The New Order

Chef Robbie Lewis and his “Dream Team” usher Bacar into a new era.

If this story had a hero, that hero would be executive chef Robbie Lewis. Back in April, the food world caught wind of a major change afoot in the restaurant world: Six years after launching Bacar, co-owners Arnold Eric Wong and Debbie Zachareas were selling their stake to their silent partners. The restaurant had been very much their baby—Wong cooked, Zachareas oversaw the wine program and together they created a successful SoMa restaurant in the wake of the dot-com boom. When news of their impending departure hit, the death of a restaurant seemed imminent. Who would be able to step into their shoes?

Enter Lewis, an alum of Zuni Cafe, Chez Panisse and Jardinière. By July, he had assembled a cast of chefs (he’s affectionately dubbed them the “Dream Team”) that includes some of his oldest kitchen companions— most notably chef de cuisine Morgan Mueller, who worked with Lewis at Jardinière. When asked how he chose his kitchen crew, Lewis says simply, “It’s nice to have family around. They know how I cook, so there’s not a lot of hand-holding.”

The dishes now coming from the kitchen seem to reflect an easy understanding among the cooks. Lewis’ food has all the right elements: It’s rustic without being boring, and edgy in a way that reflects his European influences (he cites El Bulli among them). An entrée of beautiful Alaskan salmon fillet is steamed just until it achieves a custardy texture, then served with Brentwood corn, chanterelle mushrooms and fresh shelling beans in a tomato jus flavored with smoky wisps of ham hock. Atop the fish, a jalapeño, herb and bread-crumb topping lends a bit of spice. A rib-eye steak luxuriates in a warm bath of duck fat before it is finished on the grill and paired with potato purée. Both are straightforward dishes, but they have an edge of refinement that could be the result of the chef’s having worked with Traci Des Jardins for nearly a decade. “[She] informed my cooking style tremendously. I will always cook, to a certain degree, in a Traci Des Jardins style,” says Lewis. (He acted as her sous-chef when she competed on Iron Chef in 2005, and he admits that they still text-message one another on a daily basis.)

Carrying on the tradition that began with Zachareas, the restaurant continues to complement its food with one of the most extensive wine lists in town—some 1,200 bottles strong, now overseen by wine director and general manager Mickey Clevenger, formerly of Frisson. The wine-by-the-glass list has been whittled down to a less-dizzying array—65 options instead of 100—and the staff is committed to educating customers about the collection.

If anything, Lewis’ arrival in the kitchen has ushered in a new era at Bacar, sparing it from the fate of so many unfortunate restaurants. But with his valiant arrival now a few months behind him, the kitchen running like a well-oiled machine and the sleek spot looking fresher than ever (thanks to a mini-makeover) Lewis now can do what he does best: cook extraordinarily well. After all, sometimes a good meal can save the day.

Bacar 448 Brannan St., 415-904-4100
 

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