House Of Bagels

House of Bagels is a Jewish deli and bakery located in the Inner Richmond.  They've been around since 1962!  As you can guess from the name, they make bagels, but they also make assorted bread (challah, rye, pumpernickel), plus cookies, tarts, muffins, scones, and other baked goods.  The deli area features bagel sandwiches (with cream cheese and lox of course), plus all your classic sandwiches, including pastrami and a slew of different reuben's.  You can also get latkes, kugel, or matzo ball soup, to round out the proper Jewish deli experience.  But bagels are where they shine, and they offer 27 different varieties.  The bagels are true NY style, boiled.

But ... I haven't ever actually been to their retail store, although I've had their bagels a zillion times.  They are one of the major bagel suppliers for all the cafes in San Francisco, so chances are, you've had their bagels too, even if you don't know it.

The bagels I've had have all been pretty good.  Soft, shiny exterior, good chew, and they toast up better than any other bagels I've ever encountered.

Plain Bagel.

I actually never tried this one.  See, I like bagels, but, I don't like plain ones.  I consider even sesame, poppy, etc generally too plain as well, unless I'm turning them into pizza bagels or perhaps egg and cheese sandwiches.  If I'm having a bagel with cream cheese, I need either the bagel, or the cream cheese, to be more interesting.

But Ojan eats these all the time.  They are soft, have a good shine on the outside, and I guess are good for plain bagels.

Whole Wheat Bagel.

I also don't tend to go for whole wheat, as they are also a bit too plain for me, but Ojan gets these all the time too, and after having a really enjoyable whole grain bagel from Panera, I decided to give one a shot.

I liked it far more than I expected.  Like all of their bagels, it was soft, had a nice shine, and toasted up nicely.  I know that all bagels should toast about the same, but they don't.  House of Bagels bagels get a nice crust on the exterior but stay soft inside.  Pretty much perfect every time.  Not sure what they do differently!

It had a heartiness to it from the whole wheat that I appreciated.  I paired it with some Noah's blueberry cream cheese I had leftover, and that combo worked really well.  I'd definitely have another, if I had flavored cream cheese to go with.  Or perhaps butter and honey?

Since I liked this before, I tried another one on another occasion, when I had some leftover whipped raspberry vanilla cream cheese.  Again, it toasted up nicely, I loved the heartiness, and it made the very sweet decadent cream cheese feel almost healthy.  A nice combination.

Pumpernickel Bagel.

Classic pumpernickel rye bagel.  Like all the bagels, it had a nice shine on it, was fairly moist, toasted up nicely.  Good with cream cheese, smoked salmon, and accompaniments.

Previous notes:  I really love how their bagels toast up.  I feel like a broken record, but they get this amazing slight crust on them, yet stay perfectly fluffy inside.  The pumpernickel isn't my favorite flavor, it is a bit strong for me, but if you like pumpernickel, this is surely a winner.  Currently Ojan's favorite.

Sesame Bagel.

Another decent, although slightly boring, bagel.  Good chew, toasts nicely.

Previous reviews:  Solid bagel.  Soft, good chew, toasts up well.  Sesame seeds have good flavor and crunch. A fairly boring bagel variety, but well done.  Goes nicely with smoked salmon and herb cream cheese. [ I think this is my favorite.  Always soft, and toasts really nicely. Also good with blueberry cream cheese. ]

Poppy Seed Bagel.

Very decent!  Good chew, nice amount of poppy seeds.  Good with egg and cheese.

Everything Seed Bagel.

I think would have been good but I over-toasted it.  It had poppy seeds inside the bagel too, which was a fun touch, then poppy, sesame, onion?, garlic? on the outside.  I need to try again when I watch my toaster oven better!

Pumpkin Bagel (seasonal).

One time, I was faced with a large assortment of bagels.  I knew somewhere in the mix were pumpkin, but I wasn't quite sure which were the pumpkin bagels.  None were orange-ish.  This one was darker than the whole wheat, but lighter than the pumpernickel, so I couldn't figure out which kind it was, thus I guessed it was pumpkin.

The moment I smelt it, I knew I was correct.  The "pumpkin spice" aroma was strong.  Made with pumpkin puree and spices (nutmeg, clove, ginger, cinnamon).  Sadly, it smelt better than it tasted.  I didn't get any pumpkin flavor at all, just the spices, which were quite strong.  I wanted to taste pumpkin though, so this wasn't a winner for me.

Blueberry Bagel.

Blueberry is one flavor of bagel that I always think can sand on its own, with plain cream cheese, simple butter, or, as I often do, butter and sugar.

This was a fairly standard blueberry bagel.  It had a nice blue color, some pieces of blueberry throughout.  The bagel was like their others, decent chew, crust toasted nicely.  It didn't have a ton of flavor though, which left me a bit disappointed, as I do really love blueberry bagels!

I liked it best toasted with butter and sugar on top, but I wouldn't really pick this flavor again.

Cranberry Bagel (seasonal).

Another seasonal offering, cranberry.  Made with dried cranberries, but unlike the blueberry or cinnamon raisin, the dried fruit was not in bits, but rather was incorporated into the mix, making it a lovely pink color.  The cranberry flavor was decent, but I felt myself wishing for something more.  I think I also just wasn't in the mood for a bagel, at all.

On another day, I went for the cranberry again.  The color just drew me in.  Like all of their bagels, it toasted up just perfectly, but I didn't taste tons of cranberry, which was fine, because I had a lovely whipped berry cream cheese to pair with it.

Cinnamon Raisin.

Like the blueberry, this one surprised me in how much it disappointed, as I expected it to be one of the best. Didn't have good flavor, and wouldn't get again.

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Chile Pies (Sweet & Savory): The Savory

I've been to the various Chile Pies establishments a few different times, but somehow, the signature dessert pies have never really done it for me.  I swung in one hot afternoon, not to get pie, but instead intending to get ice cream, since they also offer Three Twins ice cream.  Imagine my surprise when I entered to find that the ice cream bar had been replaced by a mini tacqueria, offering tacos, enchiladas, chips and salsa ... certainly not ice cream.  I knew that Chile Pies is a sister establishment to Green Chile Kitchen, a regular Mexican restaurant, but I had no idea they had expanded into a tacqueria too (called, Green Chilette, how cute).

Anyway, rather than leaving empty handed, I decided to grab a savory hand pie to bring home for later.  Even though I hadn't liked the regular dessert pies, savory options are an entirely different thing, so I wanted to give them another chance.  They also had larger pot pies, but the cute little hand pies looked far more interesting.

Red Chile Con Carne Tamale Hand Pie.  $4.00.

Hand pies were available in 3 varieties: red chile with chicken, red chile con carne, or green chile with pork.  Since I dislike pork and chicken, there was only one option.

The hand pie didn't look great, as it was kinda falling apart and its insides were showing, even when I first received it.  I was asked if I wanted it warmed up, but since I was taking it home, I opted to heat it myself.

I tried one bite cold first, but that was clearly not how it was meant to be eaten, so I heated it up in my toaster oven.  As it warmed up, it fell apart even more.

The crust I really liked, it was a hearty cornmeal base, which I think is why they call it a "tamale hand pie".  Inside was beans, ground beef, and cheese, along with red chile sauce.  I dislike beans, so I really wished they weren't there, although Ojan liked them.  The ground beef was well spiced.  The cheese melted perfectly.  There was some sauce inside, with onions and chiles.

Nothing was wrong with this exactly, but I didn't really like it much, as it just isn't my style of food.  I'd want no beans, and some veggies instead, perhaps corn.  And, I'd want some sour cream or something on top.

If they made a vegetarian version I'd try it, but since I don't like chicken or pork, I don't see myself trying another one of these.  The $4 price was fine for the size.

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La Boutique de Joël Robuchon

As you know, I recently spent time in Tokyo on a business trip.  It was there that I first experienced the greatness of Joël Robuchon.  It turns out, there is a reason he has more Michelin stars than any other chef!  Our dinners at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon and La Table de Joël Robuchon, both 2 stars, were the highlights of my trip.

But, before I went to either of the restaurants for dinner, I stumbled into La Boutique de Joël Robuchon, a simple pâtisserie & boulangerie, located in the mall attached to the hotel I was staying at in Roppongi Hills.  There are other La Boutiques in Marunouchi Brick Square and Yebisu Garden Place as well, but I didn't visit them.  I knew nothing about the pâtisserie, but I figured that since it was attached to Joël Robuchon's name, it was worth a try, and somehow wound up there within just a few hours of my arrival, seeking treats.

Petit canelé. ¥231.

I had my first canelé a couple years ago at Keiko a Nob Hill.  It was the perfect end to a downright phenomenal meal.  Since then, I haven't really been able to get canelés out of my mind.  When done properly, they can be a wondrous treat.  Few places even dare to try making them.  It had been ages since I had one.

So, when I saw it on the menu at La Boutique de Joël Robuchon, I had to try it.  It didn't matter that I did not have coffee, or a after dinner drink, to pair with it.  There were canelés, at a fancy bakery, and I had to try one, right then and there!

Unfortunately, I didn't like it.  The crust was very crispy, as desired, but it tasted more burnt than caramelized.  I know that is a hard line to walk, but I think they went too far in the burnt direction.  The inside, moist, custardy, but too eggy for me.  And the whole thing was a bit soggy.  It missed the mark on pretty much all the essential aspects of the pastry.

They were offered in two sizes, the petit size for ¥231 or full size for ¥336.  Since I wanted to try several treats, I went for the petit version.  The price for either was totally reasonable, but since I didn't like it, I wouldn't get another.

Chausson au Marron. ¥378.

The selection of treats was fairly picked over since I arrived near closing time.  But I couldn't settle on just one item.  I needed to get adventurous.

I had no idea what a "chausson au marron" was.  But almost everything else looked savory, and I wanted a sweet.  It seemed to have powdered sugar on top, so I figured it must be sweet.

It turned out to be a chestnut based pastry.  The pastry dough was flaky, with a decent butter content, but was a bit more doughy than expected.  Inside was a chestnut paste and a full, soft, roasted chestnut.  The whole thing was lightly sweetened, but more savory than I was hoping for.

I don't dislike chestnut, but it is certainly not something I'd ever pick.  I was intrigued by it the whole time, as it was unlike anything else I've ever had, but I wouldn't get another.  I could imagine it being a decent breakfast item perhaps?  But it wasn't quite the dessert I was looking for.

 ¥378 was a fine price for a fresh baked good.

“Croc” foie gras et pomme. ¥598.

On my first visit, I spied a thing of wonder.  I was just minutes off a plane from California, the land of banned foie gras, and this little bakery had foie gras sandwiches!

I did not get it that first night, since I was just stopping in for a dessert, but I couldn't get it off my mind.  So, a few nights later, I stopped in to get one for a snack.

I didn't quite know what to expect, besides that it seemed to be topped with potato strings, and promised to have foie inside.  The two slices of bread were clearly brioche.

I first took a bite of it, at room temperature, as served.  I bit into it like a sandwich, since it was a sandwich, but that was quite awkward, and the toppings came sliding off.  The bread was a bit soggy, and made a mess of my hands.  The potatoes on top were a bit mushy, like hashbrowns.  But, I could taste foie.  I wasn't quite sure what to make of it, but I was determined to do better.

It seemed to be a play on a croque monsieur, which is normally served warm, so I carried it up to my office toaster oven, and heated it up.  And, I got silverware.

This improved things a bit.  The hashbrowns on top crisped up. The bread slices did as well, the bottom slice a little too much.  Whoops.  I'm not quite sure how you were supposed to heat this, if you were supposed to at all.

Along with the potato sticks on top were whole and cracked pink peppercorns.  More mild than black pepper, but intensely flavorful, a bit floral.  They dominated everything else, but I did like them.

The top slice was soggy at room temperature, and was still just too buttery and moist when heated up.  I love decadent brioche with my foie, but this was too much, particularly as it made it all mushy.

Interior Shot.

As I took my next couple bites, my happiness with tasting foie was replaced by something else.  I thought the inside filling was going to be all foie, a pate, a mousse, I wasn't sure what, but I wasn't expecting other meat.  And, what I found instead, seemed to be pulled pork.  It might have been shredded duck meat, which could make sense, but I'm pretty sure it was pulled pork.  Pork does play along with the croque monsieur idea somewhat.  But I don't like pork, or duck, really.  I tried a few more bites, but it was all I could taste.  Undeterred, I removed the offending meat, and continued on my way.

The remainder of the filling was indeed a foie mousse.  It was creamy, flavorful, and plentiful.  There was also some sort of fruit component providing a sweetness.  I originally thought they were grapes, but by the end I decided them must be chunks of stewed apple.  When I tried to look this creation up, I saw that "pomme" means apple, so, I think I was right there.  I had assumed that "pomme" was referring to the potato sticks on top, since one of the very few French terms I know is of course "pomme frites", aka, "fried potatoes" or "french fries".  Does "pomme" mean both?

Overall, this was certainly interesting, but it failed to come together for me.  I still don't know if it was supposed to be warm, it seems like not, since they didn't heat anything up there, but it seemed far too soggy to serve cold.  The brioche, foie, and fruit all went together well, but the pork (?) and peppercorn overtook everything else, and masked the more delicate flavors.  And, the ratio of bread to everything else was off, far too much bread.  I think it would work better open-faced, and the sandwich form factor certainly wasn't useful for picking up like a sandwich, due to the potato on top, and the sogginess.

All criticisms aside, I'm glad I tried it, and ¥598 for a foie gras based sandwich was beyond reasonable, but I won't be getting another.

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David's Chocolate

David's is a Belgian confection maker, specializing in assorted types of chocolate confections.  For the holidays, they make chocolate bunnies and eggs for Easter, a large assortment of goodies for Christmas, and of course, assorted filled hearts for Valentine's.  During the rest of the year, they make assorted truffles, chocolate bars, and barks, along with chocolate covered ... everything: dried fruit, cookies, pretzels, popcorn, sponge toffee, even potato chips.  Oh, and peanut butter & jam bites that sound totally amazing.  They also make licorice, the only non-chocolate offering.

I wish I had a chance to try some of the chocolate covered offerings, but so far, I've only managed to find their products once around town, and I don't remember where it was.  Doh!

Mélange à Trois

I had the Mélange à Trois bar: "a delightful blending of our fabulous sponge toffee and pretzel bits with Belgian dark chocolate."

It was a very firm, thick, sturdy bar, hard to break off just a piece.  Rich, quality dark chocolate.  The pretzel and toffee both provided a nice crunch, although the toffee was a spongy style, like sugar honeycomb, so it was a bit tacky, and got stuck easily in my teeth, making the experience of eating it a bit odd.  The pretzel gave a bit of additional salt, which is always nice in a chocolate bar, and the toffee gave a little sweetness to balance out the darker chocolate.  Well thought out ingredients, even if I didn't care for the toffee texture.

Overall, it was quite tasty, and I didn't share it with my sampling club ... sorry!

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Slimfast

Ok, so I feel totally ridiculous writing this review.  Yes, Slimfast.  No, I did not seek out Slimfast products.  No, I am not on a diet.  But, they showed up on my doorstep, and what choice did I have but to try them?

Slimfast makes bottled protein meal shakes, in a variety of flavors: French Vanilla, Creamy Milk Chocolate, Rich Chocolate Royale, Strawberries n' Cream, Cappuccino Delight, and the interesting sounding Piña Colada, along with High Protein versions of Vanilla Creme or Creamy Chocolate.  Most flavors are also available as powders, so you can mix them at home with your favorite milk base.

Nutritionally, they seem pretty good: 1 bottle is 180 calories, 6g fat, 18g sugar, and 10g protein.  Fairly balanced.  The High Protein line is still 180 calories, but has 9g fat, only 2g sugar, and a whopping 20g protein.  And at first, the ingredient list isn't too scary: fat free milk and milk protein concentrate make up the dairy base, rounded out by water and sugar.  And ... canola oil.  But the ingredients quickly get totally unrecognizable, and the list is not short.  I can't say that these seem like they are actually good for you.

Slimfast also makes protein meal bars, that are supposed to seem decadent, like eating candy bars, but are only 200 calories, and complete with 8g protein.  They do sound good, at least in name: Chocolate Peanut Caramel, Sweet & Salty Chocolate Almond, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Chocolate Cookie Dough, Chewy Chocolate Crisp,  and Have Your Cake.  And finally, they make smaller snack bars, 100 calories, but with only a single gram of protein, again in tempting sounding flavors: Double-Dutch Chocolate, Peanut Butter Crunch Time, Chocolate Mint, Greek Yogurt & Honey. 

I can't tell you about any of the bars, as I only tried the shakes.  And, I'll be honest, I expected to take a single sip, gag, and move on.  But I didn't.

Strawberries n' Cream Shake.

I tentatively took a small sip.  And then a gulp.  And then I pulled out a straw, and downed the entire thing.  Wow, it was actually good!

It was thick and creamy, like a milkshake. The strawberry flavor didn't exactly taste like ripe, fresh strawberries, but it also didn't taste like fake sweetness.  It was truly tasty.

The shakes came in a 4-pack, so a few days later, I tried another.  Now, the first time, I expected it to be awful.  But the next time I expected it to be good.  So I was more apprehensive, thinking my changed expectations might ruin it.  But ... they didn't.  It was still good, ridiculously easy to just down the entire thing in 3 seconds flat.  The 4-pack didn't stick around for long.  I found that they work for breakfast, for a post workout treat, or, even as a dessert, although, I did add whipped cream when I served it that way :)

The thing that really surprised me about these was how filling they are.  Sure, everyone says that about their diet products, but I didn't expect it.  Even by the final bottle, I was still shocked when I'd have one with my breakfast, feel beyond stuffed, and not want any other food for a few hours.  I tend to snack and munch on things all day long, and when I had the first couple bottles, I actually thought something was wrong with me and I was getting sick.  Where was my appetite?  Where was my desire to munch?  If staying full is actually something you want, these certainly do it.  I don't think it is just the protein, I think something else in the massive ingredient list is probably a appetite suppressant.

The actual Slimfast plan has you replace both your breakfast and lunch with a shake, which I honestly can't imagine doing, and I'm sure they'd get old very fast, but, uh, for random shakes, they were far tastier than I ever imagined.

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Fraiche

Fraiche is a yogurt shop in Pacific Heights.  Froyo places aren't exactly a rare thing in SF, but Fraiche's approach is a bit different.  Their froyo is made from their own yogurt base, using Clover milk, only minimally sweetened.

They also serve fresh yogurt, also housemade, in nonfat, 2%, and whole.  I tried the nonfat, and it was pretty standard tasting yogurt, not remarkable.  Then I tried the whole milk version, and it was much creamier, much better than the nonfat.  I could imagine it would make for a nice healthy breakfast, with a fruit topping, but I'm never nearby for breakfast, so I'm not sure when I'd ever have it.

Speaking of fruit toppings, their toppings are quite impressive.  They offer common ones like fresh fruits, compotes, and nuts, plus chocolate shaved to order, housemade brownies and fruit crisp, even homemade mochi.  The toppings are available to add to the fresh yogurt, the frozen yogurt, or oatmeal for breakfast.  The menu is rounded out with coffee, Blue Bottle.

Seating is fairly plentiful, with tables and a counter with stools inside, and 2 small tables outside.  Whenever the weather is remotely nice, those tables are always taken, but I was able to get one once, and it was a lovely place to sit watching the folks strolling by.

Service is always friendly, and they love to offer samples of the yogurts, but sadly, Fraiche doesn't rank very high on my list.  I think healthy yogurt just isn't my style.

Froyo

Fraiche always offers 4 types of frozen yogurt: fat-free natural, 98% fat-free Valrhona chocolate, 99% fat-free, lactose-free soy, and a seasonal dairy based flavor that changes regularly.  They are generous with tastings, so I've tried a few every time I've stopped in.  I've never been impressed with the dairy based yogurt, the style is just far icier than I like.  The soy one has good flavor, but my body sadly doesn't respond well to soy, so I can't ever order a full cup of it.

Tasting notes from flavors I have only sampled (multiple tastings in brackets):

• Chocolate: thick, creamy, weird mouth feel, chocolatey, but not as good chocolate flavor as Yoppi. [ Not as creamy as Yoppi but really deep chocolate flavor, clearly made with high quality chocolate, very nice flavor. ] [ A little watery, but very deep chocolate flavor. ]
• Soy: sorta sweet, definitely soy flavor, creamy, thick, really quite nice [ Again, very much a soy flavor ] [ Really creamy and nice, super soy flavor] [Creamy, nice soy taste] [ Creamy, great soy flavor, some vanilla flavor, pretty good! ] [ I do like the soy flavor, but still a bit icy ]

Small One Topping, Pumpkin, Fruit Compote.  $4.45.

Since I didn't love the natural, I didn't want chocolate, and I was avoiding soy, I was left with one choice, the seasonal flavor, which was pumpkin.

Like all their flavors, it was icy, not creamy.  I guess this is the low-fat part coming through.  It had some spicing, but not much, so I added cocoa and cinnamon from the coffee bar, which greatly improved things.

For my topping, I choose the fruit compote on the recommendation from the server.  Not what I'd normally go for, but he said it went great with the pumpkin.  The compote contained stewed golden raisins, cranberries, apricots, figs.  It was fine I guess, but just not the right topping for froyo.  I think it would work well will the natural yogurt perhaps.  I wish I'd picked something else, but nothing seemed quite right to pair with the pumpkin yogurt.  Perhaps just chocolate shavings would have worked?

The price was fairly high for a small yogurt (he put it in a bigger container for me).  $1 of that was for the topping alone, which makes sense for things like homemade brownies, or even the compote like I selected, but much less for sprinkles or nuts, and all toppings are priced the same.

Small One Topping, Natural, Apple Crisp.  $4.45.

On my next visit, I sampled the seasonal offering: Oreo.  It didn't really have any Oreo flavor.   It was a really strange flavor, very tart and not sweet, and I didn't taste any cookie at all.  Plus, it was very, very icy.

Although I like the flavor of the soy, I can't eat much soy, so I was left with chocolate or natural as my only options.  I didn't ever love the natural before when I'd tried it, but ... then I saw the apple crisp topping.  I knew I wanted the crisp, so my decision was made, I had to get the natural, just to go with my topping pick.

The yogurt was again more icy than I like, not creamy.  It was tart, and not too sweet.  Indeed healthy tasting, but just not my style, although I do admit that if you wanted a healthy "treat", you could get this with some fresh fruit topping, and really feel no guilt.

But of course I went for the other extreme: the apple crisp!  It consisted of spiced apples, and a sweet, cinnamony, crunchy oat topping.  I liked it much more than the yogurt itself, and really appreciated that it was offered as an option.  Their topping selection is quite impressive in general, quality looking fruit, house made mochi, etc.

I enjoyed this creation more than my previous one, but I still didn't love it, and don't really see a reason to return to Fraiche, it just isn't my style.

Previous tasting notes for Natural flavor: very tart.  Not really my thing. [ Very tart, very healthy, slightly sweet.  Perhaps good loaded with toppings, but too "natural" for me. ]

Small One Topping, Natural and Meyer Lemon, Apple Crisp.  $4.45.

I finally started adding soy back into my diet, so even though I said I wasn't going back to Fraiche,  I was excited to swing back into Fraiche on a hot day to finally get to enjoy the soy flavor, since I hadn't ever been impressed with their dairy based yogurts.

And ... just my luck, the soy was broken that day!  I had the choice of chocolate or natural as usual, or the seasonal special: meyer lemon.  I almost turned around and left, since I don't tend to like lemon flavor desserts, and I haven't ever really cared for the natural.  But I was there, it was a hot day, so I decided to at least try the lemon.  Fraiche is always so generous with letting you sample first.

The lemon, like all of their flavors, was an icy style, not creamy, but for a lemon flavor, it actually worked.  It reminded me more of a sorbet, which is usually icier.  It was tart but also sweet, and the lemon flavor was there, but it wasn't overpowering.  I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it.

I pondered just getting natural and the apple crisp again, since I remembered liking the apple crisp at least, and didn't think apple crisp would go that well with lemon, and then the person taking my order suggested that I could do a half and half, even though the lemon and natural were on different machines.  Yes!  I love not having to make decisions, and I didn't realize they'd do a side by side, as many places do not.

Both flavors were icier and more "natural" tasting that I prefer, but I actually enjoyed this more than any other visit.  I again liked the apple crisp as a topping, big chunks of nicely cooked apple, oats.  I again added more cinnamon on top from the coffee station.  I received less apple crisp on this visit than my previous one, but I still felt like I got my $1 worth.  I still can't imagine choosing a topping like sprinkles or nuts for $1, but the crisp is really a great deal.  To be fair, I think the reason I received less is because she couldn't really fit more, as I got far more froyo than I did on my other visits.  I think the side by side was harder to do than she realized, as I certainly wound up with far more froyo than I should in a small.

Anyway, this was the best version of Fraiche I've had so far, and perhaps I'm just coming around to their style more, but I still wouldn't go out of my way for it.

Drinks

Decaf Drip Coffee (Blue Bottle).  $2.95.

Another foggy, chilly San Francisco morning ... not exactly the time for froyo.  Even I have my limits!  Instead, I decided to just get a coffee, once I saw that they carry Blue Bottle.

Back in the day, I was a Blue Bottle loyalist (at their Ferry Building location).  I became such a coffee snob that I not only drank only Blue Bottle, I had only one or two specific roasts that drank, and only two baristas I would order from.  When I switched to decaf, I tried to keep going to Blue Bottle, but I didn't ever like their decaf.  A few years of drinking decaf later, all my coffee snobbery has been beaten out of me, so I decided it was time to give Blue Bottle decaf another try.

Fraiche brews all their coffee cup at a time, pour over style, just like at a real Blue Bottle location.  It took about 5 minutes, but I was told I could take a seat and they'd bring it over to me, even though I got it to go.

The coffee was better than I remembered from Blue Bottle's decaf.  Maybe they have changed their roast.  Maybe I just care less now.  Either way, I enjoyed my coffee, and it was the perfect thing for the morning.

$2.95 for a pour over was reasonable.

Spicy Chai, Soy.  $3.95.

Another day, it was a bit brisk out, so I decided to forgo the froyo, and try something else, even though I entered the shop planning to get froyo.  Normally, I can't resist froyo, but since I wasn't ever that fond of Fraiche's offerings, I was able to pass it up when I was still shivering just having a sample inside.

They carry a nice tea selection and cup at a time Blue Bottle coffee, but for some reason, the chai jumped out at me.  I really have no idea why, as I don't ever drink chai.

The chai was clearly not just made from a mix.  It was strong, in all dimensions.  I felt the caffeine surge through me almost instantly.  And, they weren't joking with the name, "spicy chai".  There was intense spicing to it.

For milk choices, they offer standard dairy (Clover, like the yogurt), plus almond or soy, with no upcharges.

$3.95 was a bit pricey, but it was a housemade chai, and with soy, so it wasn't unreasonable.

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Claudine Eatery & Wine Bar

Claudine is a French "Eatery & Wine Bar", located on the adorable Claude Lane near Union Square.  Open for lunch and dinner, and Happy Hour in-between.

Claudine is a small casual restaurant.  Inside there are only a few tables, plus a bar and counter seats along a window overlooking the lane, but outside there is a tented patio on Claude Lane itself.

I dined in the stunning horseshoe shaped bar area, which had a great ambiance.  The bar area is located right at the front of the restaurant, surrounded by big, open windows.  It was light and airy, and didn't feel at all cramped, even though the restaurant as a whole is quite small.  The horseshoe shape was unique, and made for a more intimate setting, as it was easy to talk with the other bar patrons.

Service was friendly and efficient, and they even accept PayPal as a payment technique.  Unlike many other places that use the PayPal app, it doesn't work by you just checking in.  Instead, when the bill arrives, there is a section on paying with PayPal, with a unique code.  You then type that into the PayPal app, it brings up your itemized bill, where you can add tip, split the bill with others, and complete the payment.  While not quite as seamless as the checking-in version, it makes a lot more sense for a real sit down restaurant, so you can handle the tip and everything without needing to visit a register.  Like most of my PayPal adventures, it was really easy to pay this way, and I greatly prefer it to any other mobile method I've tried.

Crème brûlée: Vanilla custard, caramelized brown sugar, raspberries.  $8.

It is no secret that I eat a lot of desserts.  I obviously have a serious sweet tooth.  And in many cases, I'm not the most discerning when it comes to desserts.  Sure, I have preferences of course, but when it comes to desserts, my extreme pickiness just goes out the door.  Jell-o mold mixed with Cool whip?  Sure!

There is one dessert that I love more than most, in concept at least, yet so often dislike when I actually have it: crème brûlée.  I love it so much that my blog has a label for it.  I love it so much, when done "right", that I'm still willing to order it whenever it is on the menu, even though I'm pretty sure I'll be met with disappointment.  My expectations and requirements for it are extreme, and I know it, but, I want it a very particular way.

I was at Claudine because they are known for the crème brûlée.  The Yelpers all say it is great.  But ... when is the last time I trusted the Yelpers?  I still went for it.

And ... Claudine nailed it.  Seriously nailed it.  They hit every element of what defines the "right" way to execute a crème brûlée, at least in my mind.

First, the "tap test".  You know, when you take your spoon and tap on the surface of the crème brûlée.  It shouldn't just go right through, like the one from Amber Dhara, or the ones I've tried from the namesake Crème Brûlée Cart.  But it also shouldn't be a pain to crack through with every bite.

I tapped ... perfect.  Thick enough to provide a real deep caramelized flavor with every bite, but not burnt tasting.  The top layer passed my test on both thickness and flavor.  Since it was served in a wider, more shallow dish rather than a standard crème brûlée ramekin, this also provided more top surface area, so there were even more bits of caramelized goodness than usual.  Very well done.

Next, the temperature.  It should be hot on top, showing that it was just freshly brûléed to order.  But the lower level should be cool.  I love that contrast of hot and cold in the same bite.  I can't stand it when crème brûlée has been torched in advance, and the whole thing is cold when served.  Claudine's version passed here as well.

And finally, the custard itself.  Not too thick, not too thin.  Not watery like the one from Pläj nor too thick and quiche-y like the one from Alexander's Steakhouse.  It was a simple vanilla crème brûlée, nothing fancy like the eggnog version from Home Hill Inn, or the total failure of a foie gras version from The Village Pub.  Simple yes, but the vanilla flavor was intense, and there were visible flecks of vanilla bean throughout.  You don't need to mix it up with other flavors when the base is this good.

For garnish, there were three raspberries, which added to the presentation, but I didn't really need.  Simplicity again, no need to re-imagine it like the "crème brûlée" from Fifth Floor, or the Mandarin Dreamsicle Brûlée from Boulevard, that came with a foam on top, and an ice cream sandwich on the side.

This was crème brûlée perfection.  I'd call it "textbook", and I mean that as a ultimate compliment, as it exemplifies how crème brûlée should be done.

The portion size would be fine for sharing with one other person after a meal, or, in my case, devouring myself as a mid-day treat.  It would go great with a cup of coffee, or a glass of wine, as an anytime snack.  The $8 price tag was totally reasonable.

I'll be back for this.  And if you like crème brûlée, you should stop playing on the internet, and go now too!

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