Insanely Good Food

On December 16, 2005, Brian and I resumed our dining tradition after many months hiatus. The restaurant of choice: La Folie. La Folie translates from French to mean craziness, madness, insanity, and absurd. Turns out that, the only absurdity to be found at this restaurant is how good their food is, and the high value of the overall dining experience.

Upon arriving, Brian and I had to wait for 10 to 15 minutes for our tables, despite having reservations. This was only a minor drawback since there were passed hors d'oeuvres while we waited. It was a nice touch, and the salmon crustini things were tasty too!

The restaurant itself is comprised of a bar and a small dining room -- seating no more than 40-50 people at my best guest. It was hardly a surprise that Brian and I had to wait for our table.

Brian's Selections:
Seared Day Boat Scallop on carmelized Cauliflower with a Coulis of Butter Lettuce
Butter Poached Lobter on a Butternut Squash/Sage Ravioli, Lobster Truffle Beurre Fondue, Celery Root and Apple Salad
"L'assiette de Boeuf": Beef Tenderloin, Braised Beef Short Rib, and Burger Rossini
(some sweet thing for dessert)

Trang's Selections:
Foie Gras Soup with Truffled Day Boat Scallop Ravioli
Sauteed Branzini with Truffle Gnocchi, Wild Mushrooms, and Jus de Poulet
Roti of Quail and Squab stuffed with Mushrooms, Crispy Potato Strings, and Natural Jus with Truffles
Warm Spice Poached Apple filled with Vanilla Creme Brulee, Pain d'Espices and Cider.

***skip forward two years***
It's 12/1/2007, nearly two years since Brian and I dined at La Folie, but the flavors and the experience are still vivid in my memory.

The foie gras soup I had was a very intriguing spin on foie gras. The soup is served with a small slice of seared foie gras in the center of the dish, with a single dumpling atop, and rich creamy truffled foie gras soup enveloping the dumpling and piece of seared foie gras. The soup, while rich, was perfectly seasoned and very inventive.

The next dish I had was the Branzini served with gnocchi. Since Brian and I dine at La Folie on an evening where the menu was truffle themed, both the fish and the gnocchi were enhanced with truffles. The Branzini was delightfully crispy and light, and the gnocchi was a perfect al dente. The unimposing sauce of wild mushrooms and truffles that was drizzled over the gnocchi left one wanting more.

The roti of quail and squab was also a treat. The dish was another creative dish, this time with squab stuffed in quail (or vice versa), and of course with truffles intermixed. Anyone who likes game meat, this dish is a god-send. The outside skin layer of the quail was again crispy, and the meat fragrant and juicy.

The final dish that I had really knocked my socks off. I am a huge fan of creme brulee as well as warm apple pie. The creme brulee at La Folie was served in a warm poached apple; I got the best of both worlds. The dish also came with a small tea cup of warm apple cider, a warm and soothing accompaniment.

After Brian and I had finished our four courses and were stuffed to the gills (I have never had to take home a doggie back at a nice restaurant, but I had to take more than half of my 3rd course home here), we were served petit fours!

One thing that did minorly detract from Brian's and my experience at La Folie was that the service didn't rival the quality of the food. The small dining room often resulted in wait staff bumping into chairs, and the seeming short-handedness made it difficult to get wait staff's attention when service was needed.

However, given the inventiveness of the food, and the exceptional taste, I would recommend La Folie to anyone who can't get a reservation at French Laundry. At the same prices as Gary Danko, you get a slightly more elevated experience for your taste buds.

Address: 2316 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
Number: 415-776-5577
Price: Four courses (with additional amuse bouche and petit fours) $75
Decor: 7
Food: 9
Service: 7
Value: 9