Bar Tartine

Last week, I was shocked to discover that Jason Fox was on his way out at Bar Tartine. The restaurant outpost of the always popular Tartine Bakery, Bar Tartine has been one of my favorite restaurants in the city since I got back from Boston. The food was a great representation of what I find to be sophisticated, California cuisine - Chef Fox's creative uses of ingredients really symbolized the type of food that can only be born in San Francisco. I distinctly remember an appetizer of pork belly, calamari, egg salad, and potatoes that was far greater than the sum of its parts (and yes, I realize how delicious each part already is) and easily one of best dishes I ate in 2007. And they served a mean brunch... I'm talking foie gras paninis and smoked salmon benedicts.

So, imagine my surprise when I found out Jason Fox wasn't leaving to pursue some other opportunity. From what I can tell, he's basically been fired (though supposedly in amicable fashion) to make way for Chris Kronner, formerly of Serpentine and Slow Club, who is going to simplify the food. Apparently the owners want to "draw a more direct line" between the restaurant and the bakery... which, if you ask me, sounds like they are trying to lean more in the Maverick/Range direction. Now don't get me wrong - those are two of my favorite restaurants as well - but I really loved what Fox did at Bar Tartine and I thought he brought a unique style to the dining scene. It will be missed, and I hope he quickly lands somewhere else in the city. I haven't been to Serpentine yet, but Chris Kronner is supposedly a great talent. He has big shoes to fill.

Anyway, immediately upon hearing this news, I booked a table to eat Fox's cooking one last time with my mom.

COUNTRY BREAD - from Tartine BakeryFirst things first - Tartine Bakery is indeed quite delicious. At Bar Tartine, they serve fresh country bread from their sibling - a wonderful, chewy, slightly sour loaf. It's my favorite table bread anywhere, period. You can buy it by the round at the bakery.

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES AND CUCUMBERS - purslane, basil, avocado, pecorino, black olive vinaigrette - $13My mom started with this heirloom tomato salad, a beautiful example of my favorite summer ingredient. The creamy avocado did a great job to smooth out this dish. Bar Tartine has always made some of the city's most top-notch salads.

SANTA BARBARA SEA URCHIN - corn custard, chorizo, beech mushrooms, jalapeno, crayfish broth - $15Now here's a prototypical Jason Fox mix of ingredients. One of the most creative Western uni-users I have seen, Fox is an expert at combining unexpected ingredients that just make you say "huh?" while turning them into something amazing. A few beautiful pieces of uni sit on top of a light, slightly sweet custard, which eventually turns into a bit of a stew when stirred together with the other ingredients. The chawanmushi influence is clear, but the Western ingredients make it wholly different. Chorizo gives just the right amount of salt, and the jalapeno kick paired with sea urchin is surprisingly delicious. An absolute winner, and symbolic of what Fox does that separates him from everyone else.

POTATO GNOCCHI - hen of the woods mushrooms, corn, sage, parmesan, black truffle oil - $19My mom got this veggie main dish which has been a mainstay on the menu (with just some seasonal variation on which vegetables go in) for the past couple of years. Fox's gnocchi has a nice fluffy texture with some crisping on the edges. The huge chunks of fresh-cut corn were delicious - I guess I'm too young to know what corn used to taste like.

FOUR STORY HILL FARM HANGER STEAK - cherry tomato bread salad, french beans, rosemary oil - $27I went with the steak, which appears often on the menu in varying preparations and with changing accompaniments. This piece was cooked nicely and had a nice char to it. I'm not sure if they used that country loaf for the bread salad, but it was yum.

CORNMEAL CREPES - blueberries, fresh corn ice cream, lime caramel - $8Bar Tartine has always had strong desserts. I remember it was the first place I tried olive oil ice cream with sea salt, which is now one of my favorite combinations (especially if they give you a piece of that Tartine shortbread). These crepes had a nice mix of flavors going on, particularly the unexpected tang of the caramel. A very nice finish.

And so goes my ode to the Fox era at Bar Tartine. I'm quite sad to write this, as Fox is officially no longer cooking there. I've probably been to Bar Tartine 10-15 times in the past 2 years or so - it was really entrenched into my rotation. I tried to capture some of the essence of the restaurant with my ordering, and I thought the uni dish encompassed Bar Tartine best. Hopefully it gives you an idea of what this place was like. (Admittedly, brandade-stuffed squash blossoms and Pt. Reyes lamb tongue were also tempting.)

I look forward to trying Chris Kronner's food here once he settles in, and hope he brings his own slant to the table. But based on the direction of the restaurant, it's hard not to feel like something is now gone forever with Jason Fox's departure. Best of luck to this place, and I can't wait to find out where Fox ends up. Jason, if you are listening, please don't leave SF!

Comments

[Grete]

Hi Arthur...Looks great, the sea urchin is my favourite....mmmm, love weird combinations, best greetings....

[Bob]

We, too, will miss Jason's sublime cooking. Bar Tartine became our most go-to restaurant--not just for the creative and sophisticated cooking he and sous chef Ian produced--but also because of the family atmosphere they promoted with the front house staff lead by Cheleyna. Despite SF's reputation for food, (organic, sustainable, artisanal), a lot of the city's restaurants seem to produce the same type of food, which ultimately is not all that creative. And when owners begin to play it safe and cater to the lowest common denominator (granted, that is pretty high in SF as compared to other cities), people like us lose.

The reason we would now return to Bar Tartine is to see our friends who are still working there. But frankly, Chris Kronner's burger on a brioche bun, roasted chicken, and the use of [fabulous] tartine bread in more dishes are not culinary catalysts for us to return there anytime soon, no matter how "good" they might be, especially since I can make those type of dishes in my own kitchen. What I can't make is the delicious sea urchin you feature above.

[Arthur Che]

@Grete: Definitely. The sea urchin was great. I have another "sea urchin in a bowl" dish coming up from Saison shortly.

@Bob: My sentiments exactly. Well, not exactly, since I won't be cooking burgers or roasted chicken any time soon. But Fox's cooking had a level of complexity that was cut from a different cloth than many of our simpler (though wonderful as well) local places.

[ChuckEats]

i had that uni dish the week they closed - yum yum.

[Steve G]

You know, I wrote them a letter that sounded almost identical to your introduction at the top. Along the lines of, "I love Fox's sophisticated food. I enjoy Range/Maverick type food too, but there are already many other similar examples of that and things like the amazing Chawan Mushi at Bar Tartine got me going back again and again."

Anybody know where he has ended up? The new Bar Tartine menu is totally boring and uninspired, loaded with things I can and do make at home all the time.

[Arthur Che]

Steve - I haven't heard anything yet. If you find out definitely let us all know! I'll probably try the new Bar Tartine soon, but you're right... the menu looks okay, but decidedly less interesting.

[Elana]

Thank you, Arthur, for capturing some delectable memories from the Jason Fox era of Bar Tartine. I was really disappointed to hear about the change. I find it strange that they are terming the new menu as more "accessibly priced" when the new entrees are in the exact same price range as the previous ones? I have little motivation to try the new Bar Tartine, but I will be one of the first to follow Fox to his new position, wherever that might be.

[Arthur Che]

2 things worth mentioning regarding this post:

1) I've been to the new Bar Tartine a few times now, and while not quite as memorable as it used to be for me, I think it's found its legs. It's a solid place to get a satisfying (although more "rustic" perhaps) meal. I guess that's what the owners were going for.

2) For anyone who hasn't heard, Jason Fox has landed at http://www.commonwealthsf.com which just opened about a week ago. Menu looks intriguing, and I look forward to trying it.