This morning, we had a nice brunch at Zazie in Cole Valley. We arrived around 10am, and they hadn't yet opened the back patio. Uh-oh. How were we going to fulfill the dictates of the list, which specified that we must eat on the back patio? It also happened to be the first sunny day in a week, and, <foot stomp>, I wanted to eat outside! Thankfully, there weren't any tables indoors, so we waited outside on Cole Street for about ten minutes before following the host back through the narrow restaurant, with its French movie posters lining the walls, to the vine-covered patio.
Outdoor table? Check. Here are my brother and his girlfriend, visiting from D.C., enjoying said outdoor table.
We blocked up, because it took the staff a few minutes to open up the big green umbrellas. Then we perused the menu. Lots of scrambles and French toasts and pancakes, but, keeping my eyes on the prize, I knew I had to have one of the many eggs Benedict. On the specials menu, I found my happy place: eggs Benedict with fresh crab and avocado.
Eggs Benedict la mer? Check. Not quite enough Hollandaise for my taste, and one of the eggs was a little over-poached, but flavors were delicious and the crab plentiful. I also love the roasted garlic bits in the potatoes.
B had poached eggs with eggplant (which sounds funny, doesn't it?). My brother had fried eggs with polenta served attractively in a cast-iron skillet, and his girlfriend S had poached eggs with salsa fresca. All good. Frankly, before this meal, B and I had been avoiding Zazie for brunch. In our one previous morning-time visit, our meal just didn't match up to our favorite Palo Alto brunch haunt (also with a French flair), Cafe Brioche. But now, we plan to return; the eggs were very well done. Incidentally, dinner is supposed to be good too.
Overall enjoyable meal? Check.
I miss the smoked trout at Cafe Brioche.
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