THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED La Folie

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED La Folie Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant and décor: French chef Roland Passot began establishing his reputation while trekking from Lyon to Chicago to Texas, eventually settling in San Francisco, where he opened La Folie in 1988. (His culinary influence in the Bay Area expanded with the mini-chain of Left Bank brasseries and LB Steak restaurants.) Polished wood accents and long, lean mirrors interspersed with earth-toned walls form a backdrop for the deep burgundy banquettes and roomy tables dressed in white linen. A private dining room is also available. Service complements the ambience --- professional but never snooty.

About the food: Chef Passot's food is creatively executed, often mixing a variety of textures, ingredients and plate components in ways that are enjoyable. The tasting menu can be augmented by dishes with caviar or Miyazaki A5 Wagyu, which is served as generous chunks seared with a crisp edge that balances the tender, appropriately unadulterated meat. The chef takes great pains to leverage local ingredients, going so far as to source butter made from the milk of Sonoma grass-fed Jersey cows, which varies in flavor with the seasons and the cows’ diet. You might encounter such dishes as pig feet, sweetbread and lobster terrine on a lentil salad with bacon hazelnut vinaigrette, or herb-crusted Alaskan halibut with fingerling potato confit, clams and saffron mussel jus. Desserts are French. Baked Alaska applies the meringue crust to layers of roasted fig sorbet and Bourbon vanilla ice cream, while the Edam cheese soufflé is a pleasant blend of savory and sweet notes arriving in an espresso cup. The tasting menu is $165, plus optional wine pairings; or compose a menu of four courses ($150). A vegetarian menu is also available.

About the wine: California and French wineries feature prominently on the wine list curated by Passot’s brother. The Champagne collection is particularly well conceived and includes grower-producer labels, options from established houses and a selection of half-bottles and magnums. At the adjacent lounge, patrons can indulge in luxe bar bites and classic cocktails.