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Categories: French, Greek, Mediterranean [Edit]
Neighborhood: Potrero HillMon-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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I'm so sad this restaurant closed. On a whim I needed to reserve space for lunch for about 20 folks at my work and not only did Baraka say yes, they said they would close the restaurant to other patrons for that time. No need I said, no problem they said. It turns out they didn't even serve lunch on Mondays but opened for our group anyway without telling us!
Not only that, they made a soup of the day just for our group! The service was phenomenal and the food was sooooo good, I couldn't believe I had never been there. My chicken was tender and my sweet potato fries were so flavorful. All my co-workers and I collectively sighed with sadness at their closing, because they made 20 new fans that day. :(
So sad to read this morning on http://SFGATE.com that Baraka has closed!! I will truly miss chef Chad's cooking and the friendly service.
:(
I've been slacking on my Yelping.
It's been awhile since I've written a review.
So what did it take to…
Read more »
Boo! One of my favorite places to go for a special occasion. The only place on the Hill owned by that group that wasn't too stuck-up looking for me to venture into. I replicated the goat cheese encrusted with pistachios for parties and it was always well-liked.
I join the sadness. I only went this place once, but was enough to enjoy a great mix of the Mediterranean flavors. A culinary trip over "my" sea.
Please, come back!
I was surprised to hear that Baraka has recently CLOSED. This was unexpected, they were a good restaurant.
I can still remember their tasty appetizers, like the goat cheese and onion jam or the meatballs, and entrees like the lamb stew with couscous. It was a nice Moroccan-style restaurant with good food. Although the space was VERY small, and the crowds were too loud.
I'm sad for the employees that lost their jobs just as the new year started.
I'm sad that this place closed. I didn't even get a chance to write my review but this place was awesome. =\
I took a first date here. Since we didn't plan on dinner, it was a spur of the moment choice by her. We both didn't realize it was a bit pricier than we first thought HA! Honestly it really didn't matter because we had an excellent time. Conversation was good, I introduced her to foie gra which was very good here. Our dishes were awesome and was as good as the conversation we had. I think we stayed till the last person left and the wait staff kindly kicked us out.
I got to say it was a great dinner and was an awesome date. Maybe the company made my food taste better but I think I it was a bit of both. Unfortunately Baraka has closed just like that chapter in my life. I'm glad I had a chance to eat here. I'll always have fond memories of this place.
Baraka gave my party of four the worst table in the restaurant, the table by the door, where all the people are standing waiting for there good tables, but I am still going to give it a five and this is why.
The service is wonderful and they knew we had the worst table. We were continually asked if they can do anything else for us to better the situation and had impeccable food.
To start, our table of four shared the potato gnocchi, the Pistachio crusted goat cheese, which is marvelous with the honey, and an order of there grilled flat bread. Everyone loved the first courses, myself included.
For my main course, I had the beef bavette with bone marrow butter and if was one of the best dishes I have ever had in a restaurant. The flavors were perfect, there were no fatty pieces, and it was just enough to allow everyone to have a bite, with me being very satisfied.
For dessert, our group shared the peanut butter cup, which was amazing. It was as good as my main dish and I actually wish I got my own. It was that amazing.
Give Baraka a try, you will not be disappointed. In Potrero Hill, parking is usually easy.
My husband and I stopped in here on a Friday night because we were in the area. We thought there was a price fix menu, but they had stopped serving it when we came in (although the menu was predominately placed on their window as an advertisement).
Anyways we were really hungry so we ordered a first and second course each, as well as the french fries to start. They have bench seating with horrible velvet cushions which were super uncomfortable to sit on. I was sitting really low because of the cushions and my husband was super tall with the chair. Lame!
First came the amuse, which was really good. The house made foccacia was dry but came with some great olive oil and sea salt. We decided to get a pitcher of sangria, which took forever to arrive to our table.
We had this tiny table and they kept bringing us dishes. There was no room! The servers were milling about and this guy who was the host kept hovering over us as we ate, which was way lame. The whole dinner seemed really disorganized. I hate it when I go to a nice restaurant and they keep rushing you to finish.
The food was just okay - nothing exceptional. My heirloom tomato salad was nice, but the tomatoes were not super ripe, as I had expected because it was the special of the day. I had the tuna which was seared but cold inside, and the bacon/celery side had way to much bacon which also got cold and gross quickly. My husband had the tagine, and then finished my dish too.
Finally we wanted to order dessert but my husband had to tell the server to chill and let us finish our wine before she brought it. We got the peanut butter cup. The torte was not good ( we didn't even eat it) and the ice cream came on top of a piece of brittle, which made the brittle impossible to eat.
I just think that the people who own this place need to sit down and think about the whole experience. Nothing seemed very well thought out. And someone should really talk to the host guy about not hovering like a creep.
I think that in any other city, this restaurant would be fine. My expectations are really high because there are so many amazing restaurants here in San Francisco.
I won't be back.
The pistachio-crusted goat cheese at Baraka was to die for! Where am I going to find such an amazing dish now?
DELICIOUS. Okay, that word alone sums up my experience at Baraka. After a very disappointing dinner the night prior at a French resto in SOMA, Baraka was a WELCOMED change.
The restaurant was pleasantly empty when we arrived at 7:30, but filled up quite quickly as the night went on. The plush red velvet seating, the warm, Mediterranean decor were quite inviting. The staff were pleasant, but the FOOD was the showcase of the evening.
For starters, my boyfriend ordered the lamb meatballs, which smelled and tasted like heaven. The only way to describe the WARM, pistachio encrusted goat cheese, with honey is "a holiday celebration for the mouth".
Onto the second course, I ordered the Free Range Chicken, which was EQUALLY delightful. The chicken was juicy with the outer skin crispy and perfectly spiced. My boyfriend's Lamb Tangine was a little too overwhelmingly spiced for my taste, but he devoured it with no problem.
The only portion of our dinner which was slightly disappointing and could have been improved was the dessert menu. My boyfriend ordered the Warm Apple Crostata and I chose the Peanut Butter Cup. We both agreed that the desserts were ok, but not something that we would need to experience again.
The wine list is quite interesting with many European and domestic selections.
Our bill total was 73.78 (including tax and 1 glass of cava). I would recommend this restaurant for: small parties (very limited space) and romantic dinners.
Mmmm... Baraka. Situated on a quiet corner, this Potrero Hill favorite provides the ideal setting for candle-lit conversation and tempts you to sink ever deeper into plush Moroccan cushions and keep tilting that wine glass back.
Eating at Baraka is like a slow comfortable screw. The roasted bone marrow, goat cheese with onion jam and honey and housemade gnocchi with smoked ham hock whet your appetite and have you yearning for more. The seared ahi tuna with bacon and the beef bavette with bone marrow butter tilt you into a full orgasm. The cinnamon sugar beignets (donut holes) with spiced chocolate dipping sauce finally slide you into a blissful coma.
Whew, Baraka. Good to know you're in the neighborhood.
A little French/Mediterranean restaurant located in a nice little quiet neighborhood. Came here with a friend for dinner one night. Parking was plentiful and the streets were quiet, which I liked. Dark red walls, lightly lit by mostly candles, and soft music playing, definitely had a Moroccan feel. Very romantic type ambiance. I even noticed a little dark booth towards the back with some shear curtains. The waitress was very attentive, we were there for 2.5hrs and did not feel any pressure for us to leave.
The menu was short and simple, probably 7-9 appetizers and 8-10 entrees to choose from. We had 2 appetizers, the romaine heart salad and the pistachio crusted goat cheese (ordered the cheese due to some yelp reviews). The salad was a salad with anchovies and the goat cheese was a bit strong. Very gamy for my taste but not the bad, you need some bread to eat this. For entree I ordered the Seared Ahi Tuna with bacon and wild mushrooms and my date ordered the Wild Mushroom pasta. The tuna was fresh and the wild mushrooms was very flavorful however I feel like something was missing in that dish, maybe a good sauce. The mushroom pasta was covered with some sort of flavorless froth/foam, I think it was just for presentation. The taste of the pasta was simple but a bit salty for me. I give all the dishes A+ in presentation however the taste falls a little short, but not by that much.
I give 5-Stars for the ambiance/service/location, however 3-Stars for the food. So according to my math, this place deserves 4-Stars!
Taking advantage of June's Dine About Town, my girlfriends and I wondered over to 18th Street and Connecticut to see what Baraka was serving up. We were unfamiliar with the area, but parking was a breeze.
The waiter brought over both the regular menu and the special menu, and made note of the soup of the day and his recommendations off the menu. (It was a bit difficult to understand him because he spoke fast and had a bit of an accent. My other friend was able to catch the majority of what he was saying though.) Bread and hummus were soon to arrive as we made our choices.
For $31.95, I chose the three course prix-fixe menu and started with the "Warm Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese" (with Onion Jam, Honey, Crotini). It was a generous portion that could have easily been shared. They gave three crostini pieces each, but feel free to ask for more because it's decadent alright! The goat cheese was smooth and had a good flavor to it, while the sweet onions and raisins added a nice contrast. My friend who doesn't really like goat cheese really enjoyed this appetizer as well.
For my main, I chose the "Slow Roasted Pork Belly" (with Anson Mills White Polenta, Spring Peas, Chicken Jus). Beautifully presented, the pork lay nicely on the buttery polenta, peas, and green veggies. When I took a bite, the pork belly was like butter...so smooth and just melted in my mouth. It was so full of flavor and the polenta, peas and green veggies all just complemented each other. My mouth was having happy moments.
I also tried my friend's "Roasted Halibut" (with Olive Oil, Smashed Fingerlings, Olive-Caper Tapenade, Parsley Aioli). I'm personally not a big fan of cooked fish, however the fingerlings were yummy and the tapenade added a strong taste to the whole dish that gave it the extra flavor it needed.
For dessert, I closed out with the "Date and Almond Bread Pudding" (with Brown Butter Anglaise, Ras Al Hanout Honey) instead of the "Basil Pana Cotta" (with Balsamic Syrup, Marinated Strawberries, Pistachios). Although my dessert was good with its nicely toasted almond top, the pana cotta was a surprise winner. I definitely wish I got that instead! It was smooth with only a hint of basil and was a perfect complement with the strawberries.
My friend also read about their Moroccan Mint Tea with Toasted Pinenuts ($4), so we all ordered this. It was a small portion that came in a wine glass. However, it was perfectly warm and the pinenuts added a nice texture and contrast to the sweetness of the tea. (It made me want to go home and do this with my own toasted pinenuts and Moroccan mint tea!)
Service was great! Our water glasses were refilled without ever having to be asked and our plates were cleared at a good pace. They work as a team here which definitely reflects the service and laid-back, but professional attitude of the whole restaurant. I definitely would return to try out the rest of their menu, like the "Roasted Beef Bone Marrow, "Roasted Sonoma Lam Sirloin," or " Creekstone Farms Natural Beef Bavette."
4.5 stars
I should be sleeping right now, but the place was so great that I have the urge to Yelp this before I head off to bed. We came here today to celebrate a birthday and had a bajillion things to eat. I'll just list my absolute favorites.
the albacore appetizer
the beef bavette
the warm berry crostata
the Baraka peanut butter cup
but if I had to choose a favorite favorite... it would be the beef bavette which was cooked to perfection (medium rare) and the warm berry crostata which made me wanna probably lick the plate. Mmm Mmm...
service was great, atmosphere was perfect and the chef was superb :)
And did I mention the food was deeelicious?
We'll definitely be back.
THREE AND A HALF STARS TO BE EXACT
Went here with the dine about town special little shindig. It was very enjoyable, but i will have to dock it for not having a full bar and for being a little Smug. Just a little smug though, the employees themselves were fine, but the other patrons were SHMYEA. Try the goat cheese appetizer, it is amazing times ten! Finish the night off with some bread pudding and you will for sure get a nice case of the toots!
"I seriously can't stop eating this prime rib, its just that good!!!"
Calista Flockhart
I went in with high expectations(after reading yelp reviews), and I was disappointed mainly in the food. This was a last minute plan and they happened to have a table available. Appetizers were amazing. I went with the goat cheese and gnocchi as recommended on here. The wine selection was good as well. We tried 2 bottles of imported red and felt that was the best part of dinner. The service was also great and parking was easy to find.
Then came the main dishes. I had the pan seared tuna and another friend ordered the halibut. I hated mine. The tuna had no taste. It was bland and even chewy. The polenta was, on the other hand, too salty. I could not finish my dish even though the portion was tiny to begin with. My friend(who usually would eat anything put in front of him) took 5 bites of his halibut and was done. He thought his was like steamed fish with no seasonings added. Three weeks later he is still complaining about the $70 he spent that day. The other two friends got the chicken dish. I had a bite of it and thought it was pretty good but would rather go to Cafe Claude for a dish like this.
We all agreed that if we were to come back, we would order everything on the appetizer list and skip the maindishes tapas style.
We went here for DAT (Dine About Town) as well and I was very pleased with the service and most of the food we ate. Between the two of us, we ordered the entire DAT menu and shared.
The pistachio crusted goat cheese appetizer with a sweet onion/yellow raisin sauce was superb and was the highlight of my evening. I really enjoyed the sweetness of the sauce pairing well with the goat cheese. Dab the cheese onto a crostini and it was perfection. The pork belly came in a close 2nd with it's just about right tenderness.
On the downside, the bread pudding had no character at all so the pana cotta stood out even more. The first taste of the pana cotta was surprisingly mint-like and somewhat refreshing. I would come here again even if it's not on DAT.
How in the world could Baraka close? The figs alone were flippin amazing. Now if you want to make a girl cream in her pants, find that recipe and feed her the figs. Sadface.
Food: Awesome
Service: Great
Price: Extremely reasonable
YUMMY! Loved this place.
Went with friends on the last day of Dine About Town June 2008.
They start you off with bread and hummus (very good).
First Course: I ordered the pistachio crusted goat cheese with onion jam/honey and crostini. I'm still dreaming about this dish. The cheese was creamy perfection and the pairing with the jam just delicious!
Second course: I got the Roasted Halibut. The fingerling potatoes and the olive capers sprinkled were so very, very good. I'm not a fan of olives but somehow this combo worked for me! Halibut was cooked perfectly, too. Fingerling potatoes were seasoned and presented so well that I forgot they were carbs and ate the whole thing.
Third Course: Basil Pana Cotta. Melts in your mouth delicious!
WE WILL BE BACK!
Note: We noticed that some of the DAT menu items could be collectively ordered on the regular menu for less than the cumulative DAT price of $31.95. Regardless, the general menu prices are extremely reasonable for the quality of the food.
Went to Baraka for the second time, and really, I have not had a bad meal here! We were a large group, so we mostly did shared small plates. We ordered the mushrooms w/ polenta, which was fan*freaking*tastic in my opinion. Light and savory. We also had the yellowfin carpaccio, which even one of our company, who didn't like fish, enjoyed it. It had a fuller, meatier flavor to it, I suppose. We also tried the goat cheese, seasoned fries and summer veggies and they were all really delicious. We ordered the bone marrow, too, but since I don't eat marrow, I defer to my companions' view that it was fantastic.
Oh, we also had the pork belly, which was delish - but how can pork belly be bad anyway? And we had the beef bavette, which was YUMMY. Not sure how they seasoned the beef, but it was so flavorful and perfectly cooked. There was a lot of foam in I think three of the dishes, which I guess is the tecnique du jour lately, but hey, everything tasted great.
I thought the pacing went real well, we always had enough food on our table to keep us occupied, but not everything all at the same time. PLUS, the waiter actually recommended the cheaper Argentine Malbec, even though we were going to get the more expensive one. Usually, the servers tend to up the recommendation, so I was pleasantly surprised.
Mmmmh - this was very tasty.
We went here after dance lesson one night and loved the food.
Interesting combination of ingredients and friendly service.
I just had an amazing dinner tonight at Baraka! Overall, I'd have to guess that our positive experience was enhanced by the fact that someone in our party was friends with our server (ALWAYS a good thing!) and additionally, that someone else in our party is a chef at another prominent SF restaurant, and I believe that the Baraka chef was aware of this fact! So there were definitely a few compliments from the kitchen, if you know what I mean!
Okay, okay, I'll stop bragging about how lucky I am! But seriously, Baraka had been on my radar forever and I'm glad I jumped on an opportunity to go. The atmosphere is really delightful with jewel tones galore and low, romantic lighting. We sat in a big table for six in the back that had velvet seats and a gorgeous stained glass sconce overhead.
Food-wise, I sampled a number of dishes, but I found the real standouts to be the pistachio goat cheese and the yellowfin carpaccio. I kind of wish that I had ordered the ahi tuna as a main course, but instead I got the gnocchi, which had a real home-made taste, but was a bit lacking in flavor, I'm pretty sure due to the fact that I requested them to hold the bacon on it. I also thought the long bean salad to be surprisingly impressive. Desserts were nothing special.
I will definitely keep Baraka in mind for future gatherings, especially those of an intimate nature (anniversaries, birthdays, valentine's day, stuff like that). Another great Potrero neighborhood restaurant...city views, easy parking and close to the mission! Pretty ideal upscale dining!
what? it's closed??
why????
even with the awesome ratings they couldn't keep the business open??
that's so sad... :(
i'll miss baraka...
we had reservations for 5 for new year's eve. when we got there, we had to wait for about 20… Read more »
I love this place, and I've been here at least four times now. Some of my favorites have been the pork belly, the gnocchi with ham and Parmesan (I don't particularly care for pork normally, but they do a spectacular job!) I love that you can order a bunch of small plates and really get a variety of flavors with the freshest ingredients. The beautiful red interior, the great service and the wonderful cocktails and wines keep me coming back here repeatedly. Plus, the plates give you a great price range, so it's a wonderful place for folks of different means to enjoy fine food together.
LOVE!!!
This neighborhood was pretty busy for a Sunday. Baraka stood out because of the name. I later tried looking up the definition but there are too many.
When you are getting settled at your table the server brings out a basket of focaccia bread with a little saucer of Spanish olive oil and sea salt. The combination was strange and new to me but it was good. It has a salty buttery taste, I guess depending on your salt to oil ratio.
We started out with the warm house marinated olives, grilled flatbread, and Spanish fries.
The warm olive with the flatbread made a tasty combination. This is coming from the mouth of someone who does not like olives. The olives are warm literally but the flavor itself is warm too, if you try it then it will make more sense. The Spanish fries are thick wedges of fried potatoes and seasoning. The sauce it comes with, "spicy harissa" is made with mayonnaise and there is no heat.
My entrée was the free-range roasted chicken. It was served on a bed of white beans and spinach. With each bite there was a delicious, juicy explosion of flavor! If you prefer seafood then you should try the seared tuna. The tuna is not juicy but it is hella good. I hate cooked fish but this is the exception. Very good flavor and there was no "fishy" aftertaste. The other dish I got to try was the pumpkin risotto. I like this dish because the pumpkin is not overpowering and all the flavors dance in your mouth in perfect harmony. All of the above was enjoyed with a cranberry, current, and sprite mixture known as the "red current". Speaking of red, the interior is warm with candles and red walls.
If the mythical notion of "size doesn't matter" applies in life, then Baraka is bound to please most restaurant goers out there. The small restaurant lies in a cozy part of Potrero Hill If our dinner guests had not mentioned it, we would have never found this place.
It was a Thursday night, damn cold and inside the restaurant it was empty but candles were blazing at every table providing a very romantic atmosphere. The interior was passion red which carved out portions in the wall to make candlelight shimmer. The massive chandelier standing in the center of the restaurant loomed overhead making the interior look dazzling . A closed curtain prevented cold air from entering the front door. A nice touch for those guests who prefer or by default sit by the front window.
For the meal we started with some prosciutto covered dates sitting on top of some pine nut salad. They were delectable with a fine balance of sweet and salty. My wife had the scallops and I had the crusted cod. I never had better scallops ... and that is coming from someone who eats red meat like it's his religion and doesn't much care for those critters in the sea.
The cod was delicious. Although under normal circumstances a relatively tasteless fish, they crusted it with an outside and let it sit on a bed of spinach and corn adequately seasoned with butter, salt and other seasonings. Trying all three was like in my own personal threesome without the messy part of saying goodbye.
We chose a side of "frites" which were heavily seasoned but very crispy and almost tasted baked even though I'm sure they weren't.
The red decor was enough to get my blood pumping but the delicacy of the meal was on the verge of giving me a heart attack (in a good way). Three cheers to this place. Your food has prevented me from giving one of my more sarcastic, dry humored reviews on this board. My compliments!
Went here for DAT. Our entire party ordered off the pre fixe menu. Currently, they are offering a choice of each of one of the following:
General consensus of the table in parentheses
Apps:
Romaine Hearts with vinaigrette and shaved manchego cheese (good)
Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese (great)
Entree:
Slow Roasted Pork Belly (great)
Halibut (below average)
Dessert:
Bread Pudding (below average)
Pana cotta (below average)
I personally ordered the romaine, pork belly, and bread pudding. The romaine hearts were light and tasty, with the cheese providing a nice bit of saltiness and flavor to go with the mild vinaigrette. The pork belly was very flavorful but not as tender as I would have liked. The bread pudding was a disappointment.
I also chose to have the wine pairings. I didn't care for the first two, but I enjoyed the muscat that came with dessert. It should be noted that they forgot to bring two of my pairings with the actual portion of the meal, which was a bit disappointing. I had to flag our waiter down both times to have the pairings delivered.
They have a nice little wine bar in the back, but I didn't see any spirits or beer, if you're into that. The place itself was rather small, and the waiter had to squeeze between our table and the adjoining one on several occasions.
Overall, I'd give it 3.5 stars. Round down for the cramped quarters and mistiming on my pairings. I would maybe go back to try some of the other things on their menu (based on the other reviews, it seems the lamb, cod, and bone marrow dishes are good).
I'll be brief:
1. The service was SO slow and subpar.
2. The halibut entree was SO salty - I couldn't taste anything else after.
3. I'm not going to bother coming back (even though my pole bean salad was pretty tasty).
Impeccable service and friendly wait staff. Our waiter was Silva - he was very attentive and helped us surprise our friend for his birthday.
The ambiance is cute - dim lighting, moroccan decor and its small size make it a great place for a date.
Went here last night with a group of 8 and we were definitely happy to travel beyond the typical marina restaurants.
I'm vegetarian so I had limited options but I really enjoyed the cauliflower side sauteed in olive oil with capers, the pistachio goat cheese crostini plate and the wild mushroom polenta salad.
For Dessert, I recommend the peanut butter cup and beignette (mini dough balls) dishes.
I came here for the Dine About Town dinner. I'm not sure I can give a thorough review of the restaurant since I only had the prefix dinner. However, let me begin with what I had:
Romaine Hearts (croutons, shaved Machego and garlic caper vinaigrette)
Halibut with diced potatoes on the side
Flan/cheese with pistachio nuts on top
The salad was good because the thinly shaved Machego allowed for a robust taste of the cheese. The croutons were yummy---seasoned well and in bite size pieces. The Romaines were served unchopped. However, I wish I got the goat cheese with crostini as my appetizer because my friend had it and it was absolutely delicious (and I don't really like cheese!) The halibut was on the dry side and I didn't like the green sauce that was used. The potatoes made up for it but I was truly disappointed with the fish. Also, I ordered a pitcher of sangria hoping that would make up for the so-so dinner. Again, it was another disappointment. Where was my fruit??! I even asked the waiter and he just chuckled. Um...hey buddy, I'm serious...give me my fruits!
The way I see it, Baraka suffers from the problems plaguing other small, popular neighborhood restaurants of its type: the tables are crammed into the small space and the servers are harried. In these situations, perhaps the food can make up for it. But it didn't.
I got the grilled octopus that some raved about and it's been the smallest serving of octopus that I've seen in comparable starters that price. For $13, you should be getting more than 4 charred pieces. I also took suggestions and tried the lamb, which was exactly as the two star description describes: I've had better. A friend had the DAT menu which actually seemed like the better way to go. The goat cheese starter was pretty standard (you can't go wrong with goat cheese) and the pork belly was delicious. I was too stuffed to try the basil desert thing.
As crammed as the place was though, I have to give it points for the atmosphere. Baraka truly seems like a very popular neighborhood restaurant with a lot of groups sitting back and enjoying the food and the company. That alone would make me be willing to give it another shot, if I happened to be nearby.
My 2008 Dine About Town destination #2 took us to Baraka, wanting to try a new French restaurant. Once you step inside, you'll realize that this place isn't really French, especially with the Mediterranean feel to the decor and the upbeat/ almost house like music playing.
A look at the menu reinforces the non-French, yet it is French inspired Mediterranean. You won't be disappointed at the prices and offerings with starters like the unbelievable Slow Cooked Pork Belly (crusted on top and so moist under you can pull it apart) and the Warm Pistachio-Crusted Goat Cheese(It makes you like Goat Cheese even if you swear you hate it.)
Main entrees are well proportioned an accompanied with seasonal vegetables. We opted for the Roasted Black Cod served on top of beans and spinach, as well as the slightly salty Roasted Chicken served with chickpea fries and frisee salad.
When contemplating whether or not to have dessert, keep in mind that this is where the Frenchness comes in. They don't tell you, but you get a small plate of petite-fores (truffles, fruit pate, etc.) So basically, they tricked us into getting the alright tasting cheesecake and the glad I ordered it, chocolate mouse with coffee reduction.
Come here expecting a Mediterranean cuisine with an eclectic French flare that would disappoint your stomach or tastebuds! Oh by the way, get yourself a glass of the white sangria!!!
Went here for the bf's bday. Cute little French/Mediterranean restaurant with a romantic ambiance. AND..the prix fixe menu is back.
$35 bucks for a 3-course meal w/ wine pairing.
We had the goat cheese, stuffed dates, the lamb, and the black cod. All were great choices, thanks to yelp. (I did think everything was a little on the saltier side but I can take it.)
The prix fixe option ends at 6:30 which is an early dinner for me. However, the service was a little slow even with a half-packed house so I actually got to work up an appetite waiting. The waitstaff here are super-friendly too so I didn't mind. Also, the tables are a little too close for comfort but I find that seems to be the trend for restaurants in the PH.
I'd definitely come back here but only during the prix fixe hours. Great deal for people on a budget trying to live to good life.
Excellent across the board.
Decor - Modern and inviting. The interior is awash in reds, accented by plenty of candles, dim lighting and intimate seating. Downtempo audio further sets the sophisticated mood.
Service - Top notch. We had not one, but two little tastes from the kitchen (one for an appetizer, another for dessert). Our waitress was an expert on the menu, we were constantly being attended to (though not in an intrusive manner) and felt very well taken care of.
Food - Delicious. I rarely have the soup, but when the pea puree was described as being made without butter or cream, I had to try it out. Totally loved it. For the main course we went with the free range chicken and lamb, and neither of us had any regrets. Portions were generous, as my chicken was accompanied by quite a few sides, including chickpea fritters and a salad.
Value - Exceptional. Pricing was a bit lower than I'd expect ($8 - $10 appetizers, $15 - $25 entrees), and the wine list seemed very reasonable. We definitely felt it was worth the expense.
Summation - Between Baraka and Aperto, dining on 18th in Potrero has never tasted better.
I hadn't been to Baraka in years until a few Saturdays ago, when a group of four returned for dinner. The night could have started in tragedy - I had made a reservation on Opentable but mistakenly for Friday. When we arrived, the place was in full dinner mode, completely packed. After searching for our reservation (of course to no avail), our hostess put us at ease by squeezing us in at the bar, promising a table in about 20-30 minutes. This turned out to be more like 45 minutes but they placated us with bubbly, so all was good.
Finally, when we sat down, our gregarious waiter quickly took our drink order with a smile. Our hunger pangs were taken care of with some quickly-arr riving small plates - a roasted beet salad, dates stuffed with chorizo and Moroccan style meatballs - all delicious.
We decide to each order our own large plate, agreeing to share when not feeling selfish. Me, I went with the Grilled Lamb Kebab, which came with a fluffy couscous and baby carrots. I also got to sample the beef short ribs and the prosciutto-wrapped halibut, two equally fine offerings. In fact, looking back, everything we tried was wonderful and fit nicely with the Mediterranean flare and coziness of the restaurant.
Aside from my Opentable snag, the only mistake we really made was waiting so long for a return visit. Hopefully, I've learned from that lesson.
Baraka means blessing in a number of languages, or so the collective wisdom of the wiki tells us. Baraka's cozy atmosphere, succulent foods, and lovely ambiance qualify it as a blessing on the SF dining scene.
We enjoyed an early dinner here last night on a chilly, dark winter evening, so the warm cinnamon colored walls awash in rich red light, playing off red velvet cushions and red wall coverings made for a cozy welcome. The staff are charming and attentive without being ostentatious.
I got my New Year festivities off to an early start with an absolutely perfect Kir Royal, the best I've had in San Francisco, not too sweet and not too dry. I loved my beet and tangerine salad, and IQ's roasted red pepper soup special was just that--something special.
For mains we each tried one of the tagines--IQ selected the chicken with olives and preserved lemons, and I went for the lamb with prunes and almonds. IQ was not crazy about the lemon/olive combination, finding it too bitter, but I absolutely loved it and ate about half of his when he was finished. I liked my lamb tagine equally well, but next time the chicken number is all mine! Both dishes featured absolutely beautifully cooked meats, perfectly moist and suffused with flavors.
We finished with a panna cotta rendered forgettable by the strawberry rhubarb compote that surrounded it, and a pumpkin date and pistachio tart that our server, Oriane, recommended, which was a standout--rich, almost fudgy pumpkin filling with succulent moist dates and zesty pistachios.
IQ's hot chocolate with dessert was rich and perfect with real shaved chocolate.
The only downer for me was a slightly musty Zinfandel by the glass which I would skip next time in favor of something else on the by-the-glass list.
Our server, Oriane, used to work at Galette on Fillmore and we were happy to see her here, because she is always attentive and pleasant to her guests.
We'll definitely be back to try more dishes and enjoy this little ruby on Potrero Hill.
Potrero Hill's small but formidable collection of restaurants is dominated by the three french bistros of Chef Ola Fendert, who opened the lovely Plouf on Belden Place. In addition to the well-known and wildly popular Chez Papa and Chez Maman, Baraka, their lovely Spanish-French-Moroccan-Mediterranean fusion cousin just down the street, is an all-around joy.
Small, dimly-lit, romantic, the only drawback to this quaint North African styled eatery's setting is the row of two-top tables along the outer wall that are a smidge too snugly squeezed in together. Although they would obviously lose at least three parties each night, I think they would do well by their loyal patrons to subtract one table and spread the rest out, thus giving diners a bit more (badly needed) privacy, not to mention leg room.
The food is tasty and memorable. We started with the pistachio encrusted goat cheese mound garnished with what the menu describes as an onion and honey jam, and served with thin, long crostini and grilled flatbread points with hummus. My date ordered the chicken tagine with green olives, lemon and small couscous. This was a good dish, but she commented that the meat was a bit more dry than she recalled from a previous visit. I opted for the grilled lamb kebab garnished with Israeli couscous (a more coarsely ground version of said grain), delicate baby carrots and salsa verde. The lamb was tender and delicious and the overall dish made for a very nice ensemble of flavors. Very content, was I.
As far as our server is concerned, attentive, if not a bit Seinfeldian in her close-talking. Neither of us were very happy with our first selection of white wines. Our server lamented this, and was more than obliging, describing two alternatives that she thought would better fit the description of what we were in the mood for, and then gladly exchanging after we selected from the two samples she had brought us. They certainly pass the good service test with flying colors for their gracious accommodation.
A side note: I was a bit miffed to receive an email from Open Table the next day, saying that they were disappointed in me for being a "no show" for my Baraka reservation, and condescendingly explaining their no show policy to me. At first I thought that the hostess had simply overlooked a proper acknowledgment of our visit, but upon calling the restaurant, I found out that they had consistently been having trouble with the Open Table system and I cleared up the misunderstanding the next day.
Regardless of the reservation snafu, the congested table count and the mediocre chicken, I'm comfortable giving a strong recommendation for Baraka. Just bear in mind that your diligence in reserving ahead of time is key as they are equally popular with their loyal fan base as the other two family members up the street.
3.5 stars. I went for dine about town and was very pleased. Started with the lamb meatballs which were salty but wonderful. (They were worth the trip.) For my main, I had the lamb tagine and my companion had the blackened cod. Both were excellent. The sweets were hit or miss. My cheesecake frankly left a lot to be desired, but the chocolate desert was wonderful. (One would be more than enough for a table - its huge and rich.) Left feeling like I needed to curl up under a rock to digest my food.
The decor is very nice, seems like it would be good for a date. Go a little later if you're going on a date, though. I went early and there were a few families with kids there. On a final note, I'd call this place a lot of things, but not french.
An excellent meal! I've lived in Potrero Hill for over a year, and I'm sad to say that I first went to Baraka just last night. The service was stellar, even with just two folks working. The staff were friendly, personable, and didn't take themselves seriously, even though they were serving some seriously good food and a great wine list.
I highly recommend the corn soup, the halibut, the gnocchi, and the pistachio-crusted goat cheese.
Tomatoes, fennel, wine, and presentation. All of these things were done right :) No really -- these were some of the tastiest tomatoes I've had in months.
We did end up with way too much food with soup, starters, and mains together. I'd advise sticking with either starters or mains and saving room for dessert.
I was sorry to see that Baraka serves foie gras, which is the infected liver from a goose or duck that's cruelly force fed. Foie gras has been found to be inhumane in several countries and was recently banned in California. Please do not support restaurants that serve it. http://www.stopforcefe... and http://www.nofoiegras.org are two excellent sites if you'd like more information.
I'd give this place no stars if it were possible.
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Neighborhood: Potrero Hill
Category: French
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Category: French
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