On a beautiful Monday night in San Francisco, I ended up at the bar of Jardinière with my two best friends visiting from Paris and the BF.

I know the food at Jardinière always wowed me, but it’s more than just the superb food. It’s about the ambiance and Kuleto’s wonderful touch. It’s about the service that always shined. It about memories, Jardinière open the same year I moved to San Francisco a bit over a decade ago, Traci Des Jardins chef and co-owner, as since over the year amused my palate and intrigued my senses, enough to bring me back here over and over again.

That night we sat at the bar and let Brian create for us

wonderful elixir that open up our appetite. Next thing I know, my nose is diving in the menu and I am ordering.

No need to sit at a table, the bar is convivial enough to make me want to stay. The place is empty that night, giving it a feel like we have the restaurant for ourselves.

We started by the Ginger Marinated Scallop with Dashi gelée and white soy. This dish was so delicate on my tongue, the mix of the flavor and the textures just gave me a foodgasm.

We followed by the purée of cauliflower and coconut soup with toasted cashew and Thai curry oil. The soup was divine, I would like to find another thing to say. But it was so good it left me speechless. Cauliflower and coconut, oh yeah it works! I might have to steal this recipe and make it at home soon.

Then we shared a wonderful beet salad and the charcuterie  plate. Also very good!

As a main course, we ordered the Roasted Chicken topped with a fried soft boiled egg. This is the most insane egg I have ever put in my mouth. It if was just for me I would order a dozen of those and then go straight into a cardiac arrest but, those are so good! Soft boil egg, dipped in a bread crumbs batter like and deep fried. When you bite in it you have the out crispy shell that crackle under your teeth and then the yolk explode in your mouth, this is a multiple foodgasm. I had to watch the face of my friend as he bit right into it, it was just a pleasure to look at his face happily surprised by the deep fried egg.

My other friend ordered the Liberty farm duck breast, served with chestnut spaetzle with a huckleberry sauce. It was really good the fat perfectly crispy and the meat nicely pink. It was very juicy and just a very good dish, with well balanced flavors.

The BF ordered the Prather Ranch Lamb, served with a mash and grilled artichoke hearts. It was sublime.

We also shared the Carnaroli Risotto with butternut squash and Fontina d’Aoasta. This was from far the best risotto I have ever had. It was just amazing! The flavors exploded in your mouth like fireworks, the butternut squash bringing more of the nutty flavor and of course the Fontina, that I grew up with because my grand father is from Aosta, was just the perfect balance for this risotto.

This with a few glass of the Freeman Pinot noir and I was in heaven. Even if Michelin hasn’t given Jardinière a start yet, I think it’s been shining over them for a long time in my book.

Summary: Jardinière is highly recommended, though a bit pricey you will soon realize that it’s worth every penny. The food is sublime, the service excellent. Having dinner at Jardinière reminds me what’s a real restaurant! Bill for 4: $389.30 (without tip)