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Category: French
Neighborhood: CastroTue-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
"amour au premier morceau. ditched the DAT menu and ordered off the regular one. smoked trout salad with fingerling potatoes was divine.…" read more »
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Do you remember the first time you went to Chez Papa, were so excited to eat authentic French food, and experience what the French get every day? But then when you got there, you were snubbed, ignored, treated rudely? The food was the only reason you would put up with that crap, right?
Well now you have a reason to never go back there! This little place is so incredibly delightful. The staff is friendly, helpful, and the love their jobs. They treat you like you are part of the family, and even put up with you trying your half-assed French vocabulary on them.
And the food. Damn! It reminds me of one of my favorite little Bistros in St Germain. Don't leave without trying their foie gras terrine (if it's on the menu.)
Can't wait to go again.
Going out to dinner is a luxury these days, so you really want to pick your restaurants carefully. L'Ardoise is a very special place where you feel like you are getting your money's worth, and more.
The atmosphere is dark, intimate and cozy, romantic enough for a date, relaxed enough for a weeknight dinner out, and elegant enough for a special occasion.
While we sipped an earthy Cotes du Rhone, we nibbled on a delicious amuse-bouche from the chef. For starters, we tried the Tiger Prawn Ravioli and the Mushroom Soup, both of which were delicious. The soup came in a huge tureen and was a generous portion, but we had no trouble finishing every drop.
My friends both got the Hangar Steak, which were perfectly cooked and came with frites and aioli - classic and beautifully prepared. I had the Coq au Vin, which was very rich and savory, and warmed my bones on the chilly fall evening.
For dessert, we shared the Creme Brulee, which was again classic and well made.
What really made the experience special was the staff - they served our table with a personal touch, but were in no way obtrusive and we were able to talk and linger at our table for hours. All of us left with full stomachs and full hearts, having shared a wonderful experience together at a gem of a place.
As I approached the restaurant, I was a bit skeptical. Its right in the middle of a bunch of residential houses and I didn't expect a restaurant in the corner. We made reservations on the day of, so it was either a 5:30 dinner or 9PM dinner. I realized as the night went on how packed it could get.
The restaurant itself is very small and cozy. We sat in the back by the window, and it was very nice while I was sitting. Getting in and out however, required a little bit of squeezing.
Had the Foie Gras as an appetizer. It was really good, and very rich. A little too rich for me, but it came with raisins and marmalade to cut the rich-ness.
Main courses were steak with fries and mushroom risotto. Both were very good. Steak was done perfectly to our order style. A little crisp on the outside. The risotto was very good, made perfectly. There were plenty of mushrooms and I had at least one mushroom to every bite. Yum!
Dessert was crème brûlée. It was light and a very good way to end our meal.
Service was very good. The waiters were always around to help refill our glasses (both wine and water) but weren't pushy. We took a little while to order and they seemed to catch exactly when we were ready.
Overall a very good meal, very good service. Only reason I don't give this place a 5th star is because of the tight space.
Located 1 block away from the always busy 14th Street, L'Ardoise is hardly a destination. If you didn't live in the neighborhood or read about it on Yelp, you'd probably never suspect there was a restaurant on Noe and Henry St.
L'Ardoise (French word for "chalkboard") is a small neighborhood bistro that evokes memories of Parisian eateries or, at the very least, their SoHo and Chelsea counterparts. The restaurant is tiny, with tables crammed in next to one another. You might be hard pressed to hear your dining companion, but you'll have no problem eavesdropping on the conversation at the nearby table. A thick, heavy burgundy curtain separates the foyer from the restaurant.
We were seated at the very first table at L'Ardoise, one of the three tables just on the other side of the curtain. During dinner, I was bumped 7 times and apologized to only 3. That was rather annoying, although I certainly do understand the space constraints at this place.
The hostess, an Asian lady with a French accent was everywhere at once. I actually think she might be one of the owners, as she kept running around, greeting people and making sure everyone was happy. Out waiter was a French gentleman with an unmistakable accent and just a hint of snootiness. Hey, it's a French restaurant, so that's what you pay for.
Unfortunately, even though the service was fantastic, the food left a lot to be desired.
I had their goat cheese salad as an appetizer, and it was very pedestrian. It was a regular salad with regular dressing and a piece of warm goat cheese. The goat cheese was good, but the salad itself was quite uninspired. I struggled with my entree selection, because nothing on the menu jumped out at me. Coq au vin, duck confit etc. are exotic to some people, but if you've tried them once, you've tried them all. After much deliberation, I settled on the mushroom risotto. The risotto was very filling, but I didn't enjoy the fact that it tasted more like mushroom broth than the actual mushrooms. I tried a piece of my sister's duck confit, and it tasted a bit dry to me.
We shared the chocolate banana bread pudding, which wasn't as good as it sounded when I read it on l'ardoise on the wall. It was very thick, and the texture made it difficult to swallow. The taste of chocolate was overbearing as well.
We left the restaurant full, mostly because our bread basket was refilled more times than I can count. Between the two of us, we must have eaten a couple of yummy baguettes.
L'ardoise apparently means "blackboard" in French, which I guess would explain the black chalkboard in the restroom.
Me and my date got seated by the window. The atmosphere is sublime, although I did need to use the candle to read the menu. In other words, the place is intimately lighted.
The service was very VERY good. The bread basket is replaced as soon as it get's low. Water is refilled almost immediately. Our waitress had a thick French accent, which added to the experience.
I started with the butternut squash soup, which was not as densely flavored as I've had (and enjoyed) it in other places. I did enjoy its sublty. My date had the coq au vin. I tasted it and enjoyed the rich stock in which the meat was bathed.
I had the black angus hanger steak with pomme frits, which I enjoyed. With a glass of wine and desert, we escaped the place for $75.
Meh. Went once and it was good enough, nothing to write home about. Went again and had a similar experience. Reminded me of maybe a bumped-up version of what we used to call 'Avenue French', because there were all the little French spots in the inner Richmond, all serving pretty much the same things. This is a restaurant for people who want coq-au-vin, steak frites, tarte tatin, or some other run-of-the-mill French dish that doesn't suffer from too much skill in execution, or risk greatness by offering anything faintly innovative or challenging. With so much great French food in the world, and so many great ingredients in the Bay Area, L'ardoise is certainly a missed opportunity.
I really wish it were a five star experience, since it's a 10-minute walk from home, but I don't think I'll return readily.
small and cozy neighborhood french spot.
the crowd was mostly made of regulars.
with the deelish specials of the day, you could see why the crowd were repeat customers.
apps:
the heirloom tomato soup was good.
the goat cheese crostini with baked apple was laying on top of a salad. i would do crisp strips of green apple to contrast the creamy goat cheese but the baked apple was too mushy.
the pigs feet special was rich and succulent.
entrees:
the filet mignon was melt in your mouth tender and perfectly prepared with lucious slices of potato.
the duck confit was very good. almost at the level of jardiniere.
alas no dessert as we were running late.
but corkage was only 15$ a pop. a real saver esp for a good vintage.
overall dark, cozy, and romantic - homey enough for the parents or sexy enough for a date.
They say 25 is a special year.
So in planning my annual one-night-stand with San Francisco, I had to pick a place to eat to celebrate with some friends.
I wanted something affordable, different and something with an element of class to withstand the alcohol consumption that night.
In my secret delusional hope actually, I wanted Amelie to pop out and serve me my food.
Delusions put aside, I stumbled on L'ardoise.
A very very cute French bistro, settled in the Castro area. We finally arrived after climbing in a CRAZY cab from the Parc 55 and was about 10 minutes late (fashionably late, oui?) - but they still settled us in into a cozy corner by the window.
Their menu is small and limited, but with a restaurant that size - you don't expect a huge menu if you want to execute big and memorable flavors. I had a Hangar Steak with French Fries, which was executed perfectly tender and medium. I was told the Filet Mignon and the potatoes were an equally, or even more memorable. We also ordered a seabass and escargot.
No complaints.
Service was warm and inviting, our French server was charming. The food ultimately took me back to my grandfather's cooking and for that I couldn't have asked for more. I'd definitely come back, if not maybe for an intimate date. I will make sure next time to try some of the pate from their Charcuterie...
L'ardoise... Merci beaucoup.
The food was good, but the service cost it at least 1 and a half stars. We made a reservation, showed up on time and the place was super crowded. They told us it will be a few mins, but of course we waited for at least 30 minutes. It was obvious they were just trying to avoid eye contact with us because they knew they overbooked. And then they proceeded to seat another table who came after us that had the same reservation time as us. Honestly if I was any less patient I would have left; probably should have. It was our 5 year anniversary dinner, my bf felt so bad. =[
My baby has a birthday. My baby loves French food. You're half way in between our respective apartments...perfect!
I made our reservation two weeks in advance and we were seated immediately. Knowing nothing of this place I can say the decor was great and I really like the bar you can wait at if your table isn't quite ready.
We shared an appetizer salad that was on special. I don't know, it had goat cheese...it was really good.
I got the filet mignon which was quite tasty. He got...something that wasn't as good at my filet, but really...what is?
The creme brulee was delicious. Creamy and satisfying.
The four glasses of wine with our meals were recommended by our great waitress and I couldn't agree more that they paired perfectly.
One star off for the bill. The meal was delicious but not as good/plentiful as Chapeau! in Inner Richmond. Hey, I could be bitter just because I had to foot the bill though. Take the star off at face value.
Je t'aime, L'ardois.
For our first "legal" anniversary, we chose L'Ardoise based on a recommendation.
This is possibly the best French bistro I've been too. Everything we had was absolutely delicious!
For the tiger prawns were do good, it was hard not to inhale them.
The Coq Au Vin was the best ever, with a rich sauce, and perfectly cooked tender chicken accompanied by carrots and spinach cooked just right.
For dessert, I just about had an orgasm over the chocolate/banana bread pudding, and flour-less chocolate cake...to die for!
Service was impeccable, friends, and fast. I especially like the warm, cozy atmosphere, like a comfy library with deep red walls and dark woodwork. A perfect neighborhood restaurant for foodies.
We got our reservation and showed up a little early to opening. They let us in and gave us water and menus. This was good as the birthday girl I was with was cold and windy out. Now I don't think it was cold and windy, but anyways. To each there own.
We ordered kinds of champagne to start. We started with the Soup du Jour which was a mushroom soup. Very tasty. Then onto Duck foie gras with a paired Chardonnay. This came with a soft-toasted bread and marinated lettuce to eat with, all very well put together. Flavors were an excellent mix. Then onto the next appetizer the tiger prawns ravioli with sauce vierge and fresh herbs. Finishing that off we moved onto our main courses. I had the Filet Mignon with extremely tasty and non-greasy feeling deep-fried potato slices. The birthday girl had baked chicken with garlic mash potatoes with a bed of creamed spinach topping it. Presentation was excellent. Both dishes were perfect down to every aspect, except for the fact I asked for my steak rare and I got it, more like medium. It was still good, I'm just glad I asked for it rare and not medium, then i would have been very unhappy, but I'd have like dot try it a bit rarer.
We brought a bottle of wine with us and they only charged up a $15 corking fee, very affordable and they were very welcoming and served it to us.
After dinner we shared dinner wine and then ordered for dessert a very tasty chocolate cake.
Every aspect of the dinner was excellent. Service was very fast and prompt, as more people showed up service wasn't as fast, but never became a problem. The place has a very warm and cozy feeling. At the end with tip I skirted out of there just under $160. Very affordable for the quality food and service we received. I'll be back.
L'Ardoise is on lovely Noe Street, made even more lovely by relatively easy parking. The place itself is small, quaint, a gem. Service was superlative: drop a napkin and it is immediately replaced; finish your plate and it is removed at once; bread is replenished, water refilled and the staff is genuinely interested in how your meal is progressing.
A bowl of corn soup is a bargain at six dollars. More importantly it tastes of corn, sweet corn. A touch of the pro-offered pepper adds just the zing the soup needs. Great.
Prawn ravioli. The prawns are encased in al dente won ton wrappers (I believe) and just a bit overpowered by their sauce vierge. Good.
Coq au vin is two fall of the bone thighs accompanied by mashed potatoes topped with fresh, tasty spinach. While I would have liked a few more mushrooms and onions on the plate, the wine reduction livened the food. Very, very good.
A'ardoise is another of those all too rare neighborhood places that offer a complete dining experience: a wonderful and friendly environment; very, very good food; perfectly attentive service; and bargain prices.
I knew this place was real French by the fact that they never bother to open for lunch or work on Sundays and Mondays and holidays and days they just don't feel like it. A very small bistro with very grand flavor. A limited menu allows them focus on quality rather than be spread thin over 3+ pages of expected bistro cuisine. I've eaten here several times before my Yelping days and have been thrilled by every dish ever ordered.
Charcuterie: Apparently the pâtés are made in house. The platter includes some salami, not made in house, that is just ok. The pâtés are all amazing! Hard to remember what was what, but it's basically liver from some beast mixed with other stuff. They were much smoother and more complex than the versions bought in bulk and sliced off a block at lesser French restaurants.
Filet Mignon: I'm so glad I ventured away from traditional French bistro food into the realm of prime steaks. This filet mignon rivals that of dedicated steakhouses. It was pan seared for a crispy outside with a full gradient of doneness-to-almost-raw in the very middle.
Beef Stroganoff: The French do so many things so well, including braising beef. This stroganoff is no exception. The creamy sauce and firm, yet tender beef cubes are a delightful combination. Served with fluffy mashed potatoes instead of the more Eastern European inclination of noodles or rice.
Apple Tarte Tatin: Yes, yes, yes! A good tarte tatin has apples that are denser than apple pie and taste of caramel. It's so nice to have it the proper way instead of knock-offs that look like an apple pie's top was stolen. The pastry was buttery and flaky to round out a perfect tarte tatin.
ASK FOR ALEX when walking into the restaurant. He is the ABSOLUTE BEST host!!!!!
He will recommend that best entrees. The first time I went, I had Escargot, (for appetizer) it was amazing! Second time he recommended the prawns, they were veryyy delicious.
Alex is also very good at making wine recommendations. Take his word!!!
I LOVE HIM..HE IS SUPERB!!
I rarely eat French cuisine but I have to say that I really liked this place. A fiend took me to it last night and was impressed. The wait staff were very sweet and long time employees of the place. Great selection of food that the chef seemed to take great pride in preparing. Wine and dessert were some of the best I had in a long time.
Advantages....
1. Great food/prices
2. Great wait staff, wine, desert, atmosphere
Only disadvantages....
1. Snobby ass high society wannabes who complained about EVERYTHING!
2. Very cramped feeling due to size of place
I've probably passed this little bistro a hundred times on my way down Noe, but last night was my first chance to actually give it a try. I'm happy to report that I was thoroughly impressed. The food was fantastic -- rich (but not overly so), flavorful, and served in surprisingly generous portions. The space itself was warm and intimate. And I'll second what other Yelpers have said about the amazing service. Whenever my water, bread basket, or wine glass were even close to empty, one of the ever-smiling wait staff would silently swoop in with a refill.
The only thing that prevents me from dubbing L'ardoise *the* perfect date spot (and giving it 5 stars) is that I sometimes found it easier to hear the conversation next to me than the person across from me. The tables for two are squeezed a bit too close together, and I found it a bit distracting. But it's a small gripe in what was an otherwise great dining experience!
Classy, cozy little local neighborhood French bistro with fantastic food. I agree the service is impeccable.
Dear L'ardoise,
I want to kiss you on both cheeks, the way Europeans do, and say merci beaucoup for making my birthday dinner a culinary menagerie of flavors and delights. From the Badot mineral water, which I haven't had since I was in Nice, to the strawberry crepe which tickled my little taste buds, my meal was wonderful. Your servers were attentive and thankfully did not hover over us like the Richmond fog. If you were my chien, I would spoil you rotten.
je t'aime je t'aime,
Sky
This treasure is right down the block from my best friend's home so, as a thank-you for putting me up during my visit, I took him her. It was perfect!!! We both had the steak frites - perfectly done - plus a bottle of wine. The following morning, I could still taste the steak melting in my mouth. Best I've ever had - and I've had a LOT of steak frites!
A perfect little neighborhood restaurant -- so much so that I want to move to this neighborhood.
I keep changing my rating from 3 to 4 stars. It's a solid 3 1/2 for me.
The good stuff: beautiful neighborhood and muted, romantic interior. Wines by the glass are generously poured. My dish of sweetbreads were done perfectly - succulent yet crispy.
Why not a higher rating?
Heavy heavy heavy sauces. Reminds me of La Foret in San Jose. Which I like sometimes, but I don't end up feeling very well afterwards.
Service was just too fast. I needed more time between courses to digest. My water was refilled so quickly, I felt hovered over.
The spend was a bit high, but I would come back just for the atmosphere.
The dinner we ate here was amazing! I almost missed this restaurant because of it's obscure location, and couldn't help but be delighted as I walked into the charming bistro.
We started off with the prawn raviolis, which were perfectly cooked and seasoned. The prawns were slightly sweet, and provided a nice balance to the fresh, savory herb infused sauce.
She ordered the almond crusted fish with mushrooms and lobster reduction. The white fish tenderly flaked away when she dug her fork into it, and the almond crust gave it a nice nutty flavoring and slightly crunchy texture. The lobster reduction infused the dish with luxury and the balance of all ingredients together was praiseworthy.
I ordered the black angus hanger (medium rare) with pommes frites and marchand du vin sauce, a classic french bistro dish. It was one of the better steaks I've had in a long time, due to its flavor and tenderness. We were both pleasantly surprised by how soft the meat was! It's one of those cuts that needs to be prepared with care because it can tend towards the tough side due to its relative leanness. I rolled each cut piece of meat in the wine sauce before devouring.
This is one place I'll go to again and again. It's value to price ratio is high, the restaurant decor and ambience is charming, food was delicious and service was impeccable!
Oh, how I miss this place so much! This is the best French bistro I've ever been to. Everything is perfect - the service, the food, the space, the neighborhood. My husband and I have been here several times and have always had a great time. The hanger steak is pure heaven and is my go-to dish; my husband has tried the pork and the duck and loved those, too. I miss living in S.F. in large part because of amazing restaurants like L'ardoise.
Hidden GEM!
I came here on a Friday night (reservations a must!) and was pleasantly surprised by this tucked away French Mecca.
Atypical for a French restaurant, EVERYONE was very friendly and down to earth.
The food was amazing -highly recommend the lobster ravioli to start and the hanger steak.
It's an intimate venue -so our neighbors recommended we try the strawberry tart and sure enough, as everything else, it did not disappoint!
Will be back for sure!
Made a reservation for 9:30pm, got there at 9:10pm and got sat early. There were two of us, we ordered a glass of wine, then our order, the bread came and by the time we had buttered the bread our order was on the table. It was amazingly fast! Seriously, from the time we ordered to food in mouth it was 10 minutes MAX. I had the duck with a little salad, and some potatoe frittes or something and it was delicious! My date had the risotto, and that was delicious. We ended up sharing because both of the dishes were scrumptious. Dessert we shared the apple tart, which was also good, very sweet.
$$ Two dinners, two glasses of wine, and one dessert = $58.00
Favorites to rave about: Extremely great, and fast service.
Delicious food.
And strangely enough, the staff all had great french accents. I really don't know where they found these people with such good accents, is it family run? Or do they require thier staff to take a accent class. Seriously, it's a great touch to the french restaurant dining experience.
3 1/2 Stars!
The location is great, in a quiet street corner where a Bistro should be. We walked in and right away felt the heat of the place. When I say heat, I mean it was stuffy and hot inside, this place has an open kitchen and no ventilation to speak of and I understand that the tables near the door don't want a draft. But something needs to be done because wearing a dress I was hot, my boyfriend wasn;t enjoying himself and usually we love long dinners and the couple next to us, was kidding and saying I just want to take my clothes off. I even got white wine to cool off instead of ordering red.
The friendly hostess seated us within a few minutes, very promptly even though the place was packed. Everyone is French in this place, a nice touch and super friendly, helpful and attentive.
We started with wine and the fig salad with blue cheese which was very nice and balanced in flavor.
I had the almond crusted fish and my BF had the skirt steak. Our dishes were good, but lacked in the execution. The fish had a very strange texture, almost like it was ground before cooked, perhaps it was just overly dry or frozen before, in either case not what I was expecting. It was on top of sauce and some seasonal veggies which were ok but again, didn't work together as a dish.
The steak was good, tender and a very good cut of meat which often can be hard to get for $18 entree but the sauce with it really didn't have much flavor. The fries were great, crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside not greasy at all.
We ended up paying $100 with tip, which is quite pricey considering we just shared a salad to begin with and ended with coffee. The atmosphere while very cute was hot and stuffy to stay in and enjoy ourselves.
Fabulous meal. One of the best meal's I've ever had, I think. My Halibut was prepared perfectly, was fresh, tender, and one of the tastiest pieces of fish I had ever eaten. Though I don't eat red meat, my wife said the Filet Mignon was incredible. I did try the Pommes Landaises (Pan fried scalloped potatoes), which were just wonderful though. And I have to recommend the goat cheese appetizer. Simply to die for.
They had a great wine list as well. Small, but some excellent choices. I had chosen to bring a bottle, and the corkage was a reasonable $15. Worth it when I can pay $50 for a bottle of wine that would cost over $100 at the restaurant.
Highly recommended, as this is now one of my top 3 restaurants in San Francisco.
Superb!!!
I made reservations after reading everyone's fantastic Yelps on this place. The service was unsurpassed by any other restaurant I've been to in SF. The food superb. Great wine selection, very reasonable (as far as French Restaurants go). This is now my NEW favorite restaurant.
Enjoy!
This place is definitely a neighborhood gem. A bit hidden, yet right there on that cute little block of Noe. Parking is easy. Reservations are recommended, though they were able to get us same-day reservations which is great.
The wine was fantastic. $11 a glass is a tad pricey, but the pours were large, it was delicious, and I left tipsy from just the two glasses!
The food was yummy. Very rich, so you have to be in the mood. But there was nothing we ate that we didn't enjoy. I had no room for dessert, but I can't wait to go back again and try it! Their selection looked amazing.
The atmosphere is really nice. Dark-ish lighting, eclectic modern Gothic-esque decor. A good place for a date or dinner with friend.
Oh, and it's totally true. The staff are all real French people, and they are the nicest most polite French people I've ever seen.
Go, eat, enjoy!
I yelp them before but its so goooooooood, I have to do it again, mmmmmmm mmmmmmmmmm, mmmmmmmmm, MMMMMMMM,
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMM , YES, OH YEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK!
the best new french place in town,
excellent food,
great wine list,
friendly service.
wish I could eat…
Read more »
Wonderful little Bistro with excellent food and terrific service! I would go once a week, if I lived closer!
Being the neurotic planner that I am, I jumped at the opportunity pick the restaurant for my upcoming first date. I was scouring Yelp for an establishment that had good food, a romantic ambiance, and wasn't going to rack up a $200+ bill. If the dining decision is left up to me, I try to reserve places like La Folie for the second or third date. ;-)
So L'ardoise was perfect in a thousand different ways. The ambiance was dim and romantic, a cozy establishment on a quiet charming street right before Market and Castro. The service was impeccable, they were attentive in filling our water and wine glasses. (Water, by the way, was sparkling and in a wine glass, which is a major plus in my book). My date ordered in French, and just so happens to speak five languages. After thousands of dollars spent (and years of my life) in college, I still can't understand Spanish. It's embarrassing to say the least, and it started a whole dialog about why Americans can't/don't learn other languages. There is nothing better than a date with a brain that can bat a geopolitical debate back and forth with me. +1
So onto the food. Everything was delicious. I had this goat cheese salad. The goat cheese was warm, fluffy, and creamy all perfectly dolloped on top of what I believe was toasted sliced sourdough. Hands down, the best goat cheese ever. I also tried escargot, which aside from the fact it's a snail, wasn't really my thing. Not sure why this is considered a delicacy, it was tough chewy and somewhat flavorless. It reminded me of the texture of an overcooked shrimp.
My date ordered the steak and fritters, and the sauce it was covered in was an amazingly good pan glaze. I wanted to get the Coq au vin, but I instead opted for the salmon because the asparagus, spinach and mashed potatoes really won me over. I am not a big cooked salmon fan (salmon sashimi is my favorite) but this salmon was actually pretty good considering. It was seared and again the sauce it was paired with was just amazing. Lastly we had creme brulee. Not quite as good as Gary Dankos (the best I have had to date) but pretty damn close.
Overall the quality of the food, the presentation, and the ambiance here was fantastic. This place is truly a hidden gem, perfect for a date. Especially if your date can impress you by speaking French. Oh-la-la! ;-)
Very cute place that's tucked away in the neighborhood. The wait staff appears to be all French adding to the character. I made reservations beforehand, but arrived a few minutes early. The hostess seated me immediately. The ambience here is a bit dark, but very romantic. I liked that I could actually hear my dining companion.
As for the food and wine, the wait staff seems quite knowledgeable about the wine list and were able to recommend great wines to pair with our food. We started w/ the charcuterie plate which was quite yummy. For our entrees, my companion had the duck confit while I had the barramundi. Both were excellent. It's solid French food. I will definitely be back and I highly recommend this as a date place.
French bistro fare in a warm and unpretentious setting. Great location with great food. Nothing new, just fantastic classics, in a wonderfully romantic setting, with terrific service. We'll be back, just 4 stars because 5 would make it too desirable for others with such a small dining room.
This place is a hidden gem. Everything, from the food to the service and even the ambience, exceeded my expectations.
We started our meal with the Foie Gras, which in itself was very good, but it was the several food complements that made it excellent; Fig jam and coarse salt on the side. Very rarely have I had Foie served like this and every combination attempted completely changed the tastes, making the dish quite unique. Highly recommended.
For seconds, we had the Halibut and Duck Confit and again, both were excellent. The Duck Confit was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, creating a perfect blend of texture and tastes. At the same time, the Halibut was impecably cooked, not overly done or raw.
To finish our meal, we ordered the Creme Brulee, one of my favorite desserts of all time. I had eaten plenty of Creme Brulees in the past and this one was just superb.
Finally, the wine. Given that we were eating two very distinct dishes, the waiter was able to recommend a wine that paired well with both dishes; I believe it was a Domain Baroche.
In terms of wine and ambience, could expect anything better. Our waiter not only recommended an excellent wine but was attentive and not once did I have to ask for water, bread, wine, etc... He was always making sure we were taken care of but never overbearing. The ambience was also great, especially since there must have been no more than 12 tables, making me feel like I just walked into a bistro in Paris...
All in all, an amazing experience and highly recommended.
Ratatouille=4 stars. Quite good, well-portioned for an appetizer.
Coq au vin=4 stars. Didn't absolutely wow me, but still delicious.
Creme Brulee=5 stars. Best I've ever had. The vanilla flavoring was absolutely delicious, and when I got to the bottom, I could see the little vanilla specks, providing me with the answer of how they got that vanilla taste.
Service=6 stars. It was ridiculous how attentive and prompt they were. They were refilling our water constantly and replacing bread BEFORE we ran out. The only complaint was that they asked twice, not once, how our dinner was, which seemed a bit excessive, but it's sitll much nicer to have service that's overly than underly attentive.
Definitely a very authentic and quite affordable place, would highly recommend. Very quaint location too.
I would definitely echo those who've said it's priced much cheaper with higher quality food than many of the places downtown.
Oh, the bread was incredible. I was sad when I asked our waiter if I could take home one of the huge baguettes in tantalizing display for all, and he said no.
This is very close to 5 stars.
The food was good. Not incredible or outstanding, but definitely very good.
The waitstaff was excellent, very prompt and polite (and french?????)
The interior space was really very charming, reminded us of a Manhattan bistro.
Definitely a romantic recommend.
Went last night for a special meal with an old friend. Perfect comfort food. She loved the snails in the hollowed out spuds. My chicken in wine sauce was succulent. Her steak was a perfect medium rare and paired with french fries which were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
We did not have wine, but the list looked tempting.
Attentive service, hearty and tasty food at a fair price. I will be back again and again.
Neighborhood: Russian Hill
Category: French
Neighborhood: Inner Richmond
Category: French
Neighborhood: Castro
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: French
Neighborhood: Castro
Category: American (New)
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