chez panisse

going to chez panisse this coming up thursday, any suggestions on what to order?

If you're eating downstairs, you're getting a pretty fabulous summer meal:

Rotolo di mozzarella with cherry tomatoes and roasted peppers

Rockfish chowder with corn, Yellow Finn potatoes, and pancetta

Pan-fried Wolfe Farm quail with summer chanterelles, wilted greens, and garlic confit

Raspberry ice cream crêpes

We are going on Thursday night too. I agree that night's menu looks fantastic.

[KarenJ]

Hi Everyone, my husband and I will be in SF in a couple of weeks and were fortunate enough to get a reservation at the CP Cafe for the Saturday night. We dined at CP Downstairs two years ago and loved it, so thought we'd try the Cafe this time.

Anyway, I've been scanning the SF posts recently to get ideas on other places to try, and it struck me that CP was not mentioned in any of the recommendations to other visitors for SF "best ofs". I realize it's in Berkeley, but to my mind definitely worth the trek. Most of the posts seem to be heavy on the recommendations for Michael Mina, Danko, Slanted Door, etc. etc. CP is notable in its absence and I'm wondering why . . .

Also, has anyone been to Rose Pistola in North Beach lately? We also had a great meal there last time, and don't see it referred to either. Or, any recommendations for great, rustic Italian?

Thanks.

[Ruth Lafler]

I'm surprised you found lots of recs for Michael Mina. I think the general consensus on this board is that it's kind of pretentious and the food isn't as good as some of the other high-end fine dining restaurants. Probably the most often recommended fine-dining restaurant in the City is the Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton. Slanted Door gets recommended because it's "different," it's accessible to people who aren't familiar with Asian food, and it's one of the few restaurants in a tourist area with a view that also has good food.

Probably the frequently recommended restaurant overall on this board is Aziza. For great, rustic Italian, try La Ciccia (which is actually Sardinian).

CP gets recommended, but I think for visitors it doesn't get recommended unless they show a willingness to go outside San Francisco, and it doesn't get recommended, because, well, if you know much at all about the restaurant scene in America, you probably don't need to be told about Chez Panisse! Furthermore, I think if you haven't heard of Chez Panisse, then you probably don't have an interest in the local/sustainable/great ingredients prepared simply style of food and probably aren't the kind of person who would enjoy it.

[KarenJ]

Thanks, Ruth. We are definitely loyal CP afficionados; I was just curious about its lack of mention. Your comments make sense. Will try to get to La Ciccia.

[Robert Lauriston]

Chez Panisse gets mentioned all the time. It's on my top 10. Well worth the drive or BART trip from SF. I like upstairs and down equally well, though I eat at the Cafe more often because after 9:30 we sometimes just walk in and get a table.

http://www.chow.com/places/1227

Note that this is a 2005 post you replied to. Michael Mina got a lot more love in 2005 than it does now. Maybe you're being thrown off by the currently messed-up search.

I like Rose Pistola but don't go there often because it's relatively expensive and there are a number of chef-owned Italian places that make better food. If you like Chez Panisse, you'd probably prefer one of the half-dozen Italian places started by its alumni and their proteges.

Rose Pistola: http://www.chow.com/places/6909

[KarenJ]

Robert - can you name some of these alumni places? Being a "foreigner", I'm not in the loop. Thanks!

[Robert Lauriston]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/3355...

[lmnopm]

I didn't want to start a new thread for this - but CP (and cafe) were on Opentable for a short time, and seem to have disappeared today. Does anyone know if this is a temporary thing or if they haven't found the Opentable reservation system worthwhile?

[JasmineG]

I've never seen either Chez Panisse or the Cafe on OpenTable.

[lmnopm]

They have been recently, and today I tried to change a reservation and it isn't there anymore (Opentable still has the reservation, but the restaurants aren't there anymore for booking.)

[ML8000]

Chez Panisse is on OP right now but it looks like a limited number of tables. I never knew it was there, good to know. The phone always worked however.

[JasmineG]

Wow, that's good to know!

[Robert Lauriston]

It's working again today. One table for the late seating Monday looks like it for downstairs. Lots of tables upstairs.

Have only been downstairs and we have 2 folks that refuse to eat any type of seafood. Because of the set menu, we always mention this when we make the reservation. I think the kitchen appreciates knowing such things in advance instead of when you arrive. Only once did the receptionist not make a note and I didn't remind them when I confirmed. It seemed to be more of a scramble when we told them the day of than when they knew in advance.

The kitchen can always substitute from the upstairs menu. But why pay downstairs prices if you're not going to eat what they're serving?

I'll second Robert's comments. My two favorite things at CP have been the salad and some fresh romano beans (although now I feel like I need to go again soon to try the pizza). The simplicity and quality were amazing. The salad was just a variety of greens sprinkled with salt and pepper and a touch of olive oil. But each green was so unique and full of flavor that the experinece was sublime. And the beans there started my love of romano beans, although the quality even at the farmers' markets never seems to match CP.

On an unrelated note, I've been in Tallahassee for business all week. Having been told the best place for salad in town was a sushi restaurant (in fairness, there might be somewhere better out of town, I don't have a rental car), enjoy the goodness that is CP in summer.

If you have any interest in pizza, that's a must-try.

Generally speaking, the simpler-sounding the dish, the more striking the difference in quality between Chez Panisse and anywhere else in the U.S.

Chez Panisse prides itself on its use of the very best ingredients, which means that you should NOT overlook the desserts that feature fresh fruit. I was there a while ago and one of the desserts was pluots and rasperries. That's it. And my friend who is a cook there let us have a plate, just to try them. The fruit was the best fruit I have ever tasted in my life. I dream about it. I have not been able to repeat the experience at any farmer's market or restaurant. Sigh.
Have a great meal!

If you're going to the restaurant, downstairs, there's a fixed menu & you won't have any choices (this is not a Bad Thing, unless you have serious dislikes, or allergies -- tell your server and I'm sure they'll provide an alternative). Check out the website this weekend to see next week's nightly menus.

If you're going to the cafe, upstairs, the menu changes somewhat every night, but there should be a choice of about five entrees. I was there last night, and we were offered:

Spaghetti alla Norma: pasta with eggplant, tomato, basil, and ricotta salata ($15)
Sonoma Liberty duck breast with peas, carrots, little onions, and wild fennel ($23) -- 4 of us had this and it was spectacularly good
Grilled local king salmon with green beans, tomato, saffron, and almond salsa ($25)
Grilled and braised grass-fed beef with corn, chanterelle mushrooms, and spicy red pepper relish ($29) -- one of us had this, and it was wonderful: a party on the palate!
Pizza with zucchini and pounded parsley ($17) -- we all shared this as a second appetizer (oink!) because it sounded so good, and it was marvellous -- a crispy, slightly charred thin crust from the wood-fired oven, and juicy, garlicky, intensely flavorful zucchini. Magical!

Bottom line -- order something that sounds good to you, and it's more than likely you'll be thrilled with it.

Link: http://www.chezpanisse.com