Cafe Rouge is closing

http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2016/12/07/cafe-rouge-to-close-after-20-years-in-berkeley/

A great run. Sorry to see you go.

Sad but not surprising given how slow things have been there. I guess Lalime’s will be my new default place.

There’s nothing like their butcher shop.

This Mercury News story has a great photo from back before they got rid of the tablecloths.

Had a great meal last night. Split an order of pappardelle with chanterelles, cauliflower, and truffle butter as an appetizer and then had I suppose probably my last Cafe Rouge cassoulet. Too full for dessert.

Looks like the chef is David Visick, who used to cook at Chez Panisse.

https://www.abc.ca.gov/datport/LQSdata.asp?ID=131674603

Some more details.

http://www.tablehopper.com/chatterbox/new-taker-for-berkeleys-cafe-rouge-space-pompette/

Yet more details on Pompette. They hope to open in the third week of March. Since they took over an existing restaurant with all its permits etc. and are doing relatively minor remodeling, that may be realistic.