Routier
Pastry chef Belinda Leong of B. Patisserie put a savory restaurant on the corner of Divisadero and California, with Michel Suas of the San Francisco Baking Institute and John Paul Carmona, who cooked at Manresa. The three of them did the two-year renovation themselves. Routier means a roadside restaurant.
Why go
Carmona built the opening menu in August 2020 around takeout comforts. Rillettes went out to smash on a demi baguette, braises came balanced with pickle and preserved lemon, and salads kept it light. Suas also runs Thorough Bread and Pastry, so the bread end is covered.
The corner was a jazz club before it was a series of bars, most recently the Wild Hare. The team stripped it back to the hardwood and laid black-and-white tile in the bar area under veined marble. The landlord refused to let them replace the rounded metallic door, so it stayed. The room seats sixty-five, and a mezzanine over the bar takes a party of sixteen.
Order this / avoid
- Order: the Formule Routier, which is a soup, an entree and a dessert. Eater listed it at $68 on a map dated 2022.2
- Order: the swordfish rillettes with lightly pickled cucumber and dill, if they are still on.1
- Order: dessert. It is the half of this menu with a specialist behind it.1
What locals & experts say
- John Paul Carmona, to Becky Duffett for Eater SF, August 2020:
We're not trying to be a traditional bistro or brasserie. Like the name, we wanted everything to be very approachable, all about satisfaction and enjoyment.
1 - Eater SF, on its affordable prix fixe map: it files the room as
elegant French comforts
on a sunny corner of Lower Pacific Heights.2
Good to know
- When: Wednesday through Sunday.3
- Groups: parties over six and private events go through the house email.3
- Where: 2801 California Street, in Lower Pacific Heights.
Jeff's take (his words)
- Note: "Kenji friend and rec for casual french"
Verdict
should-visit — Walk-ins are welcome, and the 6% health fee and the party-of-five gratuity are on the check before you order.