There’s no denying that Brenda’s French Soul Food is my all-time favorite spot for breakfast/brunch. But if you take a look this page, you’ll note that Zazie is my second favorite. Zazie is an adorable French bistro located in one of my all-time favorite San Francisco neighborhoods, Cole Valley. The sun always seems to be shining in Cole Valley, and everyone walks around with adorable dogs and adorable babies in adorable strollers. It’s no secret that I am dying to live there.
Anyway – Zazie. The food is delicious, and I’m a huge fan of the fact that you can order their sweet dishes (i.e., pancakes and french toast) by the piece. Hungry? Order two pancakes, or three slices of French toast. Not so hungry? Order just one. It’s great, and I wish more restaurants would follow this trend. On our recent visit to Zazie, I caught Corey looking like a supermodel:
(this photo makes us both laugh…a lot)
And then I sat down to one of the most amazing breakfast treats I’ve ever had…Bread Pudding Pancakes. Look at this fluffy deliciousness!
These pancakes were like a cross between bread pudding and a souffle. They were creamy, soft and light inside, and not nearly as cakey as traditional pancakes (which I happened to like). Zazie served them up with carmelized banana, maple syrup and a dollop of fresh whipped cream.
The Bread Pudding Pancakes were a special item that day, so if you go to Zazie you may or may not be able to experience them for yourself. Never fear, however – their Gingerbread Pancakes and Challah French Toast are regular menu items that are equally fabulous.
Alongside this plate from heaven, Corey and I shared an omelet filled with roasted tomatoes, cheese and sausage and topped with sliced avocado. Looks pretty, doesn’t it?
Sadly, we had to send it back because it was stone cold inside…and the replacement omelet wasn’t much better. I think they put the fillings in cold, expecting the residual heat from the omlet to warm everything up – it didn’t. Oh well. Every restaurant has its off days, and the pancakes were good enough to make up for this shortcoming. I see many more trips to Zazie in my future since my good friend Leslie is moving to a new apartment a few blocks away…jealous isn’t the word to describe my feelings on that topic!
um, holy yum…bread pudding pancakes? are you kidding me? that sounds like a last-dinner kind of meal to me!
We went there once for brunch and LOVED it, but I gotta try those bread pudding pancakes someday! It was the perfect ambiance in the back patio, too!
supermodel, huh? i’d laugh too. also, i totally agree about the wonderment that is being able to order varying portions.
Oh! Those pancakes are making me drool! I love Brenda’s too – unfortunately I found Brenda’s after moving to LA. My family is still up in the bay area so I went there on my Christmas visit. How can those bicuits be so good? I’ve been trying to make the cornmeal grits at home but can’t seem to get them to taste like Brenda’s. I love your blog, by the way!
Oh my gosh I want that pancake!
Kristi, I’m pretty sure massive amounts of butter and cheese go into Brenda’s grits – hence the reason they are the bomb.
looks so yummy!
adorable neighborhood with adorable babies and dogs, eh?
Wow, everything looks AMAZING! Aren’t French places the best for brunch? A friend recently asked for brunch recc’s in DC and 3 out of the 4 places I mentioned were French!
Yeah…I have the adorable dog part down. No adorable baby yet. Someday!
That model pic is hilarious – lol!
That’s too bad about the omelet, but I’m glad the pancakes were good (they look scrumptious!).
I think my hubby would die and go to heaven over bread pudding pancakes! I always make him dense, whole wheat hockey pucks. I guess I should surprise him with a twist!
The model pic is def. channeling Zoolander…
I am so jealous of your brekkie! Looked amazing!
I am dreaming of Zazie’s Miracle Pancakes. Mmmm…