Chez Panisse Cafe

Berkeley, CA

As a young foodie years ago, Chez Panisse was the pinnacle of our dining world. It opened our eyes to what vegetables were supposed to taste like, and how simple, fresh, sustainable organic ingredients were all you needed for a perfect meal.  I still remember some of my favorite dishes of all time were during my first visits here. Down at the restaurant, an interpretive non tomato based chippino, with some of the freshest seafood I had ever had with an amazing crab crostini, just spectacular. In the cafe, a cherry tomato and squid pizzette which still resonates as one of the top pizza in my life. To say it hasn't had an influence on the way I approach food would be foolish. However, in  three to four years since our last visit, the game has changed.

Cafe Menu and Bread

We've been to some of the best restaurants in the state and our pallet has been introduced to a world of creatively, flavors, with the same respect for sustainable, fresh ingredients as mandated by Alice Walters for decades. There's no question that Chez Panisse is an institution and receives credit for influencing the food world; the question is does it one of the best restaurants in California? 

La Chouffe

I started off with La Chouffe, a decent Belgium beer and Chu-Toro went with her standard Prosecco order. The menu itself was inspired by Pellegrino Artusi. Leading up to Chez Panisse's 40th anniversary, they have been changing the menu weekly, reflecting influential chefs/restaurateurs, a creative way to pay homage and keep the menu fresh.

King Salmon salad toast with fennel and anise hyssop

Surprisingly, Chu-Toro started with a fish appetizer, a king salmon salad toast with fennel and anise hyssop. The salmon salad itself was not as good as the salmon spread we had at Le Bernadin a month ago, but the dish worked well, containing a nice citrus balance and freshness from the perfect sliced fennel. It was a nice, light, starter.

Pizzette with broccoli and bacon

I started with the Pizzette with broccoli and bacon. Since my previous Chez Panisse pizzette experience, I've always regarded it as one of my favorite pizzas, even though it's not really a pizza at all. Either way, I needed to know if it still rivaled a slice across the street at Cheeseboard. And the verdict? You bet it did! It was light, airy, a nice cracker crisp crust that still had bite to it, with nice big chunks of salty bacon and flavorful broccoli rabe. Anytime you come to the cafe, you have to get a pizzette. I wish I lived nearby to order them to go.

Gnocchi alla Romana baked in wood oven with asparagus and wild mushrooms

Every meal I have, I'm still learning about dishes and their ingredients and received a good lesson when the next course arrived. I foolishly expected a classic gnocchi as our primi course. Instead we were treated to something new that we had never had before, gnocchi alla romana made with semolina flour used to form a thick dough and baked, usually topped with butter and Parmesan. The pasta was creamy and surprisingly light combined with perfect simply roasted asparagus that exploded with flavor. Overall a unique, tasty and fun dish.

Wolf Ranch pork leg grilled with garlic, wild fennel, rapini and fried spring onions

As our secondi, we shared the pork leg, with wild fennel, rapini, and fried spring onions. Truth be told, the pork was fine, not crazy how it was sliced similar to cotogna, but the standouts on the dish were each vegetable which carried an enormous amount of flavor. The fried spring onions really stood out, tiny and sweet.

Pistachio cake with strawberries and creme chantilly

We were pretty stuffed, but decided to share a dessert, the pistachio cake with strawberries and creme chantilly. I don't recall having many pistachio cakes in my day, but it really captured the flavor of the postachio well, and true to form, the seasonal strawberries bursted with natural sweetness as a great pairing. 

We were both happy at the end of the evening and although I felt the food was very good, not excellent, Chu-Toro has a nostalgic attachment to Chez Panisse and I'm sure we will back back sooner than the later.

Rating 7.5/10
April 22, 2011