Reviewer: Foodnut.com Urchin Bistrot 584 Valencia St. San Francisco,, CA 94110 (415) 861-1844 |
Why did we dine here? – Urchin Bistrot is a new French Bistro in the bustling Mission district of San Francisco. The location formerly housed Slanted Door and the defunct Wo Hing General Store.
The owners have a great track record with St. Helena’s Terra and Bar Terra and Ame in SoMa. Former Executive chef, Michael Morrison of Ame is the main man.
We love French food and welcome any addition to the scene. Absinthe and Chapeau are the goto spots for us, so there is a huge gap to fill.
Insider Tip – Try an assortment of Snacks and Appetizers
Cuisine – French
Location – Mission
Opened – 2014
Service – Urchin Bistrot had reasonable service with a waiter who knew the dishes and helped us order.
Verdict – Urchin Bistrot seems like a modern French Bistrot with classic dishes along with modern variants of favorites. Food quality was very good, leading us to hope this location stays occupied for a while.
Is this restaurant worth a 5 minute drive? Yes. 30 minute? Yes. 1 Hour? Maybe
Urchin Bistrot Signature Dishes – They are new but perhaps: Deviled Egg, Baked mussels, Mushroom Soup, Cassoulet, Hiro Sandwich
Urchin Bistrot’s Menu features 6 snacks, 7 appetizers, and 7 mains. They also have a 5 course prix fixe menu for $50.
Urchin Bistrot Food Picks:
Mojito was strong and well done. They have a solid bar chef here.
Grilled Duck Hearts, Berbere Spice, Yogurt ($6) Nine beautiful shiny pieces of slightly chewy but tender goodness.
Baked Mussels, Escargot Butter, Pastis ($9) looked more like escargot. Fairly buttery and small in substance, yet still acceptable.
Heirloom Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Tapenade ($12) provided the healthy salad for our meal. Clean, fresh, and great for vegetarians.
Tripe Stew, Boudin Noir, Pork Trotter, Calvados ($14) is a good dish for parts lovers. The tomato sauce was mellow, allowing the other items to shine.
Lamb Cassoulet, Shoulder, Sausage, Riblets, Rancho Gordo Beans ($26) was well done. Lots of lamb infused flavor although you need to be careful in working around the bones.
Spaghettini, Sea Urchin, Yolk ($22) is a reminder of Ame. A seafood carbonara with rich uni and al dente pasta.
OK: (Order if you like this dish)
None
Pans: (We would not reorder these dishes)
None
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