October 20, 2007
Zuni Cafe
Got back to the Bay Area, but this time as a part of our honeymoon rather than just a homecoming, so wanted to do a bit more than the usual sit-at-home-watch-TV routine. I was hankering for some American classics, Sam&Michelle have wanted to go to Zuni for a while, so it seemed like the perfect fit. Unfortunately Michelle got called in at the last minute, but the three of us still managed to have a good meal on a beautiful autumn day.
There was already a line when we arrived for our lunch reservation. The room featured high ceilings, big windows, a loooong bar, copper-clad tables. The perfect blend of the Californian culinary aesthetic, American classic comfort, with a splash of French bistro. No wonder at Zuni's perpetual popularity.
The menu was on a single sheet of paper but I barely needed it since we stuck to the classics. Started with a big plate of perfectly crisp shoestring fries, with home-made aioli and ketchup for dipping. Split one Caesar salad three-ways for a taste. If one were feeling critical one may say that the salad was just a few romaine leaves drizzled with a bit of dressing and a few croutons and a bit of Parmesan. On the other hand, that's what a Caesar salad's all about, and all the parts were impeccable. The signature roast chicken is juicy and crispy and good but to be honest it probably wasn't worth the hour wait and the shockingly high price, even when you include the tasty bread salad sitting underneath. At least we could munch on the fries while the chicken roasted. Sam went over the top with the pork chops, two thick slabs of pork. Stuffed, well-brined, and juicy. He ended up taking most of it home, and it held up well.
Well-done classics in a relaxed environment, no surprises but in a good way. A bit on the expensive side and it's hardly a find, but I had fairly high expectations, which may be even a tougher hurdle and they met it smoothly.
Zuni Cafe
1658 Market Street (between Franklin and Gough)
San Francisco, CA
(415) 552-2522