336785 Tue Oct 24 16:16:09 -0700 2006 0 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 1968798 Lunch at Boulevard yesterday was an exceptional experience. I've been a few times in the last month for lunch, but the addition of a southern-fried quail recently was an intriguing addition. It was an amazing, altering episode, and now seemingly obvious that I am surprised to have not seen it (or thought of it) before. Quails is perfect sized for "southern-frying" because it is succulent and juicy, and its small size ensures that the coating will not overcook (read: burn) before the meat is cooked through. (Anyone who has fried a large chicken breast knows exactly what I am talking about.) Boulevard made this quail sing right out of the frying pan. The coating was crunchy and substantially, without being greasy or overbearing in flavor. The meat was juice and tender and separated into quarters. With the bird practically deboned, other than a leg bone to serve for support from plate to mouth, the crunch and the meat were easy to enjoy. And there was a little special treat, southern-fried quail livers. This was a brilliant addition to an already sublime melding of homestyle cooking and delicate bird. The accompanying buttery mashed potatoes were a smooth puree that soothed the palate from all the crunching. And the biscuit, simple and just a little hearty, was executed very nicely (somewhat unexpectedly, since many biscuits, even at good places, tend to be too much like cake or too much like bread), split and stuffed with a buttery honey sauce of some sort. I couldn't quite tell, but I don't think it was just honey butter. I suppose I'll need to head back for lunch in the next few days to sample it again, and I'll report back.....I want to be thorough for my fellow chowhounds, even if it means eating the same (extraordinary) meal at Boulevard twice in one week. Oh, and how about this....$15. I think it was the least expensive entree for lunch. A bargain. Belly up to the bar and take it in with a house special lemonade and you will be enjoying one of the best lunches in the City for under $25, all inclusive. Thanks for letting me share this experience. Tue Oct 24 16:16:09 -0700 2006 19091 DCarbonaro