The Other Critics

Bauer Can Only Take Five Courses at Baumé; He Also Still Likes Ramblas, For What It’s Worth

Something involving carrot spheres at Baumé.
Something involving carrot spheres at Baumé. Photo: Noah Berger/Chron

Michael Bauer files his review of Baumé, Bruno Chemel’s 25-seater in Palo Alto which offers no menu, but only five-, ten-, and fifteen-course tasting menus. Never a big fan of molecular gastronomy or high-concept cooking, Bauer was “a bit fearful of what I would find, but I walked away very pleased after the first visit; less so after three.” He found a lot of repetition (and not enough wine pairings) in the fifteen-courser, and he says five is plenty. He gives the place an encouraging two and a half stars. [Chron]

Patti U. pays a visit to Fang, the newish W-Hotel-adjacent eatery from House of Nanking chef Peter Fang. She’s especially gung-ho for “a seasonal delicacy, a luxurious heap of fresh favas cooked with bits of Smithfield ham and topped with slivers of scallion,” but she calls his soup dumplings, “xiao long bao for beginners.” [SF Examiner]

And, oddly, it seems Bauer was readying to do a positive re-review of Mission tapas staple Ramblas before finding out that Craig Stoll is about to take over the space for his Roman trattoria Locanda. He says “you’d better visit soon,” before the late May shuttering, and offers up a recipe for chicken thighs and cauliflower as consolation. [Chron]

Bauer Can Only Take Five Courses at Baumé; He Also Still Likes Ramblas, For