San Francisco: Cafe de la Presse; restaurant review

San Francisco

Cafe de la Presse  

352 Grant Ave./Bush St., Financial District. 

This corner just might be the sunniest spot in the city, and outdoor sidewalk-side tables here are enticing on nice days.

sidewalk seating at Cafe de la Presse in San Francisco, California

Also on the west side of Cafe de la Presse, large windows offering views of the sidewalk make the interior room the place to be for breakfast.  Dine then on housemade croissants and lattes as well as waffles, pancakes, and oatmeal.

almond croissant and latte at Cafe de la Presse in San Francisco, California

Lunch brings on a refreshing Nicoise salad, a good-old-American hamburger, and a classic croque monsieur.

croque monsieur at Cafe de la Presse in San Francisco, California

For dinner, the sunken main dining room in the back on the east side becomes a comfortable place to enjoy a Very French brasserie dinner.  It features a brick wall, high ceiling with turning fans, and wood banquettes along either wall.

sunken dining room at Cafe de la Presse in San Francisco, California

The establishment’s changing menu, which is the same for all dining spaces, might include a warm fingerling potato salad topped with goat cheese and olive tapenade, grilled sea bass with mashed potatoes made delicious with a sauce Vierge, and for dessert if you’re really lucky, Ile Flottante (Floating Island)—the lightest-ever meringue floating in vanilla crème Anglaise.  Recently I enjoyed a Salade de Laitue consisting of crispy romaine lettuce with hazelnut oil-Dijon mustard dressing;

salade de laitue at Cafe de la Presse in San Francisco, California

a Steak Frites with a flavorful Bordelaise sauce, caramelized onions, and a pile of crispy French fries that were way better than McD’s;

steak frites at Cafe de la Presse in San Francisco, California

plus a mildly disappointing Croissant Pudding with chocolate and toffee sauce, caramelized hazelnuts, and vanilla gelato (the bread was too compressed).

croissant pudding at Cafe de la Presse in San Francisco, California

My companion had a tender and juicy, long-cooked, falling-off-the-bone Poulet au Citron Confit that was infused with flavor and served with braised summer vegetables and lemongrass sauce.

poulet au citron confit at Cafe de la Presse in San Francisco, California

Our delicious wine was a smooth 2014 Erath Pinot Noir from Oregon.  Additional noteworthy items on the menu include Duck Foie Gras (which I was surprised to see), escargots, mussels, and a burger.  Special three- and four-course fixed-price menus are also available.  It is enjoyable to have a drink at the impressive horseshoe-shaped alder-wood bar, and 15 wines are poured by the glass.

bar at Cafe de la Presse in San Francisco, California

International newspapers and magazines are displayed along a wall and for sale.

magazine stand at Cafe de la Presse in San Francisco, California

The surrounding neighborhood is filled with French cafes and has become popular with French visitors, and the ornate gate leading into Chinatown is just across the street. 

Chinatown gate seen from Cafe de la Presse in San Francisco, California

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images ©2016 Carole Terwilliger Meyers