Fringale's Warm Chocolate Gourmand: Love at First Bite (Dessert Before Dinner Write-off)
Written: Feb 13 '01 (Updated Feb 15 '01)
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Pros: Intensely flavorful French food at surprisingly reasonable prices, bright cheerful decor
Cons: Half-hour waits even with reservations, overcrowded entryway too cozy for comfort
The Bottom Line: Fringale is a budget-friendly French bistro that offers exceptional food to the lucky diners with reservations.
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| smiles33's Full Review: Fringale |
A decadent chocolate dessert before the main course? I never considered that before, but when one of my favorite Epinionators, Epicure, suggested a “Dessert Before Dinner” write-off, I enthusiastically agreed to participate. What a novel idea!
But, the question remained, where would I venture? And, keeping in mind my limited student budget, I didn’t want to blow my entire month’s entertainment budget on one evening. That concern immediately eliminated many of those restaurants one of my other favorite Epinionators, Tanster, regularly frequents.
Turning to Epinions’ large database of San Francisco restaurants, I began my search by browsing in the more unusual categories. That is, unusual in comparison to most American students’ preferences since our budgets restrict us to particular choices. On a fluke, I clicked on “French” and found several laudatory reviews for Fringale, including two by familiar epinionators, Mr.Eyore and tennisplayer. Not only did the reviews boast of delicious food, but the modest prices were unbelievable at this French bistro south of Market Street (SoMa).
Mr.Eyore’s tantalizing review, “Fat Pink Nuggets of Awesome,” immediately caught my eye as I happen to love rack of lamb. And his mouthwatering description of the prosciutto and cheese terrine sealed the deal for this cheese-lover. Another reviewer mentioned a decadent chocolate dessert, so I decided that it would be Fringale!
Chocolate is my friend!
Typically, I am a meat-and-potatoes girl. I much prefer a hearty rack of lamb than a decadent chocolate dessert. And most times, by the time I finish that entrée, I have no room for dessert. So it was with great glee that I asked for the dessert menu first!
Now, Epicure’s first email had warned that her husband thought this was a weird idea, so I tried to brace myself for a raised eyebrow or two. Instead, the maitre d’ graciously brought the dessert menus. Then, our waiter just shrugged when I told him I wanted to order dessert first.
Well, with that absence of fanfare, I proceeded to order the warm chocolate gourmand ($8). I didn’t even glance at the other desserts, as I had read about this in another Epinions review, “Basque in the glory” by Cake. It was divine! I can’t do it justice in trying to describe it, but it was very moist, in-between mousse and soufflé, and dressed with a variety of berries (blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries).
My fiancé, Brace33, and I raced each other in devouring this shared dessert-—it was quite a funny image as it was marked by my murmurs of appreciation and squeals of surprise when our forks would clash!
Before describing the rest of the meal, I thought I'd give some background on the restaurant and some more details on the dining experience overall. Thus, the organization of this epinion is a little unusual, precisely in tune with the "Dessert Before Dinner" theme!
Thank you for letting me live near San Francisco!
While there are days when I curse the traffic, when I moan about the impossibility of owning a home here, and when I long for the days of smog-free scenic views, I still love the San Francisco Bay Area. Where else can one find a city with such a diverse cultural background, relatively open-minded individuals, great weather, and fabulous food?
Luckily for Brace33 and I, Fringale was able to give us a same-day reservation for 8 p.m. on a Friday night. Talk about being in the right place at the right time! Most reviewers lament the wait for reservations, so I wasn’t really expecting to get one on the same day, but a girl can dream, right? And 8 p.m. is fairly decent considering those who have had to put up with the 10 p.m. reservations! Who eats dinner at 10 p.m.?
After easily finding parking a block away from the restaurant, we strolled somewhat quickly to the restaurant (this isn’t a chi-chi neighborhood but a more industrial/commercial one that seems to house more bars than restaurants). But then we had to deal with a half-hour wait. Well, at least the wait was worth it! Brace33 and I managed to snag two seats at the ultra-cool, curved golden-colored bar. With a cosmopolitan in hand (he had a Tanqueray and tonic), we passed the time chatting, people-watching, and sipping our expensive but well-made drinks ($15 for both).
The place is small, very intimate and simply sophisticated. While others may not agree with the décor, I happen to like the air of understated elegance. The walls are painted with a warm beige tone paint and are accented with large windows overlooking the somewhat less picturesque street. Overall, it exudes a bright cheerfulness I hadn’t expected, especially after our recent visit to another French bistro, Bouchon in Yountville. The two are very different takes on the French bistro, and having never been to France, I can only guess that it may be the Basque influence on Fringale that differentiates it from the more “dark” and serious Bouchon.
One thing I immediately noticed when people-watching was that this is an older crowd. We’re talking about patrons well above their 30s (the average age is probably mid-to-late 40s), which is a new thing for me as I’m used to the young dot-com crowd. I took this to be a good sign-—this restaurant is here to stay and isn’t dependent on dot-com money but “old-school” money. Of course, this made me feel very young and a little out-of-place at first, like I was invading someone else’s space, but at least Fringale doesn’t have the same stuffy air as those “old-school” men’s club-type restaurants.
Another thing I noticed—-the place was incredibly crowded (amplified by the fact that it’s a small building), yet everyone was so happy! It must be the food, as everyone overlooked the fact that one had to push one’s way through the “mosh pit” of waiting people to get in or out of the restaurant. For a restaurant that only has seating for about 40-50 people, I was surprised to observe nearly 15 people waiting at almost all times (even up to when we left around 10 p.m.).
Je ne parle pas francais!
My two months’ of French class in high school is totally insufficient to do anything. Yet it did expose me to how the language should be spoken (my first exposure since the cartoons of Pepe Le Peu). And from the accents of the maitre d’, the bartender, and the wait staff, it appears that everyone in the front room at Fringale is French!
The maitre d’ was efficient, borne out of necessity, I’m sure. I was not particularly impressed, since we did have a half-hour wait, but I figured that is the price to pay at such popular establishments. The bartender promptly fixed us a drink and we settled in.
I noticed that there were about 5 waiters for the restaurant, and they worked at a rather hectic pace delivering entrees, picking up empty plates, and taking orders. Yet when we were seated, I didn’t feel rushed at all. In fact, the waiter even took my long coat and hung it up in the back for me. When we left, he returned with the correct coat as well—a surprise considering how many coats he probably hung up!
I believe our waiter did check in with us several times, but I was so engrossed with the food, I really can’t recall. That’s a good sign in my book! Yet upon further thought, I do remember him refilling our wine glasses and then removing the empty bottle. Others have complained before of service here, but I couldn’t find fault with much other than the initial half-hour wait.
On to the rest of the meal!
To smooth the transition to the remaining dishes, I sampled some of the hearty, thick-crusted bread. I was disappointed it was cold, but I think it would have been much tastier had I not already scarfed down a warm chocolate gourmand!
As for the rest of the meal, I ended up ordering both of Mr.Eyore’s recommendations: the sautéed prosciutto and sheep’s milk cheese terrine ($8.50) and the marinated roast rack of lamb with potato gratin ($20). I just couldn’t resist Mr.Eyore’s wonderful descriptions.
The prosciutto and cheese terrine was even better than described, as the salty meat, hearty cheese, greens tossed in a light vinaigrette, and toasted pine nuts combined to offer a kaleidoscope of tastes and textures that makes my mouth water just thinking about it. I can’t think of a more creative mix of tastes and textures in such a pleasant and budget-friendly essence. Once again, brace33 and I had chosen to share, but next time, I’m getting my own terrine! Yet I must admit it was a jolt to my taste buds after having just had the chocolate gourmand.
I can’t add much to Mr.Eyore’s glowing tribute to the rack of lamb, as it was indeed meatier than any I have ever had and intensely flavorful. I also enjoyed the accompanying potatoes, though I can’t remember much about them as the lamb stuck out in my mind. I would return for this entrée alone, but there is so much more to enjoy!
Brace33 ordered the New York Angus Steak with red wine butter & pommes frites ($21). Having tried a bite, I can concur with his conclusion that the steak had a very robust flavor and a meltingly tender texture beneath the perfectly grilled crust. Moreover, this was a very generous portion, as he managed to parse the leftovers into a breakfast of steak and eggs as well as a steak sandwich.
To accompany our red meats, we had a half bottle of Schug’s 1999 Pinot Noir Carneros ($16). It was a great accompaniment to our meal—not overpowering at all. Other than that, I don’t quite know how to describe it since I’m still a wine novice!
The final detail
Yes, I did manage to drop by the restroom here. I always make a point of checking them out, ever since I was disappointed by my dining experience at Skate’s on the Bay in Berkeley and found that the restroom was the final confirmation of that restaurant's mediocrity.
Fringale’s women’s restroom is a one-room deal, which can be inconvenient considering there are at least 20 women in the restaurant at any one time. Yet it was a refreshing change from the warm, sunny main room. Painted in a brilliant shade of blue, the bathroom had a large, funky silver mirror that gave it some personality.
Our total bill, including wine and tip, was under $100, which is really quite amazing considering the exquisite food, appealing décor, and satisfying service. I already set my heart on returning before we even left the place! My sincere thanks to Epicure for organizing this write-off! Who knows how long it would’ve taken for me to discover this place?
Please also check out the reviews of my fellow write-off participants:
kboo,
zzJulia,
jerryla323,
ifif1938,
JasonNYCity,
and
Epicure.
P.S. I meant to post this after midnight, but apparently my clock is a few minutes fast...Sorry for breaking the "rule" to post on Feb. 14!
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Fringale
570 Fourth St.
(between Bryant and Brannan)
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 543-0573
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations We recommend without reservations the rack of lamb, Prosciutto & Sheep's Milk Cheese Terrine, and the Steak!
Best Suited For: Friends
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Epinions.com ID:
smiles33
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 in Education, Kids & Family |
 in Books |
 - Top 1000 |
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Reviews written: 333
Trusted by: 198 members
About Me:
Feverish baby vomited on me AFTER I changed to dry-clean-only work clothes. Murphy's Law.
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