Alas, I almost never visit the new incarnation, having eaten there only three times in the past three years. The food is good, and there's really no logical reason not to eat there, so it must be illogical. It must be emotional. I miss the staff and the environment, I miss the good times, and the food that was Bizou. The picture is of a pork belly dish served the last night Bizou was open for business. (click on the pic for a larger version). I remember it was delicious.
For 3 to 4 servings:
I was fortunate enough to attend Sunday evening. My dinner proceeded as follows:
Three Amuse bouche:
Garden barbajuans (beet greens, chard, chrysanthemum...) - small pastry filled with creamed (though I don't think there was any cream involved) garden greens.
Shot of shallot cream, Granny Smith apple, & 'sode de dulse' - an 'Arpege Egg' substitute with layered ingredients/flavors, with rich and salty tastes and contrasting textures.
Oyster with kohlrabi choucroute, champagne vinegar - an oyster shell filled with shredded pickled kohlrabi, topped with a raw oyster and covered with a champagne vinegar foam. Yummy!
The early morning crowd can get a 'citoyen croissant' as well as a fresh fruit scone, pain au chocolat, ham and cheese croissant, and a cinnamon roll. Other offerings include cookies, including a signature chocolate chip version, german chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, chocolate espresso, and ginger molasses. Vanilla and chocolate cupcakes are always available, with additional chef's choice flavors as the muse dictates.
I've tried an espresso and a cappuccino. The espresso had little crema and was too cool, and the cappuccino had too much milk and also wasn't hot enough. I'm hoping that these are teething problems. I think they'll eventually get it, and the pastries are certainly a lot better than what you can get at Starbucks.
Orson Kiosk
508 4th Street (at Bryant)
San Francisco, CA 94107
Postscript: My review of Orson - the restaurant is here. It is from a visit on opening night. I've visited a few times since then and will be posting further thoughts later. Enough later so that it doesn't look like I'm the Orson PR agency!! :-).
Update: A recent cappuccino (in the afternoon) was much better. There was less milk, making it a cappuccino instead of a latte, and the temperature was better. I do believe they are getting the hang of it.
2000 Ojai Syrah Melville Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills (3/29/2008)
Color was a dark and opaque deep red-black with little or no lightening at the rim. Nose was very expressive showing herbs of provence, reserved elegant fruit, and cold-climate pepper. The palate showed completely dry with no California pruniness or overripeness at all. There were tastes of rich dark berries, spices, minerals and marked pepperiness. The wine showed great balancing acidity, and initially there were prominent tannins on the finish. After 20 minutes or so, the tannins began to integrate and the wine really opened up. It was still obviously Californian, but closer to a Northern Rhone profile than any other California syrah I've ever tasted, save for Edmunds St. John. No obvious oak, and certainly no excessive alcohol. Although delicious now, this has great structure and is still young with years ahead of it. Most excellent. (92 pts.)
