Chez Panisse Cafe

In my last post, I mentioned that we went to Chez Panisse Cafe to celebrate Maya’s birthday. In case you haven’t read that post, Chez Panisse is an iconic restaurant in Berkeley, California, that specializes in really fresh food put together beautifully. It is not a Michelin Star type restaurant (though it has had a star in the past). The focus is, and has always been, sustainable, fresh, in season food, served at its peak flavor, presented simply and beautifully. The downstairs restaurant is a set menu, the only exception being that they have a vegetarian set menu option. When I look at their menu online, you likely won’t see veal or fois gras, but you may end up eating squab, chicken, lamb, beef, or fish. The Cafe is upstairs, and has an ala cart menu, which follows the same edicts of sustainable and fresh, and changes daily.

The restaurant is lovely inside, craftsman architecture, the atmosphere is warm and inviting like a home. I loved the windows and fan in the skylight above our table.

The menu for the night we dined.

Alice Waters is known for her salads, which are light, simple, and absolutely delicious. We started our meal with the baked goat cheese salad. It was so, so good. It made me want to rush to the Farmers’ Market to get the freshest greens possible, though the weekend came and went and I did not do so. Perhaps next weekend.

For my main, I had the rock fish with snap peas, turnips, spinach, and a Meyer lemon relish. The fish was lovely, but the snap peas were surprisingly delicious. I love peas generally, but these were next level good..

Maya had the pizza with anchovies, Lucques olives, tomato sauce, and marjoram. This was absolutely wonderful, with a surprising depth of flavor.

Ted had leg of lamb with fennel, chard, carrots, and olive butter. The lamb was perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious.

My dessert was an apple and sour cherry galette with vanilla ice cream, which they wisely had displayed as we walked past the open kitchen, convincing me from the beginning of the meal to save room. Goodness, it was so, so good. I would have loved to have another serving for breakfast the next morning.

Maya had mint chocolate chip ice cream with chocolate sauce and a chocolate sable. I had a taste, and the mint flavor without any chocolate was very bright. Obviously fresh mint, not artificially flavored. She loved it, she said the combination with the chocolate sauce was delicious.

Overall it was a delicious meal with warm, attentive service. It was a little cold inside, which is why Maya is wearing my jacket. We were sitting by the window, which they kindly closed for us when we asked.

If you’re ever in Berkeley, I highly recommend Chez Panisse Cafe, and if you’re up for the total experience and want to try the set menu, Chez Panisse is surely amazing.