It was a gloriously warm day a few days ago, and a few co-workers and I were nearing the completion of a special project we had been working on for weeks if not months. So we decided to head out to an all-expenses-paid lunch to celebrate. We ended up going to La Suite, a French brasserie type spot along the Embarcadero. It’s located on the corner of Brannan and the Embarcadero, right along the N Judah route and overlooking the Bay. Since it was so nice outside, we decided to dine on the patio.

Having not actually eaten at a bonafide French restaurant, I found it almost comical how everything was just so… French. The waiter spoke in that lilting overwrought French accent, peppering “la”s on almost every noun (eg. La table! La fish!). I felt like I was in a Monty Python episode and he was about to launch into a diatribe on flying sheep.

That aside, the menu had some pretty decent offerings. Some were fancy, with dishes that included Kobe beef tartare and oysters on the half shell, while others were souped-up American classics like $10 burgers and $9 hot dogs. I ended up having the tuna tartare, which was a mixture of raw tuna, raw quail’s egg, lemon, and some spices and herbs, all mixed together and shaped into a heart. It was absolutely delicious, and the cool tuna was a perfect match for the warm day. Of course, the best part of the meal was the fantastic weather, the view of the Bay, and the amusing conversations. But raw seafood definitely helped improve the mood.

La Suite
100 Brannan St.
San Francisco, CA 94110
Lunch: Monday – Saturday: 11:30am – 3:00pm; Dinner: Monday – Sunday: 5:30pm – 12:00pm