Alice Jones
Food Columnist
Walking down the 200 block of California Street, it’s hard to miss the glowing, red-neon Tadich’s Grill sign — and once you catch a whiff of the wafting aroma of seafood and cheese sauces, you will let yourself into the timeless restaurant. Tadich’s menu is from a simpler time, filled with classic seafood and red-meat dishes all with mild spicing, making this a must-visit. Bring your parents, because Tadich’s is pricy — even bring their parents, because they will enjoy the traditional cuisine.
Take, for example, the Oysters Rockefeller — oysters smothered in a spinach cream sauce and topped with a blend of four melted cheeses and baked to perfection. Although cheese and seafood may sound odd, you’ll get a lot of that combination at Tadich’s, and it’ll turn you into a believer.
The Boston Clam Chowder was deliciously chewy — and I would dare say, perfect. It was full of clams — not a bunch of potatoes — in a heavy cream, and had the perfect thick consistency, but wasn’t heavy, having a few potatoes here and there with celery and garnished with Italian parsley. The basket of Tadich’s own sourdough bread — made at Boudin’s bakery but with Tadich’s own special recipe — it is incredibly spongy and makes for good dippin’ into the many soups and sauces in the entrees or side dishes.
We started our meal with three gorgeous Dungeness crab cakes topped with sun-dried tomatoes and a light salmon aioli in a mild sweet chili pep- per sauce. The crab cakes were extraordinary because they were mostly crab — not bogged down by vegetable filler — and were held together by light, crispy bread crumbs. The crabmeat was almost silky and melted in your mouth — remember not to fill up on appetizers because the entrées are generously portioned.
My entrée was the Seafood Cioppino, a house specialty, stuffed with clams, scallops, prawns, Bay shrimp, crab meat, mussels and white fish in a tomato-based sauce. The cioppino is a seafood explosion in an incredible tasty broth and served with garlic bread that has been soaked in a garlic oil. The crunchy warm outside and a deliciously saturated inside goes well with this lavish dish.
A more decadent option is the Crab and Lobster Thermidor, smothered in a thick cheese sauce with sides of broccoli, brussel sprouts and steak fries. The cheddar cheese sauce has a bite that heightens the lobster’s texture and flavor. The steak fries are more like deep fried potato chunks — adding to the classy comfort food vibe.
If you are looking for something lighter and more simple, the House Caesar Salad is a good option. The dressing isn’t what you’d expect of Classic Ceasar, lacking the lemony tartness, but it is in Tadich’s tradition of laid-back flavor. The light, mayonnaise-tasting dressing is well distributed through the romaine lettuce and crispy croutons.
To top off such a great meal, I’m glad I didn’t pass up the staffs’ recommendation of the Triple Chocolate Mousse, made with layers of dark, milk and white chocolate mousse served on a large swirl of a raspberry sauce. Sadly, the tart sauce is mostly for presentation and doesn’t add much to the mousse, which is creamy and fluffy and delicious on its own. Shared, it is the perfect bite of sweetest after a large savory meal.
Tadich Grill is the oldest restaurant in California, proudly serving since 1849. It moved from its original location in 1906 when the earth did, and then it moved again after a failed partnership, changing its menu from a coffee shop serving fresh fish to a real sit down establishment. The staff is darling, using endearments such as “young man” in reference to my father, and overall makes the atmosphere pleasant while offering excellent recommendations with chipper attitudes.
