Le Petit Robert
Categories: French, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
Neighborhood: Russian Hill2300 Polk St
(between Green St & Union St)
San Francisco, CA 94109 (415) 922-8100
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. - Menu: MenuPages
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Breakfast
177 reviews
Neighborhood: Union Square
"Love and Decadence is what Masa'a named their February nine course tasting menu. There are no better words to describe this extraordinary…" read more »
152 Reviews for Le Petit Robert
Oh the Little Robert. The food is decent, but I think there is nowhere better to sit outside in Russian Hill for some mid-afternoon cocktails when you are playing hooky from work. It's on the East side of the street, so it gets sun all afternoon. On a warm day with a nice cold glass of chardonnay it's a great place to enjoy the weather and people watch.
I turned 36 last week. It means the women with any interest in dating me will either have A. a lot of baggage or B. a lot of cats. It means I've been contemplating the relative merits of owning a fanny pack. It means I should probably retire my asianboy72 email account.
But it also means I get to go out and have a nice meal with a few friends on my birthday. Le Petit Robert on the Russian Hill side of Polk was our chosen destination. Now, I know a thing or two about French cuisine. My mom was a professional French chef for over 25 years. I grew up eating pate, escargot, cassoulet, bouillabaisse, steak frites, etc...the French dining staples.
Le Petit Robert is well, only ok. There is an element of authenticity missing in the dishes. Maybe it's because of the location. The other diners were a collection of well heeled yuppies and bluehairs. You might be thinking, but John T, you're a yuppie fastly approaching your golden years too!! That might be the case, so maybe I ought to cut Let Petit Robert a little slack.
Robert, you don't suck. I'll probably stop by the next time I'm in the neighborhood. I hear Russian Hill has a new nice selection of fanny pack stores.
3 stars.
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Our waitress donned a pioneer-style dress, and reminded me slightly of one of the FLDS polygamist sect members. She was exceptionally soft spoken and oftentimes would simply say: "Many Happy Returns."
I found this archaic saying to be charmingly odd. And I became smitten with her over our delicious appetizers, which included the (french) fries, mussels and escargot. The broths in the latter went perfectly with the bread. When she came by to check on us we told her how delicious everything was. "Oh, I am so pleased...many happy returns."
I wanted to make sweet clothed-love to her after she brought out my entree. She recommended the butternut squash ravioli with goat cheese and spinach...and it was divine. I told her that I loved it. "Oh joyous days...many happy returns, sir."
We were celebrating the twins' birthday and a good friend joined us at the last minute. Our good friend had one cocktail too many before dinner and while telling a story he announced that someone should "Suck My Dick." Yikes! At the very least he could have made this announcement in french: "sucez mon penis" (I think). I wanted to say something like "Please excuse my friends' french...but thought that would sound dumb in a french restaurant. We bit our tongues and laughed it off. Naturally it did not go over too well with the grey-haired biddy to my left. She voiced her disdain : "Excuse me, but that is completely inappropriate."
And she was right. So we left....but not before being reminded to have many happy returns.
We'll definately be back...I'm not so sure about the grey-haired woman though. In looking back, however - she looked like someone who was in need of a stiff one. But then again...aren't we all?
Sigh!
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I ventured here for a Sunday Funday with my friend.
We definitely had fun! It was a lovely sunny day and we sat outside and enjoyed about 3 bottles of champagne.
I had so much fun that I wanted to give it 5 stars but truthfully the service was extremely slow and lacking. She served our bottle of champagne in the above mentioned sun without an ice bucket? We had to walk inside to ask for one.
I had an omelet that was just fine & and my friend had french toast that she said was more like flan. She didn't really seem to care for it.
The three stars are for having a great location, cute outdoor seating, and for serving champagne. The food is nothing too special and the service needs serious improvement.
On a funnier note, my sincere apologies for any of the joggers jogging down Polk on April 20th. After a few drinks we thought it would be a good idea to yell out numbers, your score based on your jogging skills & attire. Thanks for all the eye candy!
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Brunch Time! French Toast actually tastes better then Mother's??? I had no idea there is more to french toast then just a sugary soaked bread slice... BUT THIS, this was a moist tower of sweetness at Le Petit Robert. This sweet spot is not for an everyday occurrence. The "create your own" Omelets are tasty as well. I've tried many of the brunch items, which have all been a plus.
Their Lattes are ok. I'd rather grab a cup next door though. When I asked for a to go cup and they didnt have one, I had to go next door anyway. So I wasnt that disappointed.
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I really mean 3.5 stars. Overall, good, very French food- everything was extremely rich. Our server was very sweet, but the only person working besides a busser/food runner. I ordered the Salad Lyonnaise, which was arugula, greens, with thick bacon chunks (yummy) with duck confit on top. The duck was very tasty and well seasoned with a crisp skin. Overall, I thought there was too much salad dressing (creamy). One of my friend ordered the mussels with frites- I thought the mussels were good, but didn't care for the frites. My other friend ordered the pork chop which was excellent- it was in a red winie reduction sauce that was thick- this dish stood out....! My other friend ordered the butternut squash cream sauce ravioli (filled with goat cheese & spinach)....nothing special. We ordered two desserts, which were surprisingly pretty good. The pot de creme and lemon tart with meringue. I enjoyed the lemon tart- but not the meringue....I didn't care for the type of chocolate used in the pot de creme (town hall has this dessert down!). I would definitley come back- my friend told me they have an excellent brunch. I like the ambiance of this place too!
A group of friends from work decided to make a night of dinner and drinks; someone highly praised Le Petite Robert so that's where we went. After dining there I had no reason to oppose any of the compliments they were given. We had reservations and our cute and really tall waiter made sure we didn't have to wait(1*). He took our drink orders soon after seating us and delivered it to us just the way we asked(2*). I ordered the scallops(3*) on recommendation from the server. It was 4 big scallops served in a sauce of buttery-goodness which I later mopped up with a second basket of ACME bread(4*). I dabbled a bit around the table and got a taste of the French onion soup which was good, but French Onion Soup is always good, and the duck breast with lentils that I remembered liking. As for dessert, I sat and watched as the people around me tore into the Creme Brulee. I wish I could tell you if it was good, but given how quickly their spoons returned for another scoop I'd say it had to have been at least decent.
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I went by for lunch the other day. I wasn't entirely impressed with their lunch menu, to be honest. I settled on the American hamburger. When it came out, the server told me the plate was hot, but HOLY S*%T! I couldn't even touch my burger! I burned my finger. I had to wait at least 10 minutes, finish a glass of wine, and then gave up and just cut it up with my fork and knife...and no self-respecting burger eater does this. I'm ashamed. I think for my own safety, I'll stick to a salad next time or least nothing they have to heat up.
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Lovely! Casual, but slightly fancy feeling in its Frenchness. I had the Croque Madame (open-face ham and cheese with egg on top). Delightful. Cute neighborhood, too... wouldn't mind walking through on a sunny afternoon.
This place has the worst service I've ever experienced. We had lunch here last week and our server never came to our table to take our order. After waiting approx 15 minutes, i hijacked the server from the next table and gave her our order... about 20 minutes later, a woman resembling Kathy Bates in Misery, brought our food to the table and walked away. I flagged her down and asked her for a side of aoli (for my cold fries) and she sneered at me when i mispronounced the word aoli (i have a slight stutter) and then repeated it back to me like a child... "A-O-L-I"
She never bothered to introduce herself and after i gave her my credit card, she returned it to my female friend and told her to "have a nice day"... wtf????
As for the food, as i said, the fries were cold but my steak was okay. My friend had the lentil soup, which she had to send back because it was too salty... she said it tasted like it was made with sea water!
BTW- we were there at 5pm on a Sunday night. The place was dead, so this woman has no excuse for her ill-manored behavior. She spent most of here time in the back as she only had two other tables to serve.
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Having to walk around the neighborhood trying to quickly size up a restaurant based on what's on their posted menu outside is tough! I didn't know what to expect when friends picked LPR. It was surprisingly good. The heirloom tomato and mozzarella salad was fresh and tasty, the macaroni and cheese was rich but not too heavy and the Fish of the evening was flavorful and never fishy. It's a comfortable atmosphere whether you choose to sit indoors or out.
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The beau and I meet up for lunch on a weekday in Russian Hill. As we stood on Polk street and looked out at the lane of restaurants, Le Petit Robert seemed like an attractive spot. Outdoor seating. Nicely kept. Name in a different language. Let's eat here!
Nice space that's big enough to accomodate without have to squeeeeeeeeze by the table next to yours. Birdcages are also a nice touch although it takes awhile to notice them perched so high up on the bar. Tap water comes in a bottle--I really like that in restaurants. Makes even free water seem so important.
The menu didn't feel as important in comparison. The items were disappointing & uncreative. Hamburgers? Mac & Cheese? French Fries? Wait...are we in a French restaurant? Maybe I'm just so uncultured, and French cuisine is now the same thing as something previously known as "McDonald's American." It doesn't come cheap either, just so you know.
For my entree, I end up getting the Tuna Nicose salad. The beau got the gnocchi (partially because I want to taste it without actually committing to it). Thanks dear. You're a sweetheart. The salad was okay. Pretty colorful, which I like. It came surrounded with a thing of sauce that had the look and texture of mayonnaise. Not a big fan of that, but I may be biased here because I don't usually eat leafy green salad with a dressing of mayonnaise.
The gnocchi was average at best. Looked house-made, but tasted so mushy that I'd much rather have the store-bought stuff. The beau didn't seem too excited about his meal. He also ordered a side of french fries with aioli sauce. We left of it on the plate. That should say something--although one could argue that it was our fault for ordering it in the first place. Who orders french fries at a French restaurant? We were just so confused!
Don't think I'll be coming back during lunch hour. Seems like their brunch is pretty hot stuff from other people's reviews, but after a pretty boring lunch (not to mention unfulfilling), I will have to pass on that for now.
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I was meeting a friend for lunch and this is right down the street from his house. It was a beautiful so we wanted to sit outside; we are in San Francisco, so it started to be a bit windy, they re-sat us in a nice table next to window. There are couple of things that made me like the restaurant. I am a water drinker (much more when I am eating out) and they brought a bottle of water to the table and left it. Big points for me. We both ordered the Duck confit salad and it was good. My friend loved their bread. I had a big breakfast, so only tasted the bread. Parking is bad there, so if I am up the street again, I will be back.
Had dinner here and it was okay. It wasn't bad or it didn't "WOW" me either. It was a nice place to have dinner. We ordered the Tuna Tartar there and I think that was the best thing we ordered - presentation was great as it had thinly sliced advocado on top of the tuna tartar which tasted YUMMY!!
The food and the dessert was okay.
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Delicious! Outdoor seating, great options for wine and beer.
We love the burger. It's a good place for Sunday brunch in the afternoon.
Le Petit Robert makes me happy. Very, very happy. Its a perfect little unpretentious bistro for a casual, reasonably priced lunch or dinner. In many ways, it reminds me of a lot of the"working class" cafes that I've visited in Europe; the sort of "no-frills" destinations where, although you won't be experiencing fine dining, the food is fresh, filling and honest.
I went there on a Sunday a week ago with Liz S after attending a Micheal Pollan lecture; the recommendation being hers. We strated off sharing a tuna tartare, which was light and clean; nothing surprising, just a tuna tartare as one would expect it. We shared a side of baked mac and cheese, done with bechamel, gruyere and chunks of ham, which was out of this world. I also had the steak and pommes frites. The steak was cooked exactly to order (when I say rare, I mean it!), although the pat of compound butter, OK, not a pat, but a SLAB, was a bit over the top. The fries were suberb and just what I would have expected from a proper bistro. My only complaint was that I'd have liked to have seen a sauce for the steak and justa little more salt and pepper in general. Liz S had something involving a poached egg; cannot recall exactly what it was, but it looked appealing enough that the group seated next to us stopped us to ask what we were having.
That little interuption really made the experience for me, actually. Fine dining is a blast, but nothing is more cozy than a little bistro where the ambience is laid-back enough that opther patrons feel comfortable in discussing the cuisine with complete strangers.
Oh. One more thing. For an honest little bistro, the men's bathrooms was fantastic! I mean, I've seen nicer, but I was very surprised to see how clean it was and how nicely it was appointed. I kid you not, I re-opened the door before utiliseing the facilities to confirm that I had indeed chosen the WC pour messieures rather than that pour dames.
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Huh. Didn't know about all of the bad experiences people have had at Small Bob.
Had a perfectly lovely late lunch here on this fine fall afternoon. Sunlight was streaming in through the big windows as we lingered over our bottle of Vigonier while munching on perfectly cooked pommes frites with aoili. The tartare was delicious, the bread was delightful, and our salads were very very good (the nicoise with seared tuna takes the cake).
While I understand that they take some liberties on authentic French recipes, I don't mind them since the results are very good. Service was kind and attentive, even though we walked in 5 minutes before the end of the brunch service.
I had dinner here years ago, and today's lunch was so good that I will be back before long. It would be an easy place to come to alone with a book and feel like a mysterious yet intriguing stranger among the folk on Polk.
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Nice atmosphere, only place around to actually have a coffee and conversation on Polk Street. I felt like we were in France. There were a few people that were speaking french around our table.
We had desert and coffee and it was really tasty, the chocolate mousse was decadent, perfect for desert lovers. I will definitely come back to try lunch and dinner.
I adored the bird cages above the bar, the waiters were stellar, and the food, uber palatable... there was just one personal fracas with my entree that made things a wee bit infelicitous.
I got the Macaroni with Gruyere and the entire platter was doused with a fine sawdust like layer of teeny bread crumbs that subsequently tickled my throat for the entire meal. I even had to excuse myself from the table at one point to cough it out in the bathroom. I'm not sure if my print rep will be running back to me for jobs any time soon...! A red faced, watery eyed account exec. isn't the most appealing look.
Lesson learned... if you get the Macaroni just be sure to mash it up real well before shoveling it down, otherwise this place gets a thumbs up!
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This place is just "ok" and it has all of the potential to be great. The pluses are the casual, bistro-feel, the bread and the wine list. Unfortunately, the food isn't spectacular - the meat is usually overly salted and served on top of an overcooked veggie. There are also always Fruit flies buzzing around the big flower pot located against the far wall.
Change the chef and fumigate and I'd give it 4 stars.
I care tremendously about the way a restaurant treats its single diners -- those of us who enjoy and appreciate a table for one ("Just one?" "Yes, just one"). Thus, in my heart of hearts, this is a 2.5-star review, not a 3.
I wandered up to LPR's hostess stand at 1:30 p.m. on a Sunday, seeing an empty table outside on the sidewalk on my way in. There was no one else waiting for a table (inside or out), and I asked to be seated outside "for one." The hostess who received my request looked at me -- oh, I saw her eyes drift over my New York Times, the telltale loner paraphenelia in my hand -- and coldly replied that she thought there was a wait for the (EMPTY) outside tables. She then walked away to double-check.
The next thing I knew, she was pointing at a little piece of paper with "Elizabeth - 2" written on it. The waiter who'd written down Elizabeth's request reported that Elizabeth was nowhere to be found. Hostess wanted to quadruple check, however, and went outside again.
When she came back, she asked, "So, two or three people?"
"No. Still just one."
She grabbed the menu off the hostess station beneath my nose and brushed past me, back out the door. (Um, are we off to my table? Are you seating Elizabeth? Are you repulsed that a 27-year-old girl with plenty of lovin in her life wants to nonetheless eat alone? WHAT'S GOING ON?) I saw through the window that she was placing the (my?) menu on the empty table, and walked out to take the (my?) seat. She let me, but it was awkward as all hell, and I felt like trash.
When a young grandma with stroller in tow wanted to sit at the table next to me (alone, sort of, because infants don't really bump the bill up, so a grandma with a grandchild is really a onesy), hostess was equally weird and cold. Grandma asked her for a menu as her table was being prepped, and hostess responded, "Uhh," with no eye contact, no smile, no friendly reception to the guest who has just taken a seat at THE RESTAURANT FOR WHICH SHE WAS "HOSTESSING."
Look, I'm a damn fine tipper, and I'm not oblivious to the fact that they want to turn tables -- I'm not going to sit there for hours like the foursome next to me, having only cafe au laits and complimentary bread. Just don't treat me like I'm ruining your fucking salary or atmosphere or sidewalk space because I want to read my newspaper instead of splitting the burger over a little innocent gossip session.
As for the food -- have they changed chefs? The food was remarkably better than the last time I went. I had the roast chicken cobb salad, which was surprisingly better-looking than the last time I saw it (romaine lettuce replaced by mixed greens; creamy dressing replaced by vinaigrette; unremarkable bacon replaced by thick-sliced smokey stuff). And the kalamata olive epi is hugely delicious -- salty, crunchy, & filling.
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We brunched here on a gloomy, rainy Sunday. The restaurant has a nice rustic, French country decor. Despite the gloominess looming outside, it felt cheery and bright in the restaurant. My husband tried their monsieur croquet sandwich, while I sampled one of their crepes (can't remember the name, sorry). Both our dishes were good, something we would order again. The service was good, and the staff was friendly.
Writing this review makes me angry but I feel it as my duty to inform my fellow yelpers. This place sucks. Period! I went in with two of my girlfriends for a fun lunch afternoon. The restaurant has a cute decor but that's about it. The food sucks and after the waitress messed up my order, she blames it on me and said "I thought we discussed this." And I respond with a "Discuss what? I ordered a cobb salad." My friend had the baked macaroni, which was stale and oily and gave her a horrible stomach ache. I had to wait another 20 minutes to get my cobb salad, which was tasteless and puny . To top off our horrible meal, the waitress overcharged us and didn't even have the nerve to apologize! Wow, I was in shock.
I called the manager later that afternoon to complain about our horrible dining experience and our rude waitress. He told me he would "look into it" asked us to come by for a complimentary lunch/dinner. Are you kidding me? No amount of food or money is enough to have me step foot in that establishment!
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updated 10/23/07
The service was better this last weekend and the food was really good.
Old review:
The service was pretty bad in this place. People came after us and ordered before us and got their meal way before us. The food wasn't bad. The french fries were pretty good. Overall, the service is crappy. We pretty much begged for our bread and olive. I'll give this place one more try, since I don't want to judge the place because of ONE waitress who screwed up. I hope it was her first day!!!!
I consider myself a deep cover traveler, not a tourist. Wherever I go in the world, I try to learn the language, learn the culture, and in some ways pass myself off as a local. I come close sometimes, but no matter how hard I try or how much I perfect my accent, I will never be the real deal. I'm still just throwing on a costume as I try to roll with the crowd undetected.
So as a pretender, I can sniff others out pretty quickly. Like my fellow deep cover artist Le Petit Robert here. Not "Row-bear" as he'd probably like to hear you say, but "Raw-burt." Because there ain't no French here. (Ok, maybe the brusque maitre d' is.)
Sure, the restaurant is playfully named after both the chef/proprietor and the famous and ubiquitous French dictionary. (Ah, tres drole!) The French predilection for kitsch further manifests itself in the slew of birdcages lining the shelf atop the bar. (Ha ha! La cage aux folles!) And they even go as far as to serve your bread right on the table, sans basket, in true French fashion. (Comme a la maison!)
Clashing with the kitsch is an air of wannabe old-school Parisian class, which is not only confusing but ineffective. With all the super-tall ceilings and brown tones and rich woods that are supposed to evoke a brasserie on the Rive Gauche, you know full well you're not in Paris. Perhaps it's all the people lined up for brunch at other nearby establishments, clearly visible through the curtainless windows, or perhaps it's the gals inside in pink mesh trucker hats and Juicy Couture sweatsuits. Whatever it is, you're still painfully aware that you're on Polk Street in Russian Hill, not awaiting your food and wine in St. Germain.
Speaking of the food - the main element of a restaurant - it's pretty decent. It's tasty. Perhaps too tasty, in that the natural flavors of the ingredients are drowned out by seasoning. There's too much stock in the rouille. Too much vinegar in the mayonnaise. An overpowering layer of dijon mustard on the Croque Madame. Too much salt in the caramelized onions and the Bavette steak.
Bistro food really isn't very fancy. It's simple, easy-to-handle fare that uses great, fresh ingredients - the lifeblood of everyday French cuisine. The menu can be traditional and tired (which it is here), but the food has to be simple and fresh with the ingredients standing on their own (which it is not). It's simple stuff you get to have with your wine, after all.
Unfortunately, the wine list is rather wanting in the French department as well. Not that the few Gallic wines on the list aren't good ones, but I'm always disappointed if I don't see a Pauillac to go with my steak frites. Sure, good French wines are a bit overpriced and harder to come by, but if you're gonna pretend... c'mon!
In the end, I don't really want to give Le Petit Robert only two stars. The service was great, it's a likeable place, and they must be trying really hard. But given all the options for authentic French food in this city, there's no excuse to miss in so many ways.
Not when charging the same prices as the others, at least.
We're in a market economy, and a pretender like Robert just can't compete for my fistful of francs. Tres desole', mon ami.
(NOTE: I know they don't use francs anymore. It's French to be in denial.)
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These jokers have good food and I don't mind the prices, but to call the service indifferent is kindness run amok. Rudely incompetent is more to the point.
I've gone more than twice because of the outside seating and the fact that when EVERY brunch place has a 1hr wait, they've got 20 tables inside open. But waiting for half hour to place and order, the same to get another round of drinks equals an hour anyway so why deal with their foolishness. If they could reach the level of normal-quality-of-service, they'd have a line out the door .
I'm a kitty that's been round the block in SF and I am almost never wrong when I say; Get bad service twice and before my next hairball, you're out of business. My intuition says they have less than a year to get their shit in one sock before the rent kills them. Hiss. Don't make me sic your balls. I don't want to and you certainly don't want me to.
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Ah, Bob - you don't mind if I call you Bob do you? - so you're small. I mean, so what? What's the big deal? Like the old saying goes pal, it's not the size of the boat, it's whether you have a well-stocked bar shaped like one (see: Hue L'amour). Oh... you fall a little "short" in that department too, huh? Well listen buddy, you seem like a real "nice guy," and you can cook. The ladies love that. I'm sure girls are lining up around the block to be your... friend.
I don't know about lining up around the block, but the ladies (and guys) are keeping this place pretty packed, and for good reason. The Arnold Palmer (lemonade and ice tea) was good enough that it barely made me miss hard alcohol with my breakfast. The "French Burger" with Gruyere cheese was good, but a little difficult to eat (crumbly, and served on a single slice of bread). French onion soup was pretty standard, but also good.
I asked for some of the homemade pickles that come with the "American Burger" and was a little disappointed when I found that they were sweet. Hey Frenchy, us Americans like our pickles sour! And by "us Americans," I mean me.
Also, how dare they run out of French toast at 2:00 PM?. People are trying to have breakfast here!
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Typical good french bistro food. The service ok . Upon arriving there's no greeting at the door, we have to wait awhile for the server to to seat us.
Best French Onion Soup in the City. Hands down. Late afternoon, good book, new magazine you can't wait to dive into, the sunlight streams through the windows and you eat soup and life is good.
I was one of the friends that went with Jane.... so, I wanted to copy and paste what she wrote and in addition add...
Where do you get off charging people over what is listed on the menu?
Writing this review makes me angry but I feel it as my duty to inform my fellow yelpers. This place sucks. Period! I went in with two of my girlfriends for a fun lunch afternoon. The restaurant has a cute decor but that's about it. The food sucks and after the waitress messed up my order, she blames it on me and said "I thought we discussed this." And I respond with a "Discuss what? I ordered a cobb salad." My friend had the baked macaroni, which was stale and oily and gave her a horrible stomach ache. I had to wait another 20 minutes to get my cobb salad, which was tasteless and puny . To top off our horrible meal, the waitress overcharged us and didn't even have the nerve to apologize! Wow, I was in shock.
I called the manager later that afternoon to complain about our horrible dining experience and our rude waitress. He told me he would "look into it" asked us to come by for a complimentary lunch/dinner. Are you kidding me? No amount of food or money is enough to have me step foot in that establishment!
Good food and good service. This place has a relaxing atmosphere-perfect for bunch.
Meh. That just about sums this place up. Having recently moved to a more posh hood than my previous digs out in the Mission, I'm still getting used to the "fancy" places. I found myself in a bit of a romantic mood one Saturday after a night of drinking and walked down to Polk Street in search of a solo brunch spot. The line at Polkers was ridiculous so I walked one more block to Petit Robert, which was pretty much empty. I was seated by the window next to a group of hipster-yuppie couples with a gaggle of toddlers in over-priced clothing. They weren't really loud or anything but how long can a single 20-something wearing Chucks and glasses listen to a bunch of rich folks talking about pre-school waiting lists and moving to Carmel Valley? The food, however, was fantastical. I have never had French toast like the little pod of sweetness that appeared on my table. It was more like a mash-up of a Belgian waffle and creme brulee and came with tangy Greek yogurt on top. It wasn't exactly what I expected to eat for my first meal of the day and was a little on the sweet/heavy side. I'd be happy having it as a dessert. I'll definitely go back, but only before screening the clientele for yuppies.
I always assumed this place was small inside. i was very wrong. I had a very nice long lunch here. I had the burger which filled my craving, not the best, but still good. The greek yogurt desert was by far the best part.
The should rename this restaurant Il Piccolo Tony as I would describe most of the food on the menu as "Rustic Italian" not "French". Trust me I just got back from France in April, this was not French food.
My biggest pet peeve was our waiter. He over used the word "awesome". Everything was "awesome", "beyond awesome", "really it's just awesome", "how is your food?" "very good, thank you" "awesome!".
Well dear waiter-man I give you some new words to try out:
awe- inspiring distinctive exquisite well-prepared
well-seasoned delectable delicious fantastic
great enjoyable just okay our best
I've had chocolate pot de creme several times...it is not supposed to be a heavy chocolate mousse which this was
Okay okay okay there are some goods things about this restaurant that made up for the bad. The waiter was actually.....well.....awesome.....he was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu, wine, surrounding area, preparation of food (they brown their gnocchi which is something I've never seen before, it gives it a really distinct almost nutty flavor which I enjoyed), etc.
Some of the food was amazing. The Le Petit Robert Burger is a reason on it's own to go there. An open faced burger with blue cheese and I believe Swiss with caramelized onions. It was delicious.
The portions look small but were actually very filling and I couldn't finish my plate.
There really wasn't anything wrong with it but the whole experience underwhelmed me. So far I've been unable to put my finger on it but I just can't imagine going back.
Notable Grub:
Appetizer: Baked Chevre - baked chevre, chorizo, baguette, and this sauce on the side that was so good I wanted to slather my body in it.
Entree: Le Petit Robert Burger
Very unaccommodating!
I went on a Monday afternoon with two friends and you would think they have tables available. They did, but with their snobby attitude it took them about five minutes to acknowledge us. Then we waited a little longer for them to figure out where to seat us!
By then we had lost our appetite and decided to go somewhere else, but from what I saw on other people's plates, the food looked good.
Come on people, what's up with the bitchy attitude? We all know you are not French.
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An excellent spot for some duck terrine and champagne.
I've had dinner here a few times as well but nothing outstanding comes to mind.
Maybe it's just because I lived in France for a few years, but this place seemed expensive for what it offered. The macaroni and cheese in creamy wine leek sauce with jambon de pays and toasted breadcrumbs was very tasty, but for the price (since it was a $9 "side"), I'd rather find something more deluxe. However, if you can go on a warm, sunny day and sit on the street to watch the world go by while you eat, it makes it all worthwhile.
Yet another French bistro among the million it seems, that exist in the city. Very good comfort food, but two stars for the not so hot service. We all ordered the baked mac and gruyere for entrees, and I'd ordered a salad as a starter. What the waitress didn't tell me was that the entree already came with a small salad which wasn't indicated on the menu. My starter salad came at the same time as my entree. Lo and behold, a side salad accompanied my entree, as well. Essentially, I had two friggin' salads with my entree which I had to tell the server to take one of them back because it was overkill. Needless to say, I was a little irritated that she hadn't mentioned the side salad when we were ordering! The sodas come in cans, so there are no refills which I assumed because our server came by, picked up our empty cans, but never asked about a refill. That was the only time she stopped by after we were given our food. She seemed to be checked out for the day, since we were having a late lunch. Anyway, I will give this place another try, but will steer clear of the server we had that day. She really sucked.
We came here Easter Sunday for brunch, prior to my religious epiphany that was to come at Grace Cathedral. Improptu brunch spot and I was pleasantly surprised that they could seat us for a meal. I guess they are about to change chefs...I ordered this chicken has dish, which was good but a little on the starchy side. Where's the chicken? My friend ordered the French omelette, which he devoured. I tasted a bit of it and the eggs were fluffier than mine ever turn out. I would also knock them down a star because I wasn't really impressed with the service. I tend to chug a lot of water when I dine and my water glass was never refilled after I finished it, and the dude's coffee was never topped off. I would expect better service from a place like this. Would definitely go back for a lunch/dinner experience.
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