What’s a better way to keep you warm on gloomy rainy days than delicious hearty food?! The Cavalier in San Francisco is inspired by London brassieres serving classic British pub food with a California twist.

The Cavalier is the newest restaurant of owners/managing partners Anna Weinberg and James Nicholas who also run Park Tavern and Marlowe (read my review here), both successful restaurants in San Francisco.

Aubergine Croquettes with Tomato Confit and Citrus Yogurt (6.5/10).

The only letdown of the meal was our first dish, the aubergine croquettes. The aubergine (British term for eggplant) croquettes lacked some seasoning and the tomato confit garnish wasn’t sweet and complex as it should be.

Smoked Whitefish Rillettes with Grilled Country Levain (8.5/10).

One of my favorite dishes of the night was the smoked whitefish rillettes. Creamy whitefish spread with a hint of smoke with micro cilantro and served with grilled bread, really delicious.

Lamb Scrumpets with Mint Sauce (8/10).

The lamb scrumpets were basically breaded and fried lamb riblets. Tender and moist with a delicious habanero mint sauce.

Fish and Chips with Malt Vinegar Aioli and Minted Peas (8/10).

Shepherd’s Pie: Minced Lamb with Peas, Carrots, and Curried Mash (8.5/10).

Roasted Heirloom Carrots with Crispy Shallots and Cumin (7.5/10).

Brussels Sprouts with Lemon, Chili, and Mint (7.5/10).

For main courses we ordered the most traditional British food, fish and chips. Super flaky yet crispy cod with classic fries, a malt vinegar aioli, and a refreshing herby pea salad. My only criticism is that the peas were a tad bit salty but otherwise great. The other entrée was the shepherd’s pie, a super traditional dish consisting of minced meat topped with mashed potatoes. This was another winner; rich flavorful minced lamb with carrots and peas topped with fluffy creamy curried flavored mashed potatoes. Both the vegetable side dishes (heirloom carrots and brussels sprouts) were also scrumptious.

Lemon Eton Mess: Huckleberry, Meringue, and Vanilla Whipped Cream (8/10).

Tri-Layered Terrine: Salted Caramel, Chocolate Chip, and Coffee Ice Cream with Candied Almonds (8/10).

Chocolate Flourless Cake with Prosecco Sabayon and Chocolate Sauce (8/10).

Now I can’t finish a meal without a dessert and The Cavalier didn’t disappoint. The lemon eton mess was essentially like a lemon meringue pie. Tart yet sweet lemon curd topped with vanilla whipped cream, mini meringue puffs, and a huckleberry sauce. Really good. The tri-layered terrine was any ice cream lover’s fantasy. Salted caramel, chocolate chip, and coffee ice cream topped with whipped cream and candied almonds. Yum! Finally, the chocolate flourless cake was simple but hit the spot. Warm chocolate cake with chocolate sauce, a light prosecco sabayon, and mini chocolate balls.

I was pleasantly surprised by my meal at The Cavalier. Not only was the food delicious, the ambience and service was top notch as well. I really enjoyed my meal at The Cavalier so my overall rating is an 8/10.