Decadent, Contemporary French Food Lights Up a Quiet Stretch of Sutter Street
Chef Bruno Chemel and his wife Christie were known for their Palo Alto restaurant Baumé, which maintained two Michelin stars for nine years in a row.
What to order
- The queues de boeuf au vin rouge ($67) is the big-ticket item on the menu, made with tender oxtail and carrots, placed on a bed of mashed potatoes, and swimming in red sauce. Come hungry for this one; it features two monster-sized oxtails plus accoutrements.
- The escargots Baumé ($23) is not your typical French plating for the gastropod. Chemel’s take on the dish features shelled escargots cooked in a fragrant mix of garlic, leeks, and parsley, then placed in a bowl with a beautiful wafer on top.
- Oeufs a la neige ($14) — also known as snow eggs or floating islands — typically conjure thoughts of meringues floating on a plate of custard. At Le Parc Bistrobar, that notion gets updated, instead plated in a footed glass bowl, with squares of meringue decorated in caramel, nuts, and berries.
Best for
Dinner. The menu doubles for the restaurant’s lunch and dinner offerings, with hefty meat and fish entrees (and their associated dinner-level pricing). This spot feels more like an appropriate place for an evening out, unless you’re fine with ordering smaller dishes from the appetizer section.
Insider tip
Longtime fans (and perhaps new fans) of the Chemels and Baumé will be pleased to know that the restaurant hosts a monthly Baumé pop-up with limited seating.
