Hayes Valley, San Francisco · restaurant
A snug French bistro in Hayes Valley with no reservations and a placemat-sized menu covering the essentials: steamed mussels in white wine broth, steak frites, savory crepes, and a half-roasted chicken with mashed potatoes that gets most of the orders. The Croque Madame lands with a fried egg on top, and the French onion soup arrives with bubbling gratinee. Weekend brunch draws a line — the weekday dinner window is the easier call.