There is nothing better than walking around Hayes Valley and decided for a last minute lunch at Absinthe.

I have to say, I have always been a big fan of Absinthe, to me it’s one of San Francisco’s institutions. Walking in, you will hear the place buzzing.

We got seated right away. It was a cold morning and I ordered the Onion soup. It was beautifully hot and topped with melted cheese. The taste and seasoning were good but to me it’s just a beef broth, not an onion soup but that’s the French in me who loves the traditional one.

I followed with a croque monsieur topped with an egg (croque Madame) and garnished with a salad. It was good. The bread nicely crispy. A nice slice of ham in the middle topped with melted cheese. It was good. I appreciated that the Chef didn’t throw some bechamel on top of that, as most restaurant do in this country. It was a simple grilled cheese sandwich, made with great ingredients, perfect!

The salad was fresh and nicely dressed.

The BF ordered the Duck hash topped with a poached egg and a side of Arugula.  The confit duck made in patty was pan seared and given a nice color and a crispy touch on the outside, while the inside was moist.

We ordered a side of fries, it came with mustard, rouille and thyme infused vinegar.

The food was good as usual and well executed. The service lacked a bit but I cut some slacks to our waitress who had to deal with a ten top just next to us.

Jamie Lauren who took over the kitchen at Absinthe in 2007, kept the feeling of the restaurant, just adding her culinary talent to the kitchen. Though our lunch didn’t demonstrate her creativity, what we ordered was perfectly executed.

Summary: I have been to Absinthe many times, for lunch and dinner over the past 12 years. This is one of San Francisco’s must. The food is consistently good. Though a bit pricey, I will highly recommend it, it’s worth it. Bill for 2: $69.72 (not including tip, but including a couple bloody Mary)

Note: When my onion soup was served, it came with a folded piece of paper instead of the traditional napkin between the bowl and the plate to keep it stable. It was in fact a recycled piece of a old menu. Same thing for the fries, the cone was made with an old menu. I give two thumbs up to whom ever had this idea of recycling the old menu. This was very unexpected but very practical. Chapeau!