Issue date: August 19, 1998
By JANE KNOERLE
"French soul food" is how chef Todd Kneiss describes what's on the menu at Left Bank, Menlo Park's new French brasserie. Also known as cuisine grand-mere, Left Bank's "down home" cooking was inspired by its co-owner Roland Passot's hometown of Lyons.
The escargot, steak frites, roast chicken, and duck a l'orange are dishes a French grandmother might serve the family, provided grand-mere was a great cook. Left Bank encourages diners to share their food family style.
Executive Chef Passot and his partner Edward Levine have gone all out to create a big, crowd-pleasing brasserie here in Menlo Park. Opened just last week for dinner, Left Bank is already pulling them in, booking reservations 10 days ahead. Luncheon service begins this week in the handsome airy building, once home to Bank of America, Menlo Theatre and, most recently, Yuen Yung restaurant.
The 185-seat restaurant was designed by Michael Guthrie to reflect the building's Art Deco origins. Two walls of windows bring the light inside. The interior has been completely remodeled with wood floors and columns, and a clear-glass-walled bar that offers a view of the dining room and open kitchen. French advertising posters make a colorful splash on the deep yellow walls.
Leather booths and tables with comfortable chairs have enough room so you're not forced to eavesdrop on the next table's conversation. Outdoor sidewalk cafe seating is sheltered by glass awnings extending from the building.
Chef Passot, one of San Francisco's best-known French chefs, also owns La Folie in San Francisco and, with partner Levine, a second Left Bank in Larkspur. Todd Kneiss, chef de cuisine, comes to Menlo's Left Bank after three years in Larkspur, two of them as head chef.
Only 27, Mr. Kneiss has been in the food business since he was 15, first working in his father's catering business. "When I was 17, it sort of clicked in I wanted to be a chef," he says.
After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 1991, he worked in New Orleans and Florida before coming to California. "This is the place to be. California is known as a trend-setter and San Francisco is one of the top three cities (with New York and Chicago) for fine food."
What Mr. Kneiss prepares at Left Bank is country French cuisine attuned to the seasons. One of his favorite pastimes is visiting farmers' markets, choosing the ripest fruits and vegetables. When told about Menlo Park's farmers' market, he said, "I'll be there every Sunday."
As we talked last week, a vendor brought in a flat of huckleberries. "We'll have clafouti (a baked dessert) with these tomorrow night," he said.
While Left Bank celebrates "cuisine grand-mere," there is a California twist to the menu. Grandma certainly didn't serve her salade nicoise ($10.25) with seared rare Ahi tuna and avocado, although the classic ingredients of green beans, boiled egg, roasted red peppers, and capers are there.
Le pain bagnat ($6.25) is listed as an appetizer of toasted bread with herbed goat cheese spread with roasted onions, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and basil, although in the South of France it's sold at outdoor stands as a quick lunch.
Mussels are steamed with white wine, shallots, and garlic. Adding baby spinach is rather California.
Plats du jour include the brasserie classics. Steak frites ($17.75 for the petite) brings New York steak with roasted shallots and crisp, thin-cut fries. A half-chicken from the rotisserie ($12.75) comes with roasted onion, garlic, carrots and potatoes. Duck a l'orange ($15.75) is a hearty serving of succulent duckling that won't let you even think about cholesterol count.
As the weather cools, bouillabaisse ($16.50), accompanied by the traditional rouille (creamy garlic sauce) will make a soul-satisfying meal.
For dessert, it would be hard to choose between the warm tart tatin ($4.75) topped with fat carmelized apples, or a lemon tart ($4.75) with raspberry coulis.
Is the menu at Menlo Park's Left Bank the same as in Marin? "We have a big new rotisserie here, so we've based much of our menu on that. We don't want to do the corporate thing and have each restaurant the same," says Mr. Kneiss.
As we talked, the proprietaire, Roland Passot himself, bustled by in a work-stained apron after a busy session in the open kitchen. On hand for the first few weeks to see things run smoothly, he says of his newest venture, "We want this to be a neighborhood restaurant where you can come by for a salad nicoise or steak frites or just a glass of wine three or four times a week."
Left Bank, 635 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park, is open for lunch and dinner daily, 473-6543.
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