Unwilling to let Christmas pass, Katie and I made our way down for lunch at the Balboa Café (est. 1913), set at the base of Fillmore where Cow Hollow slides into the Marina. Still decked out in all it's Holiday boughs and bunting, the Balboa was a great place to extend the warm feelings we've been wrapped in of late. Along with my sister DeDe, a willing conspirator, we started with Bloody's made from scratch (as they should be) heavy in horseradish and fresh lemon juice. Packed for the Monday after Christmas, a buzz of conversation running through the place, we somehow managed to secure a table before any thoughts of a second drink surfaced.
We tucked into a linen covered table, and decided to share a couple of Ceasar's which nearly approached the Zuni's. Very red burgers followed, mine with blue cheese and grilled onions, served on firm, sour baguette. Not the burger of our Tuesday's-only secret, but pretty damn good. A bit of local red in the glass, and some hot slender fries helped make it all work. Espressos and a créme brûlée allowed us to finish up the family gossip before heading into the warmth of a low afternoon sun. Dede would be off to her place on Maui the next day, for which I forgave her, and Kate and I strolled the waterfront of Chrissy Field full with kid's and dogs running about, the Big Gate before us.
Chez Gautier Cooking School: http://www.chez-gautier.com
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