On several leisurely weekend afternoons, I've found myself at Bar Jules in Hayes Valley for lunch, and I'm never disappointed. I love the handful-and-a-half of simple brunch and lunch items; I love how the chalkboard menu changes daily but not too drastically; and I adore the cheery, comforting blue and mustard walls. I even love the bathroom decor.
This weekend, I revisited Jules's preserved tuna sandwich, which I first enjoyed a version of several years ago, and it was better than my memory. The fluffy, oil-preserved tuna, flecked with herbs, is served simply on slabs of grilled country bread accented with piquillo peppers.
I love tuna, but I wish tuna salad sandwiches like this were as ubiquitous as the standard mayo-laden versions. So Hayes Valley of me, I know.
A few weeks ago, my friend Phil showed up at a bar with a nicoise tuna sandwich from Bi Rite Market, and I've been craving one ever since. On Sunday, after hitting the tennis ball around a while, Phil and I let Bi Rite supply our postgame sandwich picnic.
Since Phil was also getting the nicoise — pan-seared tuna, saffron aioli, olive tapenade, and heirloom tomatoes — I considered, for about 30 seconds, ordering something else, then decided to do what I'd come there to do, and it did not disappoint. Read on for my thoughts and more photos.
I recently lunched at San Francisco's Cafe Claude to satisfy my pan bagnat craving. This classic French sandwich hails from Nice and features Nicoise olives, oil-packed tuna, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, and anchovies, among other yummy ingredients. The Parisian-style bistro serves its sandwich on a ciabatta-type roll, which I recommend over the kaiser in following recipe.
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