T hey had me at McIntosh. True, my husband Dan and I have vintage McIntosh amps at home, which we stumbled upon unexpectedly in an estate sale in Sebastopol years ago at a crazy-good price. Listening to records through this gorgeous system beloved by audiophiles the world over (vintage McIntosh is almost staple in coffee shops around Kyoto, Japan) is a ritual we savor at home.

But if I can also have it dining out , all the better. Especially gorgeous McIntosh tube amps. Add in chef Robbie Wilson and Emily Perry Wilson’s (of Bird Dog in Palo Alto) extensive vinyl collection, 1970s turntable, and quality speakers, and you have Le Fantastique, long-anticipated, finally opened October 22nd at the edge of Hayes Valley.

Entering the sleek space, warm with neutral colors and glowing chandeliers, striking graphic novel-like art sweeps across the bar/kitchen counter and inviting front lounge, throwing in sparks of color. Lined with records, the intimate but lofty front lounge exudes blessedly retro vibes (entirely “my jam”). This is the corner for optimal sound, recalling Tokyo listening bars, though the dining room actively buzzes beyond the lounge’s record wall.

Dan and I began our evening with champagne and little caviar eclairs, savory-sweet and briny with smoked onion creme fraiche, banana maple glaze, and the great California Caviar Co. kaluga caviar. Besides the sound system and records, I already knew I was going to love this place when I realized the wine list was three pages of whites and sparkling, one page of red. This is a percentage I have naturally grown to drink myself, learning from the best sommeliers, winemakers, wine industry and restaurants in the world the last two decades.

Cozied up on a little settee, we soaked up records varying from one of our modern-day soul favorites, Charles Bradley, to British synthwave band Gunship. Other than the awkwardness of leaning over from a couch to eat on a coffee table (which, let’s be honest, is how I eat at home), I could have stayed here all night. But the comfy-chic lounge area only has two seatings and is meant for a bite and a glass, while tables are where you linger and order more. Thankfully, attentive, engaged (primed and ready for a Michelin star out of the gate) servers, somm and staff across the board made the dining room an inviting place.

B esides the Wilsons, the rest of the team boasts stellar industry backgrounds, like the director of operations Thomas Powers (Saison Hospitality Group, Mourad) and pastry chef Joe Hou (Per Se, Angler), alongside Robbie’s background working with legends Thomas Keller, Tom Colicchio, and Nobu Matsuhisa over the years, garnering accolades at Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos, which is where he developed a deep friendship with the late Chris Robles of Wine Cask in Santa Barbara. Tragically passing away from cancer, Robles’ photo sits between speakers above the bar, an ode to long nights Wilson and Robles spent feasting on fish and bread with white Burgundy and Champagne while listening to music. This is the inspiration for Le Fantastique and as chic as it is, its heartbeat and inviting hospitality comes from a pure source and permeates the space.

We couldn’t stop talking music (or food, travel, wine) with Wilson and our servers, a convivial space for geeks of all the above already firmly in place given the passion and knowledge of the crew.

The menu runs bite-sized with a few larger dishes, a Japan-meets-Paris spirit with raw and dry-aged fish, loaves of bread with cultured butters and a few creative vegetables, meat, and cooked fish plates. I’ve already perused the comments of “tiny” servings on Yelp and to be fair, some are. But they are priced accordingly ($10-$18 for two to four pieces of sashimi and cured fish, for example). Filling up here will add up. We left stuffed but appreciate that you can make a light meal of it, too, with an extended standing bar and sidebar area ideal if you’re popping in pre- or post-SF Jazz, Symphony, Opera, Ballet or the like nearby.

M ore importantly, the food is destination-worthy; for me, surpassing what Wilson did at Bird Dog (which he still runs), with a little back room aging and curing fish, viewable as you head to the bathroom (don’t miss the music set-up in there). Showcasing tender chewiness and depth that happens in aged fish, the cured, aged, raw fish options recall Japan-by-way-of-Scandinavia wine bars. I tried almost all fish, each a beauty, whether citrus and fresh shaved horseradish over wild buri, or the almost candied-peppery glories of salmon crusted in espelette pepper and sour orange. Slices of opah in a Welsh onion broth and smoked vinegar wowed, silky-raw yet strangely as comforting as British pub food.

Now let’s get to the bread from pastry chef Hou. When chef Wilson told me show-goers could pop-in at the standup bar for bread and wine, that didn’t exactly sound like the ideal bar snack: until I tried the bread. As he describes it, somewhere between sourdough and shokupan (Japanese milk bread), the airy bread sings with cultured butter or Pacific Kelp butter, all of which I tried. But hands-down, the irresistible choice was warm, foamy lobster thermidor, inspired off the classic French dish trendy in midcentury America. Chunks of lobster hide under almost sabayon/zabaglione-esque lobster broth. Forgeddaboutit. This is bar food I didn’t know I needed yet now utterly crave.

C eleriac brulee delighted us, decadent in walnut butter, miso and cheesy mornay (béchamel) sauce, while sous vide chicken breast poached in butter and creme fraiche is uber-tender goodness, accompanied by a savory roasted leek and chicken cracklin’ of its own skin. The sleeper hit among the warm plates was royal trumpet mushrooms, supple and soaked in squid garum and brown butter. Would that all mushrooms could taste this divine, layered with flavor and depth.

Now, about that wine. There is certainly Champagne, like nutty, gorgeous NV Laherte Freres Ultra-tradition Brut Champagne. There’s a welcome abundance of White Burgundy, a Chablis playground for those of us who miss the days (10–15 years ago) when we drank Burgundian wines abundantly for a low cost. By-the-glass standouts include a crisp 2019 Roland Lavantureux Petit Chablis and mineral 2019 Vincent & Sophie Morey Bourgogne Blanc. You’ll also find underrated delights like a bottle of 2017 Domaine Gauby Vieilles Vignes Blanc ($78) from France’s Cote Catalanes, a showcase of ancient vines of Macabeu and Grenache Gris grapes, unfolding with stone fruit, pear, citrus and floral minerality.

To finish, there is a s’more feuille laced in burnt lemon and cinnamon cremeux for dessert, but how to resist Japanese akigōri (shaved ice) laced with the likes of grape, hazelnut and cream cheese?

It may not be the cheapest “lounging with music and friends” option, but the price covers the high quality of everything from service to glassware, fish sources to bottle selection. I would go so far as to say there is nothing quite like it elsewhere — and I don’t just mean in SF. Each time I think of Le Fantastique, it’s with feelings as glowing as the space, and a longing to return. Even frequenting any place is a luxury I rarely get with my nonstop research, I will go out of my way to return soon, for I know here I am (deliciously) among friends.

Founding The Perfect Spot in 2007, Virginia is World’s 50 Best Restaurants’ Chairperson, judging & writing/editor at 60+ publications on dining & drink globally

Celebrating the free-wheeling spirit of the Bay Area — one sentence at a time.