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Categories: French, American (New)
Neighborhoods: North Berkeley, Gourmet GhettoMon-Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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I want to thank Yelp for helping me find this place.
It really does have a "hole in the wall" feeling, similar to a great taco stand I frequent in Mexico. This place definitely keeps busy all hours of the day. The concept is quite similar to your Mexican taco-stand, serving up tasty food at reasonable prices to the masses.
You can sit outside at one of the two tables or the inside counter and watch the chef prepare your food. Very cool. I love the concept of being able to watching someone prepare my food.
For lunch I ordered the flaky ling cod with avocado & spicy fried onion in grilled lavash ($7.25). Everything on the menu sounded amazing. I had a hard time deciding. I also ordered the potato puffs.
The cod was nice, quite tasty. All-time? No. Good, but not incredible. But for the price? Very reasonable. I now know why people go bananas (or is that...potatoes?) over the potato-puffs. They are most decadent. You could slam those little things like a pregnant woman slams bon-bons. Open mouth, enter food.
Also, I'll be sure to do what the patron next to me did: pull out a small bottle of wine from underneath her jacket. BYOW? I'm down with that! As I was noshing on my cod sandwich, I was thinking that the food here definitely begs a nice glass of wine!
Will I be back? You bet. I will definitely come back here next time I'm in Berkeley.
Gourmet Ghetto-ness
Remember to order their Crispy Potato Puffs!!
Excited to eat at another yummy place in Berkeley
Got to sit at the counter
Ordered: House smoked maple glazed chicken with apple on Dutch crunch
I LOVE their octagonal cardboard to-go boxes!!!
Rien que du bon!
Enjoyed my gourmet sandwich and potato puffs! mmm
AFTER Cheeseboard, we walked over to Gregoire for our next food stop! The name of the restaurant sounds a lot better than it looked. haha I was totally expecting a nice sit down restaurant with white tablecloths. But instead it was a very small, almost hole-in-the-wall kind of place. I guess that's why they call this area "Gourmet Ghetto!" haha Three bar stools in the inside at their counter and a few outdoor seating, but nothing fancy. So unlike Cheeseboard, their menu only changes every month and they have more choices for their lunch and dinners!
I really enjoyed sitting inside at the counter, especially at 2:30pm! No one was there except us and the cooks! I almost felt like I was in someone's kitchen at home and eating their food! haha I was daydreaming... smelling the chopped onions being grilled in front of me... the warm sun beaming in through the window! Oh man, I think I was getting food coma and falling asleep! O_O haha
I loved my sandwich!! For $7.25, I almost thought it was a steal! I loved the dutch crunch roll that it was in!! It makes such a big difference the bread you use! Pieces of smoked maple glazed chicken and thinly sliced apples!! mmmmm Sweet goodness in every bit!
Oh, and how can we forget the crispy potato puffs ($4.50)! I loved biting into these!! Be careful because they are extremely HOT!!!!! Don't put the whole thing into your mouth at once or you might burn your throat! Just bite a little into the crispy edge and a little into the soft potato inside and what a great combo of textures they are together!!
I was only able to eat half of the sandwich sadly. :( And I swapped my other half of my sandwich with my friend! :D So I had the other half (Grilled flank steak with St. André cheese & truffle on sweet roll-$7.50) for lunch today! I just microwaved it for about a minute or so and oohhh it was STILL GOOD!!! But I think I liked my original chicken and apple sandwich better! :)
Yummy yummy in my tummy today! :D
Tonight I had the potato puffs and the beef tenderloin wellington style and it was all incredible. I had been here before for lunch and had some sandwich with fries. The potato puffs are definitely the way to go. Little morsels of heaven in your mouth. A must eat!
The service is pretty fast for how elaborate the food is. It took me about 15 minutes to get my food after ordering, although I went at 8:40pm, which isn't exactly during the dinner rush.
Mmmmm potato puffs!
I went here for the first time today. I got the flank steak sandwich, which not only had very succulent meat and the perfect bread-to-steak ratio, but it also came with this mind-blowing cheesey goodness spread. I wish I paid attention what what the cheesey goodness was called because I would buy it buy the gallon and eat it morning, noon, and night.
The potato puffs came with a curry-like mayo which was okay, but I wasn't really in the mood for curry. The puffs are great alone, though!
The one downside is it's not really an eat-in restaurant. There is limited seating outside, and it was kinda cold today, so I'd suggest taking your food to go (as I think it's intended) and find a comfy couch to eat on. :-)
I would love to go back and try their dinner choices. Everything looks so good!
I know, I know, you're probably thinking, "ONLY 3 STARS?!" Really, I was deciding between 3 and 4 stars, and I had to round down to be consistent. But let me explain first before you start throwing rotten vegetables and fruit at me. There were a few stand out items, but my entree (sandwich) fell flat. If I'm going to pay $7.50 for a sandwich, I expect it to taste amazing. Don't get me wrong, I know Gregoire creates amazing stuff. And that's why, with its lofty reputation, I was so surprised that I was disappointed.
Here's the break down of what my friends and I ordered for lunch:
- Tomato chipotle soup - creamy, good flavors with a little kick.
- Baby spinach salad with roasted bell pepper dressing - they give you a lot of salad for such a small box, but it was a bit bland for my taste.
- Potato puffs - tiny morsels of heaven! Thin, crispy outside with soft, buttery potatoes inside.
- Flank steak with St. Andre cheese sandwich - the cheese was too overwhelming and overpowered the taste of the flank steak. If you blindfolded me and asked me what was in the sandwich, I would tell you bread and cheese. It could have benefited from a few more slices of flank steak and some tomatoes. The pasta salad side that's included was really delicious though.
- Fuji apple cobbler with vanilla cream - great way to end the meal! Apples were soft and slightly tart and the vanilla cream complemented the apples well.
I love that Gregoire has a monthly menu that features seasonal specialties using local, organic ingredients. This hole-in-the-wall take out restaurant allows you to enjoy fine dining without the price tag that comes along with fancy food. Kudos for the adorable trademark corrugated boxes with checkered wrapping - eating lunch feels like opening presents on Christmas morning. However, even with their meticulous system to prepare orders, we found ourselves waiting longer than I expected.
Mind blowing good? Sadly, not this time. Will I be back to give it another chance? Definitely.
POTATO PUFFS. ZOMG. I LOVE YOU, POTATO PUFFS. GRAAAHBLABLAHBLAH. I EAT YOU ALL.
Excuse my inner food monster/stomach/organ thing. Its hard to control him sometimes.
More lunchtime foodness! Best lunch joint ever. Remember to get the POTATO PUFFS. ARRRR OM NOM NOM NOM NOM. SO BUTTERY SO GUUUUD. AHEM. Excuse me.
If you haven't come here yet, you're missing out. GO NOW. Order something to your liking. LOVE IT. Order the potato puffs. LOVE THOSE AS WELL. Leave satisfied. Then do it all again. Do it. DOO EET.
When I come here, its usually for lunch, and must say this place is awesome. Its a very deceiving… Read more »
Tragically, I was only introduced to this place last night.
And now, all I am left with is an overwhelming sense of satiation and the nagging belief that my life has somehow been slightly incomplete until now.
In short, the definition of an amazing new takeout restaurant is: "you immediately GoogleMap it to see how much over the speed limit you would have to drive to make it there and back to your office in under 45 minutes."
PS: If you are there this month, The scallops are insane.
I miss Gregoire and the potato puffs. I used to live across the street from it, and now I'm 400 miles away. But enough lamenting...
Gregoire is great! If you want delicious French food in a casual setting, Gregoire is the place to go. And even if you are only aching for a snack and not a full meal, you can always go for the potato puffs. It's mashed potatoes, rolled into a ball, deep fried, and served with aioli. Need I say more? They're great to share with friends or to eat all by yourself if you're a little piggie like me. =)
The menu changes monthly, so if there's something you wanted to try on that month's menu, you better not procrastinate! Because you might want to get the same thing more than once, like the bay scallop sandwich they had one time. Grilled onions and bay scallops with ciabatta bread. Food heaven!
If you're in the area, be sure to try Gregoire!
Dont get me wrong. I love this place, but only for their potato puffs.
IDK what got into me, but I suggested this place for dinner not knowing beforehand that dinner prices were doubled lunch prices ='[. And I was feeling quite adventurous by NOT ordering the potato puffs...I ordered the Bay Scallop Gemme Pasta with Carmelized Onions. Very gourmet, BUT...
OH MY EFFIN GOD. THIS DISH WAS SO EFFIN S-A-L-T-Y it was RIDICULOUS. maybe i should have said something BUT IT WAS UNBEARABLE TO EAT. i even went back inside to get a drink (since i was adventurous i chose the French LIMONADE...at $2.85 a pop, pretty darn expensive). I WAS ONLY ABLE TO CONSUME LESS THAN HALF =( it was so DEPRESSING, GREGOIRE'S LET ME DOWN....especially since I paid like $15 + for this entree to eat outside in the dark (due to daylight savings + limited seating). TEARS.
It's not worth it IMO for DINNER, but LUNCH i will have to try again. The menu is really original and changes from MONTH to MONTH!
Hands down, Gregoire is one of the best places for college students to enjoy gourmet food at an affordable price. It's an excellent place for lunch if you have the means to get over to North Berkeley. I have a hard place deciding between Gregoire and Cheeseboard since both are so delicious and so close to each other. Heck, I'm sure I could easily eat at BOTH for lunch!
The sandwiches they have there are top notch. Honestly, pick any of them and I doubt you'd be disappointed. I liked the famous (or infamous, to some) potato puffs. They're a unique taste that I haven't experienced anywhere else. You have to be a fan of mashed potatoes to enjoy them. They're also a little rich, so I'm not sure you're going to want to scarf down the entire order, but it's a good appetizer to share.
Gregoire is a little and quaint. During the lunch rush it's hard to find a chair or table for 2. But you can easily rectify this by just "throwing it in the bag" and taking your order to go.
Review for potato puffs only.
They didn't live up to the hype. :/
It tasted and felt like deep fried mashed potatoes that were blended with eggs and milk.
and I've made better aioli.
However, I will return to try a sandwich or two. :)
Potato Puffs. SOLD.
Every month is different so it can be really hit or miss, but it also keeps things interesting.
Order ahead during lunch hours. Dinner isn't really worth the price.
And remember, it's French inspired so be prepared for the butter!
Sometimes an establishment is so quintessentially Berkeley that it influences my expectations. Perhaps it was the number of hippies that decided to use the median as a picnic area... maybe it was the weird scooter variations that seem to permeate the surrounding area, but as I waited for my sandwich, I couldn't get past the fact that I was in Berkeley.
I went with the corned beef sandwich with glazed onions on rye. Not a bad sandwich by any stretch of the imagination, but again, I have such a hard time spending ten bucks on a sandwich. Sometimes a sandwich is just a sandwich. I was expecting spectacular and what I got was a solid sandwich.
Gregoire is fantastic - new menu every month, fresh and seasonal ingredients, and creative options for lunch and dinner, all packaged in adorable, recyclable containers. Every meal I've ever had here (my friends and I try to go once a month when the menu changes) has been absolutely delicious (spinach and feta quiche, tempura butternut squash, grilled chicken with lemon goat cheese, the list goes on!). It's a little pricey for lunch, but you can never go wrong with a meal from Gregoire. And like everyone has said, the Potato Puffs are a must! If it's a nice day and you can grab one of the seats outside, it's a great way to enjoy lunch in Berkeley.
I've been coming here for over 2 years, and it keeps getting better! I brought my manly dude friends here for the first time who love, and know, GOOD food. I was a little worried they would be harsh on me since they walked over 20 min in the heat to get there. But let's just say it was pretty quiet while we were eating. You know it's GOOD when you just let the food do all the talking. They gave me a thumbs up. I'll say it one more time: it's GOOD. October menu--get the salmon. Hurry!! Plus, all the cashier girls are so nice and friendly. I would totally want to be their friends.
They also have as many dog friends as human friends. All the neighborhood dogs know to go to the window and the chefs usually give them a bite to eat. So cute! If I stood by the window and panted cutely with my head cocked, would they throw me a patty? I wonder...
Went to visit friends in North Berkeley, and they took us to Gregoire, which is apparently situated in what is called the "gourmet ghetto." But "ghetto" it surely is not.
We ordered our food and waited outside (while they call it a "restaurant," it's more like a cafe...or a hole in the wall since there are only two wooden picnic tables outside). It took a while (maybe 45 min?) for the sandwiches and sides to be prepared, but it was worth the wait.
My house smoked maple glazed chicken with apple on Dutch crunch was really tasty. Soft bread and moist chicken make for happiness in my mouth. I, however, did not enjoy the "Dutch crunch" which was like maple rock candy pieces scattered throughout. I scraped the Dutch right out since the sandwich was perfect without it. Keep the Dutch to their delicious cheese, please.
Had a bite of the pulled pork sandwich, and absolutely loved it. One would think, "how can you go wrong with pork?" but, trust me folks, some pork just shouldn't be eaten.
French fries and potato puffs completed the meal. Potato puffs were light and fluffy - basically deep-fried mashed potato balls. Who wouldn't like that?
I really want a Gregoire sandwich for lunch now. Can you open up a shop here in NYC??
So it was the day before I was going to leave the Bay Area for a while. I didn't know what to do, and then it hit me. Considering I was at a Coffee Spot in Berkeley, why I don't I try something local in the area I haven't heard of before? So after browsing Yelp for like 10 minutes, I finally came across this place. Needless to say, the walk was only a 10 minute one when it was supposed to be 20 minutes according to http://googlemaps.com's directions.
This little take out gourmet spot, is definitely what the French doctor ordered. Ideally it wouldn't really cross my mind, to have premium foods ordered like fast food? Simply because of the fear of quality that would wane, given the popularity and responsibility of employees/owners in places once such an impact would occur. This North Berkeley spot is easily missed because I've always wandered about Shattuck in the opposite manner (going towards Oakland) never towards the hills. Therefore, I still couldn't believe I've never seen this spot. I finally got to the place and walked inside.
It was a very tight little kitchen corner, with a cashier placed directly into the front of the entrance. Only two tables lay outside for first come, first serve customers. After all this talk of Yelpers and their popular "potato puffs" I decided to buy some of my own. Within 10 minutes, of people watching and observing the close quarters the sous-chef had to cook the meal and such. The cashier finally provided me my order and I was well off on my way to eating this at home.
Sadly, I couldn't have tried the other entrees' for lack of time and didn't want to ruin my appetite for Pican in Oakland. As soon as I touched back down in the O, I finally opened up their small picnic like box container. The warm puffs were glowing, with a crispy golden and an unknown sauce in the middle. So I ate it first without the sauce, and it reminded me of a fresh donut hole in appearance (but with potatoes as the content instead). Similar to the Croquette like style of cooking but more compressed. Not my thing, until I tried it with the sauce. I believe it's mixture of Chipotle, Aioli, and some kind of Bacon like seasoning with hints of oil.
For the size and cost $4.50, despite looking deceivingly small it can be shared, and for two people content with the price. They change their menus monthly, and only until I return to the Bay Area, I'll be sadly missing out on that. In the meantime, at least for the puffs I'll give them some credibility, with the prices being reasonable for Cal Students and non-Cal folks alike. Different approach, reasonable prices, innovative menu, a tease of an appetizer; Gregoire you really outdo yourself this time around.
Be good these next few years and I might return a happy customer, with a happy ending for my experience with you after such an absence.
Totally did not really expect this place to be so small. I would say this place is a little on the expensive side if you are planning on getting dinner. However, the Potato puffs are moderately priced at $4.50 for about 9 pieces. The potato puffs weren't something I would rave about since it had a weird texture to it for me.
I ordered the 10 oz Rib Eye dinner ($18.50) and the pumpkin slices that I got were not fully cooked. They were kinda hard. So I didnt like that. Also the Rib Eye was too fatty and just didn't hit the spot for me.
The Rum Raisin Bread Pudding isn't that great either. It was a little too dry for me. The sweet cream to accompany the bread pudding had no flavor.
The most notable thing about this place are the utensils. They look like silver ware but they are actually plastic.
Next time I would rather try the Crepe Vine, which right on the intersection of Shattuck and Cedar.
MM. Yes...it's true. The potato puffs...are pretty glorious.
But...no money, no honey. Represent playas. I don't know what that meant. sorry.
Oh I know where that came from...since this is mainly a To-go restaurant, surprise your boo with a endorphine releasing meal from Gregoire's eaten with an amazing view from Indian rock with a side of charm and then you will have represented well. playa.
Finally FINALLY came here after living in Berkeley for 3 years.
I love this place. Shout out to Jen W: It reminds me of le pigeon back in Portland. Great food, character, service, location, and company. Gregoire encompasses everything any foodie looks for in a restaurant and does it all on a budget. Lunch prices are friendly to the purse!
I ordered a shredded lamb sandwich with glazed confit carrot slices (yum to the o). Bread was from semifreddi's, lamb was lamb-y with some delicious marinade, and the carrots were a perfect pair to the lamb and bread. It was an amalgamation of joy. mmmmm good times.
My friend and I also got the potato puffs. Like there's anything I could possible add to the current yelp reviews though. Just get them dangit! While we dined a group of tourists came by and the tour guide was talking about the history (and mystery) of these delicate puffs. They're not fluffy nor super fried! In fact, they're quite dense and heavy. Think mashed potatoes (just 100 times better) surrounded by an airy and golden brown fried batter. They're served with a tangy white sauce.
Only thing I can say against Gregoire is that their food is salty for people like me who tend to cook bland food. So go prepared with water.
Next: Dinner.
Gregoire is small, with a great atmosphere. The windows to the kitchen are open to the outside and you can watch the chefs cook!
The food is awesome. The potato puffs are delicious. They are like, fried mashed potato balls. Perfectly salty and perfectly delicious, served with aioli. This place is the shit.
My sister and I ordered the famous potato puffs, the quiche, and the butternut squash sandwich for lunch.
The potato puffs weren't as delicious as everyone said they were. They were crispy and warm on the inside but way too buttery and salty.
When I bit into the quiche I felt like I was biting into a chunk of salt. I couldn't even taste the quiche! It was all salt!
The bread that was used for the sandwich was good but the inside ingredients tasted like something from willy wonka's factory. It was waaay to sweet for our liking.
After taking a couple of bites from each of the dishes, I did not feel good. The amount of salt made my stomach upset and I couldn't eat anything for the rest of the day.
We talked to a couple of Gregoire fans afterward and were told that we caught them on one of their 'salty days.' I don't know how much I believe this but who knows? maybe I'll feel generous one day and give Gregoire a second chance.
HOW I LOVE POTATO PUFFS....
I've been to Gregoire quite a few times already, but I didn't frequent this place until after my last day of instruction at Berkeley *sighhh...* What a mistake that was.
I've tried this place, both for lunch and dinner. The cool thing about Gregoire is that they change their menu every month! I loooove variety!
I'd say take a chance with anything on their menu. All are full of flavor and pizazz! I've only had one thing fail me, which was a curried chicken sandwich wrap a couple months back. It's a good thing I split the sandwich and had a beef sandwich from my boyfriend (can you say... lifesaver?)
ALWAYS ORDER THE POTATO PUFFS. They are clouds of heaven that are sent down to earth in miniature puffs of potato that are deep fried into goodness. Also note that their sauces change with every batch, sometimes it's focused on one spice, other times it's another flavor. All sauces go well with the puffs.
Grab an order of potato puffs & check out the view at Indian Rock? Perhaps... :D
And did I mention fancy shmancy plastic utensils? That's baller.
Try Gregoire puffs w/ a couple slices of Cheeseboard Pizza.
Best. Combo. Ever.
Try it...
3.5 stars.
I tried their lunch, more specifically their corned beef sandwich with carmelized onions and gruyere. Gregoire is good and has some classic combinations done pretty well with a menu that changes every month (pretty cool).
So why less stars? Pretty overpriced for what it is and the portion size is pretty small (I finished my sandwich on my relatively short walk home) and for take-out, it takes a pretty long time..
Maybe I'd try their dinner? I've tried a friend's potato puffs and they were fine but I don't fully get the hype!
A place with a lot of hype, but it doesn't live up to it. Both times that I've been for lunch, I've gotten sandwiches. The portions are small, but the taste is OK and the ingredients are somewhat unique. The menu also changes every month, which is cool.
Yesterday, I got the corn beef sandwich for $7.50 for lunch. The sandwich was smaller than I expected it to be, even having been to Gregoire once before, but it had more cheese and grease than my last sandwich, so I was fairly filled when I finished eating. It also came with a small pasta salad-type dish that was fairly flavorful, but it was too small to make a significant impression.
Service is friendly and efficient, but the wait for your food can be up to fifteen minutes, especially during peak hours. Seating is limited: there are only two small tables outside and three or four stools in front of a counter facing the cook's area. If you bring your dog, I think they give you free food for them if you come up to the window next to the sidewalk.
Classy takeout? Uh-oh.
Oh YES. Potato puffs? Sublime! Moist and tender grilled meat (and you can watch them grill it too). The cutest take-out boxes you've ever seen.
A bit more than what you'd expect from take-out, but Gregoire is a real treat. If anything, just come for the potato puffs!
Al Fresco dining on a Friday afternoon is what I live for. I've only been here for lunch and I must say that the sandwiches are the best! I'm not a fan of the potato puffs but alot of other people like them. They're too soft for my liking. I prefer crispy french fries. I've never had any duds at this place. All the sandwiches are great and they change the menu frequently so you can never get tired of this place.
I'm really pissed that I didn't try Gregoire until my last semester at Cal. It'd been on my "To Try" list for a while, but I just never got around to it. I love that the menu changes each month so there's always something new to try.
Everything that I've had here has been conceptually very simple but amazingly flavorful. For example, I'm not much of a steak person but the steak I had last month was sink-your-teeth-into-it tender and lick-your-lips delicious. The food is executed fantastically, the set-up is charming, and the potato puffs on the side just put it over the top.
TRY IT!
For whatever reason, I'm only getting this (update) review in now ... for the August menu!
I'm glad I didn't skip out on the crispy potato puffs this time. They were supreme! With a crispy outside and a warm mashed potato-like inside, they were simply blissful in my mouth. An order can easily be shared between two. That is, unless you've decided to just devour an order by yourself *looks around*.
For my main item, I ordered the 'House made Coho salmon gravlax with caper cream & fresh dill on toasted deli white'. That title is quite a descriptive mouthful in of itself. The only missing part is that there were four halves and a side of cous cous. See my picture:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I liked the idea of the item. After all, it's a take on the simple lox and cream cheese on a bagel. But, I will say that the taste became tiring very quickly. I think it was the caper cream that did me in. If I didn't eat the whole thing myself, I'd probably be a little higher on it.
I came here on Saturday during the Berkeley Chocolate and Chalk Art Festival. I arrived with no… Read more »
Compared to the Oakland location, food is better here but service is not. I know this because I needed similar things (like a soup split into two cups) and they wouldn't do it. The girl at the cash register didn't even bother asking the chef/cook and seemed irritated at my request for recommendations. They do what's necessary here but the Oakland folk go out of their way.
I got the Potato Puffs again for the sake of my friend's first time eating here but it's not something I would order for just two people. I can literally eat 1-2 of these things and the heaviness will put me into instant food coma. Plus, they are a bit on the salty side.
I did love the soup of the day: potato with gruyere because that cheese is one of my favorites! There are no actual potato chunks in the soup but the creaminess of the broth will make you notice it. The gruyere is light and not overpowering either.
My favorite item of the September menu was the Roasted leg of lamb with pesto & oven dried tomato on ciabatta. This seemed to be very popular because the cook made many at a time. I saw him take them out of the oven and as I sank my teeth into the bread, I noticed that it was PERFECTLY crisp and warm. This is precisely the reason why I prefer hot sandwiches 95% of the time. Cold ones just don't give you the same feeling inside. The meat was also juicy and tender and there was just amount of flavor from the pesto and tomato.
As for seating, there are two small tables outside (best for two people) and three stools inside. If you go just a little earlier or later than 12 p.m., you have a better chance at getting a seat... otherwise get takeout!
I've been planning to try this place for months, and due to an unfortunate set of circumstances, I finally got around to it after being stood up. What's one to do, if stood up? Drown one's sorrows in French food, apparently.
Stew-like-Beef-over-penne, and a vanilla apple fold later all was well. Almost all was well.
The good:
- Penne was perfectly cooked.
- Beef, almost perfectly.
- Everything was made to order.
- It was a fine evening to sit outside, watch the stars, the lights and have french-ish food.
The bad:
- Beef-n-penne was oversalted.
- The fold was bland.
- The service was 'meh', even for a takeout place.
In the end:
- It's pretty good.
- I'll come back every now and again.
- Fantastic, brilliant, and 5-star it is not.
The menu changes each month, and there are always great choices.
These are always delicious and served with lunch or dinner:
- Various types of pastry folds (meyer lemon, and strawberry rhubarb are my favorites)
- french fries (cooked in peanut oil)
- potato puffs
If you've never been, start out with the decently priced lunches. Then you'll know why the seemingly outrageous dinner prices are so worth it.
Small downside: there's not much outdoor seating. But, on a nice day there are some parks nearby. Great for takeout.
Gregoire is living proof that great things really do come in small packages.
I might have never noticed this gem of the Gourmet Ghetto had a good friend not urged me to go and try their sinfully sumptuous potato creations. I tried one and I think for a second I levitated it was so good. What do they put in this stuff? It's like the French version of "Como Agua Para Chocolate," conveniently located in Berkeley.
I unfortunately don't quite remember the names of the food (I don't know any French hehe), but I had a chicken sandwich, some kind of egg sandwich, scalloped potatoes, a mushroom sandwich, and a bit of cous-cous in a teeny little cup. I loved everything I tried, and I noticed the complex flavors and fresh ingredients. How many places put REAL MUSTARD in their sandwiches? Nice way to spend a Sunday.
And the chef was such a sweetheart too! I rate them five potato puffs, woo!
Back in May I went to Berkeley on a nice lovely and sunny day to meet my all favorite squishy twin KAREN W. (^_^)V She told me that I had to check out Gregoire's and she raved that I would love it. We get there and I am looking at the menu and I had no idea what I wanted to eat XD. After consulting Karen, we decided to get two different sandwiches and share! Sharing is caring :) and it means i got to try two different sandwiches! :D We ordered the Tempura Fried Portobello with balsamic & onion stew in pantofolina and a Scallop ceviche with guacamole & crispy tortilla strips in pantofolina. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Karen told me we must get potato puffs, which from her description sounded so yummy! these crispy fried yummy potatoey goodness were the best! http://www.yelp.com/bi...
It is a little bit pricier than some other take out places but so worth it and they put their food into recyclable boxes. Yay! for thinking of the environment :)
Thanks you for sharing such an awesome place with me Squishy Twin :)
I've eaten food from Gregoire's several times, but I don't know why I failed to review them. I fail.
Anyway, Gregoire's = adorable, from their cozy little place up the hill on Cedar to their cardboard boxes with checkered paper (they know how to recycle!)
First off, I am a big fan of places that change up their menu based on seasonal and local produce, so Gregoire's already fits the bill. Their menu changes monthly, and honestly, come the end of a month, I'm already anxious to see what next month's menu will look like. C'mon, you check for the hell of it, too...
With that said, their food is seriously good. Their lunch options run cheaper than dinner, of course. Dinner plates can go from $14-19 or so. Sandwiches from the lunch menu run from $6-9, and they're always interesting, like cheesy steak with sauteed mushrooms in lavash (made like a quesadilla! The steak was perfect.) or leg of lamb, pesto and oven baked tomato on ciabatta. But today's lemony white bean side dish served with the sandwich was not very good. It was oddly sweet, like lemon bars. But not.
And yes, no need to get me started on the orgasmic potato puffs. There are enough reviews on Yelp for you to get the picture.
I discovered this place my last year living in Berkeley, and I haven't yet found anything to replace the void in my heart that was once occupied by those delicious potato puffs. I wish they had more nutritional value, so I could eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
I've gotta say, Gregoire earns it reputation.
Came here on a nice Saturday around noon and there was quite a line. The restaurant (more like a little shack on the side of the street) was very cute from the outside. I liked the lunch boxes, in particular, because it had a personalized feel to it.
The menu changes every month.
My friends ordered the leg of lamb. I wanted to try something different and went with the grilled chicken with orange salad. I have to say, it was quite delicious, though I wish I had gotten the lamb sandwich.
However, the best was the potato puffs! I'm not a huge fan of potatoes, but I loved the mashed potatoes with crispy crust. It was definitely worth a try. The mayonaisse had a herb twist to it and it worked well with the potato puff.
Recommend!
Sometimes, on a Sunday, the weather is perfection, and you don't have any real obligations (or maybe you do, in which case procrastination will only serve to enhance the leisurely feeling of the day). On those days, if you listen, you can hear Gregoire calling your name. There is nothing better than an impromptu Gregoire picnic to make any run-of-the-mill amazing Sunday into a phenomenal one, especially if you get their heirloom tomato and fresh mozzerella open-faced sandwich on fresh sourdough.
There isn't much seating, take-out is basically requisite, but that shouldn't be a problem, because you will definitely want to take the wonderful food to a wonderful park and lounge on the grass while you enjoy it.
I went to Gregoire tonight on the advice of both close friends and Yelp.. and I have to say that either they were having an off night, I was, or I'm just not that excited about paying sit-down prices for a-la-carte take out.
I had the stuffed pork chop with blue cheese and pecans, and my friends ordered the chicken filet and the salmon finger. My pork chop was less stuffed and more butterflied-then-layered, and so the filling wasn't really discernible until I got to the bottom layer. It was tasty enough, but the chop was definitely not seasoned to my liking (as in, really at all.) And the 'thyme jus' that was served was, in my opinion, just about flavorless. It's possible that I'm not refined enough to catch the delicate nature of the sauce - but while I eat my pork chop with a plastic knife and fork out of a cardboard container, I kind of want to taste it.
The bite of Salmon I had was delicious, if a little bit subtle in flavor. The chicken was a little bit like a grown-up chicken strips meal, but without the fries and yummy dipping sauce. Well prepared, but my friend said the coating lacked flavor.
And the potato puffs? I guess I was expecting something different... deep fried mashed potatoes seem like something I'd order at a county fair. They were fine, nothing wrong with them, just not terribly inspiring as the other reviews seem to suggest.
I feel a little bit guilty for this meager review, and I have every hope that the next time I go to Gregoire I'll have a different experience. There will be another time, I'm sure - I just can't believe that this was the best they had to offer.
Oh! And the apple bread pudding was very tasty. Dense and rich, the creme fraiche brought it to another level and I definitely would recommend it.
- Only THREE indoor seats all at a counter, the middle of which was hogged by an employee on break who spread out her stuff and did not offer to move. This was unacceptable and I cannot give the place more than 1 star for this alone.
- 6 outdoor seats, 3 were occupied by pot-smokers. 5 were originally occupied by a man and his young son but they left without taking their food due to pot smell.
- Drinks looked organic & wholesome and were priced that way ($$$) but when I read the label of my "pomegranate" juice it was actually from concentrate and loaded with *grape* concentrate which is the cheapest, most sugary juice around.
- Sandwich was OK, not spectacular. I got the cod sandwich and had a hard time finding the cod.
- Same goes for the potato puffs as some people. They weren't bad, just not wow, and actually a little too large to eat in one bite; so you are left with what's a droopy flash-fried mashed potato in your fingers.
Happy Hour, Tuesday-Sunday,…
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Sundays & Mondays NFL Ticket
Neighborhood: Old Oakland
Berkeley, CA
Category: Caterers
Berkeley, CA
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: North Berkeley
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: North Berkeley
Category: French
Neighborhood: North Berkeley
Category: Specialty Food
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