Boulevard

This place is simply incredible.

Been two times with several people and no one I know has been anything but amazed.

Atmosphere is surrpisingly casual and normal for such a super-fancy restaurant…some like it this way, some don’t. I see it as a neutral.

Service has never been anything but superb.

Enough about that stuff, lets get to the food.

Appetizers: I’ve had their foie gras which is simply magnificent…amazingly good. Other appetizers I have sampled were also excellent (including an awesome scallop appetizer).

Entrees…dont’ get me started. Their pork chop is awesome, but even more impressive were an absolutely amazing lamb chop I had the first time, and I was simply BLOWN AWAY by a veal + crab dish I had on my last visit…I was left speechless it was so incredible.

Dessert my first time was good, but not quite up to the same level of the other foods I had. My second visit, the desserts were also at the unbelievably good level…

Simply put, this place is one of the best restaurants and meals I’ve ever been to in my life. I was afraid, after raving about it for so long, that my second visit would disappoint, but it only blew me away even more!

It’s pricey (you’ll spend up to $100), but you HAVE to go at least once.
-Cliff

Excellent birthday lunch with best pal, Dianne. Decorated in its Christmas best, the restaurant was fantastic. Dianne had the tasty butterfish – so light and smooth. I had the Kobe Bavette, medium rare – heaven! We shared the Fall Salad and the Carmelized Vanilla Soaked Savarin. Holy cow – everything was delightful and even though we had salad, entree, and dessert, the meal wasn’t heavy or overpowering. Happy Birthday to Me!

fabulous crab cake for appetizers!

the waiter we had was not all that friendly.

would definitely go back again

If you have to choose one restaurant to go to in San Francisco, it should be Boulevard. Boulevard is “Casual Chic” and is perfect for any occasion. Night in and night out this restaurant never disappoints. If you sit in the front room by the windows, you will more than likely have a memorable dining experience that you will reflect back on for years. From top to bottom, Boulevard has the best wine list in San Francisco. What makes the list so great is a combination of the producers (large and small), vintage and region depth and the reasonable mark-ups (less than 2.5x over retail). Most importantly, the wine list has large a number of crisp white wines under $60, and racy red wines under $90 a bottle. The wine list is quite lengthy, and we have listed a number of values under $100 a bottle, and included a few of the more expensive wines. We tried to include the wines that we thought were the most exciting on the list, and we hope you agree. Boulevard has a number of excellent wines at higher price points that we are not able to touch on in this limited review because of Vinoservant’s focus on the best wine values under $100 a bottle.

If money is not an issue then start your evening with the 2000 Bollinger, La Grande Anne for $190, and follow it up with the 1995 Chateau Margaux for $650, or the 2005 Clos de Vougeot, Grand Cru, Meo-Camuzet for $350.

As with all VinoServant reviews, you will see the price at the restaurant followed by the mark-up over retail (1999 Gloria Ferrer, Carneros Cuvee | $80 | 1.7x | This translates into a retail price of $46).

VINOSERVANT’S TOP WINE VALUES AT BOULEVARD

Sparkling Wines

1999 Gloria Ferrer, Carneros Cuvee | $80 | 1.7x | TOP PICK

Pierre Morlet, Premier Cru Grande Reserve, Non-Vintage, Champagne | $88 | 2.2x
Ployez-Jacquemart, Brut Rose, Non-Vintage | $96 | 2.1x
Billecart – Salmon, Brut Reserve, Champagne | $140 | 1.9x | TOP PICK
2000 Bollinger, La Grande Annee, Champagne | $190 | 1.5x | TOP PICK

White Wines

2010 Spottswoode, Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc | $50 | 1.4x
2007 Chateau Carbonnieux, Blanc, Graves | $80 | 1.8x | TOP PICK

2010 Etude, Pinot Gris | $42 | 1.7x
2010 Foxen, Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard, Santa Maria, Chenin Blanc | $42 | 1.9x
2010 Unti Vineyards, Cuvee Blanc, Dry Creek Rhone Blend | $45 | 1.9x
2010 Grosset, Polish Hill, Clare Valley, Riesling | $68 | 1.4x

2010 Qupe, Bien Nacido Vineyard Y Block, Santa Maria Valley, Chardonnay | $38 | 1.9x
2008 Hafner, Alexander Valley, Chardonnay | $40 | 1.9x
2008 Ramey, Russian River Valley, Chardonnay | $68 | 1.9x

Red Wines

2009 Morgan, Twelve Clones, Santa Lucia Highlands, Pinot Noir | $44 | 1.8x
2009 Costa de Oro, Santa Barbara County, Pinot Noir | $46 | 2.2x
2007 Handley, Anderson Valley, Pinot Noir | $55 | 2.0x
2008 Baker Lane, Ramondo Vineyard, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir | $58 | 1.5x
2009 Dutton-Goldfield, Dutton Ranch, Russian River, Pinot Noir | $65 | 2.2x
2009 Argyle, Nuthouse, Reserve Series, Willamette Valley, Pinot Noir | $78 | 1.6x
2009 Blue Farm, Anne Katherina Vineyard, Carneros, Pinot Noir | $85 | 1.7x
2007 Bonaccorsi, Cargasacchi Vineyard, Santa Rita Hills, Pinot Noir | $94 | 1.6x
2005 Clos de Vougeot, Grand Cru, Meo-Camuzet | $350 | BELOW RETAIL

2009 Palmina, Barbera, Santa Barbara County | $45 | 2.1x
2009 Colome, Estate, Calchaqui, Agrentina, Malbec | $48 | 2.1x
2007 Lambert Bridge, Sonoma County, Cabernet Franc | $64 | 1.0x
2009 Carlisle, Two Acres, Russian River Valley, Rhone Blend | $82 | 1.2x

2007 Scherrer, Old & Mature Vines, Alexander Valley, Zinfandel | $55 | 2.0x
2009 A. Rafanelli, Dry Creek Valley, Zinfandel | $65 | 1.4x

2007 Domenico Clerico, Tre Vigne, Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont | $48 | 1.9x
2007 Felsina, Riserva, Chianti Classico | $64 | 1.7x

2009 Alain Graillot, Crozes Hermitage | $58 | 2.1x

2004 Conde de Hervias, Rioja | $110 | 1.8x

2009 Cep, Sonoma Coast, Syrah | $48 | 1.9x
2009 Neyers, Rossi Ranch, Sonoma Valley, Grenache | $66 | 1.9x

2005 Duckhorn, Three Palms Vineyard, Napa Valley, Merlot | $98 | 1.1x
2008 Paloma, Napa Valley, Merlot | $98 | 2.0x

2005 Chateau du Seuil | $65 | 1.9x
2005 Sedna, Kate’s Vineyard, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon | $75 | 1.8x
2000 Chateau Deyrem Valentin | $88 | 1.8x
2005 Neal Family Vineyards, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon | $88 | 1.6x
2008 Pride Mountain Vineyards, Napa & Sonoma, Cabernet Sauvignon | $95 | 1.3x
2007 Paradigm, Oakville, Cabernet Sauvignon | $125 | 2.1x
1996 Chateau Cos d’Estournel | $285 | 1.3x
1994 Ridge Vineyards, Montebello, Cabernet Sauvignon | $375 | 1.6x
2001 Ridge Vineyards, Montebello, Cabernet Sauvignon | $400 | 1.8x
1995 Chateau Haut Brion | $600 | 1.2x
1995 Chateau Margaux | $650 | 1.0x
1988 Chateau Mouton Rothschild | $650 | 1.4x

Nice place, good food, great date place.