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!