Cafe Bastille

22 Belden Place (between Bush & Pine)
(415) 986-5673
www.cafebastille.com

S chose Cafe Bastille for dinner club because in her recollection, the food was good and not too pricey.

I ordered the halibut served with tarragon gnocchi. I was disappointed because I was really looking forward to ordering the salmon because per the menu online, it was served with potato and butternut squash gratin - yum. And of course, the salmon was prepared differently than indicated online. The halibut tasted fine as did the gnocchi, but it was all kind of boring. Not bad - boring. As in nothing stood out on that plate and it was just kind of there. I also got a side of green beans sauteed in garlic which were actually good. But butter and garlic pretty make anything taste good so I wasn't all that impressed.

As with all dinner clubs, I stuck my fork into what everyone else got as well. And since we had a good turnout this time, that meant more tasting for me. Unfortunately, my friends' dishes produced the same lack of originality and flavor that mine did. The ahi appetizer was pretty non-descript, save for the overwhelming spice of Sriracha (wtf?), the goat cheese on the salad dish was supposed to be grilled and really wasn't, and the crab cakes were just lackluster.

The bill was $60 a person and we had wine and all but still...there are far better places on Belden.

The Verdict: Not Worth It