Location: 398 Hayes Street @ Gough
San Francisco, CA
Tel: +1 415 551 1590
Absinthe's Executive Chef is Jamie Lauren, whom I met through my dear friend Hosea Rosenberg (winner of Top Chef Season 5). I found myself craving a hot bowl of French Onion Soup after a 2pm showing of SF Ballet's Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky (which moved me to tears!). Actually moving backwards, I first stopped off at Paulette Macarons to have a few tasty morsels of my favorite macarons in the world (after La Duree, of course). The sun was just starting to set. I still felt cold despite a hot cup of vanilla decaffeinated tea to complementing my macarons just perfectly. So, I set out directly across the street to Absinthe.
Walking in, Absinthe is indeed reminiscent of a French brasserie. Heavy brass and marble bar area. Warm, amber lighting throughout the restaurant, just beckoning patrons inside from the cold. The menu is beautiful, everything just looks delicious. If I wasn't coming off my fasting/cleanse, I would have ordered a full meal. So, I just ordered exactly what I had set out for - French Onion Soup.
It arrived perfectly hot, with julienned onions melted in the soup... with a delicious piece of soggy bread sopping up all the yummy goodness of the soup and the melted gruyere cheese on top. I was ecstatic! It was the perfect way to top off my afternoon after the Swan Lake Ballet just a few blocks down. Perfectly salty - I could not have been happier enjoying this meal all unto myself. Sometimes, a great meal is experienced most intimately when you are alone. No one to rush you, no conversation needed... just you and your meal. Internalizing every bite, every taste, every tiny ingredient that was added with care and strategy to appeal to your palate.
I was just at Absinthe last week. I met my girlfriend there for a snack before we headed off to the San Francisco symphony to see Yo Yo Ma, the brilliant violinist. In the past, I have enjoyed an amazing Neiman Ranch burger with Gruyere cheese. Oyster shots are also scrumptiously to be had at Absinthe (and very hard to find in the city, mind you).
I saw Chef Jamie cook live this past summer at the Kendall Jackson Tomatoe Festival, where she won competing against Chef Hosea and Kendall Jackson's Executive Chef. I must say that I love her style of cooking. Seasonal (of course, from San Francisco!), clean, simple, and totally savory. I also love her rock solid personality. No nonsense, no bullshit. She is true to herself, and consistent in her persona no matter what the environment. She has an amazing and very respectable bio. http://www.absinthe.com/press_bios_jl.html
I can relate to Chef Jamie 200% when she says, "...And a lot of love goes into each dish.” Just like Soledad's dinners. I admire and respect these amazing chefs so much for their ability to hone their craft to such heightened perfection, sharing their love with all the world, through their soulful food.
Here's to you, Jamie and Hosea. With love, from Soledad. Bisous.
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