Absinthe Brasserie and Bar, in Hayes Valley boasts top chef Jamie Lauren as its executive chef who slaves away over their stove. While she has concocted many delicious dishes to chose from the July menu, the escargot in shells is a fitting dish for our purposes. Escargot, also known as snails in the English language, are thought to be a delicacy in many cultures. The French, Spanish, Portuguese, Sicilian, Greek and Germanic cultures all have different ways of preparing the mollusk, however the French method is perhaps the most widely known. Absinthe prepares them in the traditional French manner; poached, served dripping with parsley butter and crispy garlic toasts. When our original server brings escargot tongs and snail forks to the table I joke with him about having a Pretty Woman moment, Julia Roberts status. In the movie a skilled, agile server discreetly catches a flying shell midair, to save her any further embarrassment. I probably won't be as lucky. A food runner brings out the escargot when another server comes to inform us that she will pick up where our first server left off. We all scoop up a snail from the share plate and dig in. The texture is chewy. Less chewy than a clam, but more chewy than a mussel. The parsley butter goes extremely well with the taste of the snail which is earthy, sort of like a mushroom but not so woody. I can't tell you where the snails come from because Sarah, our second server never came back with an answer. But I can tell you that they were DELICIOUS. Everything the kitchen churned out was excellent. The Absinthe experience could be amazing if their service were not so poor. I say this because there is something wrong with every course brought out to us. While waiting for our table in the cafe, our first server forgets the fries and someone's cocktail. During our first course, in which the snails are included, a friend re-orders his salad because one of the ten servers we have over the course of the night forgets that. During the second course, the fried-green tomatoes that are supposed to come with, as described on the menu, are missing from my plate. We have to literally grab Sarah's attention, stopping just short of pulling out a bullhorn to ask for a wine list when I am ready for a second glass. By the time she comes back to take my drink order the rest of the table has finished their drinks and are also waiting to reorder. For dessert, I order one kind of cheese, the manager, in an attempt (I think) to make up for all of the previous mishaps brings out three. A very nice gesture, but then we are charged for three when I only ordered one. It's not until we speak up that the problem is remedied. Finally, I ask to have my phenomenal ribeye plate wrapped to go and no one ever brings it out. A shame, perhaps they were just having an off night. Delicious food, disgusting service. 398 Hayes Street, (415) 551-1590
