It's one of those perfect sunny days in SF, and you feel like you have a cocaine bag's chance of survival in a tranny bar in finding a table to sit outside in the sun somewhere. This is not by any means a sure thing, but for some reason the two times I thought of CHOUQUET'S on upper Fillmore for brunch or lunch on a sunny day, I've found a table. Good enough odds for me. Now I might be totally screwing that up. Oh well.
Why all the seating? Could be due to the fact that the tables are downright diminutive, so they can pack more people out there. The tiny tables are also really close, so you'll get to know your neighbors quite well—not a good place for serious conversation with your lunch partner about who you think gave you herpes. (That conversation shouldn't happen in public, period.) This corner gets some serious sun in the afternoon, it's lovely. Even if you don't score an outside table, the inside has large enough windows that open, and it's a sleek little modernista space in wood and orange. But the whole point is to sit outside, right?
Their brunch menu used to be a little funky and non-brunchy (five salads, a steak dish, plus a quiche, a croque monsieur, and an omelette that gets really freaking expensive if you want more in it besides eggs), but now they've added some egg benny dishes too. (In the beginning they were probably like, "So, zee menu. Hmmmmm. Vat is theeeis brunch américaine? Zey should just have un salade. Cochons!")
Since I'm such an egg-hound, I just ask them to madame my monsieur and throw an egg on top. They cooked it perfectly. My croque was cheesy, bready, eggy, and hammy, just as it should be. Forget an American in Paris—I was an American with an egg. And with a nice mixed greens salad on the side to boot. Pal had the quiche Lorraine ($8), which seemed to suit her fine. Fresh squeezed OJ ($4.50) is also a nice touch. Yeah, the prices can be a touch Pac Heightsy, but hey, they gotta pay that rent.
Chouquet's
2500 Washington St.
Cross: Fillmore St.
San Francisco, CA 94115
415-359-0075
website
Lunch Tue-Fri 11:30am-3pm
Brunch Sat-Sun 10am-3pm
Dinner Tue-Sun 5:30pm-10pm
Benedicts $9-$12
Croque $9
Omelette $8
Salads $10-$14.50
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