Fringale

I am suppose to be on a diet...a somewhat moderate low-carb diet. Coming to Fringale did not help. The name, Fringale means "the urge to eat." The restaurant is one of the first true French bistros in San Francisco. It is located in the South of Market Area (SOMA), a block away from the tennis club I usually hang out at (SFTC). It is hard to believe that it has been opened since 1991.


Fringale Restaurant at the Heart of SOMA

The price is very reasonable...around US$18 to $25 per entree. Thus, Jenny and I opted to not choose the Dine About Town menu, and went for the regular menu.

First up...we shared two appetizers: grilled calamari and salad. The calamari is grilled with jalapeños and chorizo, so it is non-the-less spicy. Jenny and I were fighting to eat those jalapeños and peppers. It is sooooo good.


Spicy Monterey calamari “à la plancha” with jalapeños & chorizo

The salad did not disappoint either. It is a very unusual blend of bacon, poached egg and toasted levain. Yes, the poached egg was cooked just right...that oozing yoke!!!


Frisée salad with warm bacon dressing, poached egg & toasted levain

For the entree, we went for the beef and salmon combo. Again, we shared a wine. This time was a Syrah from Central Coast (Bridgeway 2003). This wine was very flowery with a sharp peppery taste...it went well with both our food.

I had to eat meat, so I went for the Black Angus rib-eye steak (cooked medium) with red wine butter. The butter is so delicious, I smuthered it all over the beef.


Black Angus rib eye steak with red wine butter & pommes frites

The salmon on the other hand, I felt, was not as fresh as I would like. It had a bit of a fishy taste to it. Jenny and I immediately compared this to that delicious salmon at Cortez. I think that salmon dish at Cortez will be my benchmark to judge other Salmon dishes elsewhere.


Loch Duart Scottish pan-roasted salmon with white asparagus & prawn coulis

In the course of the meal, I ate lots and lots of bread (recall my moderately low-carb diet?) because I was just too hungry. Thus when time came to dessert, Jenny and I shared Fringale's signature dish (as recommended by the ladies at the next table): dense almond torte with layer of custard cream. This dessert was simply a delight, as almond is one of my favorite flavor (think almond jello).



Mme. Angèle’s Gateau Basque
Dense almond torte filled with a layer of custard cream