Côte Ouest Bistro
French restaurant · Cow Hollow
2953 Baker St, San Francisco, CA 94123
Highlights
French bistro with sidewalk seating, classic dishes
French bistro with sidewalk seating, classic dishes
"This Presidio French bistro is ideal if you’d like a “close quarters” kind of date. French pop plays at just the right level for conversations that require leaning in, and there are cushioned nooks for cuddling. Start with shareable dishes like the fantastic beet salad, and follow it up with the flaky sole meunière or crispy duck confit. Just skip show nights at the Palace of Fine Arts, otherwise you’ll be relegated to doing date night elsewhere." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong
"Two-course brunch, three-course lunch or dinner $30 for brunch, $45 for lunch, $60 for dinner We love this spot for a date, and they have options for all price points" - julia chen 1
"One of our favorite places for a low-key date night is Cote Ouest near the Presidio. There's a big sparkling parklet and cushioned nooks inside that practically demand snuggling. Bring someone you're comfortable having no personal space with, and split overflowing oeufs mayonaisse. Hand-feed each other sole meunière that falls apart from the tap of a fork. Don’t be shy about constantly asking for refills of freshly cut bread and butter." - julia chen 1, patrick wong
"Cote Ouest looks like it was engineered in some kind of rom-com lab. The huge parklet sparkles with twinkling lights, and inside, it’s all dainty two-tops and cushioned nooks with giant pillows that practically demand you snuggle. The menu at this French bistro is designed for splitting—there are share plates already at every table. We like starting with the overflowing oeufs mayonaisse and a sliced warm loaf of bread. And after hand-feeding each other eggs and sourdough, move onto the beet salad that is easily one of the best in the city, sole meunière that falls apart from the tap of a fork, and crispy duck confit with a sweet balsamic gastrique. We’d love for the date night to end as well as it starts, but dessert is a miss with a tarte fine aux pommes that has a burnt underside and an icy bulb of vanilla ice cream. Still, if you need a spot with walk-in ease and music just loud enough to encourage close-quarter conversations, this Presidio restaurant is it. Just avoid show nights at the Palace of Fine Arts. Otherwise, you’ll have to fight for a table. Food Rundown photo credit: Patrick Wong Oeufs Mayonaisse And Chips A mixed dish. The eggs are rich and creamy, but the potato chips—while crispy—are too greasy. We’d like this more if it was just the eggs. photo credit: Patrick Wong Beet Salad You won’t find other salads like this in SF. Tender beets and balsamic-drizzled arugula are topped by a phyllo dough pouch that you ceremoniously crack open to reveal a mound of creamy goat cheese. The sprinkling of candied pistachios add crunch. You must order this. photo credit: Patrick Wong Cauliflower Al Pastor A solid side. The cauliflower has a good chew and is coated in an earthy al pastor sauce that’s balanced by orange segments and goat cheese. photo credit: Patrick Wong Sole meunière While the fish is moist and flaky, our favorite part of the dish is actually the smashed potato that’s still crispy even after soaking in brown butter and lemon juice. photo credit: Patrick Wong Duck Confit You’ll see this on other tables, and for good reason. The meat is juicy and the skin could give you tinnitus from how loud it crackles. Again, the potatoes—this time in gratin form—are fantastic. photo credit: Patrick Wong Tarte Fine Aux Pommes A flat way to end. The bottom is scorched and the ice cream is over frozen. We’d skip and have a dessert wine instead." - Patrick Wong
"Baker Street Bistro, located on the border of the Presidio in Cow Hollow, is closing permanently after three decades. The bistro served comforting French dishes such as onion soup gratinée, boeuf Bourguignon, brunch Benedicts, and croques in a warm and welcoming space. The closure is due to financial difficulties brought on by COVID-19, and the owners need to focus on their new patisserie, Maison Danel. The bistro's charm included its tucked-away location, but this also posed a visibility challenge during city shutdowns. Owners expressed that their classic dishes and rich sauces were not intended for takeout, and outdoor dining did not meet their regulars' expectations for comfort. The spirit of the bistro's French hospitality is continued at Maison Danel with select menu items available for takeout." - Becky Duffett
