We have heard about Left Bank Brasserie restaurants for awhile now but haven’t had a chance to experience their deliciousness until we were invited in to review the Menlo Park venue earlier this month. My only regret was not getting an opportunity to taste their incredible French onion soup so I’m adding it to the list for a future time.
If you’re not familiar with the symbolism of the Left Bank, La Rive Gauche (The Left Bank) is the southern bank of the famous River Seine in Paris.
“Rive Gauche” or “Left Bank” generally refers to the Paris of an earlier era: the Paris of artists, writers and philosophers. The phrase implies a sense of bohemianism, counterculture and creativity that existed at one time and there are still many brasseries in Paris which reflect this artsy creative time.
Below, you can see how Left Bank Brasserie tries to weave in the flavor of that era through its decor and ambiance throughout.
Above two photo credits: Left Bank Brasserie
Left Bank Brasserie Menlo Park
As you’d expect from a French styled brasserie, they had authentic Hors D’Oeuvres, including Shrimp Provencale with Nicoise olives, basil, capers and Pernot garlic butter as well as Calamari, a Tarte Lyonnaise, which we would have tried if we weren’t trying to lay low on carbs and a delicious Cheese Fondue which they do with melted brie, blue and goat cheese and a Madeira wine. We have a fondue at home and can never seem to get it quite right.
They have the classic two salads you’d expect as well — Endive and Nicoise, however I was dying to try the Salad de Betterave au Raifort, aka, a roasted heirloom beet salad with spicy horseradish creme fraiche dressing.
They gave us a sherry dressing instead because of my dislike for horseradish, however I’d recommend getting it the way the chef prepares it if you’re a horseradish lover.
Apparently known for their cocktails as much as their wine list of French offerings, worth noting is a drink they call Rue Cler, which is made with lime juice, peach vodka, basil and apple juice. Sounds sweet right? Not a chance – it was so perfectly balanced that we could have drank them all night long.
My favorite of all the dishes we sampled has to go to their classic Escargots, which is made with the ever so rich Pernod garlic butter. They serve it with a buttered toast and like all French restaurants, there’s a big basket of bread on the table for dipping. It was perfect with the white Sancerre they paired with it.
I stayed with white through my main course, which was their pan roasted Loch Duart salmon, which they served with roasted butternut squash, Brussels sprouts petals and a vanilla saffron beurre blanc.
They had us sample their George Duboeuf Beaujolais flight with the Boeuf Bourguignon they wanted us to try, which the chef prepares with braised beef cheeks, bacon lardons (yum), baby carrots, mushrooms and pearl onions. Rich but divine!
On the Beaujolais flight was the Moulin-a-Vent Domaine de Rosiers, the Saint-Amour Chateau de Saint-Amour and the Julienas Chateau des Capitans, which was a tad light for a rich beef dish, but delicious nevertheless. Think raspberries, cinnamon, cherries and black currants.
Boeuf Bourguignon at Left Bank Brasserie
Ready for dessert yet? We were pretty full at this juncture, but they encouraged us to try the Chocolate Fondue, which is also beautiful to look at — I’d recommend this as the perfect dessert to share if heading here as a group of four or more. Even better was their Pumpkin Cheesecake although they also offer a Creme Brulee, Profiteroles and a delicious Cafe Liegeois as well.
We loved the ambiance and given the time of year, they had pumpkins and other fall decor scattered throughout, which only added to the warmth of the restaurant.
In addition to Menlo Park, Left Bank Brasserie also has restaurants in Larkspur and San Jose. For more information, visit their website which also has their dining and wine menus.
DETAILS:
Left Bank Brasserie
635 Santa Cruz Avenue
Menlo Park, CA 94025
https://www.leftbank.com/
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Note: we were hosted by the restaurant but all opinions expressed are entirely our own.
Renee Blodgett is the Founder and Managing Editor of We Blog the World, a global travel, culture and lifestyle publication exploring the world through the lens of meaningful experiences, human connection and cultural depth. Having lived in 10 countries and traveled to 95, Renee has spent much of her life immersed in the people, traditions, landscapes and ideas that shape how we experience the world.
Since launching We Blog the World in 2007, she has written and produced extensive editorial coverage spanning boutique and luxury travel, culinary experiences, arts and culture, wellness, adventure, technology, spiritual traditions and transformative travel. Her work is rooted in the belief that travel is about more than where we go—it is also about what a place, culture or encounter awakens within us.
Renee brings more than three decades of experience across journalism, photography, media, brand strategy, technology, wellness and global storytelling. She has worked with companies and organizations around the world on brand positioning, communications, product launches, media strategy, speaker positioning and storytelling. Through Blue Soul Media, she works with authors, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and purpose-driven brands to clarify their message and expand their impact, which includes speaker coaching/training for high-profile stages such as TED and bringing authors’ work to market while retaining authors rights.
She is also the co-founder of Blue Soul Earth, an educational platform exploring consciousness, ancient wisdom, spirituality, healing and the intersection between science and the nature of reality. Renee is the producer and host of the award-winning Blue Soul CHATS, a conversational series bringing together leading voices in science, technology, consciousness, wellness and spirituality.
Her growing body of work also includes Blue Soul Living, which extends her interest in consciousness and well-being into the spaces we inhabit, exploring how intentional design, energy and environment can support greater harmony and connection.
Renee is the award-winning co-author of the bestselling Magdalene’s Journey and founder of the Magdalene Collection, inspired by women’s voices, stories and wisdom across cultures and generations.
A longtime photographer and storyteller, Renee has documented people, places and cultures around the world and produced photographic collections focused on destinations including the Galápagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome and Ecuador. She also co-founded Traveling Geeks, an international initiative that brought entrepreneurs, journalists, creators and technology leaders together with their counterparts in other countries to exchange ideas and explore innovation across cultures.
Renee’s work has been recognized by Forbes, the United Nations and others for her influence in media and social storytelling. Across her work in travel, media, consciousness and culture, a common thread remains: curiosity about the world, the stories that connect us and the ways meaningful experiences can change how we see ourselves and one another.
