We visited La Cheve on a Sunday and immediately noticed the long line. That alone didn't discourage…read moreus. We had seen the restaurant featured on Check, Please! Bay Area and had heard plenty of positive reviews, so we were genuinely excited to finally try it.
One thoughtful touch is that La Cheve provides umbrellas for guests waiting in line, which is especially appreciated when you're standing outside under the sun. It's a small gesture, but one that shows the restaurant has put some thought into making the waiting experience a little more comfortable.
They also offer the option to order coffee through a QR code while waiting in line. I ordered a large black coffee, while my partner ordered a café con leche. Unfortunately, it took about 25 minutes for the drinks to be ready. When we picked them up, the café con leche was served in the same large cup as my coffee--but it was only half full, with roughly a quarter cup of coffee and another quarter consisting of foam. It felt odd drinking from a large half-full cup.
Once we reached the counter, though, we were greeted with a warm smile, which was appreciated. We ordered the chilaquiles with an addition of Al Pastor meat, the asada and eggs, the concha French toast, a cronut, the house lager, and a local craft beer.
it took approximately an hour and a half from the time we got in line until we were finally seated. By that point, we were more than ready to eat, and despite the long wait, we were still excited to see what the kitchen could do.
Unfortunately, that excitement faded quickly once the food arrived.
The concha French toast was a big disappointment. The menu description had immediately caught our attention, and we expected something that combined the richness and texture of French toast with the distinctive character of a concha. Instead, we received four small, shortcake-style pieces of bread that were dry and didn't particularly resemble either French toast or a concha. There was no noticeable cinnamon-egg batter, nor any powdered sugar. The dish was served with fresh berries and a side of cajeta ( a craft caramel sauce). The caramel itself was delicious, but it wasn't enough to make up for the lackluster bread.
The chilaquiles were the biggest disappointment, and unfortunately, this dish had several execution issues altogether. The tortilla chips were soggy, lacking the texture you'd expect from well-executed chilaquiles. I also ordered the dish with Al Pastor meat, hoping to get a taste of the restaurant's house adobo. Instead, what arrived was a measly portion of tiny pieces and crumbs of meat that appeared to be mostly the remnants from the bottom of the pan.
Then there was the oil. There was an excessive amount of it-- so much that a pool had collected in one corner of the plate (see picture below). I actually had to ask the server for extra paper napkins so I could soak up the oil. It was difficult to appreciate the pastor's seasoning or adobo from the oily portion that I was served.
The eggs were another example of inconsistency with this plate. I specifically ordered them over medium, expecting set whites with a warm, runny yolk. Instead, the eggs were cooked very unevenly. One was noticeably overcooked, while the other was so thoroughly cooked that the yolk had essentially been obliterated. For a dish that relies on relatively simple ingredients, getting something as fundamental as the eggs right should be a given.
My partner's asada and eggs wasn't terrible, per say. However, the dish consisted primarily of bell peppers, a blob of melted cheese, and some asada meat-- the kind you get with regular asada tacos. On the other hand, the biscuits that accompanied the dish, were a genuine highlight. We particularly enjoyed the jalapeño and cheese filling, which gave them a nice savory kick.
Thankfully, the bakery items and beer showed us where La Cheve really shines. The house lager was crisp, refreshing, and very enjoyable, while the cronut was downright scrumptious. These were the kinds of items that reminded us why we had been so excited to visit in the first place.
Ultimately, La Cheve feels like a restaurant with two very different personalities. The bakery side is impressive, while the savory kitchen needs considerably more attention to execution and consistency.
If I were judging the bakery alone, I'd happily give it around 4.5 stars The cronut, biscuits, caramel, and house beer all showed plenty of promise. But the brunch dishes need work--particularly when it comes to texture, portioning, cooking temperatures, and consistency.
We came in eager to understand what had generated so much enthusiasm for La Cheve. There are certainly some very good things happening here, and thoughtful touches like the umbrellas for guests waiting in line make a difference. But based on our visit, the kitchen still has some significant kinks to work out before the savory menu matches the promise of the bakery.
