chez panisse

if there's anything i love as much asgoodfood, it's traveling! fortunately the bf's job as a commercial airline pilot allows us to jet set on a whim wherever our hearts desire (or at least wherever there are open seats!). we packed our bags and spent a week in california: 4 days in san francisco, and 3 days in napa. we ate, we drank, and we ate and drank some more. today i'm recapping our time in san francisco. come back tomorrow for a recap of our visit to wine country! upon our arrival we headed straight to the mission for a self-guided taco crawl. after being given three recommendations from our san fran friends kacey and mike, the bf and i decided to get a taco at all three. i mean, we had to do some research people! the first stop was la palma mexicatessen , which is more of a deli that also cooks food to order. the tortillas were pretty thick, almost like a pita. the tacos needed it because they were stuffed to the brim with fillings. we tried one pastor and one carnitas. the pastor was the winner (pictured on the right below). tacos at la palma our next stop was at el farolito where we each ordered a pastor taco. we decided if we were going to pick the best taco, they should be the same type. this was both of our favorite (and the cheapest). great tortilla, well-seasoned pastor, cilantro and onion, and homemade salsas with a kick. i probably could have eaten another, but it was on to the next one... tacos at el farolito our third and final stop is probably the most famous taco joint in the mission, la taqueria. yes, they have an unoriginal name, but they certainly make up for it with their food. we waited in a long line all for one pastor taco (we were pretty stuffed). i loved how you could watch them making the food right in front of you. it was an art form. i shared a video on my instagram page if you're interested! this taco came in second place for us. the meat was tender and smokey, but lacked the flavor that el farolito offered. the price was certainl

awesome experience. great restaurant and wine pairing. atmosphere isgoodtoo. i highly recommend this restaurant to locals and tourists.

great food, but strange ending. last night, i was with a party of 6 upstairs in the cafe. our reservation was at 5:30pm, we were promptly seated and given a great table in the back of the room. the place was already full of people andgoodenergy. it was my first time and was very excited to finally eat at this landmark restaurant. i must say, from beginning to end, the food was spectacular and not a flavor out of place. really outstanding. we also had a couple bottles of wine bringing the bill to about $500. smiles all around. everything was so delicious...great friends, great food, always a great combination. the time we took to eat was about about 2 hrs. we paid our bill and then stayed at our table another 1 hr. we all hadn't seen each other in a while and were relaxed and enjoying the moment. no loud craziness, we're a polite but fun-loving bunch. the restaurant was still full, with folks waiting for tables. at approximately 8:30pm, the maître d' comes over and politely but awkwardly tells my wife that there are people waiting for tables and would we like to go have a drink at the bar...basically, "ok, you're done here, please leave now". hmmm...it wasn't like we had pulled out our slippers and were settling in for the evening. we spent $500, enjoyed the great food and were taking our time. yes, it was time to leave, we knew that, but a very ham-handed situation and honestly, i've never had that happen before. we were winding up conversation and it would have been nice to leave on our own with a positive memory of our experience. we were all a little dumbfounded, and "did that really just happen?" basically, our bad...we got tossed because we were taking too much time and they needed our table. well, i loved the food. our waitress was very nice. but, i won't be going back again, nor will i recommend it to friends. i will now always tell people about being asked to leave.

summer ice cream desserts (dish review). chez panisse is often known for it's decadent and innovative desserts. this one leans towards the traditional and simplistic. it consists of two scoops of beloved, homemade ice cream - one a summer berry ice cream and the other a basic but delicious peach sorbet. the summer berry is full of flavor (and seeds), and is one of the best creams i have tried in all my travels. the peach, on the other hand, is somewhat icy (yes, it is a sherbet after all), a trait i never like (which i why i don't eat many cups of sherbet), yet full of fresh flavor and even the occasional chunk of fruit. both scoops are topped with an entire "summer lady" peach, a fruit known for it's sweetness and tangy flavor. unless they strongly dislike sherbet, this is the closer for anyone's perfect meal.


-----12 feb, 2013-----

braised lamb shoulder (dish review). lamb is one of the world's most beloved meats. even those who shy away from beef run for a plate of this delicacy. chez panisse does lamb right. the kitchen, which serves hundreds of hungry and high-paying patrons daily, puts it's heart into every serving of their signature braised lamb shoulder. this dish comes in a giant ceramic bowl, which is filled with both broth and a perfect polenta. the meat itself is fork-tender and essentially melts in your mouth after many minutes (or hours) of braising. a peperonata and fried rosemary add extra flavor to the shoulder, which is finally topped of with a handful of fresh "rocket", more commonly known as arugula. it is a meal to devour and then order seconds, assuming your checkbook allows you too.


-----12 feb, 2013-----

shaved fennel salad (dish review). this dish is not only pricey and amazing, but large enough for an entire meal. the plate consists of the freshest fennel known to man shaved, sliced, and diced on fine glassware. then, the lettuce-substitute is tossed with a light salsa verde for a touch of acid. afterwards, the chef places in sliced hard-boiled egg and fine prosciutto for a kick of salt. altogether, the combination of the fennel, egg, acid, and meat makes for the finest salad i have ever sampled. though chez panisse offers dozens of other appetizer and dinner versions, each time i see this particular offering, i will fly across the bay for a taste.


-----12 feb, 2013-----

bacon/scallion pizzetta (dish review). this mini-pizza is a gift from the gods. chez panisse sure can make a killer, italian-inspired pie. this one comes with an airy tomato sauce and crunchy crust, and is covered with thick, chopped bacon and fine, fresh scallions. when paired with a fresh fennel salad, anyone can savor a perfect lunch. don't be fooled, chez panisse doesn't offer just one pie; they have their own wood-fire oven, allowing them to offer at least two chef's specialty pizzas a day, such as the popular wild nettle version, or the immortalized wild mushroom disk.


-----12 feb, 2013-----

house-made spaghetti (dish review). if the title doesn't tell you this already, here goes: chez panisse makes all their noodles, pastas, and breads (not to mention ice creams) in house. yes, that's dedication to excellence for you boys and girls. alice water's brainchild churns out some of the best homemade pasta around, and then proceeds to showcase it, not hide it, in every dish. this house-made spaghetti should be trade-marked; it throws the meat sauce to the dogs and instead features a light herb pesto on each noodle. on top, the skilled chefs place fresh cherry tomatoes from the garden out back and ancient parmesan cheese. it is both the simplest and cheapest dish offered at the restaurant (that isn't pizza). i'd eat this any lunch of my life.


-----12 feb, 2013-----

#700 - chez panisse (californian/farm-to-table). chez panisse, arguably the most hyped restaurant on the west coast of the united states, deserves everygoodword it gets. this restaurant is among the finest i have dined at, ever. period, end of story. the service is impeccable, adding to the already enchanting charm of the eatery. though the price tag is astronomical, most days it is worth every penny (their menu often changes, so try to check in advance to make sure it appeals to you before plopping down $300). every dish is almost perfectly cooked; tender meats and savory vegetables rest on each $30 plate. perhaps my favorite offering is the simplest of all, the house-made spaghetti. you won't find a thick sauce at chez panisse; instead, the chef tosses the noodles in a refreshing herb pesto and then tops them off with fresh tomatoes and aged parmesan. another, even more succulent option is the braised lamb shoulder, which comes on a bed of polenta after being fire-braised and seasoned with pepper corns and fried rosemary. perhaps the best, most consistent section of the menu is the dessert list, which incorporates both traditional favorites and the freshest local ingredients on each plate. i particularly enjoy the homemade peach sherbet and berry cream topped with "summer lady" peaches, often only served in summer. all things (and dishes) considered, chez panisse takes the cake for best restaurant in not only the east bay, but all of california outside san francisco and the peninsula, where a few enduring favorites keep it from the title. if you have a few hundred dollars lying around that you want to use for a special occasion, drive over to the heart of berkeley for a crack at chez panisse.

rating: 9.2/10

food wasgoodand well prepared, but nothing really special, and for that price , special it should be :/

mediocre. i found chez panisse did not live up to expectations. my wife and i were very excited to dine here on our honeymoon. in fact we traveled 1.5 hours to get there from sf on public transport.

nothing was bad about the restaurant, however, nothing was that great either. the food was well executed, but not very inventive. i felt like i could have made my meal at home, which is not agoodfeeling when paying top dollar for a meal at a famous restaurant.

the waitstaff did agoodjob, but i've had much better service (and food) in calgary and edmonton, which aren't places normally known for their food.

so if you're staying in berkeley, it might be worth checking out chez panisse, but if you're in sf, there's much better food and service closer by.

foie gras and tasting. great atmosphere, nice ambiance... i liked walking in to the outdoor/indoor part with the big tables.goodservice, excellent french food. delicious!

lunch. decided to spend a day in berkeley so i finally had a reason to go here. has taken me 20 years. nice ambiance. full of the ladies who lunch. medium service. food is as advertised; fresh and local. however, it really wasn't all thatgoodcompared to where we had been eating.