At Le Clos in S.F., food steals the show from wine bar
The richness of the head cheese and the slightly sour nuances of the sauce added up to a magnificent result.
The interior certainly fulfills the desire for a cozy, relaxed place; Bright has created a restaurant that looks like it’s been around for decades.
Wine bottles line the shelf over the front door, and concrete floors, gray metal chairs with lumpy cushions, and wine racks on the floor separating a seating area in back give the interior a happenstance, lived-in feel.
The wine list looks impressive: a dozen flights of three 3-ounce pours, and 40 by-the-glass selections in 3-, 6- and 10-ounce portions.
The wines came out already poured, so we couldn’t see the labels, but the producers were scrawled illegibly on the base of the glass.
That approach seemed odd, especially since our waiter offered very little information about the wines, which is rare in a wine bar, where people often want to geek out.
The first wine was Louis Bouillot Cremant de Bourgogne, but the sparkling wine had a metallic taste and weak finish.
Both were at a warm room temperature — it was hot and stuffy in the small room, and the wines appeared to be stored behind the bar, so I’d suspect their temperature was hovering near 80 degrees.
Unfortunately, it was a continuing annoyance on all three visits, although on the last two service improved markedly because our waiter knew the list.
Frisee salad ($8/$12) had the same balanced qualities of the cochon — the tart vinaigrette balanced with the plushness of the poached egg and lardons.
There’s also a very good green salad ($8/$12), which is a needed diversion from all the charcuterie ($15/30) and cheese (priced by the ounce) that dominates the menu.
The selections of meats change regularly and the presentations are striking, with dabs of honey, mustard, cornichons, olives and other accompaniments.
There are 24 cheeses ($2-$5.50 an ounce) so you can mix and match and construct your own plate.
Another item worth ordering is brandade ($14/$20), a clever reinvention of a classic where the creamy salt cod is spooned over roasted potatoes.
While smaller bites are front and center, chef Shawn Gawle features several more substantial courses such as a brilliant poulet Basquez ($18/$26), where braised chicken falls from the bone into a tomato pepper sauce, soaked up by the couscous.
Gawle’s desserts include rice pudding ($9) with separate dishes of caramel, lemon curd and granola; a blancmange ($8) with macerated blueberries that’s an ideal match for sweeter wines; and a selection of Humphry Slocombe ice cream for a sundae with candied pine nuts ($10).
While most wine bars concentrate on nighttime business, Les Clos is open continuously for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Bright also features an impressive tea list where diners can spend $4 for heirloom white peony or up to $150 for Pu’er 1938 vintage black tea.