The big, handsome restaurant draws a crowd to a quiet alley not far from the Yerba Buena Center. The place is divided into two rooms: the first, with a beautiful oval cherrywood bar, comfy upholstered booths, and well-spaced tables, has a lively ambience, while the second is a more formal, light-flooded dining room. Truffled beef tartare, caviar-accented parsnip-and-scallop soup, and lamb with yogurt sauce and grilled flat bread are among the typical offerings on the menu, which is seasonal. The bread basket, full of house-made delights such as biscuits, bread sticks, and rolls, is the best in town.