Point (and Hyde)
(415) 749-2060

Californian/French near Fisherman's Wharf

It was by the far the BEST meal of my entire life! The lamb was the best I have ever tasted... and it was the worst dish in the meal... that's how great it was! The seared foie grois was amazing, and the lobster and stuffed quail were absolute heaven! The selection of cheeses was a really cool experience, too!

Three courses per person is more than enough food. If I go here again with someone, the ideal combination would be two 3-course meals - 3 appetizers (including foie grois), the lobster, a game dish, and the cheese course. I'd skip the dessert (trio of creme brulee) just because I'm not that big on dessert and have had similar quality elsewhere. Plus, they give you chocolate cake to go.

***
I went here for my mom's birthday (as well as mine), and I actually thought it was overrated. Maybe it's because my standards have increased after having the best meal of my life, but I was actually not that impressed, especially since Gary Danko is supposed to be the best in SF!

I had the foie gras to start, and it was good and very rich... but just too much. I guess at a nice restaurant most people would be delighted to get a really large portion, but two large pieces of liver is just too much, even if I love the stuff. The lobster was really good, as was the duck (seared, and accompanied with duck hash -- REALLY GOOD. not quite like corn beef hash but with duck instead of corn beef... but rather like... a salty duck salad? i'm obviously bad at describing food, hence why i am not a food critic professionally). I had a pear souffle for dessert, which was light and delicious. The pear flavor was a bit too subtle (i.e. I couldn't taste it), but it was good nonetheless.

The service was amazing - they have a very large staff for a nice restaurant, and set everything onto the table simultaneously (top chef stephen style) which makes for fantastic presentation. They're very friendly and patient, especially considering that they did not act snotty at all to old asian parents (one of which was wearing a baseball cap) who have never really gone to a nice french restaurant.

Gary Danko was definitely classy, but I took away a star because I remember enjoying the food at La Folie more. Maybe I was also expecting too much, since it IS praised as the best in SF (which it is not, sorry).
***

Beverages
Tequila Sunrise
Two glasses of amazing (and very expensive) German champagne!

Amuse Bouche
Gazpacho soup, a gift from the kitchen

Appetizers
Seared Foie Gras with Caramelized Red Onions, Peaches and Toasted Hazelnuts
Sweet White Corn Soup with Corn Truffle Ravioli and Summer Truffles

Fish/Seafood Course
Roast Maine Lobster with Chanterelles, Corn and Tarragon

Meat and Game
Herb Crusted Loin of Lamb with Summer Vegetable Tian, Mint-Sweet Pea Risotto and Salsa Verde
Cornbread Stuffed Quail with Tasso Ham, Sweet Corn and Black-Eyed Pea Succotash

Cheese
A Selection of Farmhouse and Artisanal Cheeses Presented Tableside

Desserts
Trio of Creme Brulee with Cookies
Happy Birthday Petit Fours
Chocolate Cheesecake to go

***
They have these portable hooks that they put at the edge of the table for you to hang your purse on - it was pretty neat and I had never seen that before! =) And the bathroom had a shoe buffer, which you also don't see often.
***

-m/l (guest food critic) - k

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