Hayes Valley, San Francisco · restaurant
A French brasserie at the corner of Hayes and Gough since 1998, Absinthe has outlasted trends by staying exactly what it is: warm Belle Époque room, serious cocktails, and a menu of classics (French onion soup gratinée, duck confit, steak frites) that actually delivers. The cocktail program is worth the visit on its own; the Death in the Afternoon (absinthe and Champagne, a Hemingway recipe) is a house signature, and the Sacred Heart is the crowd-pleaser that keeps regulars coming back.
Fall-off-the-bone duck leg with frisee, soft-cooked egg, mushroom, warm bacon vinaigrette.
Half-pound Niman Ranch patty with Pt. Reyes truffle cheese, garlic aioli, pommes frites.
Rich caramelized onion broth topped with gruyere and a toasted crouton crust.
Absinthe poured over Champagne. Hemingway's own recipe, anise-floral and light