For a time, it seemed as if French restaurants were an endangered species in San Francisco.
But in the past few years, that classic cuisine has arisen from the brink. That’s no more evident than the arrival last month of JouJou by David Barzelay and Colleen Booth, the team behind Michelin two-starred Lazy Bear in San Francisco.
While the latter delivers an ambitious tasting menu along with the theatrics of an open kitchen, JouJou in contrast serves only an la carte menu in a sprawling 6,500-square-foot space, divided into a few different dining spaces, along with two bars.
It’s fitting that the restaurant is located in the Design District, what with its shades of cream, milky green, and soft pink that create a sort of vintage vibe, not to mention the rather risque baroque wallpaper in the bathrooms. The decor definitely leans into the restaurant’s name, which is French for “plaything.”
The setting may be relaxed and the menu a la carte, but this remains a fine-dining restaurant with prices to match.
Last week, friends and I decided to check it out. An Acme baguette comes to the table complimentary, and not with just any butter. Indeed, it’s whipped artisanal French Bordier butter, that’s so rich, sweet, and silky, that it’s considered one of the best butters in the world.
The menu favors seafood. And the cocktail program is strong. The playfully named Charentais You Say? ($18) was one of the best cocktails I’ve had in a while. It boasts the taste of one of my favorite melons yet isn’t overtly sweet. Instead, cognac adds body along with a smooth vanilla note, while citrus and tarragon turn it zesty and refreshing with a hint of mint and anise. It’s a cocktail that I could see myself happily ordering every time here.
The raw bar menu offers everything from oysters on the half shell ($5 each with a minimum order of three of any variety) to a go-for-broke $325 JouJou seafood tower with oysters, crab legs, uni, Gulf shrimp, a whole lobster, and 2 ounces of caviar.
We honed in on the two crudos: bigeye tuna with passion fruit, cane juice and macadamia nuts ($21), and San Francisco halibut served with celtuce, Little Gem leaves and Meyer lemon ($23). The latter, fresh, green, and simply dressed, was what my dining companions preferred for its cleaner, purer taste.
I may have been in the minority, but I really enjoyed the meaty tuna slices with the bold tartness of the passion fruit that took the place of the usual lemon or lime. Yes, there was definitely a little sweetness, which some may argue has no place with raw fish. But with the passion fruit being so sharp and tart, you need that touch of sweetness to bring it into balance.
Escargot aren’t served in their shells here. Instead, one snail sits atop each triangle of green garlic-butter-soaked toast ($18) in the most exquisite rendition of garlic bread you’ve ever had.
For more buttery goodness, be sure to order the gougeres ($13), served warm, studded with chives, and showered with grated Gruyere. They are wonderfully cheesy, tender and airy inside. They are like the perfect little treat that you didn’t know you needed.
The crustacean omelet ($43) is the epitome of a French omelet done right — soft, silky and creamy — with the added bonus of being finished with sauce Americaine, an intense seafood sauce with Dungeness crab, bay shrimp and lobster. It’s like the best seafood bisque with a perfect omelet floating in it. Slices of buttered, toasted brioche come alongside to mop up all that delicious sauce, too.
Barzelay has reimagined the classic duck a l’orange in a surprising way — with black cod and pineapple ($43). The cod arrives moist, flaky, and charred on top for a hit of smokiness. Chunks of caramelized pineapple and Tokyo turnips ring it. It reminds me a little of sweet and sour pork — but with fish — and not cloying in the least.
The prime rib of Berkshire pork ($53) brings the drama. It’s a double-cut pork chop, massive in size, that gets finished tableside with a pour of Calvados au jus that plays up the sweetness of the pork. Just like with prime rib, horseradish cream is served on the side, this one in the form of an airy chantilly with apple. It’s a succulent hunk of pork that’s perfect for sharing — or for one famished carnivore.
The gnocchi a la Parisienne ($42) is unlike any that I’ve had before. It’s not the usual little light pillows made from potato, cheese or a choux paste. Instead, this is more like a spiral of crispy potato akin to a hash brown that crowns a foundation of rich, buttery mashed potatoes with spring peas circling it. We shared it, and it was delicious, but I almost think this works better as a side dish rather than an entree.
Speaking of sides, the pomme frites ($15) are skinny, super crispy, served with luscious garlic mayo, and everything you’d want in a bistro french fry.
The haricot verts ($15) are dry-fried, Asian-style — but seasoned with Mediterranean anchovies, capers, and olives — are sensational.
For dessert, the bananas Foster ($21) are not flambeed at the table, but come to the table already prepared and topped with macadamia ice cream. The star are the small Gros Michel bananas, rich and sweet tasting, and when warmed in caramel sauce take on the amusing appearance of breakfast sausages.
The double vanilla ice cream ($13), made with Tahitian and Madagascar vanilla beans, has a distinctive texture — lush like frozen custard. For $6 more, you can add a side of strawberry compote to go with.
The chocolate mousse torte ($19) is a delight for anyone like me who can’t get enough of the combo of dark chocolate and bitter orange. It’s a dreamy slice of moist devil’s food cake, with layers of chocolate mousse, and blood orange marmalade, all covered in chocolate ganache.
Apparently, Barzelay and Booth have been mulling over opening a place like this for years. It’s nice to see that long-held dream finally come true.