Chouchou French Bistro

The services was great, they have 3 course meal for lunch $ 25 and dinner for $ 40. We were here for celebrated B-​day, the place was 60% full, the restaurant was small but filled warm. We order $ 40 set meal, it’s tasty and portion was just perfect.

Why does this place not have a better rating?!?
Food ⁵⁄₅
Service ⁶⁄₅
Atmosphere 3.5÷5
The food was superb. We started with an special appetizer of tuna tartare. The tuna was fresh and perfectly seared. The arugula salad was rich and flavorful. For our entrees we had the Angus boeuf Bourguignon and the specials steak with truffle potatoes mash and asparagus. Both were to die for. We started with a Syrah and a Syrah blend. They were ok. I like my syrahs bold and they were a little too light bodied for my liking. I then had a glass of the Merlot which was outstanding. For dessert we had the banana flambé. I will dream about this dessert.
The service was the best I have had in a while. The chef told us about the specials in great detail with passion and gusto. The other two servers were absolutely lovely. They were there the moment you wanted them and had great recommendations.
The one negative is that it is a small restaurant and it can feel a tad cramped. The restaurant was beautiful and clean. The music selection was marvelous.
This place is a 5 minute drive from my house. I’m sure I will be back in a week! It’s nice they have a special menu where you can get 3 courses for under $ 40. That is a steal! Especially for somewhere this great. This place is a gem!

I had the salmon Benedict. and it was good. The seating is a bit cramped and parking is rough but a good spot to go on the weekend.

Very good steak frites! The fries were cooked perfectly and served with a dijon dipping sauce but the steak is the star… served with a little pitcher of BLUE CHEESE. Whaaaaaaat??? Delicious. We enjoyed our glasses of house red, nice fresh bread & got a chocolate tart to go which was yummy later. Good parking situation when we were there (out back), nice service & reasonable prices.

We so enjoyed our dining experience at Chouchou. We used a Groupon and had no issues — called for our reservation and mentioned the Groupon. Didn’t even need to mention it — the lovely man at the other end said that they don’t treat people with Groupons any differently ;).
Our server, Melanie, was lovely, as was our busboy. Very friendly, accommodating and super efficient. The wine list is extensive and they offered to take $ 16 off a bottle if we substituted for our 2 glasses — we did, of course. We had the escargot as a starter, duck breast, and filet mignon with green peppercorn sauce (au poivre) as our entrees. It was one of the best meals we’ve ever had. Both were cooked to perfection. The sauces (peppercorn for the filet and port wine reduction for the duck) were so savory — perfect accompaniments. And no skimping on portions. The dessert, a perfect Ile Flottante, was a fitting end to a wonderful meal. Ambiance is warm and inviting. We’re already planning our next dinner. Highly recommend!

The prices here are very reasonable for the warm bistro ambiance and high quality of ingredients and presentation. We spent $ 107 for two people including one drink and one dessert.
The food was generally very good but not knock-​your-​socks-​off amazing. It made me a little sad because the setting, ingredients, service, and presentation were so nice, but some of the tastes of the food was just a little bit off. I wasn’t at all sorry I came and in fact I was glad to have experienced it, but I would have to think about whether I would come back or not.
Appetizers
Bread — free with table setup, truly excellent fresh sliced French baguette, warm from the oven; possibly one of the most outstanding things about the meal
Romaine salad — very nice ingredients with fresh cherry tomatoes, but kind of bland, not sure I’d get this again as it felt like filler and not distinctive
Escargot — plump, hot, with satisfying texture and cooked perfectly, but strangely with a very bitter taste in the sauce, I wouldn’t get this again
Mains
Beef Bourguignon — extremely heavy and rich, perhaps too much for our taste because one bite was really overwhelming, we might have liked it better if the sauce were somehow on the side or less present, the meat was cooked exquisitely, it came with some nice carrots and tagliatelli on the side which were needed to cut the heavy taste, not sure I’d get this again
Filet Mignon — excellent, tender cut, perfectly cooked, excellent mashed potatoes came with it, this was an outstanding dish
Desserts
Ile Flottante — fun dessert, basically a sponge cake sitting on a lake of cream and toasted almonds, quite subtle flavor of almonds and orange, moderately sweet
we didn’t get the chocolate mousse but someone else did and it looked amazing

Went here tonight and loved it! I got steak, asparagus, and truffled mashed potatoes. He got filet mignon and I got the special — NY steak, both were excellent! We started with the simple salad and ended with the dessert cheese platter :)

I did not expect to have my mind blown so royally as I did this afternoon. I stumbled across Chouchou on Groupon while I was searching for a nice place to bring my mom for her birthday lunch. It was a great deal, so I bought it.
From the outside, it doesn’t look like anything special, but once we walked in we found it to be quite intimate and cozy.
We were greeted by the only waitress in the restaurant, but she was all smiles and was always cheerful. We waited a moment for the table we wanted by the window, and were seated.
Our first course was a beautiful salad (I can’t remember it’s name, but it was the first on the lunch menu) made of arugula, goat cheese, pistachios, and cherry tomatoes. The cheese was SO good and the rest of the ingredients were absolutely fresh.
The cheery waitress, whose name we didn’t learn, came to help us with a wine choice. Neither my mom or I are very big wine snobs, and our waitress kindly pointed us to a red blend that wasn’t too dry or too sweet. It was a french wine, and I can’t remember the name.
For the second course, I ordered the beef bourguignon and my mom ordered the steak with truffle fries, turmeric aioli and blue cheese sauce. The bourguignon was TO DIE FOR. It was so rich and the flavors were layered and complex, and everything played together perfectly. The dish came with tagliatelle that tasted great swirled in together in the sauce. Whole carrots, pearl onions, mushrooms and bacon added to the pure amazingness that was this dish.
The steak for my moms entrée was tender (even though the cut, a hanger steak, is usually quite tough) and juicy, and the blue cheese sauce gave it a wonderful tang. The turmeric aioli gave the truffle fries and exotic twist.
Finally, we ordered the Flottante for dessert. This was a small meringue cake sitting in a creamy sauce with caramel, almonds, and strawberries. I wasn’t terribly impressed with the cake, it didn’t have a lot of flavor but the texture went well with the sauce. It finished the meal nicely.
To conclude, I have to say I made the pilgrimage from the coast to this little French bistro. The ambiance, quality and flavor of food was perfect. Eat here!

The reason y this is only a 3 star restaurant well to me when they serve u the appetizer they just bring every thing at once to your table we had 3 appetizer and basically the tables were a little bit too small. my wife and I was already sharing the food if we were to each order our own I don’t really think it would even fit on the table that we were sitting. I ask for a bigger table but the server say we can only have the table that sits 4 if we were to have 4 guess well the restaurant was’nt even that
has guess but not fully packed. is alright.
Came here celebrating the actual birthday with my old lady we both wanted to try french.
Chouchou is like your neighborhood french bistro. I like the design of the interior very classy and original where is other french restaurant is too modern looking. special about eating french cuisine and other cuisine is that french is really about the cooking technique of the chef and together with the ambience of the restaurant. with skillful techniques of the chef and the design of the interior of the restaurant u r able to really get a feel of being in Paris and enjoying a french dish. this is a totally a different level of enjoying your course of food as they serve u your dishes one by one, one after the other. U basically can not rush thought the course of diner as if u were eating Chinese cuisine.
For appetizer we order
1 Carpaccio De Thon (the tuna is just perfect not too chewy very sweet taste to it with the baby arugula very well blend in with parmigiana cheese and Truffle oil.
2.P.E.I Moules. (the only draw backed of this dish is the sauce did’nt really taste any wine flavor in it. it was a little blend. very creamy I was dipping my french bread in the sauce.
3. FoieGras over panshear pineapple (There is really nothing to say about this dish except for Perfection.) every one of the elements in the dish came so perfect I am still tasting that flavor in my mind and mouth as it slowly trying to disappear.
4. Escargots a L’ail (This dish would of been a perfect dish for me only if it was less oily)
Entrée
I had order the pan shear Duck breast and my wife order Cuisse De Canard Confit Wellinglton
(duck leg confit) for the duck breast it was very well executed the fat on the duck breast was still cooking it self even thought the dish is already sitting in front. as u all know the layer of fat suppose to continue cooking even if it is off the pan to put it easier to undrstand the layer of fat is to protect it from getting cold. so even if the outside is cold the inside is still at a cooking temperature. just to say it the duck breast was so tender and juicy.
my wifes duck leg confit can improve more to me I think the breading is a little too thick on the duck leg. but other than that it was a very taste dish.
Dessert for us we order the Crme Brule I know this might sound like a easy dish to some of u but the real issue is that the Crme Brule tha my wife and I tasted was the best we had so far.
the vanille was not as sweet as I expected. actually it was made at the right level of sweetness for asian people like myself. this was a perfect diner to me with a perfect dessert what more can u as for. I just hope the next time we go back they can improve a little bit more with the sitting arrangement.

Francophiles rejoice at this older, neighborhoodly, not in with the Unilocal elite crowd restaurant. It’s a bit Parisian. It’s old school, stick to their 3 course $ 25 prix fixe menu for brunch. Not crowded on a weekend day at noon, which is to say, perfect if you are looking for a nice restaurant to catch up with your closest girlfriends and you don’t want to feel rushed. God knows I suck at picking restaurants. I pick the in crowd restaurant, which means, despite the fact I have a reservation, the services often felt rushed. Or the restaurant is so crowded all we could hear is others talking. As of late, we’ve determined to find places that are not so popular with the Millennials, or young parents with their young children, and to embrace our own unique connections with the beloved France and England, we’d attempt to find British pub or French bistro for a leisurely Sunday brunch.
So this is a good spot for inexpensive French food, and a good quiet place to reconnect with your besties.
Note the parking is behind the restaurant and is a bit tricky. You need to turn right into their lot before you pass the restaurant.
One girl was born on that street. She’s now a mother of two. Two other local San Franciscan girls also their unique ties to the neighborhood, so we felt rather serendipitous when the restaurant came up in our picking list.
There is no reason to come during restaurant week. They offer the same three course for the same price. Lunch to me is a better deal only because for French food, dinner is heavier than I’d like. I’d stick with what is truly French. Crepes are exceptional. Pork is well done. The frites are nice but not matchstick so that part I did not get it (shouldn’t all frites be cut like matchsticks in French bistro?). No matter, it was tasty. And finally, do start with the French Onion Soup. It’s not too salt and made way better than any number of those French ally restaurants in the Financial District.
The crème brûlée is very good. I’d go with that or the chocolate. It’s a hard choice to make so do come at least in a pair.
What I find to be charming about this place is their seemingly haphazard décor, it really did feel like you’d stepped into a local café bistro in Paris. Even the seating is cut a bit too tight for tall and slim Americans girls. We had Rose and coffee to go with our meal. It’s a very perfect place… for both neighborhood families or for secret rendezvous for lovers from across town. It’s unlikely you’d run into anyone you know at this place. Its not located in the hot and happening hoods. So when you plan your next morning after meal and are looking for some place that is romantic, intimate, charming with delicious food and not rushed service, do consider this place.

Lovely lunch here with the Groupon deal. Perfect opportunity to try out this quaint restaurant, in a nice neighborhood. Parking lot was full on a Saturday, but there is plenty of on street parking. Big plus for SF. We were greeted by the nice waitress, who was in charge of the whole room. She was always pleasant, and never let the busyness of her job effect her mood.
We got the salads to start, and they were very fresh tasting. It was a large portion too. For lunch we had the steak and fries and a crêpe. All A-​OK! For dessert we split the chocolate mousse. It was nice and tasty.
This restaurant has a good 3 course lunch special for $ 25 that I would not hesitate to try if I’m ever in the Forest Hill neighborhood. Good quality at a reasonable price.

I came here for Valentine’s day. There is a parking lot, but it is fairly small. On a popular night (i.e. Valentine’s Day) there was no parking, but I’m sure there would have been if I had been there on a normal night. There is a little bit of street parking further up the hill so in theory parking shouldn’t be an issue.
Very small venue, however the noise level was low. I’m so used to people seemingly yelling over dinner that to sit down to a normal level of noise was a plus considering how crowded it was.
The menu we had was fixed price. I had the salad, filet mignon and crème brûlée. I am a huge fan of French food and have had my share of crème brulees. Theirs was absolutely delicious! The vanilla flavor really shined through. I’m definitely coming back for at least another dessert. The steak was cooked perfectly to my preference and the sides greatly complimented the main dish. The peppercorn sauce was excellent. The salad was huge — nothing out of this world, but generous as a starter and tasty none the less. The chef came out to ask how the meal was and make sure we had our dishes. Very friendly.
All in all, I will definitely be back. I want to try another main and dessert I’ve been eyeing on their menu. It seems like there is something for everyone on their mains menu too (pork, steak, duck, salmon, mushroom ravioli, etc).
For dinner, I’d recommend calling and making phone reservations rather than using OpenTable. OpenTable’s convenience was overridden by the fact the computer’s was unable to find the online reservation, which caused slight difficulty but the restaurant accommodated the hectic-​ness nonetheless. Not the restaurant’s fault whatsoever.

I came here for Valentine’s day, and Chef Michaels made it a great experience. First, OpenTable had somehow messed up with their reservation system, and even though we had a reservation (and Chouchou had called ~a day before to confirm it), our reservation disappeared in their computer. They still managed to accommodate us, even though the place was packed.
The wine list was more like an encyclopedia, but what’s nice is that it wasn’t just a list but rather a bit of description next to the wine. It’s always great asking a sommelier for their thoughts, but it’s also nice getting a chance to just browse and try something.
The food was fantastic. I had a french onion soup to start and my girlfriend a salad (it was quite large). We had the filet mignon and mashed potatoes for the main, and it was perfect. There was even a difference between mine ordered medium and hers ordered medium rare. For dessert, she had the crème brule, and I had the chocolate mousse. Both were excellent. If you forced me to critique anything, I’d say that the mousse was a little more delicate than I usually like (the chocolate wasn’t quite as intense), but I’d still order it again.
Service was also great, even with how busy the restaurant was, and unlike other SF restaurants, we could have a conversation and hear each other.
We’ll definitely be back!

Second time here to celebrate Valentine’s day with my bf and this time we were sitting in the second floor. The Atmosphere is very romantic and relaxing. I used my groupon for dinner and everything is perfect. To start with, we ordered two red wine, followed by fillet mignon with mashed potato and their special mahi mahi. The meat for their mignon was perfectly cooked, tasty, and yummy. We ordered the floating island for dessert again since i was craved for it.

Food is average, service is not good. I’m all for romantic slow meals but 2 hours spent waiting for over half the time is a bit ridiculous. Dishes were not cleared, table wasn’t cleaned for when the dessert arrived… maybe because it never actually arrived.
As for the food: Their truffle dishes don’t taste like truffle. Really nothing special for the price of the meal. Appetizers are pretty good. The duck dish was tasty though and pretty filling. When it did arrive, the crème brûlée tasted off. Like it had been mass prepared way too far ahead of time. Overall, won’t be coming back. Not worth the money or the time but if you’re craving this type of food and don’t mind the service then it’ll do.
Edit: Nevermind, Ugh we both got sick after. Do not go.

Came her for restaurant week and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. First of all, there’s a parking lot! That’s alone deserves a star! When you first walk in the place has that San Francisco house smell, which is kind of comforting but also reminded me of my grandma’s house. However, as you keep walking you star to get a whiff of the excellent food that awaits you and you’re instantly excited. The décor was really cute, very colorful and dainty. The waitress was really nice, she had a cute French accent which really helped transport us out of San Francisco to France haha. I was with 3 people so we were able to taste most of the menu. I ordered the mushroom ravioli which was excellent. There two big raviolis but the white cream sauce was the star of the show! It was definitely worthy of asking for another baguette of bread to dip. My friend ordered the tartare which was also yummy. It was a little fishy for my liking but still very tasty. The plating was nice as well.
Moving on to entrees. I ordered the beef stew. It was served with a side of pasta noodles which confused me a little. I wasn’t sure if I should pour the noodles in the stew or kind of dip as I go. lol The sauce was great, a little thick but the flavor was nice. My friends ordered the salmon and steak which I’ve included pictures of. They both said the plates were amazing!
I’m not a big fan of dessert but we ordered the crème brûlée which my friends raved about. At the end of the meal the chef came out and introduced himself and thanked us. He was very sweet! I’ll definitely come back to support this nice establishment!

I live so close to here, I can’t believe I never tried this place until now! It is kind of in a weird location (as it’s right in a T intersection with plenty of busy traffic and in a residential area, yet next to the Forest Hill bus station) but this is like a neighborhood’s well-​kept secret for some good French food that never gets overly busy or packed.
I came here for Restaurant week and did their three course meal for $ 40/​person (i felt this was one of the best deals I found featured) and since I came with my mom and sister, we decided to go for variety and order different dishes so we could try a little bit of each!
For appetizers, we got the mussels, french onion soup, and the crab meat in avocado. All of it was soooo good. I realized I don’t think I’m a huge fan of french onion soup in general (I had some in France and thought it was just okay), but how they make it here is very delicious. The mussels were good (and soaked in a really yummy white wine sauce) and the avocado crab meat was something different but not bad if you’re looking for something different.
Next came the entrée’s; and I LOVED the steak I got! Medium rare all the way and it was cooked PERFECTLY. My sister got the pork chop (which was delicious also) and my mom the salmon. Everyone was satisfied with their dishes. The steak and pork chop came with a side of fries too!
And lastly (my favorite!), the desserts! I got the crème brûlée; sister the ile flottante, and mom got the tart of the day with apricot. Everything was good. Get the ile flottante (floating meringue) if you never had it before and want something out of the ordinary.
I would definitely come back here again. The service was great and everyone was very nice and accommodating. Downside is that the restaurant is VERY small and can be a little cramped, but it’s a great date spot.

came here for restaurant week and did the 3 course for 40. I left a happy camper. all and all a fun spot to go. seating is tight and loud during peak hours. first off the butter for the bread sucks. its garbage. not a fan. :/​. also, avoid the french onion soup. its bla at best. wasn’t a fan of the soup or cheese. the cheese did smell nice, but was difficult to eat/​drink. the three mushrooms ravioli was much better. my friend and i both got the duck and that was great. It was nice and tender and not at all dry, but the sauce was a little sweet for my tasting. the deserts weren’t memorable. they were ok. got the tart and the jelly on top smelled and tasted nice. I can see how the food can be a bit hit or miss. I overheard a patron saying that the hanger steak was super fatty and the chef overheard and came to join the conversation. Service is pretty on point and what you would expect at a fancy location. They were attentive to removing plates, keeping the wine topped off, and filling up water and taking care of crumbs. i would go back, but with a certain croud

I gave this cute, dainty place 3 stars because of the potential safety hazards this place has. Place is small and the staff all have French accents which makes you forget you’re in SF. The tables are relatively really close together and they have a small parking lot on the side of their establishment.
We were directed upstairs. The stair mats were ripped and had giant air bubbles. The upstairs seating was a tiny balcony which felt slanted and not very stable. The paint was chipping from the ceiling and the handle bars shook a little. It was a little unsettling sitting up there, not knowing if any second the floor below us would collapse. LOL.
Anyway, $ 40 dollars for a 3 course meal was a steal! As simple as their bread was deliciously crunchy which was an initial sign that this place must be great! The boyfriend ordered the three mushroom ravioli and I ordered the crab and avocado salad. Both were plate lickin’ good. The boyfriend kept making satisfying noises as he licked his plate clean. The crab and avocado salad was almost too pretty to eat, but also very fresh and light. As for our entrees, we weren’t as excited. The braised beef was smothered in sauce and cut into chunks. Nothing amazing there. The duck dish was huge and the gravy was sweet and tangy. Both were interesting, but nothing orgasmic. The fruit tart wasn’t what I expected but it tasted sweet. The boyfriend wasn’t a huge fan of the meringue but only because it was his first time and didn’t like the texture.
Overall, this place is average based on what we ordered. I would love to come back and try their regular menu and order their three mushroom ravioli again!

Cute little restaurant with artistic interior designs. Went to this restaurant last night for the $ 40 prix fixe dinner.
For the appetizer, I ordered the crab salad. It was light and fresh with avocado and minimal seasoning. Highly recommend for those who want something small and unique. The puff pastry on the side was mediocre at best, but without it the dish would be missing a crunch. My friend ordered the arugula salad. It was very average and the chef probably forgot the dressing… the salad was dry and tasteless, which we originally thought was «normal» until we asked the waitress. By that time, we already tried several bites to understand why this is even on any menu. I do not recommend this salad. If you do, please ask for dressing immediately, not like us.
For the entrée, I ordered the duck leg. Amazing dish!!! Best dish of the night! The sauce was absolutely perfect, the right amount of tanginess and sweetness. The duck was easy to chew and had a puff pastry covering that was just at the right consistency. Unfortunately for my friend, he ordered the hanger steak. Bad mistake for him again… the steak was so difficult to chew and lacked flavor. The fries next to the steak were. meh…
For the dessert, my friend was hoping to at least be pleasantly surprised (and find worth in spending $ 40…). We both ordered the mixed fruit tart, stupidly thinking the fruit would be fresh fruit. The tart came and it was very thin and… warm, almost hot (we thought the fruit tart would be chilled). It’s topped with canned fruit. A serious disappointment for my friend.
Overall, my friend would probably give this place three stars. His food was average. And the restaurant was a bit too cozy. There was minimal space in between tables so all the conversations could be heard (in addition to a lot of «butt-​kicking» the tables whenever someone gets up).
I gave four because the duck entrée was absolutely decadent! The customer service was also really good. They immediately seated us and gave us just enough attention. The only bad thing I could mention about service was there was one waiter who tended to touch the food with his fingers… a plate will be set down and his fingers will touch the food on the plate. I guess I don’t like my food to be touched by anyone else other than myself or the chef.

I like this French Restaurant, the place is gorgeous and pretty, the lady who work there is very polite and give a good reccomendation, very helpful. I went with my friend using groupon so It is a really good deal (we paid only $ 40 for $ 70 deal) Ordered salads, salmon, lambchop, and floating island as a dessert. Yum!

Came here for restaurant week, $ 40 for 3 courses, and was impressed by the cozy interior and friendly service. Food was good as well.
Appetizer: I had the French onion soup and my friend had the crab salad. The soup was too thick and cheesy to my liking, but my friend’s crab salad was light and refreshing.
Entrée: I had the duck leg which came topped in a tasty sauce and sprinkled with potatoes on the side, and my friend had the steak that came with fries. Both were presented beautifully and tasted delicious. I enjoyed both dishes.
Dessert: I had the crème brûlée and my friend had the ile flattante (soft meringue crème, caramel, toasted almonds). Both were good. The ile flattante was so light and tasty! A unique dessert.
Overall, a great deal. And there’s a free parking lot next to the restaurant. I read that the dine about town price is year round, so I would come back.

The best in a city Beef Tartare I ever had!
I had a client in this area and after I finished, I searched for the closest restaurants in this area for beef tartare, and was surprise, because it is close and I’ve never been here before. Nice atmosphere, friendly staff. Just love it, will go at this place again. Thank you.

I went to this restaurant for SF Restaurant Week with low expectations, since I haven’t heard of this place, I thought it was more of a neighborhood/​local restaurant, I have had some bad French food (over-​hyped, under-​delivered), and I hadn’t particularly like Dine About Town meals before. I was very pleasantly surprised by Chouchou and would highly recommend this place, especially for Restaurant Week prices.
First, I want to note that the complimentary bread that comes before dinner is really good. They came out warm/​hot, and were very tasty. I thought this was a really nice touch, shows that the restaurant pays attention to details, and puts in effort. The servers were also very attentive and kept refilling the water and bread.
For the appetizer, I had the crab avocado salad. They gave an ample portion with an ample amount of crab in the salad. It tasted a bit tangy on its own, but went perfectly with the little piece of biscuit that came with it. I had a taste of my friend’s mussels, and they were also excellent.
Next is the salmon entrée. I like this dish, and didn’t find the sauce on it to be too heavy. This dish also came with artichokes, which were a bit sour, but still great.
For dessert, I got crème brûlée, which was fantastic. I tried my friend’s chocolate mousse, and really liked it as well.
The service was great. We were a group of 8 who were immersed in conversation and had inadvertently stayed until 10:30PM, past the restaurant’s closing time. The servers were so polite that they just waited for us, didn’t rush us, and didn’t even tell us they were closed. We felt really bad when we finally realized that they had closed already.
Also, it looked like this restaurant is doing great business because it was packed.

I love going to Chouchou. My friend told me about this place years ago and I’ve been a regular ever since. The food and service have consistently been awesome each time I’ve gone and it’s just a great dining experience all around. Here’s what I ordered on my last trip there:
— mussels — the marinieres is my favorite
— steak — always cooked perfectly!
The bread is also fantastic, but don’t fill up on it too much, otherwise you’ll never be able to finish your meal. I love dipping my bread in the marinieres sauce from the mussels! :D
Pro-​tip: there’s no corkage fee on Tuesdays, so bring a great bottle of wine to pair with that great meal! :D

Scallops were pretty okay

We’re thinking we started a New Year’s Eve lunch tradition, today.
Excellent food. Glass of chardonnay and sparkling rose to start. Love, love, love the mussels! Dip the bread in the broth, Heaven! The burger and pork chop entrees were done as requested. Couldn’t stop eating the fries. Wish I had room for a tart. Maybe a tart and coffee some afternoon.
Charming service from Melanie.
This neighborhood gem has done it right every single time! Merci!

Melanie was sensational. Beautiful accent. Warm presence. Simply terrific. Presentation was excellent as well.
However, the food was just meh.
I was fired up to try this place. I always drive by and wonder what the food is like. Now I know. It wasn’t bad — just wasn’t very good.
Upon sitting Melanie brought out hot, fresh baked French bread. We ordered a few cappuccinos while we decided what to order.
They offer prix fixe lunch and dinner menus which I really love seeing in restaurants. We came for lunch. I ordered the $ 25 prix fixe which came with French onion soup, three mushroom ravioli in truffle sauce and the Crème brûlée.
Mom and grandma both ordered the mussels in white wine sauce and the lamb crepes.
Mussels were great. Sauce was perfection. Crème brûlée was great. Generous portion. Everything else was off.
My French onion soup was so sweet it was almost inedible. It made me question if the salt and sugar were mixed up in the kitchen? Same with the crepes. Too sugary sweet. For savory lamb crepes sweet shouldn’t even be in the equation. My ravioli in truffle cream sauce was ok but too heavy handed on the truffle and bathing in cream. :(Though it only came with three ravioli it was so unappetizing I only ate one.
Aside from the underwhelming food the restaurant itself is quite charming, well decorated and cozy. Good service makes up for lackluster food. Melanie showcased ideal interaction.

Great traditional French food, our server was phenomenal, to me the best part was the dessert, we had the Ile Flottante, which was a very light and tasty dessert and just what I was expecting to end a very filling meal. We tried the Groupon and it was worth it.

Just fabulous. Traditional French food done exceedingly well. It’s a small bistro in the neighborhood. Easy parking right next door once you get through the tricky intersection.
Got the Groupon but you don’t need it. Just go and have a great meal. We tried the foie gras served on pineapple with dates on a exquisite sweet sauce. It was so good that I wanted to lick the plate but got my foot stepped on when I tried that.
For main course had the scallop dish. Four scallops each on sized zucchini with a delicious sauce. Also had the special which was a NY strip steak (12 oz) with creamy truffled mashed potato on asparagus. All covered with a delicious peppered sauce. Both dishes were out of this world.
The desert list was long and included several tarts. The one that stood out and the one we tried was a soft meringue with almonds, berries, and a vanilla sauce. It was soooooo good.
We’ll definitely be back to try some of the other delicious sounding eats.

My new go-​to French restaurant when I am in SF. Has everything I seek when I want great food, and warm atmosphere.
Don’t let the simple format fool you. The food is spot on, delicious, beautifully presented. Chef, talented and involved. Staff, friendly, no airs, no snobbery. They welcome all as family.
Music! A guitar and accordian trio played during the Sunday evening meal. This is a restauarant where you FEEL good at every level when you dine. So many good places just have «good food.» This place is the complete package. Just sitting there made me smile.

For a couple of years, my mother and I kept driving by this bistro, and she said, «one day, we should have a meal here.» Three weeks ago. It all started when we decided to eat out for lunch after running some errands, and she brought up ChouChou as I was driving. So, I pulled over to the side of the road, took out my cellphone and looked for a menu on their website. I was in the mood for some crepes, and maybe some escargot. Low and behold, they serve both of those dishes, so my mother and I headed over there… only to show up at around 2:00 pm, when they were about to close the kitchen. We almost walked out of the restaurant in disappointment, when the waitress told us that the chef had time to cook an entrée for us. Thank goodness we saw the menu ahead of time, otherwise, we would’ve wasted too much time trying to decide before time ran out. Before we sat down, we asked, «are you sure? We don’t want to hold you up if you’re planning to close soon.» She assured us that it was okay, so we accepted her offer.
I quickly glanced at the menu to see if the item I saw online was listed, and sure enough it was. So, I told her what I wanted without any hesitation. I ordered the poulet grillé (chicken crêpe with tomatoes, red onions, and pesto), while my mother asked for the saumon grillé (salmon crêpe with red onions, fresh dill, and capers). While we were waiting for our meals, we couldn’t help but listen to the music playing in the restaurant. My mother wanted to know the singers and the names of the songs, so I pulled out my phone and Shazamed them. Apparently the waitress noticed what I was doing, so she cranked the volume a little higher on the stereo system in order for Shazam to do its work on my phone. She goes to me and says, «here, let me help you out with that», so she took my cellphone out of my hand, and literally held it up to the speaker, and sure enough, we managed to get a couple of songs for my mother.
Our food arrives, and I must say, I was not disappointed, and neither was my mother. Our crepes were cooked and seasoned perfectly. We’ve been to a couple of crêpe places in the city, and although they’re pretty decent, this place has just surpassed all of the other establishments we’ve dined at. The crepes were so delicious that my mother was contemplating on coming back to the restaurant for their dinner service. Just as the waitress asked us how our meals were, it gave my mother a perfect opportunity to ask her about the dinner service at the restaurant. The waitress kindly suggested that we make a reservation, considering that some evenings are busy while others are quiet, and each week varies. She also added that every Sunday evening they had live music; we’ll have to check that out someday.
We felt bad that we showed up at precisely 30 minutes before the kitchen was scheduled to close. The next time we plan to dine here, we’ll pay close attention to the times posted for the restaurant. Otherwise, our waitress, as well as the chef went above and beyond the call of duty, and we were eternally grateful. We figured that if any waiter/​waitress was willing to put up with a couple of brand new customers, provide quality service, and serve delicious food, they deserve a huge tip from us.

Delicious french food. Came here for dinner on a Thursday and it’s very cute– very romantic, small and cozy. Parking can be a bit hard because it’s on a weird corner, but they have their own parking lot (and if that’s full you can street park). We had the steak and the duck breast and it was fantastic. Great service!

No bad experiences here. Good food and good service. Wonderful atmosphere with a live band playing very light and casual music.
On to the food!
I enjoyed the Angus Boeuf Bourguignon (~$ 20), which was exceedingly rich. The description is accurate, though it does seem to only come with 3 of each of the listed items, aside from the good-​sized portion of beef. The tagliatelli was kind of odd on the side and fairly flavorless. Use the bread instead to dip into the remainder of the sauce.
My wife had the Filet De Sole (~$ 25), which she liked, but from our respective reactions, mine was the better dish. And it was cheaper!
She also ordered the Ile Flottante, which is just pretty darn cool. A very lightly sweetened soft meringue floats on vanilla cream. It looks cool and tastes great. If you don’t like sweets, the meringue part is for you.

I love the food and service here. Came here on a tuesday and was not overly pack. The only issue with the place was how close all the tables are next to each other. If it was pack, you don’t really have any personal space.
They give you bread as a stater. It came out warm and crispy. I just couldn’t stop eating the bread that we had 4 rounds of it. For appetizer we had the mussels, it was very flavorful and not over powering. The sauce was perfect for dipping your bread in it. For entire we ordered the Côtelettes D’Agneau Roties (aka lamb chops), and duck breast (their special of the night). The lamb chop came in 3 pieces. It came out as requested middle rare and I enjoyed the meat since it was not dry or tough. The duck was just woah, very chewy, tender and season well. The best part was the fact all the food came out HOT and the temperate lasted until we finish the whole plate. Most often it comes out as luke warm in many restaurants and gets cold fast. I like my food hot.
As for dessert we had some sort of crêpe. I didn’t really enjoy it as it was way too sweet. I ate a little and passed on it.
Service was a tad slow but not too bad. What I like was how friendly people were and they would open the door for guests leaving when they’re near.
I already want to go back again for the mussel, it was just too good.

Food:
–French Onion Soup: I absolutely love the Gruyère cheese broiled on top. Very thick, creamy, and cheesy. The soup was a bit too sour for my taste though.
–P.E.I. Moules Provençale Mussels: Very generous amount of mussels. Love the tomato broth. You can really taste it seeped within the mussels. A unique twist to the more common white wine sauce.
–Angus Boeuf Bourguignon Braised Beef: I don’t particularly like braised beef so it was just okay. The burgundy wine broth was sweet. The tagliatelli pasta was quite plain and didn’t have enough/​any sauce.
–Duck Confit Wellington: I love duck and I love pastries. So this dish was perfect for me! I loved the mushroom duxelles. Very rich and fatty. The maple vinaigrette was a bit too sour for me, but it did complement the savory duck. The duck could have been more juicy and moist. Very rich dish overall.
–Chocolate Pear Tart: The tart was very hard, but I like how they made the pear into a gelatin over the tart. How unique!
–Overall, the food was good and they used high quality ingredients. It was a bit extreme for me though. Some dishes were too sour, too sweet, or too hard. However, it was an interesting experience and it has broadened my taste buds to the unique mixes of flavors and to different types of dishes that I haven’t found anywhere else in the bay. I mean, where else can you find duck wellington? Or mussels in a tomato broth? Or a pear glazed in a gelatin form over a tart? I recommend coming to Chouchou with an open-​mind!
Ambiance:
–Beautiful, dark, intimate, fancy, and formal. However, it is very cramped and you are sitting side by side with others. The lights also hang quite low and I actually hit my head sliding into my seat (haha!).
Location:
–Right next to Forest Hill Muni Station and across the street from Laguna Honda Hospital. Convenient and easily accessible by public transportation. The parking lot is quite small though.
Service:
–The owner/​chef personally takes your order and I saw him cook some of the food himself in the middle of the restaurant! He also informed us that Dine About Town is year-​round on weekends from 5:30 — 6:30pm (although I was not able to find it on their website to confirm this).
Dine About Town:
-$ 40 for an appetizer, entrée, and dessert. Available year-​round! Great for those who want to try out this restaurant at slightly lower prices.

Escargots ****.5
Mussels *****

Cozy with very colorful French décor. Great value. Wonderful French onion soup. Very rich ravioli. Chocolate mousse so intense I couldn’t finish it. Top notch service.