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Wow, what does one say when there are already a ton of reviews. How many awsome reviews can one place have? I can only best express in Haiku form...
La Bonne Haiku:
Line snakes out the door
Needy mouths salivating
Savory heaven
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Gotta share . . . I recently had the pleasure of partaking in a fresh fig & feta cheese sandwich, and cream of pumpkin soup . . . wonderful, and stupid me . . . I shared with my friend and she loved it too, so less for me. . .yep, I am still in love with Chef Pont, and I won't be sharing that apple & brie sandwich I'll be snarfing down next visit. . . Greed is good.
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11/14/2007
Patience is a virtue . . . and you will be rewarded, (and entertained) while you wait in line for… Read more »
My boyfriend and I went here for lunch around 11:45. We lucked out and got there before the crowd came, but it sure did get busy. I am amazed by this mans dedication, after all, he's the only one there!
I ordered the brie and prosciutto sandwich with the cream of mushroom soup. The sandwich was delicious and the soup had an amazing flavor. The portions were just perfect as well (even though I should have saved half the sandwich for later, it was just so yummy). My boyfriend ordered the french sausage sandwich and the vegetable soup. I liked my order better but those items were good too.
The place was nice and clean, and I was impressed that he washed his hands between every transaction with money and food. The french music that was playing added to the cute french cafe theme and I highly recommend this place for lunch.
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A friend and I split sandwiches: the pork loin sandwich, as well as the French garlic sausage sandwich. I also had the French onion soup. All in all, pretty good food, but not nearly worth $12 for a sandwich and cup of soup.
It's one guy, with no assistant, no cashier. He cuts all of the meat and bread to order, with a knife. Apparently he doesn't own a meat slicer. I'm all for the freshest of ingredients, but seriously, you can be quick without compromising quality. There were about 5 people in line in front of me, so I waited 15 minutes to place my order.
I saw all of the great reviews for this place so I held off on lunch to eat here, got here at about 1:00PM on Friday, and they were closed!!!
What's up with that?
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Rules for La Bonne:
1. Do not change the menu. You don't like tomatoes? Too bad!
2. The line snakes around the restaurant. Please take note and do not "cut."
3. Order quickly and in this order: sandwich, soup, to-go/eat in. Then be quiet. Do not interrupt the artist when he is working.
4. No saving seats. I am looking at you, inconsiderate little snot, whose friend is at the end of the line and you are sitting at a table that could go to someone who is ready to eat NOW, and not in 30 minutes.
5. Do not ask for change for your parking meter. Chef will be offended. I've seen it.
6. Bus your own table. It's a one man shop.
7. No loitering. There is a line of people waiting for your seat, remember? See #2. This also means no lunch meetings.
8. One shall not order to-go lunches for more than two people. This takes too much time and is much too complicated. Go to Subway.
9. Do not ask questions about the menu. Order, and then shut up.
10. Thou shall not correct the chef.
11. No, there are no other drinks other than what is already in the refrigerator. The nerve...
12. Napkins are located on the counter. Do not interrupt the chef to ask, you half-wit.
13. There are two tables which are placed to hold three people. If you are eating lunch alone, be respectful and sit at a more appropriate table.
14. Do not pick apart your sandwich, you might as well slap Chef Daniel in the face.
15. Get off the phone - humph! State workers!
16. Be patient!
17. Enjoy
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Why not add to the 139 plus reviews! Everything is fantastic, worth the wait, but if you are willing to go in around 11:30am or so, you can beat the rush.
Faves: Proscuitto and brie sandwich; lamb sandwich, smoked salmon sandwich; cream of mushroom soup, of course the french onion. Go and enjoy and support a chef who does it all because he loves the food!
Here's something fun to try with the significant other which will illustrate why I'm loving this place:
1. Tell the S.O. that you'll be taking her to lunch at an intimate downtown spot where your food will be prepared right in front of you by a venerable French chef.
2. Feel the sting of her disappointed grumble/slap across your face as you drag her to some soup-and-sandwich joint next to Sacramento Bail Bonds.
3. Get the satisfaction of regaining all your cred as your delicious meal is prepared exactly as you described it.
4. Gain financial satisfaction (and be branded a cheapskate by the S.O.) as you get out for around 20 bucks.
As an aside, I must say that I'm somewhat dismayed by the ELEVEN references to "the Soup Nazi" that appear in Yelp reviews. First of all, soup is a relatively minor player on the menu, with 4 or 5 soups against the 15+ sandwiches. Second, the proprietor/chef is French, so he'd probably take serious offense at the reference.
That being said, this place really is a gem in the heart of the city, and as authentically French as you're likely to find this side of Bistro Jeanty. The waits are legendary, but unlike most Sacramento joints, this doesn't result from laggard half-wit servers dragging their asses and taking long breaks. Rather, it is because the chef is the only guy in the kitchen, making your sandwiches one at a time with freshly baked baguettes. Since he makes the food in plain view, it adds somewhat of an entertainment factor to boot. Watch this guy in action and you'll see what sandwich skillz are really about; those flunkies at Togo's can't hold a candle (and I like Togo's!).
Those baguettes are, in fact, the cornerstone of the sandwiches, i.e. even Spam would taste pretty good on one of these hot, crusty beauties. However, the chef displays plenty of artistry in how he adorns them. Each sandwich is a precise, focused creation, without all-too-common faults like unnecessary flourishes, excessive/low-quality toppings (hello, Beach Hut?) or cookie-cutter fixin' application schemes (I'm looking at you, Subway!). The pate du maison was a richly flavored duck and pork creation, with the appropriate addition of sliced cornichons. Perfect! A cream of spinach soup was just rich enough, and aggressively (i.e. properly) seasoned. With the usual warning to come early or late to avoid the rush, I give La Bonne Soup my highest recommendations for delicious, unfussy lunch grub.
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I came today to try a little taste of heaven in my mouth. Yes ladies and gentelmen, what I am talking about is the warm fig and goat cheese sandwich on the special board. I came thiiiiis close to not getting it because the brie and proscuitto sandwich was just that good the last time I had it, but glad I did!! It was out of this world amazing and I recommend trying it the next time he offers this fabulous special.
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06/30/2008
I had to come here once and for all and was so glad I did! I only work one block away so this will… Read more »
This lived up to the reviews! Loved my sandwich and my soup...and so did both of my friends. Yes, we waited a very lonnng time but I think it was well worth it. I only wish I could go back everyday.
Things I loved most: the flavor of the soup, the bread, the freshness of the meat, cheese and vegetables, the ratios of the ingredients used on the sandwich, the meticulousness of the preparation (none of my sandwich was spilling out and making a mess), the French music, and the smell in there. I felt a little transported to Europe :)
An aside: while dining inside I was reading some of the many reviews framed on the wall...only to find out that the Chef used to have a restaurant in none other than my hometown, Castro Valley in 1998! How could I have missed his greatness? I loved that the first line of one of the articles said, "If you know Castro Valley as anything other than a freeway sign as you drive through the East Bay, then chances are you live there. Or you used to live there." - LOVED it, so true! Bonus points for the shoutout to my hometown. Glad he decided to move to Sac.
I would recommend following the advice of other posters on here about the protocol for ordering and eating there. Enjoy!
I finally made it to La Bonne on my summer sabbatical tour of downtown lunch spots. I had high expectations, and how could one not, with all the 5 star reviews and top ranking in best of Sac Yelp. Armed with my yelp acquired knowledge of the place, I made my visit right at 10:30 when they opened. And my research paid off, there was nobody in line and I had no wait. There was a lady eating her soup sitting down who had made it there before me. I appeared to be the 2nd customer of the day.
Chef Pont was polite and reserved. I enjoyed watching him make my sandwiches with care. In about 5 minutes I scurried off quickly with my soup and sanwiches, ready to sink my greedy chompers into them.
The sandwiches were great, we had the proscuitto & brie and the pork loin. The ingredients were fresh and his secret sauce was what really helped pull all the flavors together. The bread is hard on the outside, but not too hard to sabotage the entire sandwich. If you eat it carefully you can avoid scraping the roof of your mouth. I came through with just a few mild abrasions. My wife said it was too hard for her liking. The brie was cut thick and was fully melted, oozing out of one side of the sandwich. Amazingly my sandwiches were piping hot even after the drive home. The pork was moist and light in flavor, definitely not too salty. It still made for a great sandwich.
The cream of corn soup was heavenly. It was sweet and filled with corn goodness. I am a corn soup nut, and this really fit the bill. The cream of mushroom was also good, and had plenty of garlic. Both soups had a spicy zing to them, as noted by our 4 year old: "It's spicy, spicy like bell pepper."
Looks like I will be going back often this summer, I've got the rest of the menu to explore! (I took pics of the menus and have posted them for your enjoyment.)
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I finally went, only to find it closed "for remodeling". The mailman was passing by, said it's not being remodeled, owner is just taking some time off. I wasn't real happy. Sign says closed until September 24th.
Absolutely the best soup & sandwich in Northern California. Here is a great review.
http://www.wqed.org/tv...
I only wish I had been able to experience Mr. Pont's cuisine at La Maison. Look's like he will be on vacation during the month of September. Can't wait for October to get here!!
One day I went in and had butternut squash soup. tres bonne!! So creamy with a light flavor, not too powerful that your tastebuds get overwhelmed - I had the whole bowl. It was superb! And of course, the lovely french music playing in the cafe is wonderful, along with Chef Daniel Pont!
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I have eaten here a few times at lunch, and I love the fact that the owner is the only person in the place. He cooks, serves, and works the register, but this means you have to go early or late to avoid a long line.
Although some of the soups, salads, and baguette sandwiches are tasty, I have major issues with filth, and this place is grubby... lots of dust and fruit flies. Takeout might be a better idea.
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Love this place! Tres bien!
Tasty sandwiches and soups
The perfect lunch: soup + sandwich and Chef Dan does sandwich and soup like no other.
After reading all the reviews on here, I "HAD" to try to cream of asparagus! It was delicious, not TOO salty, but just the perfect amount and not too creamy either. Simply perfection, and to be honest, I usually avoid asparagus in my diet, but this was really tasty stuff.
I had the brie and proscuitto sandwich and it was super tasty that I decided to emulate the sandwich at home this weekend.... Unfortunately I didn't have Chef Dan's secret sauce so this just means I'll have to go to La bonne Soupe more often!
He treats each sandwich like art and really takes the time to do it right. I applaude his patience and culinary talents to take something so simple.. Soup and sandwich and turn them into nothing less than perfection.
Absolutely delightful... can someone please get him a new yelp sticker already?
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Vegetable cream soup and brie and proscuitto sandwich. Whenever I think of a soup place it makes me think of the Soup Nazi episode on Seinfeld, but the chef here is so nice! Too bad I'm not working downtown anymore...
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Very french (5 stars because i am biased).
I was at the courthouse on jury duty. I will always look forward to jury duty because i know ill be eating at La Bonne Soupe Cafe for lunch.
prices are decent 5-6 bucks for a sandwhich. i ordered la chevre et figue (fresh fig and goat cheese) a sweet sandwich vs. the brie et prosciutto which has a salty taste. tried the cream of asparagus... wasn't as exciting as my sandwich but still good
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After reading the reviews over and over, I finally was able to make my way to La Bonne Soupe. It happened to work out quite well because I had a noon meeting, so an 11 a.m. lunch was in order. And this place is everything they said it would be.
I had the braised pork sandwich, which was fantastic. It goes back to the idea that simple foods done well will best overly complex dishes any day of the week. Even though I was happy with my pick, the guy in front of me ordered the warm brie and prosciutto sandwich. I had to put my tongue back in my mouth and wipe the drool from my lips. I am ordering that next time! Anyway, added to the sandwich was a bowl of French onion soup. A-1! It is a must order.
My only regret is not ordering 2 sandwiches and taking one home for dinner.
The bottom line - believe the hype!
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After over a year of meaning to try La Bonne Soupe, I finally made it down for lunch last month on my birthday (at my significant other's suggestion/insistence). I was sick that day, and hadn't felt like eating much, but the french onion soup was tres, tres bon, and the owner! Ah! I think I'm in love. He may have replaced the owners of Cafe Rolle for my favorite French import in Sacramento.
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WOW! am i glad i found this gem while spending the week in Sacto. i read all the reviews prior to stopping in and decided i'd make up my mind once i got there. person after person ordered the famous smoked salmon sandwich. i decided to go for it since it's so popular.
amazing. the bread is to die for and fresh out of the oven. the owner/chef makes each sandwich with grace and it comes out as an art form. i also had to try the soup since everyone raves about it. i went for the cream of corn.
another WOW. smooth, rich, seasoned perfectly. it brought me right back to France....and i haven't even been there yet.
this is a MUST in any Sac trip.
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Finally made it in here it goes.....
This is a one man show!!!! One order taker, one sandwich maker, one person on register, and guess what, its all the same guy. This man has patience like no other. People are packing into this small place and the man behind the counter just keeps on going at the same relaxed pace, no hurry here. I like that. With that in mind expect to wait a while for good food, everyone does.
Oh and here is a tip, this happened to me on Monday. If you come here to eat there are only 6 tables in here if my memory serves me correctly. So, if you come in the door and see about 15 people in line ahead of your party don't scramble over and claim a table (or 2) for yourself because chances are by the time you get to the front of the line and get your food, all 15 people in front of you will have had time to eat and leave. So let people in front of you sit and enjoy their food too while you wait in line for yours. Just a tip.
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So, after 100+ reviews, what more can anyone say about this landmark, nay, godsend? Stay tuned - I'll get to that in a minute.
When elite status was bestowed upon me with a jaunty hoodie, Yelp warned me: "Be elite, not elitist" or something to that effect. But come on - if you had heard about Monsieur Pont's House of Wonder the old-fashioned way, say, in person during an actual conversation, months before you even discovered Yelp, you would brag too. I mean, this was back when people were still comparing him - endearingly, I might add - to the Soup Nazi.
Myself one who enjoys soup at all hours of the day, 365.25 days a year, I had to find this place. The Soup Nazi episode, if anything, made me hungry every time I saw it. When Elaine found his recipes in that armoire and started reading them off, I was practically drooling. Little did I know that the little glass door on the shady side of the US Bank building would be a gate to heaven.
Thus began a love affair with perfectly baked (yeah, they're initially par-baked - whatever!) bready-love enveloping the most artfully assembled ingredients, period. First, the warm Brie and prosciutto, then the smoked salmon, the baked salmon, duck breast, braised turkey, the braised pork, the salami with roast beef and cheese ("this sandwich reminds me of France" he once chimed) and my seasonal favorites, the baked halibut and the figs and brie. The onion soup is, naturally, to die for, and the creamy vegetable creations are divine on a bad day, if such a thing exists in the La Bonne Soupe world (this is a lie - once, I tried to go in and he was closed because his AC was broken! I was lost and defeated trying to find lunch elsewhere.)
With a Pellegrino or a French lemonade to complete the gastronomic vacation, I became something of hedonist. I was waiting in those long lines, popping in at different parts of the midday to study the flow of clientele, developing a La Bonne Soupe strategy. Show up at 11:20 and you may not have wait in line - show up at 11:25 and a group of hungry lobbyists/lawyers/staffers will keep you there for an hour. Drop in at 1:45 and you'll have the place to yourself, almost guaranteed; the cream of asparagus, however, will be gone. Occasionally, you can stop by anywhere between noon and 1pm and catch an eye in the storm. I tried to create a system, but I mostly depended on luck.
Now, unfortunately, I do not work Downtown anymore. I was once a mere three blocks from my own little Paris (without the cigarettes - woohoo!) I can only dream about it these days. A tiny bit of paradise could be bought with six dollars and encapsulated in a baguette; now, it is just a memory.
And now, the grandest of memories: one morning, I stopped in very early, maybe around 11:15. Monsieur Pont was assembling my sandwich when a couple of faces most likely familiar to him walked in; it was a middle-aged Latino couple.
"Eau-la, commeau estazz?" beamed Monsieur Pont.
I nearly died from holding in my laughter.
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uhh I don't even know why I am writing this.
Yes, it's GOOD. Yes, you have to get here early. We got here a little past 11a, by the time we starting eating...the place was packed.
I had broccoli soup and a prosciutto with warm brie sandwich. I saved half of my sandwich cause I thought I was too full. Yeaaaa it didn't exactly last in my to go bag, I just got done killing it. The bread is kinda hard though and if it weren't for my fear of chipping my front teeth (don't ask) we'd be home free. Regardless, I still managed to bite into and enjoy the warm gooey goodness.
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with so many good reviews i wasn't going to write another, but i felt the need to offset the person who gave one star b/c the place was closed so the owner could go on vacation. i mean, really, doesn't he deserve a vacation?shouldn't one wait to actually eat at the establishment before writing a review? anyway, great food!
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Think this place is over-hyped, or maybe I just came on a bad day.
Ordered a cup of cream of vegetable (one of the soups of the day), along with a warm brie & prosciutto sandwich.
Sandwich was very good.. don't find warm brie sandwiches around very much, lettuce and tomato tasted very fresh, I think he even said he grows them in a greenhouse -- since there's a tomato scare going on right now. Could have used a little more prosciutto (I think I just had one slice). The cheese overwhelmed it, could barely taste the prosciutto, but everything was good and on nice crusty bread.
Soup was overly salty. That's where I dock the points for.
Prices are pretty high, and being a made to order one-man operation (while very impressive), is not good for you if you're in a time crunch...
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Question: What happens if Chef Dan needs to take a sick day? Were this guy not to show up to work, I'm inclined to think the downtown shirt-and-tie brigade would storm that shop window Bastille-style!
Who's in on some Daniel Pont t-shirts??
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I loved this place. I had a meeting in Sacramento and happened to just park in front of this little cafe.
The man working here is very sweet and french and the sandwich he made me divine!
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Hands down the best lunch in sacramento ... on weekdays only since it is closed on weekends.
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OK, it's true. This place does not really need another stellar review. But I can't help it, I just have to.
The treasure of a man behind the counter really is the best at what he does in Sacramento. Just like in the movie "Big Night," he suffers for his food. Go early or plan to wait. But it is unquestionably perfect in every dimension and well worth the wait!
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The man working there is so sweet! He is alone in the process of making your sandwich...so it takes awhile, since the line is out the door!...but it's so worthwhile!!! The time flew as your mouth watered, wataching the chef create his masterpiece with every order. I had one of the sandwiches of the day, warmed brie and apples....so tasty, lights, and filling!! I fell in love with the small tables by the window and the decor, some of which being his accomplishments via newspaper clippings, framed and on the wall. The cream of mushroom soup with leeks was also delectible! And the prices! I got a sandwich, soup and lemonable for $12, fantastic. Please tip him!!! He totally deserves it!
This place is a gem.
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Cute little place with a cute little man running everything.. Alan asked for the trout sandwich and got pork instead though. Still, we can't complain because the sandwich was delicious and we wanted to try everything anyway.
There always seems to be a never ending line there but it's well worth it. The only con to this place is parking.
I just went here, again, today for like the umpteenth time . I love the food, I love the cook and I love the people that go there. We ordered the Warmed Brie & Fig sandwich with two soups; vegetable and asparagas. I liked the asparagas better because it was saltily delicious! The sandwich, as usual, was amazing: homemade french roll, crunchy on the outside, soft & warm on the inside, the brie, cut about 1/2" thick and soft, sweet fig slices on top. crap...have to go or i'd write for another hour!
This place really doesn't need yet another rave review, but I just had to comment on the bread. I could just eat that bread for breakfast, lunch and dinner. How is it so perfectly toasty on the outside, yet so soft on the inside???
The man is a genius. He's able to be only open on weekdays from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and have a winding line of people patiently waiting while he carefully crafts each sandwich.
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thanks yelpers, this was quite a treat.
I had a hard time believing what I was seeing as I walked in. The guy you see in the pictures takes care with every order, and is the only one working there. Expect a delay if there is a line, but it was well worth it! Very cozy and delicious!
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Great food, very sympatique small restaurant where you can order in French too. Location doesn't help a lot for parking, but it's worth the troubles and the wait; careful though, it's only opened for lunch on week days.
I'm putting only 4 because he could easily hire someone to help him and help customers not waiting in line for 15+ mins ( I appreciate his care of the preparation, but that's a bit "too much" I guess).
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I'm licking the bowl of my cream of corn soup as I type this review...it might just be one of the best soups I have ever had. I decided to try this place after reading about it on here and I must say that it lived up to the hype. Yes, the line takes forever but once you see the process, it is understandable. The chef makes everything himself and truly takes time with each sandwich. I had the smoked salmon sandwich which came with creme fraiche, asparagus, cucumber, lettuce, and a vinaigrette. It was fantastic. Every ingredient worked well with the other. So yummy! As I mentioned before, I had the cream of corn soup which was beyond words. My roommate had the sausage and the french onion, both of which he loved. I will be back soon because I'm already craving more of that sandwich even though I'm really full.
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Best kept secret in Sacto! The french onion soup is ohhh so savory as well as the smoked salmon sandwich with asparagus and creme fraiche. Each food order prepared to perfection no matter how long the line is out the door. The price is completely reasonable, especially compared to La Bou and other such generic establishments that do not even compare to this unique hole-in-he-wall. The chef is a whole other character that makes the experience even more superb.
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What a wonderful restaurant. Unprepossessing on the outside, the line stretching out the door is only way you'd know there was a reason to stop in (other than the local buzz about "the French guy"). Manning oven, cutting board and cash register, he makes everything to order, splitting each asparagus spear and slicing each strawberry immediately before putting it on the sandwich and handing it to you. The results are fabulous. My first visit, munching the brie and apple sandwich while walking back to work, the thought in my mind was that this sandwich was the sort of thing that makes life worth living. It really was that good. Don't miss it!
