I had a great review written about La Note: about how charming the Provencal menu is, about how fun the garden patio ambiance is, about how conveniently located it is in downtown Berkeley.
And then I erased it all. Why? Because honestly, I’m really only concerned about one thing at La Note: the creme fraiche pancakes.
Yes. The creme fraiche pancakes. I’m not even a pancake person; I’m more likely to order huevos rancheros or sausage and eggs.
But I ordered the pancakes on a whim a few months ago while having brunch with a friend visiting from Southern California, and oh my goodness, I haven’t stopped thinking about them since.
It’s all about the tangy cream against the fluffy, slightly sweet batter. I also ordered an oatmeal raspberry pancake, and while it was good, it didn’t hold a candle against the creme fraiche ones.
I only wish they’d serve the pancakes with extra creme fraiche on the side. Oh, yeah. We also ordered a pain au chocolat and oeuf a la coque.
Those were good too, but the creme fraiche pancakes really stole the show. So much so, that I’ve been back since to order it again. And again.
La Note is a little pricier than your average brunch joint, and the weekend wait is long, but oh so worth it.
The quality is consistently high, the service is friendly without being intrusive, and did I mention the pancakes?
La Note, 2377 Shattuck Ave. in Berkeley, www.lanoterestaurant.com
Mariam Hosseini is a Bay Area native who has been writing about food and travel for six years. She blogs regularly at yogurtsoda.com.
