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Mon-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
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O la la!
This place is adorable. Such a great place for girlfriends to come together. Romantic too, could be a nice first date place.
What we had:
Foie Gras: Homemade terrine of foie gras, stuffed with quince jelly, pistachio and sautéed date, served with a fig coulis $15.00: Tastes like butter. Yum. I was on a mission to eat foie gras at every place that had it because they are banning foie gras in SF soon!! It's not the best I've ever had, but it was good.
Escargots "a la Bourguignone": Snails with roasted garlic, shallots, butter, red wine Parsley $9 : They served it in a bone (The thing that bone marrow comes in, yannoe)! Creative and fun (you get to dig the little escargots out of the bone like a game!). But don't be mistaken, there was no bone marrow inside. I've only had escargot twice, the first time they were giant black blobs soaked in butter, this had petite little escargots that were flavored and seasoned wonderfully. We loved it!
Steamed Mussels Marinieres: With shallots, garlic, parsley, cream and white wine, Appetizer Or Entree size: $ 8.00 or $ 14.00: The mussels were huge, delicious, and juicy. Make sure you use the bread to soak up the sauce!
Sea Bass: It's not on their online menu! Just looked. It was a little dry, sort of wish I skipped it, but it wasn't horrible. I guess it's a good thing it's not on their menu?
Chocolate Pear Tart: I think since they saw that we barely picked at the sea bass, they knew we didn't care for it that much, the tart was on the house! The owners/waiters of this place really went above and beyond on service. This was a gigantic piece! It's literally 1/4th of a whole pie! Really heavy and a little powdery tasting to me.
Although there were tiny disappointments, the food and ambiance will keep me coming back for more!
The owners/waiters were so hospitable that when we left and closed the door, they ran to the door, opened it, waved, and thanked us. Jeez, what other restaurant does that?! :D
Birthday month, birthday week, lunar birthday. Call it what you want. I get spoiled in November.
Dinner #1 with mom and pops, who suggested Chouchou. I jumped at the chance since I've never been and it has been on my "to try" list for some time.
No joke, I asked for permission to order a glass of wine [http://www.yelp.com/bi...]. I'm glad they said yes. Dinner with them always makes me a stress ball.
We started with the foie gras [http://www.yelp.com/bi...]. Portion could stand to be bigger for $15, but it wasn't bad. Comes with toasted pistachios (or so my parents tell me) and perhaps dried apricot?
Mom had the bacon wrapped duck breast [http://www.yelp.com/bi...] and pops had the filet mignon [http://www.yelp.com/bi...]. They were both delicious and cooked perfectly.
I did not listen to the parentals and ordered the seafood trilogy [http://www.yelp.com/bi...]. It was all right, but nothing impressive.
Stick with their meat dishes!
Wasn't happy at first impression on this place. Reserved a table for two and when arrived, they had an empty table for two but said we had to wait because they weren't ready. The owner was the one who greeted us and we were thinking "why are they making us wait when there's an empty table?" Well, we waited for 20 minutes past our reservation time and finally got a table after a couple left. The good thing about this though was the owner apologized a couple of times about the wait and gave each of us a tasty glass of sweet wine while we were waiting (looked like a rose).
After that, we ordered some food and we were happy because the food was great! Size is just right; not too big and not too small (with the exception of the Ocean Trilogy..thought it wasn't enough). The Bacon Wrapped Duck was very tasty, moist, and tender. Sea and Ocean Trilogy was interesting since they made three different flavors for each fish. Mussels were only OK to me and the zucchini with crab was awesome. We had the chocolate with pear tart and that was VERY chocolatey! Didn't taste any pear flavors to it besides the slices of pear on top but otherwise yummy tart!
All in all, I liked this place. Didn't like having to wait cramped up in a small area where it feels like you're in everyone's way but food was good enough that it's not that big of a deal. And FYI, they didn't seat us in the beginning because those were saved for a bigger party.
I've driven pass this place a number of times in the past.
Decided to try it out this past THURS and completely worth it.
The Rack of Lamb + Chicken Breast + Pork Tenderloin rocks.
French Onion Soup
* Meh!
Fresh Pear and Heirloom Tomato Salad
* Good! Refreshing
Steamed Mussels Marinieres
* Not bad! Lighter flavor than I'd preferred
Bacon Wrapped Maple leaf Duck Breast
* Very good! Moist, tender and flavorful
Sea and Ocean Trilogy
* Not bad!
Mixed Fruit Tarts
* Meh!
Overall, the Chouchou warrants another visit and sample other items from its menu (ie., Escargots, Ménage à Trois, creme brulee). Service was attentive and friendly. The recommended LES VINS ROUGES-PINOT NOIR ROBERT STEMMLER CARNEROS SONOMA 2006 was good.
*Thank you for accommodated my private table request!!!
When we walked in for our Saturday night reservation, the downstairs dining room was already full - 6:30pm!!! The waiters greeted us with a cheerful "bonsoir!" and asked us to follow them.....
Aha! turns out they have UPSTAIRS seating. We walked up Christmas lights-lit stairs, walked through a storage area (draped with pink tablecloths to hide the mess), and out to find sets of tables that look down to the main dining area.
The experience:
=============
- The wait staff was great, genuinely cheerful.
- We never felt rushed (enjoyed our dinner 6:30-9pm)
- The upstairs seating seemed dark at first, but is actually ok.
- Upstairs seating is a bit cramped along a narrow pathway. The waiters were all skinny and it didn't bother us when they walked by; but if it would bug you, then ask for downstairs!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Noise level: Mid-dinner, they turned up the music, which can lead to potentially hazardous miscommunication, as it did with me and the fiance:
Me: "Ever think about what life would be like if you were single right now?"
Fiance [very quickly and assertively]: "Yup. I wouldn't be miserable right now." (this is what I heard over the loud music)
Me: .... [stare]
Fiance: ... [stare]
Me: "Did you say you WOULDN'T be miserable or you WOULD be miserable?"
Fiance: "I said I *WOULD* be miserable."
Ahem. So ya, watch out for that frenchy jazz volume.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The food:
=======
- French onion soup:
Perfect!
- Cannelloni of zucchini:
Looks pretty; would've been better if the crab + sauce was served warmer.
- Menage a trois:
The *small* pork and chicken portions were tender, but it's something I could've made at home. The lamb was DELICIOUS. The sides that accompany the meats were very flavorful; they steal the show.
- Angus filet mignon:
Very flavorful, good size. Potato gratin and green beans were done perfectly.
- Triple chocolate tart:
Very chocolatey but not heavy at all. Big enough slice for 2 to share.
Overall:
======
- Great spot for good food and an intimate, cozy dinner.
- If you have someone to impress, consider:
Upstairs: pro = more private, intimate, and romantic; con = have to walk by storage area
Downstairs: con = might feel busy / less intimate
- A bit pricey for the food you get; but the comfortable setting, food presentation, and lovely wait staff make up for it.
Love this place! It's fun without being over the top. The Chef/Owner (I think) is so friendly. He greats everyone and makes you feel at home.
I haven't had a bad meal, everything from steak to souffle' has been excellent.
Side note: if you are on public transportation and want to go somewhere off the beaten path, take the L and get off at Forest Hill station
I had my 30th birthday dinner here on Saturday (10/17/09)
We got a table upstairs and it was HOT! They had a fan on but it didn't help.
I was the last of my party to arrive. Ooppss! My girlfriends told me the owner came to greet them each with a kiss on both cheeks. I'm jealous! I'm the birthday girl and I didn't get that!
Our server Damian was very friendly and accommodating. Upon request he brought baskets of hot bread and bottles of water to our table. He cleared away all used plates right away.
For appetizer, I ordered the KBA "Kobe" beef tartare. It sounded so yummy on the menu. To my surprise it arrived raw and our server added mustard, quail egg, and Worcestershire sauce and mixed it up. Then added capers, and 2 other things but I forgot what it was. It was quite an experience. It really tasted like eating raw meat. I was hoping I wouldn't get sick.
My gf had the escargot and it was stuffed inside a bone marrow. The escargot was small and not chewy. It was really good.
My other gf got the Charcuterie Plate. It's your typical very salty meats dish.
For entree, my gf had the sea and ocean trilogy. She said it was really good but also very rich. Lots of butter and creamy sauce.
I had the filet mignon. It was good but I had a few chewy pieces which I had to spit out. Maybe the cut of beef wasn't so good? It came with potato gratin. It's one of the BEST potato gratin I've ever had.
Hubby had the rack of lamb. That was good too. The potatoes that came with it were very yummy.
The owner came to the table and said that someone was celebrating a birthday. I raised my hand and said "me, me , me!" Ok I didn't say that. I did tell him that it was me. He said that he didn't have time to bake me a cake cuz that would take 3 days notice. He said that he has something planned for me and he's going to embarrass the heck out of me. Uh-oh! So not looking forward to that. They brought out 2 long plates with slices of pie (all different) and sang "Happy Birthday beautiful" to me. Aaawww! That was nice.
All the pies were delish. It looked very sweet but it wasn't.
When I was leaving the owner wished me a happy birthday again and leaned in to kiss me. I thought it would be the kiss on each cheek but it wasn't He laid a big fat kiss on my cheek for a full minute. I was caught off guard and all I could say when we pulled apart was "uh thanks!" Hahaha!
I was told the bathroom was filthy. Water (let's hope) is everywhere on the floor and the soap is sooo watered down. Once I heard that, I waited til I got home.
I will definitely come back again to try the other tempting food.
They have their own small parking lot to the right side of the restaurant.
I'm writing this review with he extra input of my snobby food critic Mother and French Chef Father.
La nouriture- very delicious, comfort food pour une Francaise
My Mother dings you a star for the annoying 'thievery corporation' music (which I like) but is way to loud. Must raise your voice to have a dinner conversation over music and dining room noise.
Nick's bises to every woman who walks in the door is a great way to get an extra star but enough already. It is flu season after all (and a nasty one this year).
I've passed by this restaurant so many times, and always meant to try it, but I never seemed to find the time. I'm so glad I did though because I had no idea what I was missing out on! I came here with Sally L. because they were doing a promotion with Yelp Eats this past week, but we ended up picking right of the menu instead of the prix fixe. Its just as well that you don't because we split 3 appetizers and an entree, and it came out to about the same price. Being the foodies that we are, we figured it was a better way to try more variety.
FOIE GRAS -
I loved the paring with the pistachio and quince jelly. The flavors mixed really nicely
ESCARGOT -
Normally I see escargot in a butter pesto sauce, but I like that this dish had a roasted garlic flavor. The presentation was also different than most in that it came in what we first mistook as a bone marrow dish. Instead of the bone marrow, they had hollowed it out and stuff it w/ the escargot!
STEAMED MUSSELS -
I've been eating a lot of shellfish lately, and these mussels were huge! Definitely very fresh, and very tasty!
CHILEAN SEABASS -
After some serious yelp research, we had to give this dish a try. Unfortunately this is the only dish I could have done without. I love seabass and was disappointed that it was a bit on the dry side
CHOCOLATE PEAR TART -
it was on the house! It definitely was different than most dessert tarts i've tried. The richness reminded me of fudge, but the pear was a nice contrast. They give you a huge piece too, so it's good enough to share with 4 people if you just want a few bits of dessert after your meal.
Overall, I definitely will be coming back! The staff here was so nice, and they were constantly checking back with us to make sure we were enjoying our meal and having a good time.
Thanks again for the dessert Chouchou!!
I'm sorry everyone! I know this place got some high reviews from fellow yelpers. But a bunch of us went to celebrate a birthday here and out of a group of 11 only 4 enjoyed their entrees. For most of us this was our first experience w/ French food & I do hope we are wrong cause if not then I guess you'll never see me eating it again. I do have to say though that the service was very friendly and good. Our birthday girl got plenty of kisses from the crew and it was unanimous that the creme broulee was the bomb. Oh and good french onion soup. And the prices were good considering it is french food and French food is supposed to be costly.
I had a great meal experience at Choucou during Yelp's Restaurant Week. The timing was excellent, as Chouchou was also celebrating its 6th birthday.
The chef/owner, Nick, greeted me with a handshake and kissed my date. Really, more dining experiences need to start this way. I am 800% more likely to enjoy my meal if you shake my hand and kiss my girlfriend.
The restaurant was packed, but not loud. I gathered that there were a fair number of local Forest Hills folks around from the conversations around my table. A live music duo played every now and then, and that really annoying Thievery Corporation album (you know the one) filled the gaps.
Each dish was fantastic. A delicious pairing of foie gras and apricots narrowly beat an escargot soup during appetizers (for once, a restaurant serves snails without feeling the need to season the taste out of them). For the main course, we equally enjoyed the cured rabbit and veal. The chocolate soup dessert dish was just fine, but I think we both wished we'd ordered two apricot tarts.
The service was well-timed. The waiter didn't shake my hand or kiss my girlfriend, but he was extremely friendly and picked good glasses of wine to go with the courses.
I'd definitely head back here, but given the festivities around Chouchou's birthday I'd have a hard time believing they could top my experience.
Chouchou 4.75 stars of awesomeness!
this quaint, lovely little french bistro is a trek-and-a-half to get to in Twin Peaks,but is definitely WORTH IT!!
the ambiance is warm and inviting...dim-lighting, people laughing, wine a'flowin, a giant french flag staring down at you. each wall is painted a bright color, but for some reason its not obnoxious at all! i even appreciate their bright & bold business cards:)
the service is impeccable. very french, ie finicky-ness, and requesting to be seated on a different side of the room (or upstairs in a more private, intimate space) is welcomed graciously, the drinks are always full, you don't have to ask the waiter for bread and butter, and the food is created and presented with a sense of pride and showcasing of the best ingredients and techniques possible!
which brings me to the food....
a-mazing!
the Warm Goat chz & Endive tart was just melt-in-your-mouth pure deeeliciousness! the Gruyerre souffle w green beans and a warm mushroom sauce was incredible and the desserts are just what they should be: fresh, texturally exciting, sweet, flaky and the perfect amount of food to finish off the meal and a bottle of wine.
i would love to come back to this place on a romantic date or with a group of people.
the Chef is focused and hard-working which gets translated into his dishes and graciousness. Thanks Chouchou for washing the bad taste that was Trademark out of my mouth for Yelp Eats 09!
ill be seein ya soon!
Not every item on the menu will blow your mind but with careful selection, this place can easily be 5 stars. Also be careful of the Yelp Eats menu too because if you choose the wrong items (i.e the low priced items) you will end up paying more on the Yelp Eats menu than if you just ordered the exact same thing on the regular menu.
Foie Gras - It was good but was a bit dry/pasty to me. I haven't had much of this but I'm almost sure it can taste better.
Peah Heirloom Tomato Salad - It's salad, with tasty peaches. I don't care much for salad but it's pretty good.
Bacon Wrapped Maple Leaf Duck Breast - OMG! WTF!!!!!!! This is AWESOMELY GOOOOOOD!!!!! Duck breast!?!? It oddly didn't taste like duck but how can anything that is bacon wrapped taste bad? But really, this is really good and I look forward to coming back and having just this ALL to myself.
Sea and Ocean Trilogy - My ranking goes bestest to best at Black Cod, Halibut, then Scallop. Seems like the fish you get can change depending on what they have at the moment. Scallop was slightly fishy so I take it that it wasn't alive 5 minutes ago. Portions seems a bit tiny to have as a entree for one person so I wouldn't pick this next time.
Ménage à Trois - One bone rack of lamb was tender but didn't stand out for some reason, chicken breast with fondue of carrots was really GOOD CHICKEN!, Pork Tenderlion with dates and figs wasn't my thing since it wasn't that tender and I hate dates and figs.
Strawberry Bruschetta - Came with a tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream and some sort of bread that tasted like french toast. You eat it with all these strawberry slices. A great ending to a great meal!
I didn't get the Rack of Lamb but I must have saw 10 other racks fly by as I had my meal so I really want to try that next time.
Chouchou always ranks high for consistent excellence, but this past weekend, they truly surprised me. They are stepping up their game, folks! Not only have they given themselves a bit of an interior face lift, they've also got a snazzy new web site and - most importantly - a jazzed up menu that blew me away. One dish in particular, a rack of lamb with mushroom sauce, was one of the best things I've ever ordered - at Chouchou, or anywhere! Perfectly cooked and expertly seasoned, for less than $25. You simply cannot beat that. And, as always, you will be treated like family by owner/chef Nick and his staff. Every time I visit he acts like we are old friends!
Go to Chouchou. It's a wonderful surprise on an otherwise blah corner near Forest Hill station.
When you live where I live and you want decent restaurants within walking distance, you have two… Read more »
I was ambivalent about returning here to eat after a bad experience with one of their waiters last year but my GF loves this place & used to come often w/her hubby. So, after a workout together, we decided to come for brunch on a Sunday. If you're not here before noon, you might find it challenging to find a table.
GF ordered a mocha and the waitress presented her with this tiny cup, an espresso. So, she had to take it back and remake the mocha & GF wasn't happy about the lack of "foam" on her ginormous cup of mocha ($3) She's dined here enough to know better. The French bagette was hot out of the oven and was scrumptious with butter. They don't bake their own, it's from Bakers of Paris but they crisp it nicely in the oven.
I really enjoyed my slice of quiche, oozing with Guyere' cheese and ham ($9.50). It came with delicious oven roasted potatoes (but heavy on the salt) and a cup of salad and 2 strawberries. I had to take some of it home. She had the parisienne, a mushroom omelet with potatoes too ($9). The chef/owner came out to greet his guests and give a hug to his regulars.
We each took 4 croissants to go. She had 4 choc ($3) and I had 2 choc and 2 plain ($2). When I got home and looked at the bill carefully, I realized the waitress had overcharged us an extra 2 croissants and the tax to boot. The food is good, but pay attention carefully to your bill. Food's good but based on my experience last yr and this year, they clearly have staff training issues. I love their tarts and if you want a whole one $28), it has to be pre-ordered.
A few days later, I called to tell them about the overcharge & the owner answered the phone & told me that he would be more than glad to refund the overcharge. I told him it would just be simplier to come and get the 2 croissants paid for, that's all I wanted. Had to send Jr. Yelper to go pick it up with the receipt because I was busy and the owner was so nice, he gave us 4 croissants; 2 were chocolate which was rapidly devoured by the Jr. Yelpers. That's what I call service and class. I plan to bring the whole family back for dinner one day because the owner really cares about the service. Just that the staff probably could use a tad more training. Good help is hard to find.
I've been here several times over the years but went on strike and refused to come back here about 2… Read more »
Is it the charming ambiance, cute servers, or sexy date I was with? This little gem stays in my mind as a Go Back Soon place. As another rater reported, the peach and heirloom tomatoe salad was bland. The rest of our meal certainly was not. They did not have the wine we had selected but brought a charming substitute.
The chatter at Chouchou is high, the lights are low and my heart belongs here on a foggy City evening.
Chouchou is a quaint, little restaurant with some very flavorful food! Loved everything I ordered here:
French onion soup was excellent
Escargots were cooked to perfection with just the right amount of garlic, butter and shallots
Steamed mussels which can be ordered appetizer or entree size were a definite hit!
Pomme frites were delish dipped into the mussel broth!
Dessert tarts are a must!
Owner was super friendly and spent time at each table talking to the customers
Stick with the wine list as all of their cocktails are soju based (unless you like soju).
What a cute restaurant! Even the name "chouchou" means pet in French. Although the colors are orange and pink, reminiscent of a child's room (maybe a French child's room), it is cutely tucked away on a little street. The ambiance is cutely cozy as well.
The food is excellent. We had the Cannelloni of Zucchini (too tiny of a serving is my only complaint), Bacon Wrapped Maple leaf Duck Breast (hearty and delicious), and Ménage à Trois (presentation looked like straight out of a fancy restaurant). For dessert, we had a chocolate tart (sweet, but not heavy). Everything was so good that I want to have a Ménage à Trois right now!!!
...the entree...Get your sick mind out of the gutter!
1 star off: cannelloni was way too bite-sized to be $10
So I checked "subscribe to emails" on Opentable when I made a reservation. So begins the spamming.... I've emailed them 4-5 times to unsubscribe me, but they seem to not wanna use a proper email marketing solution.
Boo to opentable for simply handing over email addresses to restaurants. Bigger boo to Chouchou for spamming incessantly.
Love this place.
Great menu, decent prices & a very cute little hidden gem of West Portal.
My roommate & I wen here & were instantly greeted by the Chef w/ kisses & promptly sat.
The service was a little slow, but it seemed like there was only 1 server in the restaurant, so we gave him a break.
We had escargot, foie gras, french onion soup & creme brulle. All phenomenal.
I'd highly recommend it.
Loved this place! We came here for Dine About Town but decided to stray from the fixed menu, and I'm so happy we did. I got the best coq au vin I have EVER had!
Since then, I have tried to find a recipe that is up to par with this one but I haven't been able to do so.
I would give an arm and a leg (someone else's of course) to find out the recipe! Anyone know the chef? I'd like to become his or her best friend ASAP!
Thanks.
My first time to Chouchou and I have to say I was very impressed. A group of us met there because of their recommendation. Our table was ready when we arrived, and the place quickly filled up with in 30-45 minutes. Great service and the food was incredible... A little rich, but it is French! I had the White Sea Bass OMG.. Delicious!! 2 people at our table had the Manage a Trois and said it was VERY Good!!!
I'll go back again! OH and very reasonably priced!!
Went here with a friend for dinner. A few other friends have suggested it in the past. It was out in the middle of no where. The place was basically next to a liquor store. Very cute and quaint inside though. Tables are like the French. Squished next together so everyone knows your business.
My friend and I shared the endive salad, which was great. I had the pork while he had the duck. The pork was prepared quite nicely. The sauce was a great addition although the meat itself was dry. I suggest Fringale if you want nice juicy pork tenderloin. For dessert we had the chocolate tart which I heard was quite nice. It was so-so and to be honest, I could have done without it. I was waiting to be swept off my feet but wasn't.
Service was great. Skinny jeans and hottie French boys. Can't complain. Food was decent but not out of this world. Location was hard to grasp.
This is a charming restaurant with great service in a wonderful neighborhood. So why only three stars? Unfortunately, the food fell a bit short.
This Saturday night, the place was totally packed. But we were quickly and politely ushered to a table near the front of the restaurant. The place is charming but a little uncomfortable. First of all, it was a typical San Francisco 60 degrees outside, but sweltering inside despite two big ceiling fans going full-speed. (At one point during the meal, the gf had to tell me to wipe beads of sweat off my forehead.) Second of all, the place is loud when full and the tables quite close together (we were separated from tables to our right and left by about six inches, so the table had to be moved to get to our seats). But the pleasant French bistro decor and the excellent service mostly made up for it.
To start, we shared the French Onion Soup and the Goat Cheese Tart, which had been so highly praised by other Yelp reviewers. The French Onion Soup was indeed outstanding, slightly sweet with a good onion flavor and nice gruyere cheese on the croutons. (I still like the soup at Chapeau! better, but this was excellent.) The goat cheese tart was a bit bland and underseasoned -- a bit of salt judiciously applied during prep would have gone a long way.
For our entrees, the gf had the halibut and I had the beef cheeks cassoulet. The halibut was probably the highlight of the night, perfectly cooked and surprisingly moist, with a sinfully delicious butter sauce. It was served with a leek gratin which the gf loved and I thought could have used a little more carmelization on the leeks.
The beef cheeks cassoulet was served pot-pie style, with a bread dome the consistency of a pizza crust (not a puff pastry) which made for a beautiful presentation and a surprisingly nice crunch around the edges. I had never had beef cheeks before and found them disappointingly fatty (not necessarily the restaurant's fault, just may be my taste). But again this dish was a bit underseasoned, and the onions, potatoes, mushrooms, and carrots in the dish unevenly prepared and cooked. The sauce looked rich and delicious, but it too was bland. I came away with that "not worth the calories" feel.
At this point in the meal, we were hovering between three and four stars (yes, we were plotting our Yelp review from the start) and decided to let dessert be the tiebreaker. We ordered the much-praised chocolate and pear tart. We were expecting a fruit tart with chocolate, but instead this was a very rich chocolate torte with little pieces of pear occasionally hidden within. Unfortunately, the torte was also a little grainy and unimpressive. Between the two of us we still left half the dessert behind.
The wine list has good variety and some nice selections by the glass. I chose a white bordeaux for the gf and the waiter recommended an easy-drinking red bordeaux for me. Both were excellent food-friendly wines that went well with our meal and were very reasonably priced.
The service throughout the meal was attentive and polite. It was quite good for San Francisco and exceptional by French standards! The waiter was always at-the-ready, our water glasses consistently full, the food and the bill arrived promptly, and overall we felt well taken-care-of but unrushed. The prices were extremely reasonable -- with two appetizers, two entrees, two glasses of wine, a dessert, tax, and tip, we still got out for just over $100. That was quite a bargain.
I can see why locals would love this place. It's nestled in an affluent residential neighborhood with probably enough people in walking distance to sustain this restaurant for a long time. It's a pleasant enough place with an interesting menu and great service. If we lived near this 'hood, we'd probably be regulars. But by the standards of this great restaurant town, Chouchou is only ok. When the French bistro craving strikes us, we'll probably go back to Chapeau!, Clementine, or Le Charm instead.
I will review this place till the day I die... just to say... the Endive Salad is fantastic. The Steak Tartare is the reason we go, among others... okay it is one of the many reasons. Like walking in and being served a Kir Royal, or having a glass of champagne at the end of the meal with our coffee.... they make the meal what is is supposed to be... an experience. Friendly, hugs all around with smiles.... if you aren't prepared to feel welcomed, you might not feel comfortable. Hell their FB page is a hoot... always talking about Love and Friends! Always enjoy the mussels too... but it is amazing.
One of the few times I get a large bill and it doesn't affect me or the experience for one second. I am cheap, and that's rare.... and something to celebrate. Another Kir Royal please!
In two visits the only thing I can say is do not get the Poire Belle Helene. Other than that...… Read more »
This was actually the second time I had visited this French restaurant, back in 2002 we concluded one of our board meetings by having dinner here. From what I remember, we enjoyed the evening but I had not returned since.
So last night, my brother and I met with a few individuals from Edward Jones to talk about investments. Interestingly enough the owner and chef Nick was very accommodating to our group and had us eat in their secluded loft above the main part of the restaurant. The one hosting the dinner had arranged for us to have a quiet table to talk about different options.
Overall, we had a great dinner. They served us all an "Amuse Bouse", which I have seen mentioned on Top Chef a few times so that was cool. They even gave us an on the house desert tray - which was nice. On Thursdays, they have live musicians playing in the background. Overall we had a great experience.
My brother had the filet mignon and the steak tartare which they made in front of us while I had the beef cheeks.
One could tell that the dishes were good, we all finished our plates.
Yum...yum...and yum. Right from when you walk in you are greated with champagne and chambord (they had me at hello!) and warm welcomes from the staff. The lighting really sets the mood and the atmosphere is alive with friendly staff and aromas that make your mouth water.
Normally when going out for dinner with friends, you eat, drink, and maybe two hours later (at most) you are wrapping up the tab. We stayed there that night from 7:00 till right before midnight or so!
The food is amazing. The cheese plate with fig and apricot spread...YUM, the goat cheese pastry...YUM, and the pork tenderloins....YUUUUUUUUM
The food just kept coming and the wine selection I think is the reason why we stayed so long. Hey, if I can satisfy my food cravings and get a little tipsy without judgement...I AM GAME! Did I mention the amazing tarts they have? Did I mention the to die for creme brulee?
The reason why I gave this place four stars, is the parking situation. They have a lot, but it fits probably about 5 cars. We actually got lucky the night we went, but for the most part, you may need to park a block or so away.
Will I go back? Damn skippy I will. I hear they have a great brunch, so I can't wait to try it out!
I have eaten at this place for a few times and I have all ways had some fabulous food. The ambiance the music , the owner and staff are all ways a delight! The food is MANIFIQUE ! I am leaving for France today and looking forward to some more wonderful food. The menu here changes. Ask the waiter for suggestions . They are very helpful. Reasonably priced too.Have a special bottle of champagne or some french wine.
Thanks Chouchou for some really GREAT times !!!!
And thanks for making my partner's birthday even more special.
A French restaurant that actually is run by French people? Yes it can happen.
Chouchou had been on my list to chowchow at for quite a while. I had seen a segment on Check Please several months back and made a mental note to pay a visit. We even have a friend who literally lives a short walk away.
My wife and our friend had dined there on several occasions, but I was always getting into some legal troubles of some sort and could never join in on the fun. Finally last night I was able to break out my prison cell and I got the opportunity to enjoy a nice meal out.
From the moment we walked in we were treated by the most friendly service by the entire waitstaff. Drink orders quickly taken, water glasses continually poured and helpful advice on menu items offered.
The atmosphere is just what you would expect. a quaint little neighborhood French bistro filled with locals. My wife is a lighting snob and was more than pleased with the dim romantic mood, but not to dark where you can't read the menu.
Parking situation? Yes, this is San Francisco but easy, a small lot to the right of the front door is available and also plenty of street parking to be found.
The food? Yes, they serve food. It was not mind blowing "best ever French food in the City ever" kind of experience. But I thought it was still excellent and the menu varied enough to keep even picky eaters happy.We split an onion and goat cheese to start that was light, flaky and full of flavor with not one ingredient dominating the dish. For my main I went with the beef cheeks. The cheeks were moist, soft and not overcooked at all. You can tell the cow never worked out as they were not tough at all. They were cooked in a clay pot along with carrots, potatoes in what seemed like a red wine sauce. Think beef bourginion but they just don't call it that.
My wife had the halibut (for the halibut). I don't eat seafood so I will take her word for it that it was good. She was impressed that they asked her how she wanted it prepared (medium rare). She believes that most meat/seafood dishes tend to be overcooked. I tend to agree. My wife is also a French fry fiend, so I ordered a side of those too. They were good, but maybe a little too on the on thin side (not Zuni thin, just thin).
By the end of the meal the three of us were stuffed but of course I can never leave without having something for dessert. We decided to split the creme brulee. Our waitress didn't want to see the table walk away starving and brought out a chocolate tart on the house as well. Both desserts helped complete a perfect evening.
Nice spot for a casual evening out or for a first date. They don't even bring you the check unless you ask for it, just like in France! I love that!
Honestly, I think this place would be a 3 and a half. The service was very good, maybe a little too attentive to us almost on the side of "European friendly" which by American standards can be read as pervy. LOL. But overall, the wait staff was very nice and they treated us and other patrons like old friends and so it felt very "French". They had a guy playing on an accordion live and that was also quite lovely as an accordion can sound.
The place got louder as the night wore on but the food was above average but just not amazing and I wonder if it was because I was still full from lunch in the Mission. I got the lamb which was nicely cooked atop a bed of crispy potatoes and a savory mushroom sauce. It was all pretty decent. My friend ordered the halibut, which was also cooked nicely as far as I could taste, it was a tiny bit on the bland side. But still enjoyable. I think the creme brulee was delicious. Crispy on top and smooth and cool inside. Perfect.
With that said, I would most likely go back but be totally hungry and ready to devour not just nibble. And really the ambiance was adorable.
Beautiful neighborhood restaurant around Twin Peaks.
I came here about half a year ago. I've held out my review because I had some internal conflict on this one. I threw a hissy fit here, and I THINK i had pretty good reason for it too. The service was HORRIBLE and I had B*TCH written all over my face. I insisted we leave, BUT the owner went above and beyond to compensate for my dissatisfaction.
So it's basically like a bad breakup. You take time out to get over it and come back to make amends. Here is my review.
The food is not wet dream inducing....nothing above average...just...FOOD. PERIOD. Regardless of the service. I WILL however give them uber brownie points for their kind gesture to make their customers happy. After the owner realized that I was about to go ape sh*t, he came over to our table to give a sincere apology, took one entree off the check, FREE dessert to take home AND a $50 gift certificate to come back
Haven't gone back since.....but, they left a bitter sweet taste in my memory. OhhhHHh Chouchou.....sorry for being a b*tch. We're cool ya?
Enchanting. Stepping into Chouchou I thought I was a lot further away than the backside of Twin Peaks. The warm restaurant immediately lulls you into what will be a lovely evening. The servers are all charming, and I didn't speak to a single one that didn't have a French accent. We started off with the escargot. The server waited for me to look at it quizzically - where are the shells? Turns out Chouchou did the heavy work for me and it was all arranged out for me. The cheese souffle was superb (I felt bad for cheating on Jacqueline, I hope she forgives me) and sharing the chocolate walnut tart was the perfect end to a truly wonderful dinner that easily could have been on a quiet corner in Paris.
And they have a parking lot... when was the last time you saw that in SF?
Ahhh, oui oui! A friend and I celebrated Bastille Day yesterday at Chouchou over a 5-course prix fix meal -- Julia Child would be so proud! :) The restaurant was festively decorated with balloons and hay on the ground, plus there was live accordion and guitar music - loved it!
I had foie gras for the first time in my life (only heard that it was a delicacy and didn't really quite know what it was) -- ok, I admit that it is an acquired taste, but as I worked through my little bowl of it with a sort of fruit jelly to balance out the foie gras on top of bread, it actually grew on me! Then, I had the porcine tart - mmm! Chouchou knows their tarts!
The next course was a blend of eggplant, mushroom, truffle oil, roasted bell pepper and other vegetables melded together into a tasty dish -- wow, I think that was my favorite part! Mmm! Then, next came the main entree, and I picked the seafood medley which included three manageable, separate servings of salmon, scallops and sea bass - yum! (but I was getting quite full by this point)!
For dessert, I had the strawberries served over a finely sugary pastry bread with ice cream -- I know there was a French name for this, but this is best described as "Strawberry Yum!" Wow!!
All of this was accompanied by a glass of Kir Royale and a glass of French white wine! What a fun time we had, and somehow we managed to eat our whole meal for the most part. We literally rolled out of the restaurant with happy French food-filled tummies!
Oh at the end of the meal, the owner came over and cheek-kissed us. Oo la la -- Happy Bastille Day indeed! :)
5-course prix fixe dinner+tax+tip = $90 (well worth it, thank goodness I got paid today though - ha!)
Chouchou is a hidden gem of French dining tucked away in the Forest Hill neighborhood (but just around the corner from the MUNI station, so very easy to get to!)
My husband and I split two appetizers: the foie gras and the peach-heirloom tomato salad. The foie gras was fantastic and among some of the best I've ever had. The chef mixed some peas and other small veggies in with the foie gras that nicely complemented the flavor. My one critique was that they could have included a few more small pieces of bread with the appetizer (they only included one square-shaped piece), but we had plenty of bread at our table so used that to get all of the foie gras-y goodness.
The peach-heirloom tomato salad was a bit of a letdown for both of us. For starters, the presentation made the dish appear daunting - the various components of the dish were piled on top of each other, kind of like a bird's nest. Also, neither the heirloom tomatoes nor the cheese in the salad were very flavorful at all.
For the main course, I ordered the sea bass with a bacon-based sauce, and it was out of this world! The fish was cooked to perfection and the sauce was absolutely delicious. It was accompanied by some sundried tomatoes and potatoes, which were also quite good.
We then split a dessert, the chocolate pear tart. It was terrific! The chocolate was so rich and dee-lish.
I'm keeping this restaurant on my radar as the hidden gem to share with locals and out-of-town guests alike.
A pleasant surprise from my hubby on Friday Night Date Night. This place deserves 3 and a 1/2 stars. The food here is delicious and comparable to Chapeau! which everyone loves. My mussels with frites were the plumpest, tastiest mussels I had in along time (Fringale is not what it use to be sadly). I ate all of my creme brulee. Service was warm and friendly.
Adorable french restaurant with such a warm inviting ambiance. My boyfriend and housemates took me here for my birthday. We were greeted at the door by the chef who welcomed us with kisses on the cheek for the ladies and sincere hand shakes at the door.
The food is simple, fresh, rich and flawlessly prepared. I am an instant fan and will be back again for more!
Came here for brunch and although my entree was just ok, I actually loved the croissants. It's just a great deal. when you get an order of them, you get 1 butter and 1 chocolate.. yum!!
Service was adequate. They only had 1 waiter and the chef/owner assisted. Service was most friendly I have to admit, and the decor is comfortable.
I had the Parsienne omeltte which was cheese and ham w/ mushrooms and I thought it tasted nice. Not out of this world great, but solid food.
I think just coming back for the croissants itself is worth it!
a recent dinner with friends was wonderful! owner nick greeted us with hugs and kisses and promptly brought lovely chilled glasses of kir royale as our reserved table was not ready.
we had halibut, trio sampler plates and lamb. all were sublime. great flavors, served hot and fresh with very attentive service and personal attention.
suggested wines were perfect. can't wait to go back and try more dishes!
I think Chouchou is consistently good for dinners, great wait staff and they make excellent mussels and escargot. (Love that butter!) It's only getting 4 stars because brunch was nondescript and actually nothing to fall off your chair for. It's a nice place for a good meal - especially for an impromptu get together. Their desserts are quite good. I love the chocolate almond tart. It's good French Bistro food.
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