Haute and Hauter - Part III

I was back at the Fifth Floor in San Francisco for a taste of Jennie Lorenzo's New American cuisine, a change from the French inspired creations on the menu until last year. Simpler sauces, fresh veggies and...well, not very unlike New French cuisine that's the rage in Paris.

The crudo - raw is in vogue now - of tuna was pretty good and the transparent green caviar that came on it burst and crackled delightfully in the palate. The zest provided by gratings of Buddha's hand - an unique citrius fruit I only learnt of recently.

The pork belly was superb and different from last time's presentation. This dish was prepared with brussels sprouts, fennel, cauliflower and truffle sauce. Absolutely lip-smacking!

Duck was good too. Today's presentation was of seared duck breast marinated in sake with Savoy cabbage, braised duck leg and spiced oil with a hint of citrus.

During my last visit to Paris, I realized that French chefs have been experimenting with veggies in earnest and cooking with a lighter hand than ever before. Alain Passard at L'Arpege and Yannick Alleno of Le Meurice are two examples of this trend. Alleno, who recieved his third star only this year, is known for his light touch, teasing out flavors from fresh meat, fish and greens at his opulent restaurant on Rue de Rivoli near Place de la Concorde.

Back to my dinner at the Fifth Floor. The soup which had materialized in front of me had elements of Waldorf salad but in a steaming walnut-pine cream concoction. The fruit slices contrasted nicely with the warm soup in my mouth.

The stuffed chicken was another winner with a perfect balance of creativity, taste and presentation. It comprised of leeks soubise, pine-nut, arugula among other things.

I also loved the fried doughnuts with ice-cream. The doughnuts tasted like Indian Gujiya which is widely served during the Indian festival of colors, Holi.


The Fifth Floor continues to delight, even as its menu has evolved. The restaurant has a lively atmosphere during the evenings. Their breads are stand-outs too and their wine menu is extensive. Finally, we are beginning to see more and more creative women take up the Executive Chef's hat in Haute California and I am hoping this trend will show up in France too!

Prev Post in this series: Haute in California.

PS: You can find my other visits to the Fifth Floor here and here.