Chez Panisse, Berkeley
Finally, a trip to Chez Panisse and boy was it worth the wait. (Again, reservations 30 days in advance, to the exact calendar day. This requires some planning ladies and gentlemen…) Although Chez Panisse has a more affordable, ala carte cafe upstairs that serves a variety of the season’s best dishes, the establishment is famous for its restaurant (downstairs). There, diners are offered a prix-fixe menu that changes daily, featuring only the freshest in-season ingredients - mostly purchased from local vendors and farmers. You may have heard of executive chef and owner, Alice Waters - she’s penned many Chez Panisse cookbooks that you’ve probably thumbed through at the local bookstore. The prix-fixe menu is posted online each Monday for that week so what is being served on the night of your reservation is really the luck of the draw. Be open-minded and trust that everything served at Chez Panisse is absolutely fantastic. (I even set a calendar reminder the week of our reservation to check what was on the menu for us!)
An apertif: proseco with limoncello, my favorite (4*).
Ravioli fritti with cherry tomato salad (3* for the ravioli - the ricotta filling was good, the fried pasta part was a bit dry, 4* for the tomato salad).
Spicy shrimp and squid saute with roasted peppers and sweet corn (5* - the squid was cooked to Perfection with a capital P!).
Grilled rack and loin of James Ranch lamb with little turnips, stewed garlic, summer squash, and green beans (4.5* - this was astonishing since I don’t usually eat/like lamb.) Wherever/whatever James Ranch is, I’m a fan! BTW, garlic can be stewed?? Alice Waters and her staff of chefs are geniuses.
Roasted Blossom Bluff Orchards peaches with plum ice-cream in creme anglaise (4.5*). Simple, yet with complicated - we almost licked the dish clean.
Yummy! This was one of the best dining experiences ever. The restaurant looks like a cozy house, the staff treats you with the utmost professionalism and courtesy, and the food is phenomenal. If you really enjoy good, high quality food in a relaxed setting, you’re sure to have a great time at Chez Panisse. I’m going to mark my calendar now to make a reservation for sometime in the next 30 days or so.
