Café Claude, a French bistro located in the financial/shopping district of San Francisco is celebrating its 21st anniversary in business this year. For the last 12 years, the restaurant enjoyed a strong popularity among downtown types, locals and jazz music lovers alike. It also has a huge influx of tourists hoping to find serenity and peace exhausted by the unlimited shopping options of downtown San Francisco. Just minutes away from Union Square, this authentically French eatery — tucked in a tiny alley reminiscent of narrow streets of Paris — has the aura of a secret enclave where one can have a quiet conversation, enjoy an authentic French meal or catch some of the best jazz in town!
The historical building on the corner of Bush Street and Claude Lane where the café is located has a rich history, and rumor has it that there was a speakeasy in the basement during Prohibition years. All original interiors, including the zinc-topped bar ,were shipped directly from Le Barbizon, a gone-out-of-business Parisian brasserie that flourished in the mid 1990s. A recent remodel of the interior has put Café Claude on a contemporary San Francisco map of must-see dining/live music destinations.
Open for lunch and dinner with its heated outdoor patio, Café Claude offers quintessential French menu bound to satisfy most sophisticated tastes. Under the kitchen leadership of Chef Leo Salazar, small plates and salads to start with are Escargots en Croute (snails with parsley, shallots, anchovies on puff pastry), Soupe a l'Oignon (onion soup gratinee with swiss cheese), or Chevre Mesclun (salad with walnuts, tomatoes, sliced apples and goat cheese).
The dazzling list of main dishes includes Coq au Vin (chicken marinated in red wine Port sauce with mushrooms, pearl onions and fingerling potatoes), Truite Aux Amandes (pan-seared trout in lemon sauce ) and Filet Mignon (certified Angus beef with Brussels sprouts in foie gras black truffle sauce).
The wine list offers over 60 individually selected French and California wines available by the bottle or glass. Worthy of note are vintages such as a 2004 Sancerre Gilles Lesimple, a 2005 Savennières Jalouise or 2006 Chinon Les Petites Roches, all of which come from the Val de Loire region of France. California wines are represented by Santa Ynez Valley's Purisima Mountain, Sonoma's La Neblina and Napa's Beauchemin Vineyards.
For the past 12 years, Café Claude has been a great venue featuring some of best local jazz musicians. Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, one of the corners of the restaurant is transformed into a small stage. Great local musicians — composer, bassist and educator Marcus Shelby, San Francisco's legendary jazz couple, Mad and Eddie Duran, and fusion jazz composer/guitarist Gregory James, to name but three — have had their residency at Café Claude for many years.
Another frequent musical group at the café, Trio Garufa, serves a refined, poignant and highly danceable classical Argentine Tango while incorporating electronic beats and synthesized sounds of Nuevo Tango into the mix. Vocalist Lori Carsillo — with her simple, direct delivery and sensual voice — interprets standards with intimacy and personality, and vibrant vocalist/bandleader Alexa Weber Morales showcases her rootsy yet sophisticated mix of jazz, Latin, Cuban, Brazilian and African music.
The owner, Franck Leclerc, who has a keen sense of local San Francisco scene, has a vision of expanding his outreach to make Claude Lane an even bigger destination. In 2008, he opened the modern and funky Gitane Restaurant & Bar (6 Claude Lane) where an exciting mix of Basque, French, Spanish and Portuguese fare is served. And, in June of 2010, the Claudine (8 Claude Lane) will start showcasing gourmet foods to-go and specialty artisanal products.
In May of 2010, Leclerc plans to open Five Claude Lane, an art gallery where he will team up with local non-profit organizations to feature artwork of visual artists in various mediums. Leila Seppa, the restaurant's manager responsible for this project, promises that "our team on Claude Lane is committed to an ongoing support of community-based [themes] on the cohesive triad of food, music, and art. There exists a natural bonding of creativity, inspiration, and productivity when you bring people together in a setting that emphasizes the importance of these elements in life."
In an effort to continue funneling the distinct San Francisco scene and energy as well as capitalizing on outstanding location, Leclerc and Seppa are keeping a clear focus on community and education.
When you book your table at Café Claude, please mention this article on JazzWest.com.
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Café Claude is located at 7 Claude Lane (between Sutter and Bush Streets), in San Francisco. Call 415.392.3505 or visit www.cafeclaude.com.
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