Cassis, France

Cassis, France
Cassis, France

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Bouche, San Francisco, California

See: http://www.bouchesf.com


In my quest to find a moderately priced restaurant that could accommodate a party of five on a Friday evening at the very last minute, I discovered Bouche. Bouche is a traditional French restaurant housed in a teeny, tiny space just off Union Square. Reservations are highly recommended as the space fills up fast, and there aren't many spots at the bar to wait for a table. You are serenaded with the sounds of francophiles as soon as you walk in the door, which is absolutely lovely. The space has a romantic feel and is softly lit, though this is not the place to come to enjoy deep conversation with your companions as it can get quite loud.

You'll pass by the kitchen on your way upstairs -- take a moment to be impressed by how the chefs are able to turn out beautiful food from about a 4X4 cook space (that is only a tiny exaggeration). I started with the spring garlic soup, which was by far the star of the meal. It was an Eastery green, velvety in texture, and made me experience garlic in a whole new way. Creamy, subtle, divine. I had the Seared Steelhead with cauliflower cream and nettle and nut pesto for my entree. The fish was cooked perfectly and the dish was what I might call solidly good, but paled a bit in comparison to the soup. This does not necessarily mean the fish was mediocre, but rather highlights how amazing the soup was. Now, dessert. The tart of the day was a walnut tart, lined with a layer of bittersweet chocolate. Between the walnuts and the chocolate, it was like some sort of delicious new health food (or so we told ourselves). All of the dishes were plated artfully, engaging yet another sense as we enjoyed our meal.

Despite the fact that two member of our party were almost 30 minutes late (ack!), our server was gracious, kind, and attentive. Bouche is a perfect fit if you are seeking traditional French fare in a casual  (yet chic) setting. 

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Ferry Building, San Francisco, California

See: http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com


A little bit of this, a little bit of that (ok, maybe a LOT of this and that). We started our tour of the Ferry Building at Blue Bottle Coffee, where we waited in line for 25 minutes. Do not let that deter you -- it is well worth the wait. Blue Bottle was brewing their Three Africans blend, and each cup is prepared individually using the drip method. We also sampled a waffle; these are prepared in the Belgian style and served hot off the waffle iron. The outside was gently sprinkled in sugar and the result was a not too sweet treat. My mom and I each got a waffle and in hindsight it may have been a better idea to split one, in order to save room for more treats. Because we couldn't leave San Francisco without trying a Blue Bottle latte, we waited in line for 25 minutes again later in the afternoon (post trip to Sausalito), and once again, it was well worth the wait. The latte was expertly prepared (complete with latte art) with milk that had been steamed to sweetened perfection (by hand nonetheless -- none of this automatic Starbucks milk steaming going on over here).

We also stopped into Cowgirl Creamery where the breakfast choices left my mouth watering. We settled on toast layered with dijon mustard, caramelized onions, and gruyere, otherwise known as a "toastie". If you don't believe me when I say it was delicious, take a look at this picture:



We also sampled nibbles and treats from the Hog Island Oyster Company ($2 oysters? Don't mind if I do!), Miette, and Stonehouse California Olive Oil (I'll be buying a bottle of their "Reserve" oil as soon as we work through the existing stash at home). If you make it to the Ferry Building on Saturday, don't miss the outdoor farmer's market either -- it's the perfect place to assemble some provisions for a picnic on Sausalito. Think bread, locally grown fruit, hummus, and cheese galore... and you can try everything before you buy.