As I walked into this very unassuming restaurant on the corner of Octavia and Bush in Pac Heights, I had the distinct feeling I had been there before. Turns out that it had been an apothecary in a prior life but most recently it had taken the form of another Top 100 restaurant, Quince. I had visited it when it was Quince, not the apothecary, in case you were wondering.
Baker and Banker sits quietly perched on the corner of this residential neighborhood, never boasting but once inside, the farm-to-table new American cuisine speaks for itself. We started with a spicy aha tuna tartare with Vietnamese slaw, crispy shallots, and peanuts, all of which burst on the palette with freshness and flavor. The mixed lettuces with strawberries, feta, crushed mint, and toasted almonds was a similarly wonderfully textured accompaniment. For our entrees, we chose the braised shortribs with black pepper pappardelle, wild mushrooms, English peas and shaved pecorino (heavenly) and the sweet soy and mirin braised black cod, foie-gras-shitake sticky rice, and charred bok choy. B&B was four-for-four by the times our forks and knives laid down on our plates.
The decor reads like a unpretentious but refined brasserie: dark leather banquettes fill the single square room, black pipes criss-cross across the ceiling, and the molding has been painted gold against caramel-colored walls.
Baker and Banker is named after the husband and wife who own, operate, and develop the recipes for the restaurant. He handles the savory courses, she holds down the dessert side.
Service was solid; our waiter was courteous, knowledgeable, and attentive.
Overall: ****
Food: ****
Service: ****
Vibe: ****
Price: $$$
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