Cafe Claude

We visited Cafe Claude in San Francisco for lunch. It’s a little hard to find. From the south side of Bush and Grant – across the street from the Chinatown Gate – walk east (downhill) and you will come to a little alley, Claude Lane. Turn right and walk down the alley a few steps and it’s on your right. Out of the way but well worth the little extra effort to find.

Being lunchtime on Saturday, I expected the place to be pretty busy, but it was quiet and we had no trouble getting seated. Carrot soup was one of the specials of the day and it was great. The bit of grated parmesian sprinkled on the top added just the right amount of zip. As a main course, my wife and I both had Saumon Provencale (almond, olive oil, fennel confit, eggplant caviar, green olive, lemon sauce). The salmon was nice and juicy and actually better than my own.

It’s been a long time since I was in Paris, but the place seemed pretty authentic. Our waiter spoke with a French accent…. Actually, I take one thing back. The place was very authentic but with one exception: The staff at Cafe Claude was extremely friendly, courteous, and helpful.