Le Charm Bistro
If you didn’t look this place up online, you would have walked right by and missed out on a great dining experience. It’s nestled between a convenience store and residential apartments. Although the sign was right there in plain view, the whole place just somehow blends in. Maybe it’s because you never get a full view of the place. I don’t think I have ever walked on the other side of the street. Never once looked in its general direction, except for the corner as it told me “5th Street, nothing here for me.” No matter. I finally found you Le Charm and you’ve lived up to your name.
Inside the wait staff was very attentive. They asked if I wanted to sit in the front or the back. Looking around, the front was cozy. Small round tables paired with plush curved wood framed seats were very inviting. Plenty of room and plenty of tables open. The back, thought, looked as though it was an add-on, a large backyard patio covered by a white canopy. I was kinda perplexed by the canopy. I wonder if they open up the area on warm sunny days. That might be the reason. However, this day wasn’t one of those days. And in fact, it was a little chilly, so I chose the front, a window seat. As I sat and waited, I realized why the front was empty. Music started to play, live music. Oh I’m such a noob. Everyone was in the back listening to two musicians playing classical French music.
As you guessed, we moved to the back.
Don’t worry, these musicians were content staying where they were and didn’t make it a case to visit any tables. Wonderful. Some romantic music to go with an excellent meal. Given that this was a bistro, I was pretty impressed with the quality. Sorry for the dismal pictures below. The lighting was low and I only had my iPhone.
Le Charm French Bistro
315 5th Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
+1 (415) 546-6128
lecharm.com
Verdict: Yes, recommended. Next time, I won’t be doing the Prixe Fixe menu.
The crab mix was held within the crispy nest on top of the greens. Not to bad given the crunchiness mixed in with the smooth crab blend. I wasn’t sure what was inside the crab mix, except for the visible chunks of crab meat, but it was good enough to eat alone.
Chicken hearts in a salad? Odd? Well, no, not in this dish. I loved it. The hearts were marinated and seared tender. Tossed in with the leafy greens and this gravy of a dressing, boom. I was in heaven. Now, if only all salads were made this way.
I’ve tried, and obviously failed, at making this dish look appealing. Sorry. Visually, it looks like a mess. But in the taste department, a well executed wine braise. The richness of the meat mixed with the deep wine sauce made me happy. In between bites, I’d scarf down a bit of mashed potatoes to keep things interesting. Half-way in I could feel the food coma coming on. Don’t let it fool you, this dish was pretty heavy.
A good way to end the meal, even though I was completely stuffed. The warm brioche was topped with vanilla ice cream, which made for a nice contrast in taste and temperature. The taste of the soft brioche was enhanced by the caramel glaze and ice cream. I like the way you can control the level of sweetness this way.