Chez Panisse Cafe Restaurant Review, Berkeley

Chez Panisse Cafe is the lower cost, a la carte menu restaurant upstairs from famous one Michelin starred Chez Panisse. Alice Waters started a food revolution here, way back in 1971. She strives to serve only the highest quality products, and only when they are in season. All produce, meat, poultry, and fish come from farms, ranches, and fisheries guided by principles of sustainability. This restaurant has produced many famous chefs that have gone on to start their own restaurants.

Prices for the single daily prix fix downstairs Restaurant are $60 Mondays, $75 Tuesdays through Thursdays and $95 Fridays and Saturdays, not including beverage. You need to book way in advance, so it is a crap shoot what you will be eating downstairs. 17% service charge applies to both floors. Each floor has its own kitchen.

Decor, Vibe – Non descript building facade. Lots of exposed wood with ornate decorations and fresh flowers all over. Folks in their 30′s to 50′s were dining.

Menu Pictures (Click to zoom into any picture)

Website Menu

Picks:

Little Gems lettuce with green goddess dressing and beets ($9) was simple but very good. Very fresh greens and tart beets tossed with a light dressing.

Baked Andante Dairy goat cheese with garden lettuces ($10) is a classic with 2 large delicious baked cheese nuggets and some very simple but tasty greens. The goat cheese was not to heavy in flavor, yielding a subtle balance.

Pizzetta with tomato sauce, Monterey Bay squid, and aïoli ($15) was not as good as Cheeseboard across the street, but was cooked well. Not soggy, not crispy, solid ingredients, balanced flavors, nothing flashy.

Northern halibut in saffron broth with cannellini and fava beans, rocket, and rouille ($28) looks weird in the picture as it was poached, making it very healthy. On its own, the fish was on the bland side. Combined with the beans and rouille, the fish came to life.

Grilled Becker Lane Farm pork loin with snap peas and polenta ($26) was excellent. Tender, thinly sliced, perfectly cooked, medium rare pork loin with lots of natural au jus.

Wolfe Ranch quail roasted in the wood oven with asparagus, new potatoes, and herb salsa ($25) had one huge perfectly roasted quail dripping with juices. Some of the skin area was a little salty. The asparagus was super fresh and very crunchy.

Crimson rhubarb tart with strawberry ice cream ($9.75) had some pretty sour rhubarb. The tart had a real nice crust to it.

Neopolitan ice cream bombe with Catalan Farm strawberries ($8.75) was a delicious 3 flavor ice cream cream with fresh strawberries. Pretty good quantity on the ice cream cake. It only lasts until they run out of their limited supply each evening. Yes it was someone’s birthday.

OK:
None

Pans:
None

Chez Panisse Cafe had very good service with the waiter or a bus boy not far away. Prices in the cafe are reasonable for the quality of food you receive. The food is super fresh, flavorful, cooked well, health, and unburden by heavy sauces. We came in with low expectations, having read many marginal reviews, but left as believers. The food in the cafe was simple but excellent. You could make most dishes at home, if you could buy the ingredients and cook as well as they do!

Medium Wine markup with glasses from $8.25, bottles from $32, Corkage: $25 per bottle. $45 per magnum.

Book Chez Panisse Cafe Reservation

$25 Dining Certificate for $5

Chez Panisse Cafe Overall Rating: (Excellent 3)

Come Back?

Food Rating:	(Excellent)
Service Rating:	(Very Good)
Atmosphere Rating:	(Very Good)
Value Rating:	(Very Good)

Guide: 0 = poor, 1 = Below/Average, 2 = Good, 2.5 = Very Good, 3 = Excellent , 4 = Extraordinary

Alcohol:	Beer, Wine
Attire:	Casual
Hours:	Monday - Saturday 11:30am -3:00pm, Monday - Thursday 5 - 10:30pm, Friday - Saturday 5 - 11:30pm
Parking:	Street
Reservations:	Yes
Prices:	$21 - $28