We FINALLY pull in to Berkeley. We are a bit late, so -M-‘s friends pick us up (giving us time to change and get freshened up a little from 11 hours in the car). After a surprisingly short car ride, we get to Chez Panissse.One of -M-‘s friends works there, so we sneak into a super secret parking area and head inside. Everyone greets us, and we are shown to our booth in the café upstairs. While we are looking at the menu, we get a few glasses of wine. I got the 2006 Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc, S gets 05 Colle Stefano Verdicchio di Matelica, -M- and J both have the 2005 Tempier Bandol rose.
We get a bunch of apps to start with, all to share. All are well crafted, hyper local, and delicious. Here’s the rundown:
Bread from Acme bakery in SF
Pizzetta with nettles and ricotta salata
House-cured bresaola with rocket, new oil, and Parmesan
Baked Sonoma goat cheese with garden lettuces
And, one other with fish. I didn’t partake, so I’ll not list it here.
S brought a bottle of 2004 Robert Sinskey Pinot Noir which we enjoyed with the meal. I still took a long and carefully glance over the wine list. Well chosen, priced right, and nicely organized…
We all agree to get what we want entrée wise, but promise to share. S and I both get the ‘grilled heritage pork chop with crispy potatoes and frisee and apple salad.’ -M- gets the ‘braised Marin Sun Farms short ribs with kale and cardoon crostini and anchovy-green garlic salsa verde.’ J gets the ‘pan fried Hoffman Farm chicken breast with artichokes, mint, pine nuts, and chopped egg.’
Bites of chicken, pork, and beef cross the table as we all take turns tasting each others’ dishes. I think we agreed that the chicken topped the bill. My second favorite was the short ribs. My entrée was my least favorite (although still pretty damn good).
Desserts we handled in similar fashion. We ordered up a number of dishes and shared. Here’s the list…
Meyer lemon profiteroles with caramel sauce and kirsch cream
Passion fruit ice cream with orange confit and pizzelle cookies
A bowl of Fairview Gardens clementines and Barhi dates
Mocha custard with bittersweet chocolate curls and crème Chantilly
Oh, and of course Moscato d’Asti.
Of the bunch, my pick was the Meyer lemon profiteroles. Absolutely stunning.
On the way out of the dining room, I spy a dessert I wish we had gotten, the ‘red and white wine-poached pear tart.’ This would have been served with vanilla ice cream. Sounds a little plain-Jane, but it look gorgeous…
On our way back to the car, S gives us a tour of the restaurant, the kitchens, wine cellar, cheese locker, the drying/curing meats, whole pigs hung in the walk in. Everything was just as I had imagined.
A truly lovely evening I won’t soon forget.
2 comments:
Oh, how I love Chez Panisse ... I will never forget the orange, beet, avocado salad. The avocados were at the exact moment - nay, the precise second - of ripeness. And the pasta with nettles ... so glad you enjoyed it!
Er, what I meant was - I had pasta with nettles. Your pizzetta sounds lovely. Nettles = mmm.
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