Le Zinc French Bistro
Categories: French, Breakfast & Brunch, Tapas Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: Noe Valley4063 24th Street
(between Castro St & Noe St)
San Francisco, CA 94114 (415) 647-9400
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Breakfast, Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
176 reviews
Neighborhood: Castro
"AMAZING FRENCH FOOD. And their 3 course prix fixe is such a great deal!!! I tried looking up what I had here but I think they changed the…" read more »
179 Reviews for Le Zinc French Bistro
This place can be great and can be horrible. The servers are apathetic. The ambience inside for dinner is terriffic and it is very clean. Many of the dishes are excellent. You'll be satisfied so long as you don't set your expectations too high.
One of the worst service!
My friend and I tried this restaurant for dinner. The food and service was awful!!
We ordered this salad to share...
The salad was very acidic - the vinegar was so strong. my friend was very polite and asked them if they had another salad in the menu and that the salad was very acidic. He had this mean stare down with my friend... he didn't say a word, and grabbed the plate and left. He came back with just plain lettuce... with the side of nasty vinegarette dressing... the waiter did not appologize at all and was so rude.
My friend swears that the waiter put something in the dressing that made her dizzy... but we had no evidence to prove it (sigh)... I ordered the french onion soup... It sounded good on the menu, but was sadly mistaken. It tasted very bad. Our entrees were disappointing too. At the end of our horrible experience, the jerk waiter charged us for the stupid salad at full price, too!!
Never again...
Parisians are known to be snobby about art,fashion, and especially their food. Two year ago, I traveled to Paris and immersed myself into grand dior of life. To celebrate my birthday this year, I dined at a French bistro in Noe valley.
Food.
With dark mahogany walls and tables, created an elegant atmosphere. Bypassing their extended wine bar, I sit at the at a white table cloth table. With dim lights, the bistro is reminiscent of the romantic spots I dined at in Paris. Bistro food is meant to be the creation of simple ingredients but prepared with exceptional sauce and seasoning. With out hesitation, I order seared foie gras. The nutty taste with a rich butter texture melts in your mouth. Escargo, French snails, drench in a garlic infused olive oil is a great starter. Served with a sweet light cream the mussel appetizer with shredded carrots is a great comfort dish. Don't let good things go to waste. Dip the French bread into the garlic oil. Looking at the Dine About Town menu, we order two classic bistro selections: rack of lamb and steak. Being part of the meal, the endive salad displays the natural sweet and bitter taste of endive with a light vinaigrette seasoning. The steak and fries uses simple ingredient but is cooked with finesse. Cooked medium rate, the seared steak had a slightly crispy crust while the meat is blushing dark read. A mound of caramelized onions add crunch. Seasoned with just the right amount of salt and pepper, the fries are crispy with a semi soft middle. Cut a small piece steak, dab into the drippings of the steak sauce, and toss it a stick for fries. The combination of all these ingredients creates a pungent and savory team of flavors. With the slightest hint of a gamey taste, the rack of lamb pairs well with sweet crunchy French beans.
With a party of five, we select the three desserts and two cheese platters. With the slightest touch of the spoon, the caramelized crust of the crème Brule shatters. With just the right level of sweetness, the egg custard mixture lingers through all the zones in the mouth with its pillowy texture. The chocolate soufflé is all about temperature. With a room temperature crust, the piping hot chocolate sauce explodes like lava from a volcano. The cheese platters range from creamy cheese to hard cheeses. The artisan bread pairs well with the cheese. With a crispy crust and a chewy inside, a slight slather of butter and a piece of cheese makes a great pairing. Bistro LeZinc is a great neighborhood restaurant with attentive service and memorable food.
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OK food (2.5) and terrible service(below zero) make one star.
Let me be more specific. The servers (one white female and one bald white male) I met on an early evening of Thursday were completely retarded. As soon as the guy came out and recognized me sitting at the table his co-worker was serving, he told her a joke "Hey, seems like Chinatown ran out of chicken feet" (I'm not even Chinese or from the same continent.). I immediately left the place with minimum tip because I didn't want to cause trouble.
I think that everyone has the right to hate someone based on his race and cultural background and that everyone has the freedom to express his emotion. But a grown up should handle his freedom in a better way. if you're working as a server, be more professional and don't let the customer hear the shit coming from your ignorant mouth.
For me, kicking the guy's ass was a fairly easy task and it definately could make me look cool in front of 5 other guests. By writing this on line, I can convince 10 or more people to avoid this place and this is the way I deal with the insult they gave me.
Again, food was OK and tiny canned snails made me feel like an Parisian. Thank you.
The place looks very nice but I will not go back because of the mediocre food and bad service.
When I ordered something I saw on the menu posted outside, the waitress looked at me like I was stupid. It turned out that they had a limited menu for lunch and they posted the dinner menu by mistake. No apology from the waitress. The steak was ok, but the salade Nicoise was not good. The dressing was too overwhelming and not traditional kind. I found something weird floating in my wine. We left before dessert.
Went to catch up with gal pals for dinner on a Sunday night. We hung out for 3 hours chatting. All enjoyed food - escargots, salad, mussels, duck, seared foie gras, salmon, tart tatin & chocolate cake. Not mindblowing but good. Service was fine - not stellar but water glasses kept full & timing good. Offered my friend a sample of wine before pouring a glass but a full glass arrived.
My brother, sissy-in-law & I had dinner here last night to belatedly celebrate the brother's birthday. It was a nice evening, the food was pretty good - nothing special. Though it is hard to mess up steak gaufrettes.
I had the three course prix fixe - escargot, steak gaufrettes & creme brulee - all were acceptable & fairly tasty - the escargot lacked seasoning, the creme brulee was tepid under the shell... for $40 I think I expected a little more.
We had a really nice French wine; but, quite pricy - I was a little surprised at the check; but, given that brother & sissy-in-law dined ala carte I suppose it was correct.
The service was okay; but, I was a little annoyed that the owner kept hovering over our table. There's attentive and then there is this (which was something else completely.)
Overall - I would go back, sure - it's not bad; but, it wouldn't be at the top of my list. I'd say three and a half stars; down towards three, as it just was mediocre in my experiance.
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We used to stop in here every Sunday morning when we were searching for houses in SF. We'd plot our open house map out over their deliciously strong coffee and lament over the lack of houses in our range over fluffy smoked salmon scrambled eggs.
The food here is delicious, they do amazing things with eggs. I haven't had dinner here but I should. They also have a great french wine list and fantastic mimosas.
The house in the city didn't work out, but we did find a great breakfast spot.
Another note - Le Zinc does not typically have the insane wait time that most other SF brekkie places do.
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We got seated very quickly. Not a very warm introduction by our waitress. An amuse bouche of gazpacho with cucumber/feta cheese/tomato (Not very inventive).
We ordered several tapas and one entree:
SALADE DE CHVRE CHAUD
warm goat cheese salad wi th
honey & walnut (OK, nothing unique or spell bounding)
MOULES MARINIRES
mus sel s s teamed in whi te wine (OK as well)
GALETTES DE LA MER
c rab cakes (I thought this was one of the better presented dishes)
Foie Grae dish with balsamic vinaigrette - I thought this was pretty good; reduction tasted okay. A little too sweet.
Entree: Monkfish with bacon and white beans. A little too chewy but then again that's Monkfish right? Nothing really "spectacular".
Carafe of white wine.
The dessert was really disappointing.
TARTE TATIN
caramel i zed apple tar t wi th maple
i ce c ream ( mushy top, ice cream was okay, crust - mushy again, not flaky).
I will not be back; I have a feeling this place is going down hill.
Came here twice and liked the food both times. Fish and meats were perfectly cooked. The gewurtstraminer is thankfully from Alsace, not one of those watery-tasting American wannabes.
I really want to like this place- it combines many of my favorite things: wine, French food, and a patio. However, it fails on most. Cute atmosphere, but the service was quite unfriendly, and the cheese plate we ordered wasn't good at all. The cheese was old and some was moldy (and yes, I'm aware that cheese is essentially mold). Would have much rather spent my sunny afternoon with friends with a hunk of cheese and a bottle of wine from Bi-Rite in Dolores Park.
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I brought my boyfriend here for a celebratory dinner. he picked this particulate restaurant because he does not enjoy a jammed packed restaurant. this place was very homey, but not crammed packed with people hanging over your food. the waitstaff was absolutely great, our waitress was pregnant and just as nice as could be. everyone was. the only reason i gave 4 instead of 5 stars is because the price was a little high for the quality of food the we received. everything was good(not great), just small and expensive. I would go back for the wine and dessert, and the unusually high level of customer service.
love it. I have had dinner a few times before (their food is amazing and their creme brulee delicious), but today I decided to try their brunch...yummy! The price is really reasonable ($9 for eggs benedict) and the service is good (not amazing, but good). The food though...wow, excellent.
Bon Appetit!
ps. If you have a dog, they allows doggies on their porch / patio dinning area for brunch, its really fun
This place is good on a nice day (if you sit in the quiet, small back patio), much like today. A bottle of white wine (a light, floral blend), salad and the cheese-and-meat platter was the perfect accompaniment to what might be the last stellar day we'll have around here for months. It's a good small-plate place, which earns it a special place in my heart, but there just wasn't anything special about it overall.
Service came with a hint of snob, but it didn't bother me all that much. I'd come back, if looking for something Frenchie on the affordable side. But I'd be just as happy in a friend's backyard (or makeshift backyard) with a platter of cheese from the grocery store and a cheaper, just-as-good bottle of white.
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We have been to Le Zinc three time now. The first two times we had great food and experience. Last night, I have to say the food wasn't the best.
We were seated in view of the kitchen, and for an hour and a half the only two people we say preparing food were young kitchen assistants. Where was the chef? Was the food prepared ahead of time? This seemed to be a shift from our first two experiences. Could be that the chef was in an area where we couldn't see him.
Like I said, we have had two great experiences, so I don't want to neglect those. Food, and service have always been great.
We chose Le Zinc because of its small and homey atmosphere. It was our 13 year anniversary, and we made mention of this on OpenTable which is where we made our reservation. It would have been nice to have someone acknowledge this at some point in the evening... as it is the "little things" that keep people coming back for more.
Did the quality of the meat go down? My lamb was tough, and the steak was tough as well. Mashed potatoes had an odd taste to them as well.
Started off with a Red Pepper Mouse, as well as a Tomato Ice which was both wonderful.
Based on two good experiences and one not so good, I'm going to round up from a 2.666 to a 3.
This place is awesome. Stumbled in here for brunch one nice summer's day and had an amazing omelette. If it's a nice day, you have to sit out back on the patio, it's gorgeous. I can't wait to go back.
Happy.
Absolutely very happy.
The waiter was wonderfully professional, hot, and helpful. The food from the shots of Gazpacho in little shot glasses to the dessert, it was a lovely meal. I had the 36 dollar three course meal. I had the salad with grapefruit and oranges with fresh greens, lamb with sunchoke, and the chocolate puffs with vanilla ice cream. The fact is that the food was worth it and the wine was worth it.
They have a lot of awesome French wines from the Loire Valley.
Screw Syrah. Bring your palate to new heights.
The best part???
Killer leftovers to make my co-workers jealous. :D
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In the very nice location and the food is good. If you're into tapas, this is the place to go. the place is classy and the service is good.
Le Zinc deserves exactly two stars out of five. I am giving it three stars for just one reason which I'll get to in a sec. First the food: I was with Sweeters on a day that we both felt cooped up in the house and wanted to get out of the house for a bit. I suggested Fresca down the street but Sweeters reminded me we've been meaning to try Le Zinc for ages. I readily agreed. It's French, but not terribly so. Yeah there's steak frites and moules provencal (also with frites), cheese, 'charcuterie' (their charcuterie was a joke - just some prosciutto and salami, no pate de foie de porc, goose mousse or anything remotely exciting for the diner). Just ho hum. No passion really in the food I thought. Sweeters ordered the French Onion Soup which was a mistake. It was ridiculous: it was really a onion stew served on a plate topped with toast points with cheese melted on top. I think most people want a earthenware brown soup tureen filled to the brim with rich rich RICH beef stock and onions topped with a slice of toasted stale (deliciously stale) pain de mie which itself is topped with oodles of Gruyere de Comte. Baby, thats French Onion Soup! I wanted to slap the chef. His smoked salmon salad was a ho hum jamble of not so fresh oak leaf with thin thin strips of smoked salmon criss crossed on top. Edible yes. But just like, whatever. Not satisfying at all. The reason why I'm giving an extra star to this mediocre restaurant is due to my own meal. I got 12 assorted awsters (oysters to you west coasters) on the half shell as my starter, bread and butter, and a glass of sancerre. Believe it or not you CAN fuck up awsters if their not fresh but it's harder to do. No I wasn't at Zuni or at Hog Island's funky oyster drive by which is perched above Tomales Bay in Marshall, but they were decent. This brings me to the reason why I am giving an extra star to poor little Le Zinc: my entree which was a green bean salad topped with a super duper generous slice of foie gras. I was like WHAT?? You are serving me a salad with a 1//3 inch thick slice of foie gras on top?? The foie was exactly the size of a slice or bread which is alot in my book for the price of 14$. Yeah the green beans were dressed in more tired greens and a slightly warm mustard vinny but who cares? More bread please!!!! I was great. A real deal. I had another glass of sancerre and paid for the tab 'cause Sweeters always laughs at me when he knows I am enjoying myself and proving that when it comes to food I can be a real princess.
If bland food, snobby service, interminable waits and overpaying are what you're into, Le Zinc is your holy grail. And if you swoon at the thought of all of that set in yuppie daycare environs, OMG, are you in for a treat at this place!
Lemme dig for a pro first....hang on....wait for it....
Oh, ok, here's one! I heard from my dining companion that the fresh squeezed grapefruit juice (if you can weasel it out of the elusive waitstaff) is so good it will make your eyes roll back into your head. I know not. The patio seating was very nice, with a giant lemon tree in the middle.
OK, now for what was truly memorable about this place:
I will say that the French Burger was *yawn* and the accompanying bacon soggy. The Egg Brik was burnt on the bottom and topped with excessive amounts of crusty cheese. And the Meat and Cheese Artisan Plate sported warm, sweaty meat and hardened, refrigerated cheese.
I will also say that the waitstaff was astonishingly inattentive and borderline rude. I shouldn't bear witness to eye rolls. Nuh uh.
I will add as well that I felt my hair gray and wrinkles crease my face between the time I sat down and the time I ordered, and then I grew incontinent and senile by the time the food arrived.
All for $68.
You really meant to dine at Firefly, didn't you?
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i really want to like this place- it's in my neighborhood and it features three of my favorite things (french food, wine, and a patio). unfortunately, it's over-priced and to put it simply, just not very good, or very french. i mean, come on, the salades nicoises in france, for instance, are usually a fraction of the price, larger, ten times more delicious... and with CAPERS. duh.
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I totally chose this restaurant on a whim. I wanted French food, but didn't want to break my wallet. What a wonderful choice!!!
The restaurant is very charming, the staff is very welcoming - it's an all around comfortable atmosphere.
I actually went with their pris-fix menu, which I normally never do. The reason? They actually had selections that I absolutely love and would order anyway. I started with the escargot. Honestly, it was just OK. They served it on potato and when you ate it together with the escargot, it made the bite bland. I had to add a little salt.
Everyone but my husband got the escargot. He got a salad that was served with cheese (forgot what kind) wrapped in crisp filo dough. Now THAT was really, really good.
For entrees, a couple of us ordered the steak frites. Mine was a little on the rare side, even though I ordered medium. For me, unless it's mooing, a little rare doesn't bother me. The taste was wonderful! The fries were good as well. The sauteed shallots completed the dish. We also had the lamb served two ways - rack and noisette (looked like long strips) - it was excellent. My husband had the sirloin steak served with a creamy porcini mushroom sauce on top, with a potato gratin. He kind of freaked at how small the steak was, but oh my... Double thumbs up for that dish. It was enough food to fill him up, and it was delicious. I can't decide what my favorite dish of the night was! I loved them all.
Dessert - the profiteroles my husband ordered were good, but my creme brulee was better. Topped with fresh strawberries, the brulee just melted in my mouth. My dad had the rum soaked cakes - I didn't try it, but he really enjoyed it.
It was a fantastic evening and I would not hesitate to go again. Because of the escargot and the rare steak, I should put this restaurant at 4 stars, but because I loved everyone elses dishes around the table (and yes, I like to make my fork reach), I give it a 5.
I read the reviews about brunch and I'm totally looking forward to trying that now.
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We always think of this sweet little bistro down the street as an afterthought, but it's been a good experience. The last time we ended up there without reservations on a Friday night, and they seated us at a nice big table and brought us a bowl of hot water to thaw the baby's milk. Service was friendly, food was good, and the atmosphere was very comfortable.
These people have never been to France much less know how to cook French food. The onion soup did not even look like anything I have ever seen before - it had no taste, the bread looked like wheat bread, the cheese was negligent and tasteless. My steak, frite was raw and cold. It took so long to come, I was afraid to send it back - after three bites I had to quit. I was sick for two days from all the butter. Why would you put snails on greasy slabs of potato? The service - one guy was the host, the waiter, and the bartender - need I say more. Don't go - run away - run to Cafe Bastille...
Date & Time: Dinner @ 8
Company: Michael
Crowd: Mixed Neighborhood People
Ambience: Casual French
Decor: Non-Descript Bistro and Alfresco in the Back
Service: Efficient
Imbibe: Wine
Devour: Everything on the Menu is Decent, No Stand-Outs
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Had been wanting to try this place for a while. Its a cute bistro, nice atmosphere (we sat out back). Had a kir royale and crab benedict (w/o the muffin?) served with a side of thier roasted potatos.I had to ask for salt and pepper to help the flavour of the dish and even then it was still pretty bland. The eggs were poached perfectly...but the crab cakes were not crabby enough, too much bread filler.The roasted potatoes could have sooo delicious...if they had been caramalized a bit more...they were pretty dry. So all in all it was just OK...especially when you factor in the price.
Good, but not amazing. The service was well, bumpy. They were decent enough, but seemed to be a bit disorganized when we were there. Probably had to do with having lunch at 2:30.
The food is definitely tasty and while maybe a good price for Now residents, I found it to be a bit steep for what it is, which is simple French bistro fare.
Loose leaf tea is a plus though.
Le Zinc's dog-friendly patio is my little home away from home when I'm in San Francisco and need to kill some time between brunch and dinner. I get a glass of wine or one of their funny French beer+fruit juice drinks and spend the afternoon in the company of a book and a very beautiful lemon tree. I've gotten the French omelette before and loved it, too.
I really wanted to like this place, but I have mixed opinions.
I think the restaurant itself is cute, but the food was just so-so. The escargot was overly chewy and oily, the steak didn't really have much flavor, and the little mini-appetizers they brought really didn't pop. On the up side, I did enjoy the frites, the cosmo, and the espresso.
I think the decor is cute and I love the idea of having a French bistro in Noe Valley, but the quality of the food just isn't there--particularly for the price. There are better choices for French food in this price range, including Cote Sud, Chez Maman and Zazie.
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E-chan and I moved to the Noe about a couple months ago and we finally got to eat at this cute French bistro.
I ordered the French toast and E-chan had the ham & cheese sammich. Both were REALLY tasty! I also had their fresh squeezed OJ and man oh man...I haven't had fresh squeezed OJ that good before! My mouth waters right now as I'm telling you about it.
'Scuse me while I go wipe off my drool...
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Same as Dana's review. I gave this place a third chance because I really like the ambiance and dining AL fresco in their tiny but charming garden. Great selection of cheeses but no brainer here,,,wine is expensive, one glass of wine start from 10$ and I have doubt on their selection which seems more on the cheap side. I returned a corky Chardonnay and got another one that was quite good but not worthy 10 bucks. We started with the appetizers, some meat and shrimps egg rolls were presented in a nice were but too greasy and lack of flavor. The crab crepe was delicious but somehow overpowered by the orange mayonnaise. Let's get to the real disappointment: my entree. I ordered a monkfish casserole. Not presented in a casserole but in a regular dish buried in beans and overcooked tomatoes. I could only find two small pieces of fish which one of them was overcooked and the second one raw...what was going on in that kitchen?? overall not a good presentation, flavorless and poor. I don't want to spend almost 20 bucks on a bunch of cannelini beans. My friend got a piece of salmon which was good but like any other salmon that you could get anywhere in San Fran. Desserts: pretty decent warm chocolate cake but again sunked and overpowered by an intense chocolate sauce ...the food has been disappointing since the first time but ...I like the staff like the ambiance and the backyard
i got the fixed price brunch here. nothing to write home about, and yeah a little overpriced for what it was. ive had better eggs benedict. i do like the outside seating both in the front and the back. good because it is close to my apt.
charming little french breakfast spot with nice garden seating out back. some good twists on brunch classics. and they get the portion sizes just right here. tres bien.
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My husband, two kids (3 years & infant) & I often find ourselves at Le Zinc on a lazy weekend morning (or early afternoon!). Their brunch menu is lovely and full of different options for different tastes. They also have a small kids' menu and have always been really pleasant towards the kids. Patio is lovely but often a long wait to sit there on a sunny Noe day. We often bring out of town guests here, as it is an easy walk from our place, and has predictable yummy fare.
I see other's comments that it is a "yuppie daycare"... I guess you should go elsewhere if you don't want to see children in your midst. Probably leave Noe, I suppose. Those of us with kids living in the city work hard to find places that welcome us - Le Zinc has done that, without turning itself into a kid-focused place.
Le Zinc is a small French bistro on 24th Street between Castro and Noe. That means only one thing: parking is hard to come by. I guess it's a pretty good way to keep those not from the neighborhood out of the neighborhood.
We were seated in the back, right in front of the open kitchen with a zinc counter. The door in the back opened onto the patio, and I kept wondering whether the patio is open on those warm Noe Valley nights. Frankly, I don't know the answer.
We opted for the 3-course prix fixe menu, which was an excellent value for $36 per person. I can't say that the dishes delighted my palate or reached the apex of culinary perfection, but they were all well prepared and beautifully presented.
First, the waitress brought out amuses bouche for the whole table - cottage cheese concoction served on a bite-size cucumber cube. To wash it down, they brought gazpacho soup served in a shot glass. The cold soup was delicious, but it was too thick to be served in a narrow shot glass.
The salmon salad was very refreshing, although it had entirely too much dressing. Steak frites were an interesting choice; they reminded me of my mom's roasted potatoes with a small piece of not-too-tender beef served on a bed of grilled onions. For dessert, I ordered Baba au Rhum, or sponge cake soaked in rum. It was served on a beautiful glass plate with a tiny scoop of ice cream.
Overall, everything looked better than it tasted. Our waitress was very charming and nice, but a tiny bit incompetent. Oh, and a piece of decorating advice: dark burgundy accent wall will make your small, narrow dining area look even narrower.
I think it's a great place for a date or a quiet dinner with a friend. The food is good, the lights are low and the place is conducive to a conversation.
Enjoy!
Le Zinc is a passable bistro, but I would not make an effort to return. Between 3-5 they serve tapas. The two ordered at our table were disappointing: warm goat cheese salad and croustillant de camembert. The cheese was good, but preparation and presentation (on incongruous-in-a-bistro square frosted glass plates) were mediocre. Mixed greens in an ok balsamic vinaigrette and half a candied pecan were nothing exciting. The desserts (tarte tatin and vanilla ice cream) were forgettable. The above, plus 2 glasses of wine, one port and two coffees was reasonable at around 60 bucks, but I would have been happier going to a taqueria and spending less than 10.
In celebration of the new year, our friends from Santa Barbara joined my partner and me, and together we splurged on a decedent dinner at Le Zinc, a superb French bistro in San Francisco's Noe Valley neighborhood.
None of us can get back too soon. The meal was wonderful and the evening unforgettable.
For the holiday seating Le Zinc offered a set menu; and each of us took advantage of it, ordering a 4 or 5 course spread that ranks among the best meals we've had in a very long time. The ahi appetizer was absolutely remarkable; the filets tender, moist, and tasty; the lamb out of this world; and the wine & champagne flawless. And it was all presented by an impeccable wait staff.
Be prepared to spend some money, but know that is well worth the price. This place is superbly spectacular!
Eight thumbs up. Five stars. And four very satisfied customers!
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We went here for Valentine's Day. This was our virginal V-D outing to an actual restaurant. We live in the hood and have never seen more than 2 people sitting in Le Zinc upon passing, so we decided, in keeping with the spirit of the day, we'd spread the love and give them our business. They didn't need us doing them any favors. The place was packed all night.
Upon learning that there was a Prix-Fixe menu, we were both a little trepidatious that it meant holiday-party type food and harried servers. Mais non!!!
I started the evening off with a Flirtini at the bar while we waited for our table to be ready. And I ordered a drink too. Bah dum bum. I'm here all week folks.
Anyway, we each went for the two-course option, and craftily split an entree and dessert. The crab and avocado millefeuille was delicious, although the bf pronounced it "unfocused". Whatevs. See what a season pass to Top Chef does?
I had the venison (yes, I hate rainbows and puppies too. Put it down to me being the only child in the world unmoved by Bambi), and the boy had the beef. Big shout-out to the potatoes dauphinoise. Tasty!!!! I loved mine. We finished with the dessert platter which had chocolate cake, creme brulee and crepe suzette.
The price was reasonable, the service was great., and the ambiance is wonderful. It really is like a French bistro. The clientele was pretty bad. Yes, I'm talking to you, girl who texted during the entire meal, and don't get me started on the oldies next to us who did the cheesy linking champagne glasses thing. Really? People do that?
I'll be back for a meal on a regular night for sure. I figure they'll have culled the herd a little.
We had dinner at Le Zinc French Bistro with my parents. They always want to eat here every time they come for a visit, so we go about once or twice a year.
Food: No matter what you order, you are served a couple of "amuse bouche" which are interesting little tastes. Today it was a small disc of potato with a slice of meat on top followed by a spoonful of gazpacho.
I ordered the 3 course "prix fixe" and chose the soup of day (a delicious cream of broccoli), the tasty steak & frites with creme brulee for dessert.
My father had the salad of the day (an interesting falafel made from couscous topped with baby greens), the lamb and "baba au rhum" for dessert.
My partner had two appetizers for dinner. One was sort of a cheese tart thingy. The other was a bit of salad with some tiny sausages.
My mother had a petite beef tenderloin and a potato gratin that was very delicate and good. She said it was all very tasty.
Both my partner and my mother had the "fraise melba" for dessert, which they do every year.
We were very pleased with all of our dishes.
Service: Very good. Our server was very polite and attentive. No long waits for food, drink or the check.
Environment: Good, but there are specific areas of the restaurant that are colder than others so make sure you ask for a warm area if you have a choice.
Also they have a habit of lowering the lights which makes it difficult for older people to read the menu. I understand the purpose is to make it more romantic, but at 5:30 pm and 6:00 pm, most of the clientele are families, some with young children. If they could wait until 7:00 pm to dim the lights, I think many of their guests would appreciate it.
And finally, the seats are wood and have no padding The front edge digs into the middle of my thighs, so by the time the main course is over, I get a little antsy.
These three points are basically why I rate this place 4 stars and not 5.
Bar: There is a good international variety of wine and beer. My father had a "La Fin du Monde." I didn't drink this visit, but I have tried the different colors of Chimay (served in the proper glass even) with their delicious meals.
Overall, this is a great place to go to have a special meal with your loved ones. Highly recommended.
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Dine about town Jan 2008:
Le awesome! They turned something as gross sounding like creamed celery soup and made it buttery good. The steak frites were also good. Not the best cut of meat but it was cooked well. The fries were super crispy too! The creme brule is also good. Best atmosphere I've encountered in SF so far.
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