4.25 STARS
I was able to score same day rezzies at my AARP dinner time of 5:15 pm so baby, we celebrating Chinese New Year at RT Bistro!
Don't mind me, I'm in my woo woo crazy girl energy era.
In all seriousness, rezzies are hard to score at one-month young, RT Bistro unless you want to eat after 9 pm. IMO, OpenTable's priority notification is whacked (or it's my phone). You're better off checking after midnight or keep refreshing the app for cancellations.
Outdoor parklet seating is in the works which will increase capacity.
M E N U
American Bistro Fare with French and AZN influences. The menu also features hits from their sister restos (Rich Table & Rich Table Rotisserie) like RT's sourdough bread, dried porcini donuts, and burger, and RTR's chicken fat rice. And, OFC their signature element of douglas fir makes several appearances.
Beer, wine, and cocktails available. 6% SF surcharge.
F O O D
* Bread & Butter: RT Sourdough w/ wild fennel, cultured butter ($7): https://tinyurl.com/2bduseaj
Warm, chewy crust and fluffy soft interior with a subtle tang. Served with a creamy, silky smooth butter. Wish the bread had more char to enhance the flavor.
* Kanpachi Crudo w/ tawainese five flavor sauce, mandarin ($21): https://tinyurl.com/yeysb9x6
Fav app, there's a vibrant balance of sweet, sour, salty, spicy, and umami that elevated the mild amberjack. GET THIS!
* Dungeness Crab Thermidor w/ shared cultures miso, pomelo, champignon de paris ($29): https://tinyurl.com/3uw3dtab
A modern spin on a French classic - fresh chunks of crab meat is mixed with earthy mushrooms and miso infused sauce, placed back in its shell and broiled. Rich and indulgent with the pomelo doing little to lighten the dish. I wished we requested that the sourdough to be served with this.
* SF Duck L'Orange w/ mandarin sweet & sour, chicory, orange honey, luna rice ($49): https://tinyurl.com/bdwnpybu
A hapa baby, the seared duck breast was tender and meaty with a crispy, nicely rendered skin. Some pieces were overdone to medium well tho. The sauce is an ode to Chinatown's sweet & sour sauce, punchy and acidic with the chicory's slight bitterness rounding out the richness.
Served in a claypot, RTR's chicken fat rice was bomb! Think hainan chicken rice infused with the scallion oil, deeply flavorful and aromatic. If a crispy rice crust formed in the earthenware, it would have taken it to the next level.
* RT Bistro Burger w/ dill-pickled onion, ca cheddar, RT bistro sauce, triple cooked fries ($29): https://tinyurl.com/5jy9w5b3
No bistro menu is complete without a burger, so RT Bistro brought over RT's off-menu fav. Cooked on a wood-fired grill, the thicccc patty is incredibly juicy and beefy, nestled in a soft, housemade brioche bun. The melty cheddar adds a creamy sharpness...BUT the tang and acidity from the house burger sauce and pickled onions were muted, making each bite heavy. The triple-cooked fries in beef tallow were not my jam, they were like clunky bricks.
Don't get me wrong, it's a delicious chef-driven burger, but didn't quite live up to the crazy hype.
* Ice Box Pie w/ meyer lemon, graham cracker ($15): https://tinyurl.com/46jepzdz
Creamy, citrusy lemon custard topped with airy whipped cream and crushed graham crackers for texture. To nitpick, I was hoping for more tartness but it was otherwise, a perfectly light and not too sweet dessert to refresh the palate.
S E R V I C E
Polished service with timely delivery of dishes.
A M B I A N C E
Cabin meets lively bistro with moody lighting, firewood cubbies, and antler skull. The dozen tables are packed SO close, making it hard to have a convo without overhearing everyone else's.
Overall, we had an enjoyable meal, though some elements fell short of making certain dishes truly shine. One of the servers was hyping up the steak so I'm coming back for ya, moo moo raw! read more