Chez Panisse

[jeffperez62]

Does anyone know if CP has a website? I'll be out there in 3 weeks and I wanted to check it out. Also, how is their menu set up? Is it ala carte or is it a limited menu?

[winesonoma]

Does anyone know if CP has a website? I'll be out there in 3 weeks and I wanted to check it out.  Also, how is their menu set up? Is it ala carte or is it  a limited menu?

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It's amazing what google can do. http://www.chezpanisse.com/

[Gifted Gourmet]

click here for the entire website ...

[tanabutler]

Alas, for those of us with ten thousand fonts (including Minion) loaded on our computers, the menu reads out entirely in Minion Ornaments, which are elaborate dingbats.

I've put in a call to Website 911 and hopefully they will get it remedied soon.

[silentryan]

Just got back from my trip to Berkeley. Had dinner on Wednesday in the restaurant and lunch in the cafe on Saturday.

Dinner:

First course was a yellow fin tuna carpaccio. This was actually my favorite dish of my entire trip, at Chez Panisse or anywhere else. The tuna just about melted in your mouth, and the flavors of the lemon vinegarette and the parsley salad were incredibly crisp and clear. Perfect example of the virtues of simplicity and straightforward showcasing of the ingredients.

Next course was an asparagus soup with morel flan. Again, clear and simple presentation of delicious, fresh asparagus. The flan was, however, a bit bland. Didn't taste like much of anything.

The main course was grilled Wolfe Farm quail crapaudine with mustard sauce and fried onion rings. The quail was incredibly tender, and the sauce did an excellent job of complementing the natural flavor of the bird without overwhelming it. The onion rings tasted like good onion rings, but nothing more.

For dessert was a warm chocolate fondant with Grand Marnier ice cream. The fondant was pefectly gooey, which I am a complete sucker for. Good bittersweet chocolate flavor that contrasted well with the sweetness of the ice cream.

I'll post the pics from lunch later, but dinner definately met my expectations.

[ulterior epicure]

Planning to hit CP soon - givin' this thread a bump. Any recent visits? Reports?

u.e.

[docsconz]

Planning to hit CP soon - givin' this thread a bump.  Any recent visits?  Reports?

u.e.

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It is potentially on my hit list too. I wonder how the new kitchen team is working out? I remember the lunch I had with my wife a few years ago in the more casual upstairs restaurant quite fondly.

[MaxH]

Planning to hit CP soon -

You may know the place well, or have seen discussion upthread on this point, but just in case: be careful about confusing Chez Panisse (which is downstairs and needs advance booking) with the also pleasant Chez Panisse Café (which is newer, casual, doesn't traditionally take booking, and is upstairs) -- "two completely different restaurants" as the downstairs chef once put it. Sorry if this is repetitive but it's the customary confusion point for out-of-town journalists (and even a few from closer in). When it was the hot Bay Area restaurant in the early 1980s and "nobody could get a table there" -- a role that lately moved north -- the Café was the welcome overflow bistro.

The upstairs Café also has an excellent pasta/pizza/calzone cookbook in its own right (that's the sort of food in the Café) by Waters, Curtan, and Labro, 1984 (ISBN 0394530942), with a few inspired pasta dishes worth getting the whole book for, in my opinion. (That I guess is roughly the book-recommendation parallel to the Michelin's "vaut le voyage!")

[Carlsbad]

To avoid any possible disappointment, I would definitely get a reservation for the cafe.

[ulterior epicure]

To avoid any possible disappointment, I would definitely get a reservation for the cafe.

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Do you mean that we should make a reservation at the Cafe in addition to the Restaurant lest we be disappointed by the dinner downstairs?

I think we have our hearts (and minds) pretty set on eating in the Restaurant downstairs.

Also, is there a huge difference between the Monday, mid-week, and weekend menus? I see that not only do prices increase $50, $65, and $85, but the corresponding courses increase and seem to get more "sophisticated." This will be our first visit - would it be preferable to visit on a weekend night as opposed to a Monday night/mid-week?

u.e.

Edited March 15, 2006 by ulterior epicure (log)

[Carlsbad]

I apologize for my poorly-worded post. I only meant that if you decide to go to the cafe, make a reservation. I certainly didn't mean to discourage you from going to the downstairs restaurant.

The Monday night dinners downstairs are three-courses and the food is a little more casual. My experience is that the four-course dinners the rest of the week are about the same, but they throw in an aperitif and charge $20 more for Friday and Saturday. Maybe the food is more sophisticated those nights, but I haven't noticed it.

[ulterior epicure]

oh - right - the additional "aperitif..." - i'm assuming the alcoholic kind? if so, that's a pity, i don't drink.

u.e.

[Carlsbad]

Yes, although I'm sure they would fix you something non-alcoholic. Tuesday-Thursday might be the best nights for you.

[ingridsf]

I love the downstairs, have never eaten in the cafe upstairs. Anybody who can't do stairs should note that if you want the cafe menu in the evening but are shut out because of the accessibility problem, they will seat you in the downstairs dining room. It's not a perfect way of welcoming disabled customers but it's a start. You'll have to tell the reservation person and, in my experience, they're extremely professional.

I also happen to like being forced to enter through the kitchen, because that's where the ramp has the entrance. It's cool walking right by the cooks. And getting a good, long whiff of what I'm about to eat.

I've eaten there on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights. Good meals all, but the Sat. night one was the most festive and relaxed because, for me, it was a weekend. The aperitif was a mix of pastis and Pro Secco (sp) with a plate of crostini, one type topped with tapenade and the other with a pate. Delicious, and the drink, too. Was a fine opener to that night's menu that was, "A Celebration of Provence."

I wouldn't say the rest of the meal that night was significantly different than the others. I believe the price difference between the Tues-Thurs nights and Fri-Sat is $10. No biggie. Have an aperitif on Wed. if you want. Go crazy! I'm sure they'll make you one. I think you should go whatever night would be most fun for you. The other thing was that the service was equally excellent on the weekend and weeknight.

Go, go. Especially if you're going to be eating at other high-end restaurants around that time. Simplicity could start to look pretty darn special.

edited to say, "Oops! Forgot the no-alcohol thing. But don't forget that there's a food part of the aperitif. And, I was wrong abt the prices. Sorry."

Edited March 16, 2006 by ingridsf (log)

[ulterior epicure]

I think you should go whatever night would be most fun for you.

... well, more like a matter of convenience and logistics - a few days with tight schedules and mad dashes to restaurants... we'll be at TFL sometime that week and I hope to get to Manresa somewhere in there...

The other thing was that the service was equally excellent on the weekend and weeknight.

Awesome, but to be expected... I would hope.

Simplicity could start to look pretty darn special.

As long as it tastes good, I don't care if it's sending off sparks and blowin' whistles or just sitting there and staring at me!

But don't forget that there's a food part of the aperitif.

Huh?

u.e.

[Carlsbad]

I think ingridsf was referring to the crostini that comes with the aperitif. She also makes a very good point about simplicity, which is the point of Chez Panisse. Some people find the place too simple, comparing it to TFL or similar places. It's an apples and oranges thing.

[ulterior epicure]

... She also makes a very good point about simplicity, which is the point of Chez Panisse.  Some people find the place too simple, comparing it to TFL or similar places.  It's an apples and oranges thing.

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Yeah... I got that from both the Chez Panisse cookbook and everything I've read about Waters. I'm really looking forward to simplicity... I also look forward to that sort of take on food re: Manresa... as I've heard Kinch is similarly oriented - although perhaps a little more removed... (but that's for another forum).

u.e.

[tupac17616]

I've already posted this review from our meal on 8-30-06 in my California trip recap post HERE, but I figured for those doing future searches for CP, I ought to put it here as well:

The mecca of California cuisine. Way before the details of our trip were planned, I knew this place was a must. From what I'd read, this was a different kind of restaurant than what I was used to. It was not about pretentious service, obscure fusion ingredients, or overly complicated presentations. It was about giving the rustic, simple beauty of incredibly fresh ingredients center stage. Sure, NYC has its so-called "Greenmarket cuisine," but I knew I'd only seen the tip of the iceberg. I wanted to dig deeper. I knew that for all the good vegetables that can be grown in the northeast, we've still got nothing on California. The previous day's drive through acres of beautiful farmland was certainly enough to sing that loud and clear. We'd seen nature's bounty, and Chez Panisse was to be the place to put it on our plates.

To say I was excited about this meal is putting it mildly. I was more than ready to see what the fuss was about. I was ready to see if I could count myself among those people that "get" what Chez Panisse is all about.

My dad was a little apprehensive about the set menu. While we waited a few minutes to be shown to our table, he snuck a peek at the previous day's menu (including raw fish) and freaked out. Once I reminded him it was Wednesday, he let out a sigh of relief.

I, on the other hand, was not ready to see what we were going to have just yet. The element of surprise in having a set menu format is exciting for me. You just show up, sit back, relax, and eat. Here's what the wind blew in that night...

It doesn't take long to appreciate the ambience of the restaurant. The feel is warm and inviting. The open kitchen is beautifully rustic. The wait staff is smiling. For a few moments, we sit there and just enjoy our surroundings. Not long after, some warm roasted and salted almond arrive. A nice little snack. Then comes the bread and butter. The two kinds of bread (one sourdough, one like a smaller baguette) are both wonderfully crusty and chewy. The butter is served a bit too cool and hard, but I nitpick. Several minutes later, the food starts coming...

Green bean, shell bean, and cherry tomato salad with basil and goat cheese crouton

Along with the cherry tomatoes are some delicious heirloom varieties (black prince, zebra, etc). The beans are properly cooked. The goat cheese is creamy and just the slightest bit tangy. The simple vinaigrette has just the right touch of acidity to bring all the flavors together beautifully. A fresh, light, and very tasty beginning.

Fideus pasta with roasted peppers, white shrimp, and aioli

This was quite good. I loved the aroma of the shrimp broth flavored with tomato and perfumed with saffron. The shrimp were perfectly cooked, and not at all chewy. I thought the aioli could have stood to be a bit more assertively flavored, as its flavor kind of got lost in the mix. But a nice dish overall.

Grilled James Ranch lamb rack, loin, and leg, with fried eggplant, olive sauce, and garden lettuces

This dish smelled great as it was set before us, the fresh thyme aroma wafting upwards. The rack was tender, cooked to a nice medium rare. Luckily, the olive sauce was not overly assertive. (I don't like most olives.) There wasn't much difference flavor-wise between the loin and the leg, aside from the obvious difference in fat content. All three pieces of lamb were juicy and quite tasty. The eggplant was perfectly crispy and piping hot. The lettuces were lightly dressed, and were a pleasant accompaniment. My dad really enjoyed this one. What can I say? He's a meat guy, through and through.

Summer berry sherbet coupe with champagne granite

Jackpot: those baby wild white strawberries. (There's probably an actual name for them....I don't know it ) I'd read about the tiny red fraises des bois, that can only be had in California, and I knew that was something I wanted to try during the trip if at all possible. These white ones are apparently even rarer, so I was really glad to see those on the plate that night. Along with those beauties were raspberries, blackberries and regular red strawberries (althogh I hate to call any of CP's produce "regular"). The champagne granite, it turns out, was actually made from Moscato d'Asti. Wonderfully refreshing, and a perfect match, since I'd ordered a glass of the wine beforehand without knowing that. (It's my favorite wine). The raspberry sherbet was intensely fruity and not overly icy. The berries were all very fresh. The wafer had a bit of anise in it, making it nicely aromatic. Really nice, light, summery dessert.

Petite Fours

Dark chocolate pieces with pistachio and thumbprint cookies filled with lemon curd. Both pretty tasty.

After the meal, we were graciously offered a tour of the kitchen. Somehow, they must have picked up on my keen interest in the food and what was going on in the kitchen. How'd they know?

The first thing I'd noticed when stepping in to the dining room and later into the kitchen were these large presentation bowls showcasing that day's fresh ingredients that were to be used:

The kitchen itself was gorgeous. Something about it just feels right. If I ever had a restaurant of my own, I would definitely want to evoke a similar ambience. It was warm, inviting, homey. For example, they do all their own butchering of meat and cook many of their meats over a wood-burning open fire (see pictures below). There's something comfortingly old-fashioned about that. The all stainless steel and no-open-flame high tech kitchens of many fine dining restaurant kitchens I've toured seem downright cold in comparison. But of course, pictures speak louder than words, so a few shots of various parts of the CP kitchen:

And Chef David Tanis is a real class act. Noting my enthusiasm, he kindly took a moment from his busy activity to act as our tour guide through the kitchen, prep, and storage areas. He told me all about how he works six months there at CP, and spends rest of the year in Paris, where he and another guy run a tiny restaurant out of a small apartment (see website HERE) and only serve basically "whenever [they] feel like it." Now that's the life. He asks if I cook, and I said, sure, all the time, just never in a restaurant setting. He then proceeded to say that if I found my way to UC-Berkeley for grad school that there was a spot in the kitchen with my name on it. Several minutes later, as we walked out the kitchen and our tour finished up, he re-iterated this offer, and made sure I knew he was serious. Like I said, what a guy.

So, did I "get" Chez Panisse? In retrospect, I think so. Sure, there were no technical fireworks. I didn't come away inspired by some unexpected new flavor combination or ingredient. But this was a meal that was just so easy to appreciate. There is no processing necessary. You don't have to think so much about the food in order to enjoy it. You just keep have to arrive with an open mind, ready to enjoy the simple feast that they decide to lay before you on that given night. Relinquishing that control, and having that feeling like somebody is just cooking for you, is really satisfying. This feels like the style of food prepared in the home. The food is comforting. Warm. Soothing. Just like the restaurant itself. You walk out of CP feeling more nourished than just fed. There is just something natural and healthy about eating in a way that is so connected with the land like that. So, in short, would I go back? Oh yeah.

[Dave Hatfield]

In retrospect, I think so. Sure, there were no technical fireworks. I didn't come away inspired by some unexpected new flavor combination or ingredient. But this was a meal that was just so easy to appreciate. There is no processing necessary. You don't have to think so much about the food in order to enjoy it. You just keep have to arrive with an open mind, ready to enjoy the simple feast that they decide to lay before you on that given night. Relinquishing that control, and having that feeling like somebody is just cooking for you, is really satisfying. This feels like the style of food prepared in the home. The food is comforting. Warm. Soothing. Just like the restaurant itself. You walk out of CP feeling more nourished than just fed. There is just something natural and healthy about eating in a way that is so connected with the land like that. So, in short, would I go back? Oh yeah.

Wonderfull! wish I could have said that.

I ranted a while back about 'complicated' food. Chez Panisse defines my idea of 'simple' cooking and your lovely write up says it all- beautifully.

Thank you!

[ulterior epicure]

Damn Aaron! You're tall!! Great report - a testament to why it's still (according to Gourmet Magazine October, 2006 issu) one of the top 5 restaurants in the U.S. Thanks, I'm drooling...

u.e.

[docsconz]

Great report! I loved the kitchen photos in particular. Chez Panisse is about great ingredients prepared simply but expertly. There is certainly nothing wrong with that.

[johnsmith45678]

Is Alice Waters a common sight at the restaurant (cooking, schmoozing, etc.)?

[rhiannonstone]

Great review! My boyfriend and I were actually there the same night as you, and we also thoroughly enjoyed it--in fact, we've both said it was one of the best dinners we've ever had there (we live two blocks away and try to go once every couple months). I think it was the pasta that set it over the edge for us; it was one of the best things I've put in my mouth in a long time.

I do wish I'd noticed you there taking pictures so I could have pointed you out to my boyfriend--he never lets me bring my camera to Chez Panisse!

[s_sevilla]

Alice waters is probably on sabbatical...at least that's the last I read in the SF chronicle buzz section.

[CaliPoutine]

We had lunch at the Cafe last Monday. The food was very good, but I think I was expecting more. I was wishing I had access to a kitchen because I know I could have cooked a meal that was similar with all the great produce I saw at the Ferry building Farmers Market AND the Marin farmers Market.

Salad with goat cheese

The special pasta was shell beans, tomato and hot pepper. I dont like tomato or hot pepper so I asked if they would make me a special pasta. They made me one with chantarelle mushrooms. It was tasty.

Soul food Farms pan roasted chicken breasts with artichokes, and mint-pine nut pesto.

The chicken was perfectly cooked and the pesto was wonderful. This was the first time my spouse ever had a fresh artichoke and I think she was surprised. She loved them.

We skipped dessert. One of the dessert items was a pear with some almonds and lemon peel. It was 8.50. I find that a bit ridiculous.

Edited September 24, 2007 by CaliPoutine (log)