Nico is located on an elegant stretch of Sacramento Street and feels surprisingly welcoming. Upon entering, one sees the whole interior of the restaurant revealing itself as far away as the kitchen, separated from the main room by a big glass window. I was greeted by two hostesses but later learned that one of them was the co-owner. They made me feel comfortable while I was waiting for my friend to come, and I had a chance to ask questions about the chef and his hard-working team behind the big glass window.
During our dinner, we had a surprise visit—the chef came to greet us and introduced himself. Nico is a young, attractive, and soft-spoken Parisian man who speaks fondly of his restaurant and food creations. He described his cuisine as Modern French, using California ingredients with French techniques to create sophisticated and light dishes. I must add that the food looks and tastes really healthy. I had never been to a French restaurant and eaten so wholesomely without ordering any meat. 
I went to the web site to find out the name of the dishes we had, but instead I read that the menu is reinvented each night and subject to change. Before you make a reservation, please visit their website to read about their most recent menu. The latest one looks fantastic. I am definitely ready to make another reservation! 
I had as an appetizer an asparagus dish with sesame dressing. I would like to know how Nico cooks asparagus because they were just perfect—firm and crunchy. My friend Kristen ordered the sardines and was happy with her choice. You can tell from my pictures that the dishes were just gorgeous. My main dish was meatless—a morel mushrooms dish with an egg and chikpeas. My friend ordered the pork. It came in a pretty brown plate, pink in color with similar colors veggies. We didn’t order desert, but we ordered a cheese plate and we loved the choices of cheese. The selection was generous in size. 
We found it pleasurable to watch the kitchen team prepare our dishes behind the big glass window. They seemed to work in a harmonious way, focused and organized. We loved the fact that we didn’t feel rushed by our server. She was gracious and prompt and was smiling the whole time. The restaurant is a nice size, but it is quiet and there is enough room between the tables so you don’t feel invaded by other people’s conversations.
Nico is a little gem in San Francisco. You will be delighted by the inventiveness of this young chef and the beautiful energy of the décor and the staff.
Nico | 3228 Sacramento Street, San Francisco| (415) 359-1000
