Lafitte

I must admit. I struggled with making reservations here at first given some of the previous reviews, but I took a chance because I found the more critical reviews rather petty.
THANK GOD I DID!
The food is nothing less than superb, and the overall experience sublime. The menu is eclectic and savory. The dishes thoughtful, creative and plated with remarkable affection and care. Be sure to say hello to the chef who is as funny as he is an exceptional chef.
Don’t walk… RUN to this restaurant! You will talk about it for weeks.

Weird that I have already reviewed Coquetta which took over this space. Weird that I saw Russell Jackson on Food Network Star. I think Lafitte’s idea was greater than its execution. I like the theory but it didnt seem to carry the consistency that it needed. Long waits and overcooked proteins make it hard to be successful. I think the chef has good potential but if you dont have consistency it’s the fastest way to outage.

*** ONE OF MY TWO ALL-​TIME FAVORITE BRUNCH EXPERIENCES ***
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DATE/​TIME: March 10, 2012 /​/​1:00 PM
PRICE: $ 20-​$ 30/​person
VALUE: Incredible value for the blend of flavor, quality and choice of ingredients.
AMBIANCE: Modern interior with breathtaking views of the pier and lots of natural light.
CHANCE OF RETURNING: 100% (If only it were still open…)
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: [ THE FOOD ] :
* COCKTAILS
— [4/​5 — I can’t really remember what I got… But I did order a second, which meant I liked it enough to give up the opportunity to sample another cocktail off their menu for future Unilocaling.]
* EGGS A LA PAYSANNE (EGGS BAKED IN GRUYERE MORNAY)
— [5/​5 — This was an incredibly comforting dish. Served hot and fresh out of the oven, the eggs were perfectly runny. Baked in a bed of luscious creamy gruyère mornay, it was absolutely foodgasmic. I called the weekend after to check if they were serving it. And then I called again the week after… I don’t even cook, and I’ve been scouring the web for a recipe so that I can fulfill this insane craving I’ve been having since I last went.]
* FOIE GRAS BENEDICT
— [4/​5 — This was the dish that drew me in. I was craving foie gras, and I wanted to check and see if anyone in SF was making a foie gras benedict. I couldn’t believe Lafitte was the only place that had thought of putting one on the menu… It was delicious. I could’ve done with just a tiiiiny touch of salt, but either way the dish was still good enough to come back for — and bring friends.]
* DESSERT
— [3.5/5 — Not all that memorable, but still good. I remember not really caring much about what dessert we’d order after 2 amazing entrees, to be honest.]

What a shame, another one bites the dust.
What is the dealio — I find a few restaurants I like, and most of them close!
My sister and I happened upon Lafitte, last September, and dropped in for a few drinks and a bite to eat. It was a warm, lovely, early Friday evening. We loved the view, the location, the way the restaurant was laid out. Dining inside could be a little noisy, with the hard floors and high ceilings — but it wasn’t a factor for us. There was a nice outside heated dining area as well.
The place was fairly busy, and our waiter was professional, friendly and informed. We tried violet martinis — which we loved! I believe each bartender makes them differently, but the first time we tried them they were heavenly!
Loved the personal iPad menus!
We split a big order of skinny pomme frittes and one of the burgers — kobe beef — and it was melt in your mouth delicious, with gorgonzola cheese, I believe, mixed in the burger. Soooo rich, but soooo good!
As my sister bit into her half of the burger, the burger itself shot straight out the side and onto the floor! splat! wah wah waaaah. Funny, but sad.
Not to worry, though, our waiter fixed us right up with another WHOLE burger to share! Even though I still had my ½ to eat from the first one. This was a big plus in books. So much so that I decided to have my birthday celebration here, just a week or so later.
Again, the service was professional, the waiter knew the menu items well, and he was friendly and likeable. We were taking a lot of photos, and more towards the end of the evening the waiter even took it upon himself to take some photos while we were toasting and not posing for the camera.
Everyone was happy with what they had. Appetizers were great. My entrée wasn’t a favorite, just because I probably was so distracted I didn’t take the time to order carefully. It was fine — but just not what I expected… I like sashimi, but the sauce was a little bit more bland than I thought it would be. Fresh and good, but just not what I was in the mood to have.
I won’t take time to go into detail about what we had, especially since I’d have to look at an old menu to do so — and it’s all for naught, anyway. Au revoir, Lafitte! Hopefully the next review I write will be BEFORE the restaurant folds!

Lafitte has CLOSED. Sad that it’s gone. I liked the casual yet elegant environment of this restaurant.
Only been here a couple times, never experienced bad service, and had very nice meals. But the menu changes often, so your experience might vary. Also not the best choice for DAT, that menu was just average.
One of many draft reviews I forgot to finish.
My last visit was a pre-​Xmas dinner in December of last year. Our table had many dishes with fries, like the moules frites ($ 16),
and a NY steak frites ($ 34).
Yes, there’s a big steak under all those frites.
I ordered the roasted pheasant ($ 24),
and a mini alaska ($ 7)
for dessert. Simple and delicious!
For me, it had everything you’d expect at a good restaurant, well executed food, attentive and proper service.
The restrooms are located pass the order expediter area, around the corner on the left. Don’t know why there was a bottle of champagne inside a locked glass display, inside the restroom.
The one novelty was seeing the drinks and dessert menus presented on a leather wrapped iPad.

Overall a very pleasant experience. From the iPad menus to the french pressed coffee; everything was spot on. I honestly don’t care for seafood but when Constance D. ordered the mussels, I had to try one. I honestly think that bacon can anything better. The mussels were fannntastic.
Then our super crazy cool cocktails showed up. Can you say BACON BOURBON-​TINI? Like I said earlier, bacon does make everything better. Maple-​y, bacon-​y, bourbon-​y, overall tasty.
My Kobe burger tasted as good as you can imagine. Pickled green tomatoes is pure genius and I think I might get into pickling (think Portlandia). The spicy aioli wasn’t very spicy but then again, I cook with ghost chilies.
Everything tasted great, the service was top notch, and the setting was very comfortable. I will return.

Wonderful and may I say exquisite christmas eve prix fixe.
It may well be one of my favorite top ten meals.
Trout entrée and pork entrée are recommended.

Hue L. our NYF, and I met for brunch this month after missing our monthly get-​together last month. Hue L. made reservations for 12:15pm today (Sunday). We had a little bit of trouble finding parking, but managed to get a decent spot and got to our reservation on time. Although, in all actuality, there was no need to make reservations. There were only two other tables occupied.
The hostess gave us the option of sitting outside in their covered dining area, or indoors. Since it was a unseasonably warm fall day in San Francisco, we opted to sit outdoors. Awesome place to sit, by the way.
Apparently, the menu changes every single day and their drinks and dessert menus are on iPads. Very cool and high-​tech. I didn’t order any drinks, but Hue L. ordered the martini of the day (pepper infused vodka) and our NYF ordered a Bloody Mary.
As for our entrees, we all ordered the same thing — the Foie Gras Benedict. It was good. I’m not the biggest egg fan, but the few times I’ve had Eggs Benedict, I’ve actually liked them a lot. This was tasty. It came with some beet greens and fingerling potatoes. Our NYF and I finished really fast and Hue L., surprisingly, was the last to finish.
We thought about ordering dessert, but decided we’d walk over to the Ferry Building since it was such a nice day, and pick up something over there.
Price for three entrees and two drinks = approximately $ 100 pre-​tip.

I rather liked Lafitte:
*Great, GREAT service, from the trip several months ago, where they threw in free cocktails while waiting for the power to return and this week, where our server was so personable, knowledgeable and geniunely helpful
*The potato blini with smoked salmon ROCKED. It’s so soulful, unique and delicious. We were STUFFED after eating it.
*Lardons Salade, bacon salad, salty salty goodness. Meaty bacon.
*Lovely creamed butter with sea salt
*Coq au vin, the meat was delightfully flavorful and moist
*Dessert was three cookies, milk and a harissa brownie, the cookies were just baked out of the oven and we inhaled them. Fantastic, highly recommend, a bit pricey at $ 14, plus a 15 min wait. I asked our server to throw in a scoop of the duck egg ice cream, it WAS creamier and richer.
*Superbly reasonable prices for the wines by the glass
*Stunning location
*Chef is hunk of a man, whoo whee
Low: Pass on the Albacore tuna, muddied flavors and lukewarm.
Prices seem high for the appetizers and mid courses, but they make up, with quality, execution and quantity.

Went back for the FBLT.
…And then I went back again.
…And then I had someone at the office pick me up one cuz i was busy.
…I think they need to have a support group for Lafitte, something like
You: «Hi, my name is (insert name) and I’ve been addicted to Lafitte for _​_​_​days»
Group: «Hi! (insert name)»
We can meet at, oh… i don’t know, Pier 5? at, say, hmmm, somewhere between noon and 2?
:)

Underwhelming, borring, SNOOZING.
Viva la Revolution? WHAT? Friday night’s dinner was hardly revolutionary, evolutionary, pleasure-​utionary. In fact, dinner was such a disappointment, I couldn’t even stay for dessert. Now that’s RARE.
I have to preface this review by saying that I had attended another dinner at Lafitte – a special St. Patties Day pre-​fixed dinner, which was nothing short of fabulous. The memory of that dinner was the reason my mouth was watering for my return, several months later.
But what happened? Friday evening started well with brussel sprouts to die for! But to my dismay, things slowly rolled downhill with cheap Costco-​esque dinner rolls (I don’t shop at Costco, BTW), then the only vegetarian dish on the menu, the wild mushrooms. Nothing really wild except the price ($ 21!!). How can an underwhelming entrée be priced so erroneously?!
Add this to the fact that the dessert menu was such a turn-​off. Duck Egg Ice Cream was served with three dessert dishes! What the heck is duck-​egg ice cream? Don’t ask the server, because she didn’t know. Her only answer? «Trust me, it’s just really good». OK. Then don’t ask me to try it.
Huuuhhhhh. Lafitte, I was ready to bestow the cinco. But based on Friday night’s experience, I’m hesitant to even throw out the deuce. Brussel sprouts saved you from getting the uno. Just have to keep it real :(

This place was incredible.
Came here last night and was seated in the tent-​looking area. It was very cozy and romantic. The lights that are hung dimly on wire above make it seem like you’re enjoying a wedding dinner, complete with a view of the pier. Who doesn’t like a view?!
I ordered the NY Steak Frites & Béarnaise Sauce, while initally teammate ordered the Roast Chicken «Poulet Grandmere» Pour Deux. The waiter came back to tell us the chicken entrée was actually for 2 people which is why it take 30 minutes to make. Teammate ordered the Fricassee de Lapin instead.
I got my NY steak cooked in medium with my shoestring fries… hrmm what does this remind me of? Oh right! Ruth’s Chris steakhouse. Hopefully the steak was as yummy… Not as explosive as Ruth’s Chris but was still good. Teammate got his entrée… OMG RABBIT MEAT. Wth is that supposed to taste like? I thought it was going to be really chewy like lamb but it had a more different and distinct texture. I tried a piece and it was kind of like chicken at first but it started feeling gooey after chewing it. It really wasn’t bad. Worth a try if you like new things.
Definitely going to come back. They change their menus daily!

I’m really torn between giving this place 3 or 4 stars…
We had heard good things about this restaurant, so when my husband had the opportunity to purchase a discount coupon for it, i told him to get it.
The space is beautiful, and it would be even more amazing when it’s light out. It’s a huge space though, and it wasn’t even half full the Saturday evening we were there.
The servers were great, they kept waters refilled, and were knowledgeable about the food and drinks.
I had the cuttlefish with guanciale and fingerling potatoes. It was the perfect size for a starter, and i loved the combination of flavors and textures.
For my entrée i had the salmon with parsnips, and salmon roe. It was cooked perfectly, and except for being slightly over salted, i really enjoyed it.
I’m SO happy to see so many restaurants abandoning the huge portions that were the norm for way too long. I like to be able to try more than one dish, and when the dishes are a more appropriate size, i can do this without feeling stuffed.
Unfortunately, my guy’s food was a bit disappointing. He had the beef daube, which our server raved about. It was a bit too fatty for either of our tastes, and the brussel sprouts that came with it were way too bitter.
We shared a dessert that was a disappointment as well. In fact, it was so lackluster we didn’t finish it. We both love dessert, so that’s unusual for us. It was a variety of cookies and a brownie, and with the exception of one cookie, it was all VERY over baked.
I think this restaurant has so much potential, but sadly, isn’t living up to it.

Lafitte was my first meal for 2011. I’m only able to give Lafitte 3 stars because I was under-​whelmed by the service and overall experience at this beautiful restaurant.
Cons:
I see there is potential for Lafitte to become a great dinning institution but service is quite rough for a restaurant that boasts a manifesto that reads in the first few lines:
— It’s about the food, people.
— It’s about the experience of dining.
— It is service.
Silverware missing at the table.
Waiter not explaining the finer details of the menu or asking if this was our first time dinning at the restaurant. The menu is quite advanced to read and it can be hard to decipher if not a culinary expert. I always find it helpful when servers explain the menu and do some recommends for first time diners.
The staff did come over to check on my husband and I and all were very friendly.
It just seemed like they were having an «off» day.
Pros:
Overall, very tasty
Lafitte has an impressive menu that changes daily.
Great selection of non-​alcoholic adult beverages.
Meal selection
— Pear, walnut and persimmon salad
— Cassoulet
— Short rib sandwich
Awesome space and location.
Sum it up:
I’ll be giving Lafitte another try perhaps in the summer/​spring. The space will be amazing when the weather warms up.
Hoping to increase the number of stars for Lafitte.

Who knew we could feed the whole family here? Two vegetarians and one is a kid … to some chefs a nightmare. Chef Russell did great. Every dish was tasty and my daughter ate some of her favorite things.
The cheese course was outstanding! We loved every bite.
We will be back again soon … especially since it is truffle season and I can’t imagine what the chef has up his sleeves next.
Count me in!

Even though we saw chef Russell Jackson in full culinary frenzy last weekend, Jamie W. and I actually didn’t come here to eat… yet. We were actually looking to wet our whistles in order to avoid the swarms of crowds moving upstream on the Embarcadero to catch a glimpse of the Blue Angels. I wish I was hungry because the brunch menu looked quite tasty, but we just parked ourselves at the bar as we heard the swoosh of the jet planes in all their testosterone-​driven glory.
I was thrilled to see a Pimm’s Cup on their libations menu even if it was $ 12. I don’t think I’ve had one since I was in Lon… wait, I had one at RN74 only they called it a Pimm’s 74 and added Campari and Prosecco. Can you spell ‘overkill’? This one was a true Pimm’s Cup with just the ginger beer, cucumber slices and a sprig of mint (see photo). Long, tall and extremely refreshing on a hot-​for-​SF kinda afternoon. Jamie had the more predictable Mai Tai, same price but not nearly as distinctive except for the two-​tone color in the glass (see photo). With the waterfont view and the Jackson maverick moxy, we’re definitely coming back to eat.
COCKTAILS — 4 stars… Pimm’s Cup, best in town
AMBIANCE — 4 stars… cool bay breeze wafts through the cavernous space during the day
SERVICE — 3.5 stars… fine by me
TOTAL — 4 stars… nice location and a culinary rule breaker warrant a return visit for fine dining

Wonder why Lafitte always looks empty during the day? I first thought that maybe the food was terrible but nothing in the vicinity of the Ferry building can be bad, not with all the freshness offered. Then I thought it might be too expensive and that was it. I wouldn’t call the prices OUTRAGEOUS but the everyday commoner cannot fork out $ 15+ for a sandwich; not when you can walk a couple more steps and get just as good of a sandwich for less.
They start you out with some bread that looks like healthier, mini versions of King’s Hawaiian which tastes so good. It’s soft and melts in your mouth along with the salted butter. I’m glad they salted it because not everyone does. Butter can be so bland sometimes. Next I moved onto the Manhattan chowder which keep in mind, Manhattan = no cream. You can expect repeated spoonfuls of baby clams and an equally comforting feeling that you get from the New England version, without the health risks (and you scoff at my comment while pulling on your love handles).
Now the thing to be talked about is the Dagwood Sandwich. Paying homage to the 1930’s comic strips, this sandwich is bigger than life itself and should be shared. You clearly cannot eat all the layers in one bite. There is pâté, there is roast cod, and there is duck rillet (thicker than a confit). Initially it is good but each layer of bread is so buttered and grilled to the point where it caves in and you find yourself holding a big ball of mush. I couldn’t tell one thing from another but all I knew was that it started tasting like a tuna salad sandwich.
Luckily the folks here were nice enough to deal with our specifications. My friend and I wanted to split everything so that’s what they did. She didn’t want pâté on her side of the sandwich so instead of spreading it on one side, they left the sandwich without the pâté and brought out two separate slices of bread with pâté so we can swap out the bread. That left us with even more bread and clearly too much to finish.
Creative concepts but I may have to pass.

Yes.

Go to Lafitte if you want a truly unique experience and are a little daring. This place is definitely not for the faint of heart and those who like predictability and routine. Bacon cake and foie gras butter anyone?
Went here with some friends for a special event to celebrate the Chef’s b’day. Loved the service and atmosphere. Casual yet nice. The food was like I said full of surprises. I am not a big fan of seafood and I struggled a little with some of the dishes but liked the presentation and loved the pork dishes. The rest in the party loved the food. Drinks were hit or miss as well. Some were fantastic and some were iffy.
I would highly recommend trying this place and deciding for yourself.

Any place that serves Iberico pork is a win in my book! I missed the whole underground supper club scene, but am now a huge fan of this clean lined permanent pier space. A daily changing menu is enough to keep me coming back. Obsession for food shared by all the staff ensures a great dining experience. I think it’s great that they focus on local ingredients but aren’t afraid to look abroad when there is some culinary delight unattainable here (like that spoiled acorn-​fed Iberico pig).
French Onion Soup: Love how much care goes into this. Garlic is grated freshly to be put on the crostini before the cheese topping. Extremely savory and semi-​sweet broth. The cheese wasn’t in excess on top and on the sides of the bowl since it was contained to the crostini, so I missed that, but the taste of it was redeeming.
Duck Mezzaluna Pasta with Chicken Jus: Well cooked shreds of duck with a bit of fat in a pasta wrapper that reminds me of a fresh dumplings. Could have been better with crispy duck skin mixed in, but still quite awesome. The chicken fatty sauce added even more flavor, because well, fat is great conduit!
Chicken Crepinette with Flageolet Beans: Like a chicken burger wrapped in fat strands. Full of flavor and spices. The beans were a bit boring and starchy, but the dripping goodness of the crepinette in the sauce made up for it.
Lomo Tournedo with Tuna Confit: So the lomo from Iberico pig was a plus, but I felt the tuna confit made it taste too fishy. Too overpowering for such a regal swine.
Fried Globe Artichoke with Pickled Aioli: Love the concept since I’m tired of all those boiled artichokes. The smaller fried leaves were perfect, but the large ones were a bit tough. If simply boiled, we wouldn’t eat the larger leaves anyway because they are not tender enough. The pickled aioli was a good dip, though wish there was more to scoop up greedily in the fried artichoke leaves.
Roasted Iberico Chop Sautéed Romano Beans & Hazelnuts: A-​M-​A-​Z-​I-​N-​G! Best pork chop ever! Sous vide cooked then pan seared for extreme tenderness with an appropriately crisped exterior. The lean meat, the fat pockets and everything in between was melt away! Kudos to the chef for securing this rare Spanish import that only recently became available in the States. The beans were a tad plain, but just right with the toasted hazelnut bits.
Seared Iberico Pork Belly with Sautéed Apricots & Arugula: Just as tender as the pork chop, though about half the size. A must for bacon lovers! The sous vide cooking makes the fat portion as tender as any 24-​braise can, but preserves the raw fatty flavor. The obligatory searing makes it just right, because soggy pork belly is no fun. The apricots were a little before ripe, but the bitterness helped cut the fat of the pork belly.
Rioja Chocolate Soufflé: Dark chocolate lovers rejoice. The high cocoa content and raw cocoa powder make this more bitter than traditional chocolate soufflés that tend towards milky. Small and runny, pairs great with the poached and peeled (must be a painful labor) peach. No yolks were used, so not as spongy as a traditional chocolate soufflé.
Sticky Toffee Cake with Macarpone Cream: So rare to find Stateside, glad to see there is momentum here. Love how the sticky toffee sauce binds to the exterior of the cake to make it gooey. The dates in the center are reminiscent of those awesome holiday rum cakes.
Brownie Trio with Nutella, Salted Chocolate & Fried Banana: The fried banana brownie was unheard of, wrapped in banana mash and fried like a plantain with gooey brownie inside. Loved the innovation. Wasn’t a fan of the salted chocolate, too salty without a sweet enough contrast. The nutella brownie wasn’t overpowering on the nutella front, but made a perfectly moist brownie.
Caramel Popcorn & Bacon: A preview of a new dessert to come. Appreciated that the popcorn wasn’t stuck together by caramel, but rather coated individually. The triad of butter, bacon fat and lard absorbed into the kernels to add a deep smokiness beyond the sugary the layer. The bacon bits were thin enough to give a salty contrast without hijacking the dessert.