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Jardiniere: Environmental And Gastronomic
Consciousness
By Jason Kuan
Arts Editor
Sometimes we get so caught up in the never ending tumult of our busy schedules
that we leave little time to enjoy ourselves. Admittedly, these past couple
weeks of mid-terms put me into an eat-to-survive mode: Eating had become a chore
that I tried to get through as quickly as possible so that I could get back
to studying the dosing regimen for insulin monotherapy for Therapeutics. But
recently, I was finally brought to my senses as my wife Lucky and I sat down
to a leisurely one and a half hour meal, affording us the opportunity to enjoy
each others' company as well as what the French-American restaurant Jardinière
had to offer.
From its extensive wine collection to its fresh, delicious selections to its
unique atmosphere, Jardinière has a lot to offer to those willing to
take the time to enjoy it. A dark brick interior with dark wood trim and sconce
lighting contrasts the centrally located bar encircled by an inverted champagne
glass motif. We were led up the spiral staircase to the upstairs dining area,
which afforded a top down view of the bar teeming with an amazing collection
of wine, spirits and liqueurs. As we chatted about how the day went, our server
came to our table with a leather-bound binder with literally over 30 pages of
wines. We were dumbfounded by the sheer number of wines from all over the world,
ranging anywhere from a $9 glass of pinot noir from Burgundy to an $850 bottle
of Coche-Dury Corton-Chalemagne "Grand Cru" 2001. Unfortunately,
neither Lucky nor I have a palette for fine wines. The sommelier took the binder
away, saddened by the fact that we were cheating our taste buds of the nectar
of the gods while all the other tables enjoyed their liquid nirvana. Feeling
somewhat left out, we settled on a bottle of their very best Santa Lucia sparkling
mineral water.
As we feasted on toasted rolls with fresh butter and our mineral water, we perused
a menu consisting of appetizers and entrées using an assortment of organic
produce, fish and meat from local farms, fishers and ranchers who use sustainable
practices in growing, raising and harvesting their products.
We decided to start off with Maine diver scallops with fennel, navel orange,
Chioggia beets and jamon Serrano vinaigrette ($19). A diver scallop is a scallop
that is collected from the ocean by divers hand-picking each one as opposed
to by boats that drag heavy chain sweeps across the ocean floor, damaging it
and the bottom-dwelling inhabitants in the process. As impressive as the means
to protect the ocean was the buttery texture of the four succulent half-dollar
sized scallops. The vinaigrette, with miniscule bits of dry-cured Spanish ham,
added tartness with just a hint of smoky bacon flavor.
We then chose the Alaskan halibut with fresh chickpeas, Chioggia beets, wild
ramps and pixie mandarins in a herb fennel broth ($36) and rack of Colorado
lamb with Wild Asparagus, fingerling potatoes, fava beans, and black trumpet
mushrooms over a celery leaf salsa verde ($44). Unfortunately, I can't
say much about the halibut because Lucky only gave me a tiny bite of her meal.
When I asked her how it was, she simply answered, "It's really yummy!"
before she put another forkful of fish into her mouth. What I did remember,
though, was that the fennel broth broke up the already tender fish, resulting
in a stew of distinct flavors. The wild ramps, or leeks, stood their own against
the sweet mandarins.
I can attest to the deliciousness of the lamb, though. Two exquisitely roasted
racks of lamb crusted with rosemary and thyme kept me busy enough that I did
not ask for another bite of Lucky's halibut. Tender and yielding, the
lamb was perfectly roasted medium, releasing the jus with every cut. Had we
not been in such a nice restaurant, I would have grabbed the lamb by the bone
and eaten it like a drumstick. The wild asparagus and black trumpet mushrooms
were proof enough to me that they used the freshest ingredients: It is difficult
to put it into words, but the flavors were noticeably vivid.
There were many dishes showcasing the fresh seasonal ingredients, but it may
be some time before we can afford to go back to Jardinière. For those
who can afford it, it is a great place to dine before a symphony, an opera or
a night at the ballet since it is a block away from Davies Symphony Hall and
the War Memorial Opera House. While it is not an inexpensive restaurant, they
are to be commended on their socially responsible efforts to serve sustainable
foods. That being said, they should also be lauded for their commitment to great
food and service.
Jardinière
300 Grove St (at Franklin)
San Francisco
861-5555
Reservations recommended
Jason Kuan is a second-year pharmacy student.
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