When I hear the words “prix fixe,” my first thought is not “multiple courses,” but rather “multiple price tags.” Prix fixe menus have historically been associated with expensive restaurants that are best suited for a special occasion, like a birthday, anniversary or fundraiser. While San Francisco is home to some of the most spectacular prix fixe restaurants around — Saison, Benu and Coi, to name a few — I’m not visiting these places every week and dropping $600 for two, and I’m pretty sure most people in San Francisco aren’t either.
I scoured the city to find the best prix fixe menus at prices that wouldn’t break the bank. In the process, I found some absolute gems.
Trestle
The sister to Stones Throw and Fat Angel, this cozy spot in North Beach is what all New American prix fixe menus should aspire to be. The menu is simple and clean, yet fun and unexpected. Guests have a choice of one appetizer (usually a soup or salad), an entrée and a dessert for $35, and an optional pasta supplement for $10. The options change nightly, with everything from pumpkin risotto with black truffle to pan-roasted salmon with squid-ink fregola to chocolate devil’s food cake. The staff is warm and friendly, and the kitchen is incredibly accommodating about food allergies.
Tip: If you’re dining with another person, order the pasta supplement, and split it.
Mister Jiu’s
Everything about Mister Jiu’s feels like New York. The long, dark bar that you first see when you walk in, the open windows looking out at the skyline and the impeccably crafted furniture all have an East Coast feel. The menu is family-style, and guests have a choice of three dishes for $45 per person or five for $69 per person. I opted for the three dishes, as the portions are very generous. Some dishes, like Tendrils, Greens & Stems with Meyer lemon and fermented tofu, surprised me with their complexity. Others, like the lingcod with ginger, fell short.
Tip: Order the three-dish menu, and splurge on the duck addition. The house-made hoisin sauce is reason enough to shell out the extra $50.
The Progress
Also known as “the other State Bird Provisions,” where you can actually get a table, the Progress is the second San Francisco restaurant from Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski. Similar to Mister Jiu’s, the restaurant serves everything family-style for $62 a person. Small bites are included at the beginning of the meal. The menu is separated into two halves, with the top half consisting of lighter dishes, like salads and seafood, and the bottom half being reserved for meats. Each table chooses four items. I was blown away by an avocado wedge salad with jalapeño Caesar dressing and nuts (for crunch) in lieu of croutons. The duck-fat-fried rice with sliced duck was so good, I purposefully saved some on my plate so I could enjoy it as a leftover later. The dishes are interesting without being pretentious, and the fixed menu feels less overwhelming than the dim sum atmosphere of State Bird, where the plates flew by at warp speed.
Tip: If you can’t get a reservation, walk in and snag a seat in their front room. Also, for those who aren’t looking for a prix fixe, all menu items are à la carte at the bar.
