Bistro Boudin

Bistro Boudin Restaurant Review:

The owners of San Francisco's longest continuously operating business, Boudin Bakery, have a flagship store on the Wharf that features a 5,000-square-foot demonstration bakery and a sourdough bread museum that presents San Francisco history through bakers' eyes. Scale the dramatic staircase to sleek, modern Bistro Boudin, which aims to give tourists and locals alike a higher-end Wharf experience --- complete with full bar and oyster bar spotlighting local shellfish. Gaze at Alcatraz as you start with a generous Caesar salad with buttery Boudin sourdough croutons, a classic crab Louie with deviled eggs and avocado, or a stone hearth sourdough crust pizza of sweet fennel sausage, roasted peppers and balsamic onions. For main courses, shell pasta with Dungeness crab in a light lemon cream sauce is satisfying, as are crispy Anchor Steam-battered fish 'n' chips. Baking skills shine in the toasted focaccia buns cradling half-pound burgers; for extra zip order one rare, topped with aged cheddar. The wine list favors California varietals; sourdough-crusted apple pie is an irresistibly appropriate dessert. For casual sit-down or to-go dining, order a pastry or light lunch at the counter downstairs at the bakery.